Social Science 26

Course Overview

Importance of genealogy and geography

Geography, broadly defined

Geography is the study of where things are, why

they are there, and how they relate to people's

Refers to the study of society and the natural

environment in relation to space (concept of

area or level) and place (tangible location)

Wide subject matter scope where the totality of

geographical expertise is diverse, covering the

physical, natural and social sciences, and the

interaction of the three.

Integrative

and

relational

On Mental Maps

Philosophical lenses

empirical-analytical (empiricism and

positivism)

historical-hermeneutic (behaviouralism,

phenomenology, existentialism, idealism

and pragmatism), and

critical (Marxist approaches, realism,

postmodernism, poststructuralism and

feminism).

Economic and Technological:

Interactive perspective across time and space

Political

Core countries control decisionmaking processes in global and regional institutions.

Geosocial

Excessive pop growth vs greying pop

As development proceeds, pop growth and pollution is supposedly controlled

Cultural

Race or biological interpretations of socio-cultural development is fallacy.

Colonial and environmental history are alternative sources of explanation

Environmental

Food needs vs biodiversity

The poor and weak bare the brunt of natures fury due to marginal location

At least 20 cyclones per year causes an annual average property damage of more than US$ 13.4 billion or 0.4% of

GNP. 50 million people are at risk from these types of climatic hazards, many of them marginal communities of

fisherfolks and farmers because 70% of the countrys human settlements are located in its 32,400 kilometer coastline

Development