Geography and Cultural Studies Vocabulary

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts in geography and cultural studies.

Map Projection

The method of showing our 3D Earth on a flat map.

Human Geography

The study of people and their activities.

Physical Geography

The study of nature and the weather.

GIS (Geographical Information System)

A computer system that stores and shows information from different maps.

Remote Sensing

The method of observing and monitoring areas from a distance.

Time Space Convergence

The shortening of travel time between places over time.

Toponym

The name of a location, often linked to its physical features.

Friction of Distance

The idea that as distance increases, connections become less likely.

Human-Environment Interaction

How people use land and how that affects nature.

Environmental Determinism

The idea that the physical environment shapes human behavior.

Possibilism

While the environment sets limits, people can overcome those limits with creativity.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how culture interacts with the environment.

Political Ecology

How economics and power influence changes in the environment.

Regionalization

The process of dividing large areas into smaller regions.

Formal Region

An area where people share similar traits or features.

Functional Region

A region defined by a specific function or purpose.

Vernacular Region

An informal region identified by personal feelings about the area.

Regional Boundaries

Borders that can change over time and may overlap.

Regional Analysis

Studying an area's characteristics like language and culture on different scales.

Arithmetic Density

The total number of people in an area.

Physiological Density

The number of people per unit of arable land.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers compared to the amount of farmland.

Physical Factors (in Population Density)

Natural elements like climate and resources affecting where people live.

Human Factors (in Population Density)

Factors like job availability and safety influencing living locations.

Local Scale (Population Density)

Influences from jobs, schools, parks, and safety in a small area.

Regional Scale (Population Density)

Influences from weather, resources, and industries in a larger area.

National Scale (Population Density)

Influences from the economy and government policies on a country-wide level.

Global Scale (Population Density)

Worldwide influences like climate and technology.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of people an environment can support.

Guest Worker

A person who moves temporarily for work.

Transhumance

The seasonal moving of people with animals between pastures.

Interregional Migration

Moving from one region to another within a country.

Intraregional Migration

Moving within the same region of a country.

Chain Migration

Moving to places because of family.

Cultural Enclave

A specific area where a certain culture is concentrated.

Acculturation

When people adopt the customs and values of another culture.

Cultural Assimilation

When a minority culture adopts the traits of a dominant culture.

Affirmative Action Policy

A policy to give fair opportunities to underrepresented groups.

Xenophobia

The fear or dislike of people from different cultures.

Scapegoating

Blaming another culture for problems or misfortunes.

Stateless Nation

A group that sees itself as a nation but lacks its own state.

Cultural Hearth

A place where important cultural traits and ideas begin and spread.

Globalization

The process of increased connections among people and nations worldwide.

Impact of Globalization on Culture

The spread of ideas and customs leading to both cultural mixing and sameness.

Popular Culture Creation

The development of new cultural trends for a wide audience.

Horizontal Diversity

Differences among similar groups across different areas.

Vertical Diversity

Differences in status or hierarchy within a similar group.

Artifacts

Physical items made by a culture.

Mentifacts

The ideas and values that define a culture.

Sociofacts

The social structures and organizations within a culture.

Material Culture

The physical objects created by a culture.

Nonmaterial Culture

The beliefs and values of a culture.

Ethnic Enclave

An area within a city where a specific ethnic group lives.

Cultural Relativism

Understanding people's beliefs within their own cultural context.

Multiculturalism

The coexistence of different cultures within one society.

Nativism

Preference for native citizens over immigrants.

Cultural Region

An area where people share similar cultural traits.

Cultural Realm

A larger area that includes several cultural regions.

Sequent Occupance

Different cultural groups occupying the same area over time.

Centripetal Force

A force that pulls objects toward the center.

Main Types of Diffusion

How cultural traits spread, like through migration or direct contact.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of culture when people move.

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid spread of culture through direct contact.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread of culture from influential people to others.

Isogloss

A boundary where a particular language feature is found.

Homogenization

Reducing cultural diversity.

Imperialism/Colonialism

Powerful countries taking over others and forcing different groups to live together.

Independence Movement

Efforts by people to rule themselves.

Devolution

Transferring power to smaller local governments.

Berlin Conference (1884–1885)

A meeting where European countries divided Africa.

British Partition of India

The division of British India into separate countries.

Definitional Boundary Dispute

A disagreement over boundary definitions.

Locational (Territorial) Boundary Dispute

Disagreement about where a boundary is.

Irredentism

Belief in controlling land beyond borders based on shared culture or history.

Operational (Functional) Boundary Dispute

Disagreement about how to manage a boundary.

Allocational (Resource) Boundary Dispute

A dispute over resource use near a border.

Geometric Boundary

A straight line boundary based on latitude or longitude.

Physical (Natural) Boundary

A boundary that follows natural features like rivers or mountains.

Cultural (Ethnic) Boundary

A boundary separating people based on culture.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary established before people lived in an area.

Subsequent Boundary

A boundary set after people inhabit an area, often based on differences.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary drawn by outsiders without considering existing cultures.

Relic Boundary

A boundary that no longer functions officially but still has effects.

Redistricting

Redrawing district lines to ensure equal populations.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating district lines for political advantage.

Cracking

Splitting a voting group to weaken its influence.

Packing

Concentrating like-minded voters into one district to lessen their impact in others.

Stacking

Combining a strong group with a larger population to dilute influence elsewhere.

Hijacking

Drawing district lines to put two incumbents in the same district.

Kidnapping

Moving a representative's base to another district to hinder re-election chances.

1965 Voting Rights Act

Legislation to protect voting rights and prevent discrimination.

Bipartisan

Cooperation between the two major political parties.

Ethnonationalism

The movement for a group to create a nation based on shared ethnicity.

Intensive Subsistence Agriculture

Farming that requires a lot of time and work, often with crops like rice.

Extensive Subsistence Agriculture

Farming that needs little effort.

Pastoral Nomadism

Moving with domesticated animals for grazing.

Shifting Cultivation

A farming method involving moving to new plots after a few harvests.

Bid-Rent Theory

The idea that land near cities is more expensive due to competition.

Monocropping

Growing the same crop repeatedly on the same land.

Monoculture

Growing only one type of crop at a time.