Theme 4: Science-Art

Ms Serame
14 October 2023
Layout
• Group Reports
• Science-Art Introduction
• Diversity of Geography
• The Indiscipline of Geography
• Quantitative vs Qualitative Research Methods
• Histories of Human Geography
• Human Geography: Science or Social Science
• The Art of Human Geography
• Conclusion
Introduction
The Indiscipline of Geography
• Pure vs arts/humanities;
• “Alternative approaches”
• Different approaches: groups of people with particular interests and
social characteristics
• Geographical knowledge is socially and geographically situated
Feature Qualitative Quantitative
Type of Data Collected Words, objects, audio-visual Numbers, statistics
How data is Collected Researcher is the data gathering Researcher uses tools:
instrument-observes or participates questionnaire, equipment to collect
numerical data
Underlying assumptions about Subjective-Individuals’ Objective-Precise measurement
researcher role interpretation of events is and analysis of target concepts
important
Knowledge prior to data collection Not necessary, just an “idea” Knows clearly in advance what they
are looking for
Data Analysis Narrative, Describing or Comparing Statistical techniques (SPSS)
(NVIVO)
Aim of the research Explain Predict, Generalize (Pattern)
Sample size Few cases: Data is rich, time More efficient, able to test
consuming, less able to be hypotheses, may miss contextual
generalised detail
Large study area and large number
of cases
Relation to theory Develops theory Tests theory
Histories of Human Geography
• Making sense of the diversity
• Development of major approaches and competition between them
• Importance of examining the history of Geography:
i. Past shows that Geography has always been characterised by diversity;
ii. Draws our attention to the situated nature of Geography;
iii. Shows that changes in Geography are constant.
i. Geography characterised by
diversity
• Always existed in a state of UNCERTAINTY and FLUIDITY
• Always had multiple sets of methods or questions
• Transition: “boxing” geography to thinking about a changing tradition
• Questions of space and place
ii. Draws our attention to the SITUATED NATURE
of Human Geography
• Changes in the discipline need to be understood in the context of
changes in the world beyond
• Marxist Geography-Capitalist system and exploitation
• Feminist geography-Women’s movement in the 1960s
• Environmental determinism-European expansion into colonised lands
• Incorporation of geography into the university system and European
colonial expansion
• Late 19th century European Geography-Science of empire-power to
map and categorise newly colonised lands and people
• Using climatic, environmental or racial explanation for the supposed
superiority of European civilization
iii. Shows us that changes in Geography are
CONSTANT
• Assumptions that the discipline “progresses”
• Or that it gets better through the addition of “new” knowledge or
“better” theories
• Characteristic of periodical changes- changes in their central interests
and assumptions
• Paradigm shifts:
• Environmental determinism, regional geography, spatial science, humanistic
geography, Marxism, Postmodernism, feminism.
Human Geography: Science or
Social Science?
• Human geography has been influenced by approached with different
epistemologies
Epistemology: is a technical term used in philosophy to refer to theories of knowledge
• The sciences and social sciences are marked by distinctively different
epistemologies
• The Sciences:
• Natural is ORDERED, objective methods, REPLICABLE, quantitative
measurement, model building and hypothesis testing;
• Social: objects meaningful to people, descriptions, interpretation,
understanding;
• DIFFERENCE: Human Agency!
The Art of Human Geography
• Connection to the HUMANITIES;
• “Geography needs to be both a science and an art to provide a fully
meaningful description of places”-H.C Darby
• Humanistic geography: Claimed the power of novels, poems and
visual arts-”bringing places alive”
• Human Geographers: Ideas of agency, power and positionality for
analysis
• Cultural Geographers: Discourse analysis, iconography to ask
questions about the creation of texts.
 Geography as a Science Geography as a Social Science

Influences Natural sciences Social sciences

Epistemology Scientific method: Positivism Hermeneutic approach: focus on
human agency, language and
meaning, power and positionality

Methodology Quantitative measurement Qualitative

Goal of the approach Seeks explanation (how things are) Seeks understanding (how things
Asks empirical questions should/could be)
Asks normative questions
Characteristics and Perspectives Scientists work with materials that Scientists do not experiment;
can be experimented with; Researcher is personally included in
Objective analysis; the research issue;
Conclusions are perceived as Conclusions are point of views;
truths; Subjective elements will influence
All knowledge is derived from the many stages of the research
evidence of the senses. process.
Conclusion
• Human geography spans epistemologies of the sciences, social
sciences and humanities;
• Human geographers regards the discipline as a critical social science;
• The diversity allows us to study different topics and to think in
different ways about the world;
• A chance to experience different epistemologies in practice.