Introduction to Geography

Introduction to GeographyIntroduction to Geography

Chapter 6: Cultural Chapter 6: Cultural GeographyGeography

Cultural GeographyCultural Geography►Describes everything about the way people liveDescribes everything about the way people live

ArtifactsArtifacts ClothesClothes DietDiet Articles of useArticles of use

Customs – patterns of behaviorCustoms – patterns of behavior Interpersonal arrangements, Interpersonal arrangements,

family structure, educational family structure, educational methodsmethods

► Forces of cultural changeForces of cultural change EvolutionismEvolutionism DiffusionismDiffusionism

►Diffusion & acculturationDiffusion & acculturation

Theories of Cultural EvolutionTheories of Cultural Evolution► Theory of human stagesTheory of human stages

Marcus Tarentius VarroMarcus Tarentius Varro Hunter-gatherersHunter-gatherers Pastoral nomadismPastoral nomadism Settled agricultureSettled agriculture

Alexander von HumboldtAlexander von Humboldt Disputed VarroDisputed Varro Described peoples who never Described peoples who never

practiced pastoral nomadismpracticed pastoral nomadism

► Historical materialismHistorical materialism Karl MarxKarl Marx Technology and human Technology and human

progressive control of the progressive control of the environmentenvironment

Conflicts with MalthusianismConflicts with Malthusianism

Cultures and EnvironmentsCultures and Environments► Environmental determinismEnvironmental determinism

Human events explained by environmentHuman events explained by environment

► Cultural ecologyCultural ecology Adaptation of societies to Adaptation of societies to

their environmenttheir environment Challenge-response theoryChallenge-response theory

► PossibilismPossibilism Environment influences, but Environment influences, but

does not control, human does not control, human eventsevents

Role of cultural, economic, Role of cultural, economic, political, social factorspolitical, social factors

Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion►Clifford GeertzClifford Geertz

Isolation very rare todayIsolation very rare today Ever-increasing and accelerating cultural diffusionEver-increasing and accelerating cultural diffusion What happens What happens atat places depends on what happens places depends on what happens amongamong places places

►Clark WisslerClark Wissler Geographic culture centers: Where ideas beginGeographic culture centers: Where ideas begin Age-area principle: As ideas spread, oldest ideas are Age-area principle: As ideas spread, oldest ideas are

farthest from the centerfarthest from the center

►Diffusion does not explain Diffusion does not explain all distributionsall distributions

Folk CultureFolk Culture► Cultures that preserve traditionsCultures that preserve traditions► CharacteristicsCharacteristics

ConservativeConservative Resistant to Resistant to

changechange Distinctive Distinctive

religionsreligions► DistributionDistribution

Mostly ruralMostly rural Some urban folk Some urban folk

culturescultures Immigrant groupsImmigrant groups

► Preservation Preservation effortsefforts

Popular CulturePopular Culture► Embrace innovation & conform to changing normsEmbrace innovation & conform to changing norms► Rapid diffusionRapid diffusion► Mass cultureMass culture

Mass produced: Mass produced: BooksBooks ClothingClothing Processed foodProcessed food ElectronicsElectronics Household goodsHousehold goods

““Mass taste” = loss of Mass taste” = loss of individualityindividuality

► Geographic variation Geographic variation of market penetrationof market penetration

► Marketing of popular cultureMarketing of popular culture

http://popvssoda.com:2998/

Identity & Behavioral Identity & Behavioral GeographyGeography

►IdentityIdentity Individual identity Individual identity

(characteristics)(characteristics) Group identity (groups one Group identity (groups one

belongs to)belongs to) Human—cultural—invention Human—cultural—invention

►Stereotyping Stereotyping Attributing certain Attributing certain

characteristics to all members characteristics to all members of a groupof a group

May lead to biasesMay lead to biases►Spatial identities: attachment Spatial identities: attachment

to particular placesto particular places

Cultural GroupsCultural Groups►Sharing of cultural Sharing of cultural

characteristics (many or characteristics (many or few) few)

