Human Geography: Nature and Scope

These flashcards cover the foundational definitions, concepts, and schools of thought in Human Geography, including determinism, possibilism, and neodeterminism.

How did Ratzel define human geography?

Human geography is the synthetic study of relationship between human societies and earth's surface.

How did Ellen C. Semple define human geography?

Human geography is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and the unstable earth.

How did Paul Vidal de la Blache define the conception of human geography?

Conception resulting from a more synthetic knowledge of the physical laws governing our earth and of the relations between the living beings which inhabit it.

What are the two major components that comprise the earth according to human geography?

Nature (physical environment) and life forms including human beings.

What is the distinction between 'nomothetic' and 'idiographic' in the context of geographical debates?

Nomothetic refers to law making or theorising, while idiographic refers to descriptive study.

What is meant by 'environmental determinism'?

A type of interaction between primitive human society and strong forces of nature where humans are greatly influenced by and adapt to the dictates of nature due to low technological development.

What is 'possibilism' in geography?

A concept where humans create possibilities with resources from the environment, leading to a humanized nature that bears the imprints of human endeavor.

Who introduced the concept of 'Neodeterminism' and what is its alternative name?

Griffith Taylor; it is also known as 'stop and go determinism'.

What is the core idea of Neodeterminism?

It is a middle path that suggests human beings can conquer nature by obeying it, acting within limits that do not damage the environment.

The welfare or humanistic school of thought in human geography is concerned with what aspects?

Different aspects of social well-being of the people, such as housing, health, and education.

Which school of thought employed Marxian theory to explain poverty and social inequality?

The Radical school of thought.

The behavioral school of thought emphasizes which elements of geography?

Lived experience and the perception of space by social categories based on ethnicity, race, and religion.

What characterized the 'quantitative revolution' in geography during the late 1950s to late 1960s?

The use of computers and sophisticated statistical tools, and the application of laws of physics to map and analyse human phenomena.

What was the thrust of human geography during the 'Early Colonial period'?

Exploration and description prompted by imperial and trade interests.

What is 'Areal differentiation' as seen in the 1930s through the inter-War period?

A focus on identifying the uniqueness of a region and understanding how and why it was different from others.

What role did technology play in the discovery of fire and conquest of diseases, according to the notes?

Understanding natural laws of friction and heat helped discover fire, while understanding DNA and genetics enabled the conquest of diseases.

In the story of Kari in Trondheim, at what temperature is her office artificially heated?

$$23\,^{\circ}C$$

What are some metaphors used to describe physical and human phenomena in geography?

'Face' of the earth, 'eye' of the storm, 'mouth' of the river, 'snout' of the glacier, 'neck' of the isthmus, and 'profile' of the soil.