“I gradually became aware that my interiority was inseparable from my exteriority, that the geography of my city was the geography of my soul.” - Aleksander Hemon. Is this quote actually true?! Is Geography the route to our souls and eternal happiness/ drive? Many may disagree with this but to the people who study Geography this quote comes to common terms as true. Through the common correlation that makes a country a country, a state a state, a person a person, and a group a group, geography has proven to be the cause of reason. Geography through its physical and human characteristics brings reason together to how both physical and human factors cause people to live the way they do. For the country of Sri Lanka, many may be flabbergasted to hear that even such a small group of people have such a big purpose in lieu of people’s lives. In fact; beyond various contrary beliefs, Sri Lanka is unique in both physical and human geography, commencing from History, to government, and even location! It is these factors that make this country important to its people, its culture, to society, and even to the world.
To begin with, the History (Human Geography) of Sri Lanka provides a detailed summary of events, situations, and conflicts that helped shaped the way for its culture and people. For example, in Medieval Sri Lanka; after the annihilation of the Ancient Empires Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in 1215 A.D by Kalinga Magha, all of Sri Lanka’s Medieval and Ancient Influenced cultures were lost to humans forever. Even though many of its people fled due to Magha’s contumacious wrath and stringent reformation of change, the culture never really had the chance to recover. But then as his death took hold, a new kingdom formed in the nor...
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...tion, mobility, and resource (benefits boosting an economy or preparing for war-time) development. But because Sri Lanka went through such troubles of being invaded relentlessly by superior countries in the past, it allowed and forced them to become what they are today! Their location allowed past events (history) to take place, and it’s this history that allowed them to change into anew. It is this new change that remains the cause of Sri Lanka to become or change into a major world importance! As far as for its people… its location offered climate and thus culture, but it was also location that caused history to change into what they believe and like today (modern culture and beliefs). And so, with all things considered above it is anodyne to say that its location adversely helped it to become significantly known throughout its people and the world today.
In the book “Why Geography Matters More Than Ever”, the author, Harm de Blij, discusses the importance of geography, how it can affect us in any place or any time, and why it matters. But most importantly, he succeeds to advance our perception of the world’s geography. Throughout the book de Blij highlights the many benefits of being educated about geography. He explains that it is important that we are informed about this topic so we can be more prepared for the events happening around the world. This book illustrates just how essential it is to be well-educated when it comes to geography.
The main ideas presented in “Why Geography Matters…More Than Ever!” revolve around what exactly geography is, and the implications of the subject. Geography is the study of the physical world and human actions, it also covers the affects of human actions. Geography influences a plethora of topics and geographers do research on numerous subjects. “Geographers do research on glaciations and coastlines, on desert dunes and limestone caves, on weather and climate, even on plants and animals”(7). The author stresses how underrated geography is the present times, and how the introduction of social studies have doomed the subject of geography for future generations. In a section detailing the teaching of geography
Fellmann, Getis, and Getis. Human Geography, Sixth Edition, Updated Edition. McGraw Hill. New York, 2001.
The book A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah has a setting, which coincides with “Geography Matters” (Chapter 19 of How to Read Literature like a Professor). This chapter explains how geographical location can explain how a novel will turn out to be. Geography also sets circumstances and limitations in a novel. Themes, symbols, plot, and most important character development can all be introduced from geographical location.
Geography is the foundation of how civilizations and societies develop. Based on location, geography determines the amount of water available, temperature, available resources, and a variety of essentials. To form a civilization, the geography gives insight into whether a community can sustain, and how people need to adapt to continue growing. Ancient civilizations had to take many factors into account, and learn to adapt to the environment to become as advanced as they were. General geographical features which have an essential role in shaping societies include rivers, seas, and the flora of what the natural environment provides.
India and China however, were landlocked and were by far the greatest industrial powers in the world till the Industrial revolution. Technology, not geography, helped temperate agriculture and industry to zoom ahead. One way a country overcomes geographical isolation is to improve its transportation infrastructure. Better roads, ports, paths, and other modes of transport provide access to world markets. But a country can only derive full benefits from these investments against a backdrop of good trade and macroeconomic policies. Consequently this leads to the belief that people again control the thought of their own geography.
Psychogeography is the study about the impact of the geographic environment on the emotional and psychological behaviour of a person. In other words, it is the study of the specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals (Debord 1955, p. 23). As its name suggests, it is the meeting point between psychology and geography. Hence, psychogeographers focus their attention to the environment that would have a direct influence on the way a person thinks, feels, acts and reacts. The term ‘psychogeography’ has become strangely familiar – strange because, despite the frequency of its usage, no one seems quite able to pin down exactly what it means or where it comes from (Coverley
Blij has clearly put this book into historical significance by mentioning the idea of geography and how it plays a role in societies all over the world. However, the five themes of culture regions, cultural diffusion, cultural interaction, cultural ecology, and cultural landscapes are all clearly defined within a specific context to a particular nation. Through reading this intriguing piece of literature I received the underlying notion that Blij firmly believes that landscapes of the world realm are not going to change. De Blij worldview of regions, diffusion, interaction, ecology, and landscapes has allowed him to simultaneously link issues together from the United States all the way to Southeast Asia.
