Introduction and Key Terms of Cultural Geography l Definition of Cultural Geography l Fundamental Concepts Vermeer’s The Geographer. Holland, 1669

What is CULTURE? What are its elements? How is it transferred? How does it affect the landscapes of the world?

What is CULTURE? Culture is learned behavior that is passed on by imitation, instruction, and example. l Culture is almost entirely relative. Proper behavior and traditions shift from culture to culture. l U.S. current problems: 1) little shared culture 2) no one is teaching culture l For example: sex education - Home? School? Note: experiencing another culture is useful for gaining perspective on your own. Candidate for harshest punishment in history? Banishment in so-called “primitive” cultures.

Geographic Importance of Culture Geographers study culture because it leaves dramatic imprints on the earth, both physical and cultural. l Language: a crystal ball into culture. l Religion: strongest determinant of ethics. l Nationalism and Borders l Material Culture: tools, clothes, toys, etc. l Architecture: Suburban garages vs. earlier porches

Spatial Distribution Definition: the location and arrangement of a phenomenon across space. Includes: Density: the frequency with which something occurs in a given area. Concentration: the extent to which it is focused in clusters or, alternately, evenly dispersed across space. Pattern: a geometric or regular arrangement of the phenomenon across space.

Describing Distributions

Rheris Valley, Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Photo by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

Phoenix, Arizona

Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Hong Kong, China

San Francisco, California

Farm Fields near Des Moines, Iowa

Fields near Pullman, Washington Photo by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, California

Napa, California

Key Concepts REGION- an area that shares common characteristics 1. Formal - whole area shares essential uniformity across the space (i.e., City of Glendale) 2. Functional – the region is defined by some activity or function or process (i.e. cell phone coverage, English speaking countries, etc.) 3. Vernacular – common perception of cultural identity (i.e.,“Deep South”)

Formal Regions - whole area shares essential uniformity across the space.

Functional Regions - defined by a node of activity and distance decay from center (i.e. cell phone coverage)

Functional Region What is the function in this example? What acts as the node of functionality? - defined by a node of activity and distance decay from center (i.e. cell phone coverage)

Vernacular Regions

– areas that include common perception of cultural identity (“Deep South”)

Spatial Analysis Geographers search for patterns in the distribution and movement of human activities and environmental processes. Where do we find hunger?hunger Where did crime occur this week?crime Where is petroleum produced?

Spatial Analysis: Crime Mapping Click on the Map!

Diffusion Relocation Hierarchical Contagious Stimulus

Diffusion Relocation Hierarchical Contagious Stimulus

Diffusion Relocation Hierarchical Contagious Stimulus

Tobler’s 1 st Law of Geography All things are related. However, all other things being equal, those things that are closest together are more related. Related Concepts: l Distance Decay l Friction of Distance

Space Latitude and Longitude - a reference system designed to provide “absolute” location (as opposed to relative locations). l Parallels of Latitude l Meridians of Longitude Glendale College is located at N W

Place and Sense of Place Every place is unique. Imagine where you lived as a child. What made that special? l Sensory l Architecture l Symbolic Humanistic Geography - values the individual perspective. Place and Placelessness (Relph, 1978)

What kinds of cultural values are reflected in each of these American houses? Gated community?

What kinds of cultural values are reflected in this landscape?

The Cultural Landscape The result of the natural environment and all of the changes to it as a result of a particular culture. (Carl Sauer) l Environmental Determinism: environment is primary determinant of culture. l Possibilism: humans are primary determinant of culture.

N.Y.C. Environmentally Determined?

What about Bali, Indonesia?

Where are we? What values are reflected in each? What relation to physical environment?

Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey Timber House, Switzerland Yurt on Mongolian SteppeSuburban Home, Chicago

Geography and Politics Historically tied to Military Functions: l Role in Colonization l Role in Imperialism l Role in Cold War l Historically Ethnocentric l Historically Patriarchal Foreign - 4) Situated in an abnormal or improper place. 5) Not natural: alien. The American Heritage Dictionary

Key Concepts: Core-Periphery Core (Devoloped Countries) l U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia l Wealthy l Powerful l Control Media and Finance l Technologically advanced Periphery (Less Developed Countries) l Poor l Dependent upon Core countries for: l Education l Technology l Media l Military Equipment l Financing

Key Concepts: Core-Periphery

All of the possessions of a statistically avearge U.S. family. Photograph by Peter Menzel U.S. Stats Population: 292 million Population density: 29 people per sq. km. Total fertility rate: 2.0 children per woman Population doubling time: 116 years Percentage urban/rural: 78% urban, 22% rural Per capita energy use: 8,148 kg. oil equivalent Infant mortality: 6.7 deaths per 1,000 births Life expectancy: 74 (male), 80 (female) Adult illiteracy: 3% (male), 3% (female) Internet users: 165 million

All of the possessions of a statistically average Indian family. Photograph by Peter Menzel India Stats Population: 1.0 billion Population density: 318 people per sq. km. Total fertility rate: 3.0 children per woman Population doubling time: 36 years Percentage urban/rural: 28% urban, 72% rural Per capita energy use: 494 kg. oil equivalent Infant mortality: 66 deaths per 1,000 births Life expectancy: 62 (male), 64 (female) Adult illiteracy: 32% (male), 55% (female) Internet users: 7 million

All of the possessions of a statistically average Japanese family. Photograph by Peter Menzel Japan Stats Population: 128 million Population density: 336 people per sq. km. Total fertility rate: 1.3 children per woman Population doubling time: 289 years Percentage urban/rural: 79% urban, 21% rural Per capita energy use: 4,316 kg. oil equivalent Infant mortality: 3 deaths per 1,000 births Life expectancy: 78 (male), 85 (female) Adult illiteracy: 1% (male), 1% (female) Internet users: 56 million

All of the possessions of a statistically average Malian family. Photograph by Peter Menzel Mali Stats Population: 12 million Population density: 9.1 people per sq. km. Total fertility rate: 7.0 children per woman Population doubling time: 23 years Percentage urban/rural: 26% urban, 64% rural Per capita energy use: 22 kg. oil equivalent Infant mortality: deaths per 1,000 births Life expectancy: 48 (male), 49 (female) Adult illiteracy: 64% (male), 84% (female) Internet users: 30,000

Globalization The increasing interconnectedness of different parts of the world through common processes of economic, political, and cultural change. The economic, cultural, and environmental effects of globalization are highly contested. Panama, 1997

End of Slides Steamship Routes, Circa 1900

End of Slides OneWorld Alliance Direct LAX Flight Map, 2010

24 Hours of Air Traffic (Click)