►Culture groups in Culture groups in complex societies complex societies Mainstream (dominant) Mainstream (dominant)

cultureculture Subculture: Share smaller Subculture: Share smaller

number of characteristicsnumber of characteristics►Common folk culture or Common folk culture or

ancestryancestry►Spatial identitiesSpatial identities►Religious affiliationReligious affiliation►Residential patternsResidential patterns►Popular culturePopular culture

Ethnic GroupsEthnic Groups

►From Greek “ethnos,” peopleFrom Greek “ethnos,” people Common ancestry or descent group with common Common ancestry or descent group with common

cultural featurescultural features Ethnonationalism: claim to political Ethnonationalism: claim to political

rightsrights►Spatial ethnicitySpatial ethnicity

Ethnic enclaves in cities and suburbsEthnic enclaves in cities and suburbs►Originally may have been enforcedOriginally may have been enforced►Today, more likely self-imposedToday, more likely self-imposed►Endures as cultural resourceEndures as cultural resource

Ethnocentrism: belief that one’s own Ethnocentrism: belief that one’s own culture is bestculture is best

Race & Gender IdentitiesRace & Gender Identities►RaceRace

Poor predictor of cultural or other traits in Poor predictor of cultural or other traits in individualsindividuals

Classification based on appearanceClassification based on appearance►Skin colorSkin color►HairHair►Facial featuresFacial features

Meaning from historical & present Meaning from historical & present experienceexperience

►Gender and sexualityGender and sexuality Gender: duties and rolls based on Gender: duties and rolls based on

being male or femalebeing male or female Behavior in public vs. private Behavior in public vs. private

spacesspaces

Behavioral GeographyBehavioral Geography► Perceptions & their influence on behaviorPerceptions & their influence on behavior► Subfield of cultural geographySubfield of cultural geography►Mental mapsMental maps

Pictures in our headPictures in our head► Cognitive Cognitive

behavioralismbehavioralism Perception of Perception of

environmentenvironment► ProxemicsProxemics

Cross-cultural study Cross-cultural study of use of spaceof use of space

► TerritorialityTerritoriality

Culture Realms (Regions)Culture Realms (Regions)►Relatively continuous region of 1 or more cultural traitsRelatively continuous region of 1 or more cultural traits

Core: culture trait(s) dominantCore: culture trait(s) dominant Domain: culture trait(s) majority but not allDomain: culture trait(s) majority but not all Often defined by traditional traitsOften defined by traditional traits

►CautionsCautions Change over timeChange over time Not isolatedNot isolated Larger the culture region, fewer traits apply throughoutLarger the culture region, fewer traits apply throughout

►CustomsCustoms Language of local signsLanguage of local signs ClothingClothing Goods in shopsGoods in shops

►Built environmentBuilt environment Building materialBuilding material Architectural styleArchitectural style Monuments and statuesMonuments and statues

Traditional Building MaterialsTraditional Building Materials

Settlement PatternsSettlement Patterns►Clustered housingClustered housing

Religious or family bondsReligious or family bonds Community land ownershipCommunity land ownership Common security against Common security against

bandits or invadersbandits or invaders

►Isolated farmsteadsIsolated farmsteads Peace and security in the Peace and security in the

countrysidecountryside Settlement by familiesSettlement by families Agricultural private enterpriseAgricultural private enterprise Unit-block farmsUnit-block farms Well-watered and well-drained Well-watered and well-drained

landland

Trade & Cultural Trade & Cultural DiffusionDiffusion

►TradeTrade Promoter of cultural diffusionPromoter of cultural diffusion More economic possibilitiesMore economic possibilities Release from reliance on local resourcesRelease from reliance on local resources IntertwinedIntertwined

►TradeTrade►EconomicsEconomics►CultureCulture

►Development of trade & cultural Development of trade & cultural change change Trade surplus products for luxury Trade surplus products for luxury

goodsgoods New cultural permutationsNew cultural permutations Production of items for marketProduction of items for market

