Rediscovering geography : new relevance for science and society / Rediscovering Geography Committee, Board on Earth Sciences and Resources, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Rediscovering Geography Committee.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Geography.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (259 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1997.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

As political, economic, and environmental issues increasingly spread across the globe, the science of geography is being rediscovered by scientists, policymakers, and educators alike. Geography has been made a core subject in U.S. schools, and scientists from a variety of disciplines are using analytical tools originally developed by geographers. Rediscovering Geography presents a broad overview of geography's renewed importance in a changing world. Through discussions and highlighted case studies, this book illustrates geography's impact on international trade, environmental change, population growth, information infrastructure, the condition of cities, the spread of AIDS, and much more. The committee examines some of the more significant tools for data collection, storage, analysis, and display, with examples of major contributions made by geographers. Rediscovering Geography provides a blueprint for the future of the discipline, recommending how to strengthen its intellectual and institutional foundation and meet the demand for geographic expertise among professionals and the public.

Contents:

Rediscovering Geography

Copyright

Foreword

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

THE PERSPECTIVES, SUBJECT MATTER, AND TECHNIQUES OF GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING AND DECISION MAKING

STRENGTHENING GEOGRAPHY'S FOUNDATIONS

1 Introduction

CONTEXT OF THE REPORT

Changes in Society

Changes in Relationships Between Society and Science

Changes in Relationships Between Society and Geography

Changes Within Geography Itself

SCOPE OF THE REPORT

CONTENT OF THE REPORT

2 Geography and Critical Issues

ECONOMIC HEALTH

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

ETHNIC CONFLICT

HEALTH CARE

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

EDUCATION

CONCLUSION

3 Geography's Perspectives

GEOGRAPHY'S WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD

Integration in Place

Interdependencies Between Places

Interdependencies Among Scales

DOMAINS OF SYNTHESIS

Environmental-Societal Dynamics

Human Use of and Impacts on the Environment

Environmental Impacts on Humankind

Human Perceptions of and Responses to Environmental Change

Environmental Dynamics

Biogeography

Climatology

Geomorphology

Human-Societal Dynamics: From Location Theory to Social Theory

Societal Synthesis in Place

Space, Scale, and Human-Societal Dynamics

SPATIAL REPRESENTATION

GEOGRAPHIC EPISTEMOLOGIES

4 Geography's Techniques

OBSERVATION

Field Observation/Exploration

Remote Sensing

Sampling and Choice of Observations

DISPLAY AND ANALYSIS

Cartography

Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Visualization

Spatial Statistics

CONCLUSIONS

5 Geography's Contributions to Scientific Understanding

INTEGRATION IN PLACE

Geography's Subject Matter

Example: Environmental-Societal Dynamics

Example: The Distinctiveness of Place.

Geography's Relevance to Issues for Science and Society

Example: Complexity and Nonlinearity

Example: Central Tendency and Variation

Example: Economic and Social Health

Example: Environmental Change

Example: Conflict and Cooperation

INTERDEPENDENCIES BETWEEN PLACES

Example: Spatial Economic Flows

Example: Human Migration

Example: Watershed Dynamics

Relevance to Issues for Science and Society

Example: Form and Function

Example: Human Health

INTERDEPENDENCIES AMONG SCALES

Example: Population and Resources

Example: Economic Health

REFLECTIONS ON GEOGRAPHY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE

6 Geography's Contributions to Decision Making

ARENAS FOR DECISIONS

REGIONAL AND LOCAL DECISIONS

Urban Policy

Water Resources

Retail Marketing

Dispute Resolution in the Courts

NATIONAL DECISIONS

Energy Policy

Economic Restructuring and Competitiveness

Technological Hazards

National Floodplain Policy

National Information Infrastructure

INTERNATIONAL DECISIONS

Responding to Global Environmental Change

Global Economic and Political Restructuring

Technology, Service, and Information Transfer

Hunger

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

7 Strengthening Geography's Foundations

STRENGTHENING GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH IN SELECTED AREAS

Disequilibrium and Dynamics in Complex Systems

Broadening the Concept of Global Change

The Local-Global Continuum and Movement Across Scales

Comparative Studies Using Longitudinal Data

Impacts of New Geographic Technologies on Decision Making

Geographic Learning.

PROMOTING GEOGRAPHIC COMPETENCY IN THE GENERAL POPULATION

Geographic Competency Among Primary and Secondary School Students

Geographic Competency Among Community and Technical College Students

Geographic Competency Among College and University Students

Geographic Competency Among Those Outside the Education Establishment

IMPROVING THE TRAINING OF GEOGRAPHERS IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Improving Interactions and Outreach

Interaction Among Subspecialties Within Departments

Interaction Among Specialists Working in Different Universities

Diversity in Students and Perspectives

Improving Teaching and Learning

Interactive Learning Technology

Regional Knowledge and Expertise

Field Exploration and Discovery

New Geographic Technologies and Data Sources

8 Rediscovering Geography: Conclusions and Recommendations

IMPROVING GEOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDING

IMPROVING GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY

STRENGTHENING GEOGRAPHIC INSTITUTIONS

TAKING INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR STRENGTHENING THE DISCIPLINE

RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

References

Appendix A Enrollment and Employment Trends in Geography

EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN GEOGRAPHY, PART 1: ENROLLMENT AND DEGREE PATTERNS

Background

Degree and Enrollment Trends

Geographic Education Initiatives

Future Supply Characteristics

Summary and Conclusions

Literature Cited

EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN GEOGRAPHY, PART 2: CURRENT DEMAND CONDITIONS

Recent Graduates

Convention Placement Service (CoPS)

Note

EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN GEOGRAPHY, PART 3: FUTURE DEMAND CONDITIONS

Academic Job Market

Retirements

New Faculty Hiring

Precollegiate Geography Teachers

Bureau of Labor Statistics Projections

National Economic Trends

AAG Sponsors

Literature Cited.

Appendix B Professional Organizations in U.S. Geography

Appendix C Biographical Sketches of Committee Members

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 172-186) and index.

ISBN:

9786610211098

9780309176477

0309176476

9781280211096

1280211091

9780309577625

0309577624

9780585246994

0585246998

OCLC:

559560336