Geography For Dummies. Jerry T. Mitchell

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       relationships between people and the environment

       importance of spatial variability

       processes operating at multiple and interlocking geographic scales

       integration of spatial and temporal analysis

      What this means is that geographers, more than other scholars, look at how people interact with the natural world, appreciate how interactions vary from place to place and from the local to the global, and link those processes and changes over time.

      

A favorite definition of mine for geography encapsulates much of this and comes from Chinese–American geographer Yi-Fu Tuan. He stated quite simply and elegantly that “Geography is the study of Earth as the home of people.” That says it all, doesn’t it? If geography is just the study of Earth, well then isn’t also geology or oceanography? If geography is just the study of the home of people, we then isn’t also anthropology? It is the combination of the two together, understanding physical and social systems jointly operating in this one space — Earth — that makes all the difference.

      What is the capital city of Indonesia?

      To highlight the difference between old, descriptive geography (what far too many studied as “geography” in school) and analytical geography, first consider this question: What is the capital city of Indonesia? Do you know? The question is classic “old geography,” and the answer is Jakarta. Right?

      Why is Jakarta the capital of Indonesia?

Now consider this question: Why is Jakarta the capital city of Indonesia? That’s right, “Why?” This question involves analysis and explanation. The capital of Indonesia could be any number of cities. Indeed, several cities have been over its history with Jakarta finally assuming the role in 1949. But there’s a catch to this question now. Indonesia has a plan in place to create a new capital city farther east in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. This is serious business as a country doesn’t just decide to move its capital every day. But this has been done before (just ask Brazil or Nigeria). So why are Indonesians considering moving theirs? Here are a couple of reasons:

       An unpleasant setting: Jakarta is densely populated, has overburdened infrastructure, is sinking due to over withdrawal of groundwater, and floods frequently. A new location would allow growth and it would be generally free from environmental hazards such as volcanoes and earthquakes.

       In the middle of it all: Jakarta is on the western edge of the country. East Kalimantan is in the middle. Having the capital in the center of the country is important because Indonesia is flung across thousands of miles. A central location does more to integrate the citizenry and a central location also maximizes access to the seat of power.

      

To sum up, I asked two questions: “What is the capital of Indonesia?” and “Why is Jakarta the capital of Indonesia?” Nothing is wrong with either question. But I trust you agree that the second is the more profound of the two. It calls for a deeper, more analytical brand of thinking and it leaves you with a more penetrating perspective on the geography of Indonesia and the significance of a number of factors. It can also lead us to other questions such as “What would it take for Indonesia to consider moving its capital? And if it did, what geographic conditions would be necessary in deciding on a new location?” Chapter 2 expands on how to “think” geographically.

Getting to the Essentials

      To get you accustomed to thinking geographically, this volume makes use of unifying concepts that will help you to understand the breadth and structure of the discipline. But what are these unifying concepts? Yogi Berra once supposedly ordered a pizza pie and was asked if he wanted it cut into four slices or eight. He opted for four and explained, “I don’t think I can eat eight.” Whether or not the story is true, a pizza pie is a pizza pie, no matter how you slice it up. The same is true of geography. In a manner of speaking, it’s a very big pizza pie. Over the years, geographers have devised different ways to cut it up in order to help people like you grasp its breadth and content. If you are a school teacher, you may have heard of the Five Themes of Geography or maybe even the Four Traditions. As I said, there have been many attempts to do this!

The “geography pizza slices” I’m going to introduce you to are The Six Essential Elements. They were developed by several professional geography organizations as part of the (United States) National Geography Standards, which describe in detail “what a geographically informed person knows and understands.” The National Geography Standards were written with the advice and input of professionals who specialize in diverse aspects of geography and, accordingly, represent a broad consensus of its scope and structure. Specifically, therefore, I have chosen The Six Essential Elements, which are:

       The world in spatial terms

       Places and regions

       Physical systems

       Human systems

       Environment and society

       Uses of geography

      These may sound somewhat imposing, but rest assured, they refer to simple concepts that you encounter in your everyday life. Indeed, you are already familiar with each of them, though perhaps not by their formal titles. I can prove it to you.

      Where things are in the world: The world in spatial terms

      You probably have a preferred grocery store, clothing store, and restaurant, plus a map in your head that tells you where they are and how to get to them. What’s more, you could probably conjure up a route to visit all three in a single excursion and draw me a sketch map of the itinerary. If so, then you are already familiar with the world in spatial terms.

      

Spatial refers to the location and distribution of things and how they interrelate. Accordingly, the world in spatial terms responds to geography’s most fundamental question: Where? Getting a handle on this element involves:

       Knowing how to use and read maps and atlases, whether paper or digital, and identify how they can lie to you (yes, you read that correctly).

       Acquiring a general understanding of the tools and techniques that geographers use to accurately locate things.

       Being able to indicate the location of something using the system of latitude and longitude, or plain language.

       Seeing relationships that explain the locations of things.

       Recalling from memory the location of things on Earth’s surface.

      These are basic skills to build on. On top of that, you’ll never have to worry if somebody tells you to “Get lost!”

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