Cultural Geography is the study of spatial variations among cultural groups and the spatial functioning of the society. It focuses on describing and analyzing the ways language, religion, economy, government and other cultural phenomenon vary or remain constant from

one place to another.

What is Cultural What is Cultural GeographyGeography

Evolution of culture is directly related toEvolution of culture is directly related to Human evolution (Homo Sapiens)Human evolution (Homo Sapiens)

Man,’s culture began with the man’s Man,’s culture began with the man’s capacity to use and to create or produce capacity to use and to create or produce tools and techniquestools and techniques Australopithecus Africanus - 5 Million Years Australopithecus Africanus - 5 Million Years

agoago used stone toolsused stone tools Use of Fire – 2-3 Million years agoUse of Fire – 2-3 Million years ago Tools made of bones - one million years Tools made of bones - one million years

agoago ( Age of Neanderthal Man)( Age of Neanderthal Man)

Evolution of Evolution of CultureCulture

Evolution of Culture.. Evolution of Culture.. ContinuedContinued

Cro- Magnon - 25000 years ago Cro- Magnon - 25000 years ago ( ( A developed Culture than the previous members)A developed Culture than the previous members)

Their contribution to CultureTheir contribution to Culture

Cave Paintings, Jewels made of sea Cave Paintings, Jewels made of sea shellsshells

statues of women that emphasized statues of women that emphasized pregnancypregnancy

weapons made of bones, horn, or ivoryweapons made of bones, horn, or ivory

Neanderthal ManNeanderthal Man AustralopithecusAustralopithecus

Africanus Africanus Homo ErectusHomo Erectus

Stages of Human Stages of Human EvolutionEvolution

Stages of Human Evolution…… Stages of Human Evolution…… ContinuationContinuation

Cro Magnon ManCro Magnon Man Cro Magnon WomanCro Magnon Woman Homo SapiensHomo Sapiens

What is Meant by Culture ?.......What is Meant by Culture ?.......

“ “Culture is a unique possession ofCulture is a unique possession of

man. It is one of the distinguishing man. It is one of the distinguishing

traits of human society. Culture does traits of human society. Culture does

not exist at sub-human level. not exist at sub-human level. Only manOnly man

is born and brought up in a Cultural is born and brought up in a Cultural

environment”environment” “ “Culture is the unique quality of man thatCulture is the unique quality of man that

separates him from the lower animals”separates him from the lower animals”

The Meaning of Culture……The Meaning of Culture……Some DefinitionsSome Definitions

“ “ Culture is the major way in which Culture is the major way in which human human beings adapt to their environments.”beings adapt to their environments.” Cultural Geography- Serena Cultural Geography- Serena NandaNanda

“ “ Culture is the way of life of a group of people, Culture is the way of life of a group of people, thethe complex of shared concepts and patterns of complex of shared concepts and patterns of learned learned behaviorbehavior handed down from one generation handed down from one generation to the to the next through the means of language and next through the means of language and imitation.”imitation.” Physical Anthropology and Archaeology – Victor Physical Anthropology and Archaeology – Victor BarnouwBarnouw

ContinuedContinued

””Cumulative creation of man”Cumulative creation of man” B. MalinowskiB. Malinowski

”Accumulation of thoughts,values and objects ; it is the social heritage acquired by us from preceeding generations through learning ,

as distinguished from the biological heritage which

is passed on to us automatically through the genes Graham WallasGraham Wallas

” ” The forms Superimposed on the physical The forms Superimposed on the physical landscape landscape

by the activities of manby the activities of man””

Carl O SauerCarl O Sauer

”Culture is the complex whole that consists of all the ways we think and do and everything we have as members of society” Robert Bierstedt ”the body of thoughts and knowledge , both theoritical and practical, which only man can possess E. V . De Robertv

”that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, law,customand any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” Edward B Tylor

