Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and other powerful
quantitative methods have been added to traditional fi eldwork
and the comparative method. Established core concepts of space
and place have been transformed, in human geography at least,
by modern social and cultural theory. The need to understand
the biophysical and human environments of people and their
interactions is becoming increasingly urgent as issues of
sustainability and the protection and preservation of planet Earth
become imperative. As integration within geography as a whole
has weakened, both physical and human geography have become
more specialized and have adopted different approaches to many
of their research problems. Most importantly, physical geography
is asserting its scientifi c credentials, while human geography
emphasizes critical theory, values, and ethics.
Modern geographical exploration and discovery are therefore
different from the days of Christopher Columbus, David
Livingstone, or Robert Falcon Scott, but are just as important.
There are still expeditions, such as those run by the Royal
Geographical Society to the Mato Grosso of Brazil in the 1960s,
the Mulu rainforest of Sarawak in the 1970s, and the Wahiba
Sands of the Sultinate of Oman in the 1980s. They are now
commonly termed 'research projects', though their exploratory
purpose remains. The aim of the Wahiba Sands Project, for
example, was to examine the sand sea of the Wahiba Sands as
a complete geo-ecosystem, including the sands themselves, the
biological resources, and the people. Perhaps the main difference
from the traditional model was that it led to a management plan
for sustainable development.
Modern geography forms an essential component, not only of the
natural and social sciences, but also of the humanities. There are
still expeditions into the unknown, but geography has changed
as what is 'known' has changed. Computers, laboratories, and
libraries are now just as indispensable to geographers as maps and
