“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.
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.
Geography Matters… :Geography in literature is important because it can help define and develop characters. Geography includes hills,rivers, mountains, valleys...etc but they can also be political, historical, and cultural.For example in the novel Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, the protagonist Katie who is escaping from her abusive husband moved to North Carolina where she found a job as a waitress and had to walk to her job because she had no car. On her walks it would sometimes rain which helps her develop as a character because it symbolizes her growth after having a rough past.
Lankan victim’s identity to be shaped. Anil’s exposure to both the East and West is
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.
He gives examples of this by explaining what in his opinion is Geography and spatial aspect.The good and the bad things that people use Geography for. Then he discuss the history
Its population is 21,866,445. The majority of their population are Buddhist the rest are either Muslim, Hindu, or Christian. Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka in the 5th century B.C. The legend that is told states that Buddha ordered a group of his followers to travel to Sri Lanka and spread Buddhism. According to this legend Buddha said that Buddhism would strive in Sri Lanka for 5,000 years. (Flinkins,3) This legend holds true for the most part, the sinhalese Buddhists have taken down any threat that has been made to their religion. With the knowledge that Buddhism is a religion of nonviolence and peacefulness one may assume that Sri Lanka could be one of the most peaceful nations in the world. Unfortunately this assumption is very wrong. The way the Buddhist tackle the threats to their religion causes this country to be
Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by it, including the distribution of populations and resources, land use, and industries. Environmental influences, such as cost, changing weather, climate patterns, their potential impacts, and the threat of spreading diseases, are of increasing concern. Geography allows us to participate and enjoy our planet. It gives us a sense of reference to where we live and where we may be going in relationship to where we have been, and the appreciation of the world we live in. Anthropology is the study of human kind and culture, everybody wants to know where and how humans came to be. Our daily lives such as family, friends, co-workers and the under...
Social geography plays a big role in a person's life. Social geography includes segregation, economics, class, and race. All of these factors play a part in how a person lives and the way they are treated in society. Another factor that affects a person's society is the way that a person looks. Monstrosity can affect a person's entire life as far as where they live and even their class. In the novels Frankenstein, The Monster and Native Son, there is a relationship between social geography and monstrosity. The characters in the novels were victims of the relationship between monstrosity and social geography.
... 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.
Domosh, Mona, Roderick Neumann, Patricia Price, and Terry Jordan-Bychkov. The Human Mosaic: A Cultural Approach to Human Geography. 11thth ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 2010. N. pag. Print.
Yamada G., Gunatilake R, P., Imur, R, M., Gunatilake, S., Fernando, T., Fernando, L. The Sri Lanka Tsunami Experience. Disaster Management and Response. 2006; 4:38–48.
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
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.
De, Blij Harm J., and Peter O. Muller. Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts. New York: J. Wiley, 1997. 340. Print.
The pearl of the Indian Ocean Sri Lanka, reflects a long history of its nations. From the archeological evidence of the prehistoric settlements and prehistoric human Balangoda man (Deraniyagala, 1998) to modern food of kottu like pizza to American; make the broad diversity of culture in Sir Lanka. By analyzing cultural heritage definition in Sinhala language, the definition given in the legislations in 1940, and its relationship with Athens charter and 1954 UNESCO convention, I will demonstrate the cultural heritage vision imbedded in the society through legal definition. Also, I will offer criticisms and recommendations for an improved approach to the definition of cultural heritage in Sri Lanka in broader context.