Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
It was the founding practices of geography - such as regionalism,
historical geography, and environmentalism - that led to the
recognition of geography as a subject worthy of study. These are
underpinned by geography's focus on both nature and culture,
and hence its ability to act as a bridge between the sciences and
the humanities. Today there are many key research questions
that can only be addressed by combining physical and human
geography: examples of these, such as the questions posed to
society by the exploitation of resources, natural hazards, and
global environmental change, are detailed in the second part of
this chapter. There are, moreover, parts of geography, perhaps
best exemplifi ed by the idea of landscape, which require a unifi ed
approach. This too, is developed in a separate section below.
Finally, continuity of geographical research and education in
universities and schools depends upon the maintenance of
geography's single-subject identity.
Integrated geography
The term 'integrated geography' recognizes explicitly those
aspects of the discipline that include both the physical and
human dimensions. There is a certain irony in the fact that at
a time in its history when there is ever more specialization, the
need for integrated geography is greater than ever. This requires
renewed recognition of the distinctive qualities and intellectual
heritage of geography as a whole. The aim here is neither to
mount a defence of some past 'Golden Age' of geography when
integration was the norm, nor is it to ignore the value of modern
developments. Rather, it is to demonstrate that there are many
integrated approaches to the study of geography that have
proved capable of being adapted to modern issues. In each of the
fi ve fi elds of integrated geography to be discussed, interaction
between physical and human geographers has persisted. Various
combinations of geography's core and generic concepts are
emphasized; and the impossibility of answering certain important
