The Geographic Perspective:
Social Science Aspects
Jill S. M. Coleman, Ph.D.
Department of Geography
Ball State University: Muncie, IN
Geography: Defining the Discipline
 What is geography?
 What topics do
geographers study?
 What makes geography
different from other
disciplines?
Geography:
Defining the Discipline
 Geographia (Greek origins)
 Geo (earth) + graphein (to describe or write)
 To write or describe the surface of the earth
 The study of the spatial arrangement and
association among elements on and/or in
contact with the earth’s surface
 Explaining the “big picture”
Geography:
Defining the Discipline
 Three defining questions…
 What is located where?
 Why are things located where they are?
 What is the significance?
Modern Geography: Traditions
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Spatial distributions of physical and
cultural features
Relationship between people and the
environment
Existence and evolution of regions
Physical characteristics of the earth
Geography:
Defining the Discipline
 Linkage with the
physical sciences and
social sciences
 Interdisciplinary
 Variation across space
 Degree of human
impact assessment
Human Geography
 Study of the relationship of human beings
and their activities (past or present) to the
surrounding environment and the
consequences of these interactions
 Focuses more on…
 The cultural characteristics of a place
 The processes that influence or shape that place
 The interconnectedness of those places
Tools of the Trade
 Visual Representation
 Cartography
 Remote Sensing
 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
 Qualitative Techniques
 Surveys
 Personal Interviews
 Spatial Quantitative Methods
Patterns and Distributions
Example: Cocaine Export & Distribution
Economic
Geography
Patterns and Distributions
Example: 2003 West Nile Virus Incidence
Medical Geography
Biogeography
Climatology
Patterns and Distributions
Example: 2007 West Nile Virus Incidence
Medical Geography
Biogeography
Climatology
The Geographic Perspective
 Understanding the ways in which humankind
perceives and interacts with the Earth’s
surface, its resources, and its people
 Geography lies at the intersection of both
social and physical sciences
 Explain the processes that give rise to spatial
distributions---it’s not all about maps!
 Geographic landscapes are social creations