1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i) Which one of the following statements does not describe geography?
(a) an integrative discipline
(b) study of the inter-relationship between humans and environment
(c) subjected to dualism
(d) not relevant in the present time due to the development of technology.
► (d) not relevant in the present time due to the development of technology.
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(ii) Which one of the following is not a source of geographical information?
(a) traveller’s accounts
(b) old maps
(c) samples of rock materials from the moon
(d) ancient epics
► (c) samples of rock materials from the moon
(iii) Which one of the following is the most important factor in the interaction
between people and environment?
(a) human intelligence
(b) people’s perception
(c) technology
(d) human brotherhood
► (c) technology
(iv) Which one of the following is not an approach in human geography?
(a) Areal differentiation
(b) Spatial organisation
(c) Quantitative revolution
(d) Exploration and description
► (c) Quantitative revolution
2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words.
(i) Define human geography.
Answer
Human geography studies the inter-relationship between the physical environment and sociocultural
environment created by human beings through mutual interaction with each other.
(ii) Name some sub-fields of human geography.
Answer
Some sub-fields of human geography are:
• Behavioural Geography
• Geography of social well-being
• Geography of Leisure
• Cultural Geography
• Gender Geography
• Historical Geography
• Electoral Geography
• Military Geography
• Geography of Resources
• Geography of Agriculture, etc.
(iii) How is human geography related to other social sciences?
Answer
Human geography attempts to explain the relationship between all elements of human life and the space they occur over. Thus, human geography assumes a highly inter-disciplinary nature. It develops close interface with other sister disciplines in social sciences in order to understand and explain human elements on the surface of the earth.
3. Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words.
(i) Explain naturalisation of humans.
Answer
Human beings interact with their physical environment with the help of technology. Technology indicates the level of cultural development of society.
• In the early stages of their interaction with their natural environment humans were greatly influenced by it. They adapted to the dictates of Nature. This is so because the level of technology was very low and the stage of human social development was also primitive.
• This type of interaction between primitive human society and strong forces of nature was termed as environmental determinism. At that stage of very low technological development we can imagine the presence of a naturalised human, who listened to Nature, was afraid of its fury and worshipped it.
• Nature is a powerful force, worshipped, revered and conserved in all cases.
• There is direct dependence of human beings on nature for resources which sustain them. The physical environment for such societies becomes the “Mother Nature”.
(ii) Write a note on the scope of human geography.
Answer
Human geography is the study of the changing relationship between the unresting man and the unstable earth.
• The process of adaptation, adjustment with and modification of the environment started with the
appearance of human beings over the surface of the earth in different ecological niches. Thus, if we imagine the beginning of human geography with the interaction of environment and human beings, it has its roots deep in history.
• Thus, the concerns of human geography have a long temporal continuum though the approaches to articulate them have changed over time. This dynamism in approaches and thrusts shows the vibrant
nature of the discipline.
• Human geography attempts to explain the relationship between all elements of human life and the space they occur over. Thus, human geography assumes a highly inter-disciplinary nature.
Long Answer Type Question
Question 1.
Describe the fields and sub-fields of Geography and its inter-relationship with other fields.
Answer:
Nature of Human Geography is inter-disciplinary. In order to understand and describe the human elements found on the earth, human geography has established strong bond with other social sciences and their helping subjects. With the expansion of knowledge, new subjects keep on developing. These are studied with humanistic approach but because they are not free from geographical and environmental effects, they become subject matter of human geography. Fields under Human Geography include: Social Geography, Urban Geography, Political Geography, Population Geography, Settlement Geography and Economic Geography.
Sub-fields of Social Geography are: Behavioral Geography, Geography of Social Well-being, Geography of Leisure, Cultural Geography, Gender Geography, Historical Geography and Medical Geography.
Sub-fields of Political Geography are Electoral Geography and Military Geography. Sub-fields of Economic Geography are: Geography of Resources, Geography of Agriculture, Geography of Tourism, Geography of Industries, Geography of Marketing and Geography of International Trade.
Other than this, Sociology, Psychology, Welfare Economics, Demographic Studies, History, Epidemiology, Anthropology, Urban Studies and Planning, Political Science, Psephology, Military Science, Demography, Urban or Rural Planning, Agricultural Sciences, Industrial Economics, Business Studies, Commerce, Tourism 6s Travel Management and International Trade are such disciplines which study human activities and behavior. As the scope of these disciplines is expanding, it is also leading to increase in the scope of Human Geography.
Question 2.
How did man develop and expand proper technology?
