APHUG Terms w/ Real World Examples

Absolute Location

Description of the position of a place in a way that never changes, Ex: Longitude/Latitude.

Acculturation

The process of changes in a culture that result from the meeting of two groups, each of which retains distinct cultural features

Ex: Adopting Western clothing styles like jeans and T-shirts by people worldwide is a clear example of cultural exchange through fashion. 

Assimilation

The process by which a groups cultural features are altered to resemble those of another group.

Ex: The forced integration of Native Americans into European-American culture through boarding schools, where they were stripped of their native languages, traditions, and identities

Cultural Landscape

An approach to geography that emphasizes the relationships among social and physical phenomena in a particular study area,

Ex: TDistance Decayhe way human activity shapes the environment, such as urban development in cities or agricultural patterns in rural areas.

Distance Decay

The diminished importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from it origin

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment, particularly climate and geography, shapes human behaviors and cultures, determining the development of societies.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in a snowballing process, often amplified by technology or social networks.

Ex: the rapid spread of social media platforms and the influence of viral trends among users globally.

Formal Region

An area defined by official boundaries or uniform characteristics, such as political jurisdictions or cultural traits. (Uniform)

Ex: Japan is a formal region because of how uniform the Japanese culture and language is throughout the country.

Functional Region

An area defined by a central place and the surrounding areas that are dependent on it for resources or services, such as a metropolitan area. (Nodal)

Ex: The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where various suburbs rely on Dallas for employment, entertainment, and services.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. It is widely used for mapping and analyzing features of the Earth's surface.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on Earth, enabling precise tracking and navigation.

Globalization

The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale, leading to greater interconnectedness of economies and cultures.

Ex: The expansion of multinational corporations like McDonald's, which operate in many countries, influencing local economies and cultures.

Hearth

The point of origin or place where an idea, innovation, or cultural practice begins and subsequently spreads to other areas.

Ex: The Fertile Crescent, where agriculture and early civilizations first emerged.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea or innovation from one key person or node to others in a society, often following a rank or hierarchy.

Ex: The adoption of new fashion trends by influential celebrities before trickling down to the general public/ Spread of religions (Christianity) through missionaries and colonization.

Possibilism

A geographic theory that suggests the environment offers various possibilities for human actions, but the choices made depend on human decision-making and cultural factors.

Region

An area defined by certain unifying characteristics, such as culture, physical geography, or economic activities. Regions can be formal, functional, or vernacular, depending on how they are defined and perceived.

Ex: The Midwest, characterized by its agricultural economy and cultural practices.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of an idea or innovation through the physical movement of people from one place to another, often resulting in the adoption of that idea by the new population.

Ex: The introduction of pizza to the United States by Italian immigrants, which then became popular across the country.

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of data about the Earth's surface through satellite or aerial imagery, used for monitoring land use, vegetation, and environmental changes.

Site

The physical characteristic of a place

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places and its surrounding environment, influencing economic activities and accessibility.

Space-Time Compression

The reduction in the time it takes for something to reach another place, due to advancements in technology and communication.

Stimulus Diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle or idea, even if a specific characteristic fails to spread. This often occurs in cultural or technological contexts.

Ex: McDonalds adapting its menu in different countries to suit local tastes while maintaining brand identity.

Sustainability

The capacity to endure in a relatively ongoing way across various domains of life, including environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

Syncretism

The combining of different beliefs and practices, often blending aspects of various religions or cultures to create new traditions.

Ex: The "Day of the Dead" in Mexico combines indigenous practices with Catholic traditions.

Transnational Corporation

A large company operating in multiple countries, affecting global trade and economics. Transnational corporations often have significant influence on local economies and can drive globalization.

Ex: Coca-Cola, which operates in over 200 countries, adapting its marketing and products to cater to local markets.

Uneven Development

A pattern of unequal economic growth and resource distribution among different regions or groups, often resulting in disparities in wealth, infrastructure, and social services.

Ex: A clear real-world example of uneven development is the significant income gap between North America and Sub-Saharan Africa. The average income in North America is 16 times higher than in Sub-Saharan Africa, illustrating a stark disparity in economic development. 

Vernacular Region

A region defined by informal boundaries and characteristics based on people's perceptions and cultural identity, often associated with local names, traditions, and dialects. (Perceptual)

Ex: The American South, known for its distinct culture, cuisine, and dialects. Antina

Anti-Natalist Policies

Government measures aimed at decreasing birth rates, often implemented in response to concerns over overpopulation.

Ex: China’s One-Child Policy, which limited most families to having only one child to control population growth.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely without being degraded. This concept is crucial for understanding resource management and ecological balance.

Demographic Transition Model

A model that describes the transition of a country from high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates as it develops economically. It consists of five stages, illustrating population growth patterns.

