Answer the following questions in about 150 words.
(i) You observe every day in your surroundings that there is variation in natural as well as cultural phenomena. All the trees are not of the same variety. All the birds and animals you see, are different. All these different elements are found on the earth. Can you now argue that geography is the study of “areal differentiation”?

(ii) You have already studied geography, history, civics and economics as parts of social studies. Attempt an integration of these disciplines highlighting their interface.

Question

Answer the following questions in about 150 words.
(i) You observe every day in your surroundings that there is variation in natural as well as cultural phenomena. All the trees are not of the same variety. All the birds and animals you see, are different. All these different elements are found on the earth. Can you now argue that geography is the study of “areal differentiation”?

(ii) You have already studied geography, history, civics and economics as parts of social studies. Attempt an integration of these disciplines highlighting their interface.

Philoid · Accepted Answer

(i) It is noted that there is vast variations over the surface of the Earth in its physical as well as cultural environment. It will be fair to term Geography is the study of areal differentiation. Although it is not limited to areal differentiation, it also focuses on the association with other factors that causes variation. It studies the patterns of distribution, location and concentration of phenomena over space and interprets those providing explanations for these patterns. It also takes note of the associations and inter-relationships between the phenomena resulting dynamic interaction between human beings and their physical environment. It studies the spatial organisation and spatial integration.

(ii)

• Geography and history – Geography attains spatial synthesis and history attempts temporal synthesis. Geography influences historical events. Spatial distance has been a potent factor to alter the course of the history of the world. Spatial depth provided defence to many countries in the last century. The geographical changes are temporary. Geography helps in understanding the reality in totality in its spatial respective.

• Geography and Civics- The concern of political science is territory, people and sovereignty. Political geography is also interested in the study of the state as a spatial unit and people and their behaviour.

• Geography and Economics- Economy deals with the basic attributes like production, distribution, exchange and consumption. Each of these attributes has spatial aspects and the role of economic geography is to study the spatial aspects of production.