Answer:
Human beings were able to develop proper technology using his knowledge and intelligence. It has taken man a long time to reach at the present level of technology. In primitive age when the level of technology was very low man was bound to follow the dictates of nature. In those times man was a slave of nature, scared of its powerful force and used to worship nature to make it happy. In these conditions the state of cultural development was also primitive.
However, the process was gradual but man developed technology and it is also to be noted that man has been able to utilize this technology only after understanding the various laws of nature. For example; understanding of laws of friction gave birth to many inventions. Similarly after understanding secrets of DNA and laws of genetics, man has overcome many diseases and aeroplanes could be invented only after understanding the laws of aerodynamics. Today the level of technology is touching the heights of sky through which man seems to get free from the natural forces. Earthquake, cyclones, landslides, volcanoes and other natural disasters keep reminding man that he is still a slave to nature.
It implies that man can’t be completely free from natural forces but with the development of technology man has become free from nature and this freedom can be expanded further. Man needs to follow Stop and Go approach. It means possibilities can be created within the limits which do not damage the environment and there is no free run without accidents.
Differentiate Between:
Question 1.
Differentiate between Physical Environment and Cultural Environment.
Answer:
| Physical Environment | Cultural Environment |
| Physical environment includes all those elements which nature has made available as free gifts for human development. For example, land forms, soils, climate, water, natural flora and fauna, etc. | It includes all those physical-cultural elements which have been developed by man through his gained knowledge and technology. For example, houses, villages, towns, network of roads and railways, modes of transportation, industrial units, fields, hospitals, sports complex, means of entertainment, markets, ports and goods of daily and special use. |
Question 2.
Differentiate between Determinism and Possibilism.
Answer:
| Determinism | Possibilism |
| According to this thought, man is a slave of nature. There is direct dependence of human beings on nature for resources and nature is taken as a powerful force, it is worshipped, revered and conserved. If man does not follow the dictates of nature, he has to bear with the aftermaths. Kont, Humbolt, Ritter and German Expert Ratzel and his student Ellen Churchill Semple advocated the philosophy of ‘Determinism.’ | French geographers denied to accept determinism and considered man as master of his destiny. They claimed that man has the ability to change the nature completely with his will power. It means that everything is possible for man and it is called possibilism. French expert Lucian Febre and Paul Vidal de la Blache are considered as founder of possibilism. |
Question 3.
Differentiate between Regional Geography and Systematic Geography.
Answer:
| Regional Geography | Systematic Geography |
| Under this all the geographical elements of a region are studied as one unit. And one region is considered a different unit from another region or differentiated from another region only on the basis of these geographical differences. We need to understand this regional difference in geographical context. | Under this special geographical elements of a regional unit are studied and which are generally based on political units. Therefore, it is the individual study of a special geographical feature of a region. |
Question 4.
Differentiate between Humanistic or Welfare School of Thought and Behavioral School of Thought.
Answer:
| Welfare School of Thought | Behavioral School of Thought |
| Welfare School of Thought was mainly concerned with the different aspects of social well-being of the people. These included aspects such as housing, health and education. Geographers have developed welfare as a base to study geography. This thought was the result of rapid changes that happened after Second World War because this war gave birth to many human problems, therefore to solve these problems, welfare or humanistic thought has developed. | In 1950-60, on the basis of psychological researches through qualitative and other methods many humanitarian aspects like human race, caste and religion. Behavioural School of thought laid great emphasis on lived experience and the perception of space by social categories based on ethnicity, race and religion, etc. |
Question 5.
Differentiate between Nomothetic and Ideographic.
Answer:
| Nomothetic | Ideographic |
| Under this, the subject matter of geography is studied as per fixed principles. Before study, aims and objectives are determined then its laws are fixed. Attaining goals on the basis of these laws is the objective of a geographer. | Under this, the description of geographical elements is prepared and under this a geographer tries to understand which of the natural and geographical factors have affected interaction of human activities and to what extent. |
Higher Order Thinking Skill
Question 1.
Geography is a blend of social sciences and physical sciences. Do you agree? Justify.
Answer:
Yes, I agree.
The basic aim of Science and Social Science is to understand the reality of the nature. History helps in knowing the man-made activities; Physics helps to calculate the effect of climate on man. Economics helps to understand the effect of human activities on the development of the country. The geographical factors modified the course of history. The change in the climate has influence on the occupation. All branches of Physical Geography have close relation with Natural Sciences.
Biogeography has close link with Zoology and Botany. Mathematics and Arts have also contributed to the development of Geography to measure the area and dimensions of the earth. Cartography and projections are based on mathematics. History of geographical thought is the mother of all branches of Geography. Sociology, Political Science, Economics provide the aspects of social reality. Population geography has close link with demography.
