Principles in Human Geography: Race and Ethnicity

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to race and ethnicity as discussed in the Principles in Human Geography lecture.

Race

A socially constructed category that has evolved over time, reflecting complex definitions rather than fixed, unchanging attributes. Its historical development is often tied to attempts by European powers to classify human populations during colonialism, frequently used to justify social hierarchies and exploitation, and is closely linked to the concept of scientific racism.

Ethnicity

A dynamic social construct relating to shared cultural practices, perspectives, and distinctions that are often tied to ancestry, language, religion, and sense of community. Unlike 'race', which has often been externally imposed, ethnicity typically involves a process of self-identification, although it can also be influenced by external categorization.

Socially Constructed

Describes ideas, categories, or phenomena that are created, defined, and maintained by social processes, interactions, and cultural norms within a society, rather than being inherently natural, biological, or universal. Examples include race, gender, nations, and concepts of wilderness.

Identity

The intricate understanding of oneself, which is profoundly shaped by individual experiences, social roles, cultural contexts, and societal definitions. Geographers emphasize how identity is also formed through interactions with places and spaces, contributing to a sense of belonging or non-belonging.

Cultural Landscapes

Geographical areas powerfully shaped by enduring cultural practices, historical narratives, and human activities. Pioneered by American geographer Carl Sauer (1889-1975) from the Berkeley School of Geography, this concept views landscapes as dynamic products of the interaction between human societies and their natural environment, often bearing the visible and intangible marks of colonial histories, indigenous land stewardship, and everyday life.

Exclusion

The deliberate act or systemic process of restricting or denying access, participation, or representation to specific groups within societal structures, institutions, and spaces. In geographical contexts, this can manifest as segregation (e.g., residential segregation), redlining, restrictive border and immigration policies, or the marginalization of certain groups from public spaces and resources.

Historical Narratives

Stories, accounts, or representations of the past that are constructed, interpreted, and disseminated, thereby shaping and informing our understanding of cultural landscapes, political realities, and collective memory. These narratives are often contested, reflecting different perspectives, power dynamics, and can be used to legitimize or challenge existing geographical and social orders. Challenging dominant narratives is a key aspect of decolonization.

Scientific Racism

The pseudoscientific misuse of empirical arguments and methods, particularly from fields like biology, anthropology, and early forms of geography, to justify racial discrimination and the belief in inherent racial hierarchies. Historically, practices like craniometry (measuring skulls) and phrenology (studying skull contours) were used to create 'scientific' classifications of human 'races', often to support colonial expansion, slavery, and policies of racial segregation.

Decolonization

The multifaceted process of undoing colonial influences, power structures, and representations, aiming for a more accurate, inclusive, and equitable historical and geographical narrative. This includes challenging Eurocentric perspectives in cartography, education, and public spaces; recognizing indigenous sovereignty and land rights; and actively centering indigenous knowledge systems and voices in academic and policy discourse. The work of scholars like Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Māori) is central to decolonizing methodologies.

Geographical Imagination

The way in which geographical space, places, and regions are conceived, perceived, and represented by individuals and societies, often shaped by cultural, historical, political, and economic contexts. Edward Said (1935-2003), a literary theorist, extensively explored this concept in his work 'Orientalism' (1978), demonstrating how the 'Orient' was imagined and constructed by the 'West' through literature, art, and scholarship, perpetuating stereotypes and justifying imperial power and geographical divisions.

Mercator Projection

A cylindrical map projection developed by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It was revolutionary for maritime navigation because it represented lines of constant bearing (rhumb lines) as straight lines. However, it significantly distorts the sizes and shapes of landmasses, particularly magnifying areas further from the equator (e.g., Greenland appears similar in size to Africa, when Africa is vastly larger). This visual distortion has been critiqued by geographers and cartographers (e.g., Arno Peters with the Peters Projection) for reinforcing Eurocentric geographical biases in popular perception.

Fortress Australia

A critical term referring to the stringent and often controversial policies, practices, and political rhetoric that characterize Australia's immigration and border control systems. These policies are designed to deter asylum seekers arriving by boat, often involving mandatory offshore processing, detention in remote facilities (e.g., Nauru, Manus Island), and 'turn-back' operations. Critics, including human rights organizations, highlight significant human rights concerns and the way these policies have shaped Australia's geographical imagination of its maritime borders and national identity.

Rhodes Must Fall

A powerful student-led protest movement that originated at the University of Cape Town in South Africa in March 2015. The movement advocated for the removal of statues and other symbols representing colonialism, racism, and historical figures like Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist. The movement quickly expanded globally (e.g., 'Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford'), challenging the enduring legacy of colonial power in public spaces, universities, and institutions, and demanding a broader decolonization of education, curriculum, and historical memory.