Transcript Introduction to Regional Geography

Introduction to
Cultural Geography
Also known as Human Geography
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2007
Physical v. Cultural Geography
Physical Geography
Cultural Geography
Rocks/Minerals
Population/Settlements/Urbanization
Landforms
Economic and Political Systems
Animal and Plant Life
Transportation
Soils
Human Migration
Atmosphere/Climate/Weather
Social Systems
Environment
Recreation
Rivers/Oceans/Other bodies of Water
Religion/Belief System
Cultural Geography is the study of the
Earth’s human landscape.
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2007
CULTURE
• Definition: Shared patterns of learned behavior
that are passed on from generation to
generation.
• Components:
• Beliefs, Values, Customs
• Languages, Ethnicity, Religion
• Institutions (Economic, Political,
Educational)
• Art, Music, and Technology
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2007
CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY
• A field that studies spatial aspects of human
cultures.
• Major components focus on:
 Cultural Traits
 Culture Regions
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2007
Cultural Traits
• Definition: Activities and behaviors people
take part in.
• Some are the same throughout the world –
learning to talk (even though there are
different languages).
• Others vary from place to place. What do
Americans eat with? The Chinese?
Ethiopians?
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2007
Culture Regions
• Definition: An area in which people have many
shared culture traits.
• What are some
examples?
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2007
Ethnicity
What is ethnicity?
Common racial, national, tribal, religious,
linguistic, or cultural origin or background
An Example of Ethnic and Religious Conflict:
The Balkans: Ethnic war between the Croatian Catholics, the
Bosnian Muslims, and the Serbian Orthodox.
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2007
Culture Change
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Acculturation
Innovation
Diffusion
Globalization
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2007
Acculturation
• Definition: When an individual or group adopts SOME
of the traits of another culture.
• Immigrants to the U.S. are a good example because
they often
have to learn a
new language.
• When immigrants
accept ALL of the
traits of another
culture that is
called assimilation.
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2007
Innovation
• Definition: New ideas that a culture
accepts (A new way of doing things)
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2007
Cultural Diffusion
• Definition: The spreading of a culture
element (ex: technological innovation)
• Can you think of any examples of cultural
diffusion, past or present?
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2007
Globalization
• Definition: The process in which
connections around the world increase
and cultures become more alike.
• Examples include Japanese electronics
and Italian fashions.
© CSCOPE
2007