ATS2780 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Postcolonialism, Geomorphology, Biogeography
25 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 1 – Introduction
Physical, Biological and Human
• Physical Geography = intrinsic properties of the earth
o Land & processes (e.g. geomorphology)
o Climate, hydrology
• Biogeography = vegetation, fauna
o Ecosystems, biomes
• Human geography = aspects of world relating to people
o Ethnic, social
o Economic, government
• All aspects influence one another
Positivism
Non-positivism
• Underlying assumption that
universe is ordered, knowable,
explicable predictable
• Knowledge is objective, neutral
• Observer can be independent
• Consensus achievable through
‘scientific method’
• Search for truth enshrined in natural
laws
• Scientific statements are privileged
• Process from scientific perspective
o Seeking absolute principles
of nature
• Social sciences
o Seeking broad principles in
societies
• Hold that knowledge is relative,
never independent of the knower
• No observer is objective
• Knowledge and interpretation may
be controlled by hegemonies
• Interpretations may change over
time
• Multiple voices and interpretations
of same observations
• E.g. Marxist, post-colonialist,
feminist)
• Different ethics and values
• Different ways of thinking, knowing
(e.g. indigenous knowledge-ways)
• Example: archaeology
Approaching questions/problems
• Trigger – need recognised
• Define problem – typically as a question
• Exploration
o Theory from other disciplines
o Apply or create models
o Formulate hypothesis
• Identify primary (data you find yourself) and secondary (data you find/take)
data required
• Select geographical tools (e.g. excel, GIS)
• Collect and process data
• Select models of presentation
• Draw conclusions (with respect to hypothesis – yes or no)
• Evaluate outcome
• Take action – publish; recommendations
• → quantitative, positivist – analysis cycle
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Positivism: underlying assumption that universe is ordered, knowable, explicable predictable, knowledge is objective, neutral, observer can be independent, consensus achievable through. Scientific method": search for truth enshrined in natural laws, scientific statements are privileged, process from scientific perspective, seeking absolute principles of nature, social sciences, seeking broad principles in societies. Approaching questions/problems: trigger need recognised, define problem typically as a question, exploration. Non-positivism: hold that knowledge is relative, never independent of the knower, no observer is objective, knowledge and interpretation may be controlled by hegemonies. Interpretations may change over time: multiple voices and interpretations of same observations, e. g. Marxist, post-colonialist, feminist: different ethics and values, different ways of thinking, knowing (e. g. indigenous knowledge-ways, example: archaeology, theory from other disciplines, apply or create models, formulate hypothesis. Dimensions: representation dimension, are there any graphics, concept dimension, level of spatiality, non-spacial primitive simple-spatial complex spatial, cognitive process dimension, degree of synthesis, input processing output.
