Fundamentals of Human Geography

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand the key definitions of Human Geography by significant geographers.
2. Grasp the interrelationship between nature and human activities.
3. Explore the development of Human Geography over time and its various approaches.
4. Comprehend concepts such as environmental determinism, possibilism, and neo-determinism.
5. Identify various fields and sub-fields of Human Geography and their interdisciplinary nature.

Human Geography Defined

Human geography examines the complex relationship between human societies and their environment. Notable definitions include:

1. Ratzel’s Definition: Human geography is the synthetic study of the relationships between human societies and the earth’s surface. The emphasis is on synthesis.
2. Ellen C. Semple: Describes human geography as the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and the unstable earth, emphasizing dynamism.
3. Paul Vidal de la Blache: It involves understanding the physical laws governing the earth and the interrelations between living beings and their environment.

Nature of Human Geography

Human geography is the study of the interaction between physical and socio-cultural environments. Humans use resources from the physical environment (landforms, soils, climate, vegetation) to create their own world, such as villages, cities, industries, and networks. This mutual interaction shapes both nature and society.

Naturalisation of Humans and Humanisation of Nature

Human interaction with nature is shaped by technology, which reflects the cultural development of society. Initially, humans were influenced by the forces of nature, leading to environmental determinism—the belief that nature dictates human activities. As technology advanced, humans began modifying nature, transitioning from necessity to freedom, creating a cultural landscape through possibilism.

1. Environmental Determinism: Early human societies adapted to nature due to low levels of technology and primitive social development.
2. Possibilism: Humans create opportunities within nature’s limitations, leaving human imprints on the landscape.

Important Note: Nature offers opportunities, but humans create possibilities through their knowledge and technological advancements.

Humanisation of Nature: An Example

Kari’s lifestyle in Trondheim, characterized by overcoming the harsh natural environment through technology (heated offices, winter tires, imported fruits), demonstrates the humanisation of nature. The concept of neo-determinism emerges here, suggesting a balance between human control and nature’s constraints—humans can modify nature, but within limits to prevent environmental degradation.

Human Geography through Time

The evolution of human geography has roots in ancient exploration and colonial expansion. Earlier geographers focused on detailed descriptions of regions, often driven by imperial interests. Over time, the field expanded to include new approaches like regional analysis, quantitative revolution, and various schools of thought that reflected changing socio-political realities.

1. Exploration and Description: Focused on the discovery of new regions and descriptive accounts.
2. Regional Analysis: Aimed to understand the uniqueness of different regions and their interactions.
3. Quantitative Revolution: Introduced the use of computers and statistical tools to analyze human phenomena.
4. Humanistic, Radical, and Behavioral Schools: Emerged in the 1970s to address social inequality, capitalism, and perceptions of space.

Important Note: The behavioral school emphasized understanding human experiences and perceptions based on ethnicity, race, and religion.

Fields and Sub-fields of Human Geography

Human geography intersects with various social sciences, leading to the development of several sub-fields. These include:

1. Social Geography: Interfaces with sociology to study social structures and relationships.
2. Cultural Geography: Studies the impact of culture and society on geographic spaces, often linked to anthropology.
3. Political Geography: Involves the study of territories, borders, and political systems with political science.
4. Urban Geography: Analyzes urban planning and the spatial organization of cities.
5. Economic Geography: Investigates the distribution of resources, industries, and economic activities.
6. Medical Geography: Focuses on health and the geographic distribution of diseases.
7. Historical Geography: Examines past human activities and their influence on contemporary landscapes.

Important Note: Human geography constantly expands as new fields emerge, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the subject.

Human Geography: Key Approaches

The approaches of human geography have evolved over time, responding to changing social and environmental conditions. The major stages include:

1. Early Colonial Period: Focused on exploration and description of new regions.
2. Later Colonial Period: Introduced regional analysis, emphasizing the uniqueness of different areas.
3. Quantitative Revolution: Applied statistical tools to map human activities.
4. Humanistic and Radical Schools: Addressed social inequalities and the impacts of capitalism.

Neo-determinism: Balancing Freedom and Necessity

Neo-determinism represents a balanced view, suggesting that humans must respect nature’s limits while exploiting its resources responsibly. This approach, symbolized by stop-and-go determinism, emphasizes that while human development is possible, it must operate within the boundaries set by nature to avoid environmental degradation, such as global warming and ozone depletion.

Concept Note: Neo-determinism avoids the extremes of environmental determinism and possibilism, advocating for sustainable development within ecological limits.

Human Geography and Social Well-being

The welfare school of thought in human geography focuses on social well-being, encompassing aspects like housing, health, and education. Geographers use these frameworks to study how different environments affect the quality of life and development.

1. Radical Geography: Utilizes Marxian theory to examine the root causes of poverty and inequality, particularly in capitalist societies.
2. Behavioral Geography: Concentrates on the perception of space by different social groups, including ethnicity, race, and religion.

Comparative Perspectives on Human Geography

Important Note: Each school of thought in human geography provides different perspectives on human relationships with the environment, from welfare concerns to radical critiques of social structures.

MCQ: What is neo-determinism?

• A) An absolute freedom for humans to exploit nature
• B) A middle path between determinism and possibilism
• C) A belief in environmental control over humans
• Answer: B