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Geography 1100 Unit 1 - An Introduction To Geography Introductory exercise…? The Meaning of The Word Geo – World Graphei – To Write Three Recurring Themes Humans and Land Human existence is based on the relationship between people and the world around them. Geographers examine the physical reality of landscapes and the symbolic meaning of those landscapes. Regional Studies Geographers frequently divide the land into regions to facilitate their study of the world. Regions are areas within which there are uniform characteristics and help us to make sense of the world and human patterns of existence. Spatial Analysis Geographers also look to explain why things are where they are. Geographers use the tools of theory, models, hypothesis, testing, qualitative method and quantitative method. The Goal of Human Geography The goal of human geography is to teach us about the world we live in and how we live in the world. Geographers often tend to be generalists who are seeking to identify and understand the interconnectedness of things. Human Geographic Concepts Geographers use a variety of key concepts to interpret and analyze the world. Space Absolute Space – the objectively defined phenomena of the earth’s surface. Relative Space – the subjectively (social perception) defined phenomena of the earth’s surface. Location Absolute Location: The precise and unique position of something on the surface of the globe according to an agreed upon system of coordinates. e.g. latitude & longitude – Vancouver 49°N 123°W Site – The characteristics of a location Relative Location: The location of something in relation to other places. "Situation" – The location relative to other locations Place – Describes not just the characteristics of a space (location), but also the human meanings and values that are attributed to that space. Sense of place – attachments to place Sacred space – places with religious meaning Placelessness – homogeneous or standardized places Topophilia – the love of place Topophobia – the fear or dislike of place Region – The subdivision of the earth into separate based on unifying characteristics Formal (Uniform) Regions – Areas with one or more unifying characteristics Functional (Nodal) Regions – Regions focussed around a single location, usually characterized by a unifying set of relationships or functions Vernacular Regions – Regions as defined by “the people” – regions that exist in the minds of people either inside or outside of that region Distance – Any measure of space will include distances as a basic component of that space, place or location. Distances can be important aspects of things such as distribution patterns – how near or far things are apart from each other. Distance Decay (Friction of Distance) – With distance, interaction decreases because of time and cost principally Accessibility – The relative ease with which a location can be reached Interaction – The movement, trading or other communication between locations Agglomeration – the clustering of activities Deglomeration – the spreading or separation of activities Types of Distance Absolute (Linear) Distance – Objectively measured distances between places Time Distance – The time it takes to move between locations Economic Distance – The cost involved in moving between places e.g. the minimum cost distance may not be the same as the minimum linear distance Psychological (Cognitive & Social) Distance – The perception of distance Scale – Technical -- The ratio between the size of reality and the size of a map Small Scale – show large areas in little detail Large Scale – show small areas in great detail Subjective – The appropriate size of an area to be used for research purposes Temporal Scale – The range of time appropriate for a study Social Scale – The scale of human subjects to be used in research (groups or individuals) Diffusion – The spread of a phenomenon over space and growth through time Relocation Diffusion Contagious Diffusion Hierarchical Diffusion Perception – people do not simply relate to the ‘real’ physical or social environment, but rather to their ‘perception’ of the environment. This involves peoples mental perceptions of places. These mental images are important because: Mental images of other places are changing. We are becoming increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of places. Mental maps demonstrate that we all perceive places in different ways. The metal maps of specific individuals can greatly impact many other people. (Can impact industrial location) Serious problems are created if people in power have distorted mental maps. Mental maps and people’s perceptions of places can change. Development – Landscapes and places change over time as people create changes. Development is a subjective measure of economic growth, social welfare, modernization and other aspects of change over time. Recognition of development can be an important measure and can also distract from other less tangible measures of welfare and well-being. Similarly, different people will seek to measure and interpret development in markedly different ways. Discourse – The discussion of ideas of value to geographers using the ‘language’ of geography. This can also involve a recognition of the relationships between power and knowledge and the variable nature of “truth”.