Stage 1:

High stationary stage with high birth and death rates, leading to a stable population.

Stage 2:

Characterized by high birth rates and declining death rates, leading to rapid population growth as a country begins to industrialize.

Ex: Nigeria, Afghanistan

Stage 3:

Characterized by declining birth rates and low death rates, leading to a slowing population growth as urbanization and access to healthcare improve.

Ex: Mexico, Brazil

Stage 4:

Characterized by low birth and death rates, leading to a stable or declining population as the economy matures and family planning becomes common.

Ex: United States, Canada

Stage 5:

Characterized by very low birth rates and low death rates, leading to a population decline as societies face challenges like an aging population and potential labor shortages.

Ex: Japan, Germany

Epidemiology Transition Model

A model that describes the transition of disease patterns as a country develops and its population ages, shifting from infectious diseases to chronic diseases.

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrial growth and technological advancement that began in the late 18th century, transforming economies from agrarian to industrial and changing social and cultural conditions.

Medical Revolution

A period of medical innovations and advancements in the 20th century that improved healthcare, eliminated many infectious diseases, and increased life expectancy.

Epidemic

outbreak of a disease that spreads rapidly within a specific population or region.

Ex: Cholera outbreak in London

Pandemic

a global outbreak of a disease affecting a large number of people across multiple countries or continents.

Ex: COVID-19 pandemic

Pronatalist Policy

A policy aimed at encouraging higher birth rates through various incentives, often implemented to counter declining populations.

Ex: France's family policies and cash incentives.

Zero Population Growth

A demographic condition where the number of births plus immigration equals the number of deaths plus emigration, resulting in no net population growth.

Ex: Sweden

Asylum Seeker

An individual who flees their home country due to persecution or conflict and applies for protection in another country.

Ex: Individuals fleeing war in Syria.

Brain Drain

The emigration of highly trained or educated individuals from one country to another, often leading to a loss of skilled labor in the home country.

Ex: Many engineers leaving India for jobs in the US.

Circular Migration

A type of migration characterized by temporary and repetitive movement of people between home and host locations for work or education.

Ex: Seasonal workers moving between countries for agricultural jobs.

Counter-urbanization

The demographic and social process whereby people move from urban areas to rural areas, often seeking a better quality of life.

Emigration

The act of leaving one's country to settle in another, typically for reasons such as work, education, or family.

Ex: A person moving from Mexico to the United States for job opportunities.

Family Based Migration

A type of migration where individuals move to a new country based on family connections, often seeking reunification with relatives.

Ex: A child moving to the US to join a parent who is already living there.

Forced Migration

The movement of people compelled to leave their homes due to factors such as conflict, natural disasters, or persecution.

Ex: A refugee fleeing Syria due to ongoing war.

Guest Worker

A foreign laborer allowed to work temporarily in a host country, often to fill labor shortages.

Ex: A construction worker from Guatemala taking a job in the United States for a specified period.

Immigration

The process of entering and settling in a foreign country to live permanently or for an extended period.

Ex: A family relocating from Mexico to the United States in search of a better life.

Internal Migration

The movement of people within a country, often from rural areas to urban centers, seeking better opportunities or living conditions.

Ex: A family moving from a rural town in the Midwest to a city like Chicago for job prospects.

Internally Displaced Person

An individual who is forced to flee their home but remains within their country's borders, often due to conflict or natural disaster.

Ex: A person displaced by civil war in Syria but staying within Syrian territory.

International Migration

The movement of people across international borders, either temporary or permanent, often motivated by economic, educational, or political factors.

Ex: A student moving from India to Canada for higher education.

Interregional Migration

The permanent movement of people between different regions within a country, often for economic opportunities or lifestyle changes.

Ex: A family relocating from the Northeast to the Southwest for a warmer climate and job opportunities.

Intervening Obstacle

Any barrier that hinders migration, such as geographical features, political borders, or economic factors.

Ex: A mountain range blocking travel, or a visa requirement preventing entry into a country.

Intraregional Migration

The movement of people within a particular region, typically involving changes in housing or neighborhoods for reasons such as job opportunities or lifestyle preferences.

Ex: A young professional moving from one neighborhood in a city to another for a new job.

Rural to Urban

Migration Transition

A model describing changes in migration patterns as a country develops, typically moving from high emigration to high immigration.

Ex: A shift from rural to urban areas as economies grow and job opportunities increase.

Refugees

People who are forced to flee their home country due to persecution, war, or violence.

Ex: Syrian refugees escaping the civil war.

Unauthorized Immigrant

A person who enters or resides in a country without the legal right to do so, often seeking better economic opportunities or to escape difficult conditions.

Ex: A person living in the US without legal documentation.

