Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
environmental problems, or local or international confl icts, this is
everywhere apparent. The general level of geographical literacy,
or graphicacy, with its emphasis on visual-spatial skills, needs
to be raised for wealth creation, for preserving and enhancing
the quality of life, for ensuring sustainability of the Earth and its
peoples, for responsible citizenship, and for leadership at local,
national, and international levels. This presents not only research
opportunities, but also educational opportunities in preparing
people to meet the physical and human challenges of an ever more
crowded, unequal world with an ever more competitive global
economy. Never has the phrase 'geography matters' had more
resonance than in the present day.
The breadth of the discipline of geography is a major source
of strength. Physical geographers contribute knowledge and
understanding as natural environmental scientists, while human
geographers play distinctive and important roles as social
scientists and as social and cultural theorists. Alongside this,
those who work on the integrated themes of regional, historical,
human-environment interaction, global change, or landscape
geography continue the holistic traditions of geography and
exemplify its bridging role. In terms of research, therefore, the
specialist contributions of physical and human geographers are
complemented by the concerns of the integrated geographers
with the broader questions and with synthesis. Students of
geography at university and school pupils benefi t considerably
from this broad remit. Geography is of immense personal
educational value, preparing fl exible graduates with the breadth of
knowledge and the wide-ranging skills - numeracy, literacy, and
graphicacy - necessary for a wide variety of careers.
The core geographical concepts of space, place, and environment
are more relevant than ever to understanding the world.
Geography now possesses a much greater knowledge base and a
better-developed battery of methods, including its own specialist
geographical techniques associated with maps, EO, and GIS,
