Approaches, Themes, Concepts and Tools

The study of the interaction of all physical and human phenomena at individual places and of how interactions among places form patterns and organize space. Bergman & Renwick, 2008 Geographers are interested in:

Where things happen and why (location, patterns, distributions). How each place is made unique by the interaction of different features and phenomena (both physical and human). How different places are interconnected through different physical and human phenomena (i.e. systems, networks...). The interrelationships between physical and human processes. How and why the patterns and distributions we know are changing. How we conceptualize, organize and transform space.

Physical Geography
Climatology Geomorphology Pedology Hydrology Biogeography Earth Science ...

Human Geography

Economic geography Population geography Cultural geography Environmental Political geography Geography Urban geography Behavioural geography Health geography ...

Geographic Techniques
Cartography Remote sensing GIS

Regional Geography

Observation

Fieldwork Remote sensing

Using remote sensing to monitor reforestation in Niger, West Africa.

Observation

Fieldwork Remote sensing

Representation

Maps

Topographic

Topological

Thematic

Fertility Rates, 2008

Cartograms

Observation

Fieldwork Remote sensing

Representation

Maps

Analysis

Theories Models GIS

Geographic Information Systems

GIS used for mining exploration.

Mapping the affected areas of the 2010 Pakistan Flood.

Using GIS for urban planning.

GIS study of food deserts in Montreal (urban geography).

Using GIS to determine accessibility in the Peruvian Amazon.

Place and Space

Region

Location
Distance

Accessibility
Spatial Interaction (diffusion)

Scale

A place is a specific geographical location that can be described by its distinctive physical and human features.

Place is space filled with meaning

Yi-Fu Tuan

A region is an area delineated by one or more distinctive characteristics.

A region is an area delineated by one or more distinctive characteristics.

Location

Nominal Absolute

E.g. 45o 15 30 N

12o 25 40 E

Location

Nominal

Absolute
Relative (a.k.a. Situation)

The Montreal Forum

The Pepsi Forum

Location

Nominal

Absolute
Relative (a.k.a. Situation) Cognitive

Distance

Absolute

Relative
Cognitive

Distance is a constraint of geography...

The friction of distance

As the effort (cost, time, opportunity cost) required to overcome distance increases, the level of interaction tends to decrease.

A shrinking world...

Accessibility

Proximity

Connectivity
Economic, cultural and social factors...

Spatial Interaction

Expansion diffusion

Relocation diffusion
Hierarchical diffusion

Scale

Glocal