In Introductory Geography, our central aim is to develop your ability to think geographically.
In the first week’s lecture, we set out a few core arguments about what this means.
Following geographers Paul Knox and Sallie Marston, we argued that:
“what is distinctive about the study of geography is not so much the phenomena
t
• be informed by a range of relevant and reliable sources of information about the
object/event that are clearly cited in the text and referenced in a bibliography using a
recognized and consistent referencing style;
• have a clear and logical structure, with sections and sub-headings where appropriate;
• make use of maps/pictures/diagrams/tables to illustrate information where appropriate.
Resources
Thinking Geographically
The first lecture and tutorial reading covered some of the key elements and concepts of
thinking geographically. Readings to get you started on geographical thinking include:
• Jackson, P. (2006) Thinking Geographically, Geography, 91(3): 199-204.
• Herbert, D. and Matthews, J. (2004) Geography: roots and continuities. In Matthews, J.
and Herbert, D. (eds) Unifying Geography: Common heritage, shared future. Routledge,
London, New York: 3-20 (available on the eLearning site).
• Matthews, J. and Herbert, D. (2008) Geography: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford:
Oxford University Press (Chapter 1 of this accessible introduction to geography is
available electronically via the library catalogue).
There are also plenty of University-level geography textbooks on the shelves of the SciTech
Library for further reading on this topic.
The geography of an object: ‘following the things’
In the opening lecture, Kurt illustrated the idea that you can think geographically about
pretty much anything by using the example of a pair of Lee Jeans. Paul Knox and Sallie
Marston, in their 2010 book Human Geography: Places and Regions in Global Context, show
that an ordinary pair of jeans has a very complex global geography. Later in semester, we
will be thinking about the geography of an iPhone from a similar perspective.
In these cases, we are starting with a specific object (a piece of clothing, a piece of
technology), documenting the geography of its production (by answering questions like
‘who made them, where, using what resources, and under what conditions?’), and then
analysing that geography in order to help us understand the processes that shape our
world. For further examples of this approach to ‘thinking geographically’ in action, you could
check out geographer Ian Cook’s website called Follow the Things:
http://www.followthethings.com/.
Use your imagination! Just about any object that you encounter in your everyday life – from
the device you are using to read this, to your cup of morning coffee or the cap on your head,
could make for an interesting essay.
The geography of an event
Similarly, if you decide to write about an event, choose a specific event. You might choose a
‘natural’ event like a hurricane or an earthquake, or you might choose a ‘social’ event like
the 2018 Football World Cup in Russia. Either way, the key task for a geographical analysis
of that event will be to situate that event within space and time, and/or to think about the
ways in which natural and social processes interact in the making of that specific event.
We have already given you an example of how to approach this in our case study of the
Haiti Earthquake. In ‘thinking geographically’ about that event, we both discussed the
environmental processes that led to the earthquake, and the historical and geographical
processes that make some people especially vulnerable to this natural event.
Again, use your imagination! You could certainly pick a specific natural disaster like that
earthquake, but you could also choose a more modest event (like a night out at the movies
with your friends, or even a lecture!) to write about.
Further Information
Information about grade classifications, academic honesty, and special consideration is all
provided in the Unit of Study Outline.