Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
known geographical places; the territories that assume great
importance in our lives. Geography, then, is everywhere and
the study of geography examines these locations, connections,
territories, environments, and places, and seeks to understand
their signifi cance.
The subject matter of geography is the Earth's surface, including
the envelope of atmosphere immediately above it, the structures
that lie immediately below it, and the social and cultural
environments contributed by the people who occupy it. Common
defi nitions of geography capture many of these qualities, albeit in
very abrupt forms. Thus, geography as the 'where' of things is one
catchphrase. 'Geography is about maps and history is about chaps',
is another. Again, geography tells us about the world and its
places. Most would agree that in an increasingly interdependent
and connected world beset with problems of global signifi cance,
an understanding of its geography is essential. Current big
issues such as global warming, environmental change, natural
hazards, fl ows of refugees, rising levels of pollution, the rapid
onset of epidemics, and burgeoning confl icts all have considerable
geographical dimensions.
Emergence of geography as a university discipline
Whenever a new discipline establishes itself in universities,
there are always problems of identity to resolve, and the story
of geography is unexceptional in this respect. Mapping in
geographical space goes back a long way in time so one basic
principle of geography belongs to the distant past. Similarly,
essential geographical concepts can be found in the writings
of Greek philosophers, Roman historians, and Sumerian
cartographers. Geography, with its empirical matter-of-factness,
was a discernible element of the growth of knowledge, but its
various concepts were not drawn together into an integrated
subject area.
