Definitions [2]
Answer the following question in about 30 words.
Define human geography.
- According to Ratzel, “Human geography is the synthetic study of the relationship between human societies and the earth’s surface.”
- According to Ellen C. Semple, “Human geography is the study of the changing relationships between the unresting man and unstable earth.”
- According to Paul Vidal de la Blache, “Conception resulting from a more synthetic knowledge of the physical laws governing our earth and of the relations between the living beings which inhabit it.”
Definitions: Human Geography
- “Human geography is the synthetic study of relationship between human societies and earth’s surface”. Ratzel
Synthesis has been emphasised in the above definition. - “Human geography is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and the unstable earth.” Ellen C. Semple
Dynamism in the relationship is the keyword in Semple’s definition. - “Conception resulting from a more synthetic knowledge of thephysical laws governing our earth and of the relations between the living beings which inhabit it”. Paul Vidal de la Blache
Human geography offers a new conception of the interrelationships between earth and human beings.
Key Points
Key Points: Nature and Importance of Human Geography
- Human Geography studies the relationship between the physical environment and the socio-cultural environment created by humans.
- Humans create cultural landscape (houses, cities, roads, industries, farms, ports, etc.) using natural resources.
- Environmental Determinism – In early times, humans were controlled by nature due to low technology and adapted to natural conditions.
- Possibilism – Nature provides opportunities, and humans use technology to modify and utilise nature for development.
- Neodeterminism (Stop and Go Determinism) – A middle path; humans can develop but within environmental limits without damaging nature.
- Excessive human control over nature has led to problems like global warming, ozone depletion, and environmental degradation.
- Different schools of thought in Human Geography:
a) Welfare approach – Focus on health, housing, education.
b) Radical approach – Studies inequality and poverty using Marxist ideas.
c) Behavioural approach – Focus on human perception and lived experiences.
Key Points: Broad Stages and Thrust of Human Geography
| Period | Approach | Key Feature (Short Explanation) |
|---|---|---|
| Early Colonial Period | Exploration & Description | Focus on discovering new areas and describing regions for trade and imperial interests. |
| Later Colonial Period | Regional Analysis | Detailed study of regions; understanding parts to understand the whole world. |
| 1930s (Inter-War Period) | Areal Differentiation | Identified uniqueness of each region and how it differs from others. |
| Late 1950s–1960s | Spatial Organisation | Use of computers and statistics; quantitative revolution to find patterns in human activities. |
| 1970s | Humanistic, Radical & Behavioural Schools | Focus shifted to social issues, inequality, human experience and perception. |
| 1990s | Post-modernism | Questioned universal theories; emphasized importance of local context. |
| Overall Trend | Changing Thought | Shift from description → analysis → quantitative methods → human-centred approaches. |
Key Points: Human Geography and Sister Disciplines of Social Sciences
| Field of Human Geography | Main Subfields | Related Social Science |
|---|---|---|
| Social Geography | Behavioural, Cultural, Gender, Medical Geography | Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Epidemiology |
| Geography of Social Well-being | Welfare & Leisure Studies | Welfare Economics, Sociology |
| Urban Geography | Urban Studies | Urban Planning |
| Political Geography | Electoral & Military Geography | Political Science, Military Science |
| Population Geography | Study of Population | Demography |
| Settlement Geography | Rural & Urban Settlements | Urban/Rural Planning |
| Economic Geography | Resources, Agriculture, Industry, Trade, Tourism | Economics, Agricultural Science, Business, Commerce |
Important Questions [10]
- ''Human geography is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and the unstable earth." Who among the following geographers given this definition?
- "Human Geography is the synthetic study of relationship between human societies and earth's surface." Who among the following geographers has given this definition?
- "The basic principle of Geography as a discipline is to understand the earth as a home of mankind." Support the statement.
- "The physical and human phenomena are described in metaphors using symbols from human anatomy." Support the statement with example.
- Sub-field of Economic geography is ______.
- "Human Geography is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and unstable earth." Support the statement.
- Sub-field of political geography is ______.
- Read the following approaches of human geography and choose the correct option of the chronological order: Exploration and description Spatial organisation Areal differentiation Regional analysis
- Which one of the following is the sub-field of 'social geography'?
- Who among the following has introduced the concept of Neo-determinism?