World Trade & Cultural Diffusion World Trade & Cultural Diffusion TodayToday

►Virtually all peoples connected Virtually all peoples connected to trade & commercial to trade & commercial production production CoercionCoercion MarketingMarketing Specialization of productionSpecialization of production

►Acceleration of diffusionAcceleration of diffusion Travel and transportationTravel and transportation Electronic communication Electronic communication

& “annihilation of space”& “annihilation of space” Time-space compressionTime-space compression Virtual reality & Virtual reality &

cyberspace, digital dividecyberspace, digital divide

►Clash of civilizationsClash of civilizations ShatterbeltsShatterbelts

Voyages of ContactVoyages of Contact►Global diffusionGlobal diffusion

Modern systems of global interconnectednessModern systems of global interconnectedness Europe as clearinghouse of information and productsEurope as clearinghouse of information and products Relocation of goods and servicesRelocation of goods and services

►World exploration and conquestWorld exploration and conquest Early Chinese voyages—abortedEarly Chinese voyages—aborted European seaborne empiresEuropean seaborne empires

►Commercial Revolution (1650-1750)Commercial Revolution (1650-1750) Superior shipsSuperior ships Navigation technologyNavigation technology

European RevolutionsEuropean Revolutions►Industrial Revolution (1750-Industrial Revolution (1750-

1850) 1850) Mechanical power, complex Mechanical power, complex

machinerymachinery Why Europe?Why Europe?

►Wealth from exploration & Wealth from exploration & colonizationcolonization

►Expansion of trade, finance, & creditExpansion of trade, finance, & credit► Joint-stock companies & Joint-stock companies &

liquidityliquidity►Steam engineSteam engine

►Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution Created labor supply for Created labor supply for

industryindustry Increased food supplyIncreased food supply

Political ConquestPolitical Conquest

►First wave (1415-1779)First wave (1415-1779) AmericasAmericas Mostly independent by Mostly independent by

1775-18251775-1825

►Second wave (late 19Second wave (late 19thth century)century) Europe + United StatesEurope + United States Avoid conflicts over land Avoid conflicts over land

in Europein Europe Control commercial Control commercial

interests & protect interests & protect marketsmarkets

Lasting cultural impactsLasting cultural impacts

Cultural ImperialismCultural Imperialism►Substitution or subordination of one set of cultural Substitution or subordination of one set of cultural

traditions traditions by another by another ForceForce Degrading those who fail to acculturate & rewarding those Degrading those who fail to acculturate & rewarding those

who dowho do►European attitudesEuropean attitudes

Nature of Christianity as proselytizing religionNature of Christianity as proselytizing religion Superior technology as indicator of superior cultureSuperior technology as indicator of superior culture

►MethodsMethods Training local elites (reference Training local elites (reference

group behavior)group behavior) Usurpation of power to define Usurpation of power to define

local traditionlocal tradition

►Self-WesternizationSelf-Westernization Japan, China, TurkeyJapan, China, Turkey

Westernization TodayWesternization Today

►Dress & lifestyle of elite as status Dress & lifestyle of elite as status symbols symbols

►EducationEducation►Role of mediaRole of media

Implanting Western valuesImplanting Western values TV programs, movies, videosTV programs, movies, videos

►TourismTourism Attraction to exotic placesAttraction to exotic places Changes from tourists’ very Changes from tourists’ very

presencepresence Commodification of cultureCommodification of culture

►Professionals & professional Professionals & professional educationeducation

America’s RoleAmerica’s Role

►World view of AmericaWorld view of America►Military powerMilitary power

Role of global peacekeeperRole of global peacekeeper Sole superpowerSole superpower

► Economic powerEconomic power 1/5 of world economy1/5 of world economy

► Popular culturePopular culture Most recognized brandsMost recognized brands Challenging local traditionsChallenging local traditions

► Political influencePolitical influence

End of Chapter 6