Voluntary Migration

The movement of people who choose to relocate based on factors such as economic improvement, family reunification, or better living conditions.

Ex: An individual moving to another country for a job opportunity.

Cultural Homogenization

The process by which local cultures become similar to one another, often due to globalization and media influence.

Ex: The widespread adoption of fast food chains and popular music styles around the world.

Custom

A long-established practice or tradition that is common within a particular culture or community, influencing social behavior and norms.

Ex: Christianity participates in various customs such as going to church on Sundays and celebrating holidays like Christmas, as well as baptisms and communions.

Folk Culture

Culture traditionally practiced by a small homogeneous, rural group in relative isolation from other groups.

Ex: The Amish community practicingtraditional crafts, folk music, and agrarian lifestyles.

Popular Culture

Cultural trends and practices that are widely shared and adopted across different societies, often influenced by mass media and commercial interests.

Ex: Mainstream music, movies, fashion, and social media trends.

Taboo

A social or cultural prohibition against certain behaviors, practices, or discussions, often considered unacceptable or forbidden.

Ex: Eating pork in Judaism and Islam and eating beef in Hinduism are examples of taboos that vary across different religions and cultures.

Terroir

The unique combination of climate, soil, and agricultural practices in a specific geographic area that influences the flavor and characteristics of agricultural products, particularly wine.

Ex: The distinct qualities of wine that reflect the region it is grown, such as Bordeaux in France.

Creole

A stable, fully-developed language that arises from the mixing of two or more languages, formed in a specific area and used by a community as a first language.

Ex: Louisiana Creole, which blends French, Spanish, and African languages, is primarily spoken in Louisiana.

Language Branch

A group of languages that share a common ancestor and are related through a more recent common origin than language families, often representing a subdivision within a language family.

Ex: The Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, and Italian, which evolved from Latin. Language Branches represent subdivisions within large families.

Ex; Indo-European is the most spoken

Language Family

A larger grouping of languages that share a distant common ancestor, typically representing a broader classification that includes multiple language branches, such as the Indo-European language family.

Ex; Includes languages like English, Hindi, and Russian.

Language group

A collection of languages within a language branch that share more recent commonalities, often including related dialects and varieties.

Ex: The Germanic group, which includes languages such as English, German, and Dutch.

Official Language

A language that is given a special legal status in a country or region, often used in government, education, and public life. Countries may have one or more official languages, reflecting their cultural and linguistic diversity.

Ex: In Canada, both English and French are official languages, reflecting the country's bilingual nature.

Pidgin Language

A simplified form of speech that develops as a means of communication between speakers of different languages. Pidgin languages typically borrow elements from both languages but lack a native speaker population.

Ex: Tok Pisin, used in Papua New Guinea.

Caste

A social stratification system typically associated with Hinduism, where individuals are born into hierarchical groups that dictate social status, occupation, and interactions.

Ethnic Religion

A religion that is closely tied to a specific ethnic group and does not actively seek converts. Ethnic religions often reflect the cultural heritage and traditions of the communities that practice them.

Ex; Judaism and Hinduism are examples of ethnic religions, as they are deeply connected to the cultural identities of their respective groups.

Hierarchical Religion

A type of religion that organizes its followers into a structured, ranked system, often with a central authority, and allows for varying levels of religious participation and authority among its members.

Ex: Catholicism, with its hierarchy from the Pope to bishops and priests.

Pilgrimage

A journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion, often involving travel to significant religious sites.

Ex: The Hajj to Mecca, undertaken by millions of Muslims annually.

Universalising Religion

A religion that seeks to appeal to all people regardless of culture or location, aiming to convert others to its beliefs.

Ex: Christianity and Islam.

Apartheid

A policy or system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s, aimed at maintaining white supremacy.

Blockbusting

The practice of inducing panic selling in a neighborhood by suggesting that racial minorities are moving in, leading to decreased property values.

Ethnic Cleansing

The systematic removal or extermination of an ethnic or religious group from a territory, typically through violence and forced displacement.

Ex: The Tutsis and Hutus of Rwanda, Holocaust

Ethnic Enclave

A place with high concentration of an ethnic group that is distinct from those in the surrounding area

Ex: Chinatown in San Francisco

Ethnoburb

A suburban area with a significant concentration of an ethnic group, often influenced by migration patterns and economic opportunities.

Ex: Monterey Park, California, considered a suburban Chinatown

Genocide

The intentional destruction of a racial, ethnic, national, or religious group, often through mass killing and other forms of violence.

Ex: The Holocaust (1941-1945)

Redlining

The discriminatory practice of systematically denying services, typically housing or loans, to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity.

Ex: HOLC Maps, created residential security maps in the 1930s that color coded neighborhoods based on risk.