Awareness of history and geography is essential within any society. Acquiring knowledge of these two aspects of humanities is fundamental to understanding ourselves, others and the world in which we live. Through effective teaching of history and geography students begin to develop an understanding of ‘societies, events, movements and developments that have shaped humanity from earliest times’ (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.). As well as understanding the ‘characteristics of the places that make up our world, using the concepts of place, space, environment, interconnection, sustainability, scale and change. (ACARA, n.d.)’ All of which aims to nurture positive outcomes for later life.
The geography of a land usually plays a large role in the development of a culture by forcing an early civilization to adapt to what it has to offer. Where there are fertile lands, there is agriculture. Where there are trees, there is lumber. Where there is a large body of water, there is fishing as well as ports for boats, and so on. Often, an area’s geography can become a facet of a culture that is synonymous with the culture itself. Take the Nile River for instance, in which the ancient Egyptians based their entire civilization around, dubbing it the “life-giver.” The Nile not only provided water to quench the thirst of an entire empire, but it also fertilized its surrounding land for agriculture and made way for communication and trade with other ancient peoples, essentially becoming a driving force in the Egyptian’s prosperity. This was acknowledged by the Egyptians themselves, who worshipped and celebrated the Nile River, even going so far as to write songs of the river’s glory, some of which have been discovered, translated, and preserved in modern times. As a result of the Egyptians’ admiration, the Nile River represents a part of their culture that remains reflected upon even today, and it demonstrates how the geography of an area can be imperative to providing for and shaping a
... Horrendously for Philippines and Hawaii, their resources and people are the target of western imperialism, capitalism, racism, industrialization, and military power in the name of ‘democracy’. Against their will, these people must endure imposed western ideology, and sacrifice their life in the fights for self-government. On the other hand, those who came armed with intentions would use any means possible to get what they came for. For some conniving characters seeking self-fortunes, and protecting their own interest, they walk a fine line of morality. Where they can not apply forces, propaganda is their powerful allied. This is an endless cycle of how empire rises and falls. What goes down in history for future generation is the doctrines of the why and the how to go about obtaining the resources that enable one nation to rise or fall.
More than 2 millennia ago, around the 3rd century BC, a group of Tamil-speaking people from present-day South India migrated to the nearby island of Sri Lanka. Among these people, known today as “Sri Lankan Tamils”, are my ancestors. Centuries later, in the 1200’s, these Tamils formed the Jaffna Kingdom, an independent monarchy covering the northern part of Sri Lanka. In 1505, the Portuguese took control of almost the entire island, and, over the next few centuries, control of the island shifted between the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British. After several wars and treaties, Britain gained total control of Sri Lanka (then called “Ceylon”) by 1815.
In that area, the geography affects both of these aspects of their lives. Toyama makes some flawed argument as he speaks just few effects of geography, but neglects lots of things including the distribution of the power of geography. For example, when he discuses to India, especially in Retawadi, he neglects almost most important things that affect to the life of people such as resources, farming techniques, land uses, poor-quality of electricity and water supplies. Geography of a village such as climate patterns, wind directions, topographic locations, etc. That base on the development and affect how people build and live their life. In the final analysis, Toyama neglects all the most important that influence how physical geography relate to the people and how the people relate with technology. However, in the present life, a lot of people are still indolent and using technology for selfish purposes, such as entertain by watched movies, played video games and accessed to adult websites when using devices rather than learned how to grow foods, build the dams. In social, while lots people unawareness how important to use technology, that is why they stay poor. Thus, there are still many individuals live in villages are grieve with crop failures, famines, climate patterns, and other dangerous situations. In those villages, as India located in Central-South Asia (Google images), here is
The cultural changes and continuities that were driven by South Asia’s political shifts from 600 b.c.e – 600 c.e. occurred because of the increase in religious ideas held by Aryans, Buddha, and The Gupta.
Geographical concepts have been traced back to ancient days, geography is defining as the scientific study of the location of people and activity across earth and reasons for their distribution. It asks where and why things are where they are. Geographers organizes materials by the places they are located, thus being they have concluded that what happens in one place affects what happens in another place and can further affect conditions in the near future. Like any other subject geography has its own language and knowledge for better understanding of its concepts. Thinking geographically means learning the language, we need both geographical vocabulary and grammar in order to do this. Geography has concepts that enables us to have geographical