Economic Geography “Development” Cultural Geography C.J. Cox.
CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY - El Camino College
Transcript of CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY - El Camino College
CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY
Geography 2Instructor – Gary Booher
Geography is the science of place. Its vision is grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of the Earth, charting the physical, organic and cultural terrain, their areal differentiation, and their ecological dynamicswith human kind. Its foremost tool is the map.
Geography = “to describe the earth”
- Leonard KrishtalkaCarnegie Museum of Natural History
What is Geography?
Science of PlacePhysical & CulturalAreal DifferentiationEcological DynamicsMaps
Elements of Geography
Geography Studies…Differences from Place to Place
Population
Folk Culture
Popular Culture
Language
Religion
Ethnicity
Political Geography
Agriculture
Industry
Cities
Urban Patterns
Meaning of Culture
• Social Beliefs/Customs– Language, Religion, Ethnicity
• Material Traits– Food, Clothing, Shelter
Definitions of Culture – 2 aspects…To care about• To value
To take care of• Cultivate
Meaning of CultureCulture is…
A “way of Life”Shared by a group of peopleLearned
1. Culture Region
2. Cultural Ecology
3. Cultural Diffusion
4. Cultural Interaction
5. Cultural Landscape
Major Themes…
1 – Culture RegionArea unified by culture3 Types of Culture Regions…
FormalFunctionalVernacular
Has 1+ cultural traitsA __________ areaAn area with a lot of __________Indefinite boundary
Formal Regions
Formal RegionsPresidential Election (2008)
Electoral Vote (State)• “Blue” vs. “Red”
Popular Vote (County)• Urban vs. Rural
Organized to serve a FunctionFocused on a NODE
Political
Functional Regions
~ 200 Countries
Functional RegionsSocial
Church
EconomicArea for Service or Delivery
Based on a common or perceived name for an area
“Midwest”
Vernacular Regions
“The South” This area?
Vernacular Regions
Orange County?
Pacific Northwest?
A rice-growing region?
Pizza-delivery area for Pizza take-out?
Functional
Vernacular
Formal
Functional
What Type of Region?Formal, Functional or Vernacular?
Interaction of Culture & EnvironmentEnvironment influences Culture• Agriculture, Housing
2 – Cultural Ecology
Human activity influences Environment
Cultural Ecology
Environmental Determinism…Environment dominant over Culture• In a ________________ environment,
people/culture will be _____________
Cultural Ecology Views
PossibilismEnvironment offers Possibilities• For People to choose from
Environmental PerceptionPeople choose Possibilities…• From how they Perceive Environment
Cultural Ecology Views
Humans as Modifiers of the EarthPeople affect the Environment• Opposite of Environmental Determinism
Depends on…• Technology & Energy• Attitudes towards the Earth
Cultural Ecology Views
Environmental ModificationNetherlands…
Land drained & reclaimed from Sea
3 – Cultural DiffusionOrigin and spread of…
TraitsIdeasInnovations
Place of Origin is called a HearthDiffusion weakens from Hearth
Distance Decay
Cultural Diffusion – TypesRelocation Diffusion
• People Migrate
Expansion Diffusion• Ideas Migrate
HierarchicalContagious
Relocation DiffusionVia migration
Bring culture with them• Foods
Hierarchical DiffusionBetween…
Urban centersWealthy or trendy people
Examples…FashionsMoviesPop Culture
Contagious DiffusionNeighborhood effect
Influence of Peers
TastesMusic
ActionsLanguage
Cultural Diffusion
4 – Cultural InteractionInfluence between Cultural elements
Cultural traits are interdependent• Even when unrelated
5 – Cultural LandscapeMan-made Landscape
Buildings/Structures
Cultural LandscapeVisual Record of Cultures
Of Values, Tastes, Fears, Technology
Shows Identity of a Place
ToponymsCultural Landscape
Place-Names
Descriptive – for a Natural FeatureLong BeachRiversideThousand OaksSierra Nevada
Toponyms – Classification
Signify Values – of SettlersLos AngelesIslamabad
Toponyms – Classification
Show Historical SettlementIndigenous• Pasadena
Spanish• Santa Monica• San Pedro• Lomita
American• Walnut
Toponyms – Classification
CommemorativeFor a Person • Washington, DC• Santa Ana• Baldwin Park
Or another place• New York
– New Amsterdam
Toponyms – Classification
Functional – for an Economic ActivityHarbor CityCity of IndustryCommercePortland
Toponyms – Classification
ManufacturedInvented Words/Acronyms• Calexico• Mexicali• Norco• Altadena• Azusa
Toponyms – Classification
Toponyms
Lower Manhattan
Site – Physical Characteristics
Place – Site vs. Situation
Place – Site vs. Situation
Fig. 1-7: Singapore is situated at a key location for international trade.Singapore
Situation – Importance of LocationRelative to other places & factors
Place – Site vs. Situation
Spatial DistributionDensity
# per Area• High vs. Low
PatternArrangement• Regular vs. Irregular
ConcentrationSpread• Clustered vs. Dispersed
Concentration?Density?Spatial Distribution
Lower
Higher
= # 2
Dispersed
= # 1
Clustered
MapsCartography = Mapmaking
Contemporary ToolsRemote Sensing• Satellite Images
GPS = Global Positioning System
GIS = Geographical Information Systems
Portraying Location
Politically Incorrect MapCartographers gone Wild???