” Culture is something adopted , used, believed,practised or possessed by more than one person. It depends upon group life, for its existance

Robert Bierstedt

ContinuedContinued

Characteristics of CultureCharacteristics of Culture Cult1ure is learnt Culture is social Culture is shared Clture is transmissive Culture is continuous and cumulative Culture is consistant and integrated Culture is dynamic and adaptive Culture is gratifying Culture varies from society to society Culture is superorganic ideational

Components of a CultureComponents of a Culture

Modes of BehaviourModes of Behaviour Philosophies and EthicsPhilosophies and Ethics Morals and MannersMorals and Manners Customs and TraditionsCustoms and Traditions Religious ActivitiesReligious Activities Political and Economic Political and Economic

ActivitiesActivities

Components of a Culture Components of a Culture ( Continued)( Continued)

According to Julian Huxly…According to Julian Huxly…

1. Mentifacts1. Mentifacts

2. Sociofacts2. Sociofacts

3. Artifacts 3. Artifacts

Culture Contents

Material culture - Man made tools Infra-structure

Non-Material Culture – ways of acting

feelings Thinking

Sub Culture

” A sub- Culture is generally taken to mean a section of a national

culture” Duncan MitchellDuncan Mitchell

Themes in Cultural Themes in Cultural GeographyGeography

Culture RegionCulture Region Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion Cultural EcologyCultural Ecology Cultural IntegrationCultural Integration Cultural LandscapeCultural Landscape

Culture RegionCulture Region

Formal Culture Formal Culture RegionsRegions

Functional Functional Culture RegionsCulture Regions

What is aWhat is a Formal Culture Formal Culture RegionRegion

A region inhibited by people who have A region inhibited by people who have

one or more cultural traits in commonone or more cultural traits in common ( Such as Language, Religion, Race, etc.)( Such as Language, Religion, Race, etc.)

What is aWhat is a Functional Functional Culture RegionCulture Region

A region or area that function A region or area that function

as a unit politically , socially or as a unit politically , socially or

economicallyeconomically

What is Cultural What is Cultural Diffusion ?Diffusion ?

““The process of diffusion involves the The process of diffusion involves the

spread of cultural elements , both spread of cultural elements , both

materials artifacts and ideas from one materials artifacts and ideas from one

culture to Another”culture to Another”

George MurdockGeorge Murdock

Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion

Expansion Expansion

DiffusionDiffusion

RelocationRelocation

DiffusionDiffusion

Snowballing Snowballing EffectEffect

1.1. Stimulus Stimulus DiffusionDiffusion

2.2. Hierarchical Hierarchical DiffusionDiffusion

3.3. Contagious Contagious DiffusionDiffusion

Stimulus DiffusionStimulus Diffusion

When a specific trait fails to diffuse, but the When a specific trait fails to diffuse, but the underlying underlying

idea concept is acceptedidea concept is accepted

Hierarchical DiffusionHierarchical Diffusion

A type of expansion diffusion , innovations spread A type of expansion diffusion , innovations spread from one from one

important person to another or from one urban important person to another or from one urban center to center to

another temporarily bypassing persons of another temporarily bypassing persons of lesseimportancelesseimportance

and rural areasand rural areas

Contagious DiffusionContagious Diffusion

The spread of cultural innovation by person to person The spread of cultural innovation by person to person contact,contact,

moving wavelike through an area and population moving wavelike through an area and population without without

regard to social statusregard to social status

Cultural EcologyCultural Ecology

• Ecology Ecology Oikos + LogiaOikos + Logia

Oikologia = Oikologia = TeachingsTeachings

about about

habitatshabitats

• Human Human Ecology Ecology

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

DeterminismDeterminism

EnvironmentalEnvironmental

PossibilismPossibilism

What is Cultural What is Cultural Ecology ?Ecology ?

• The study of the complex intricate The study of the complex intricate relationships between the physical relationships between the physical environment and people as culture environment and people as culture bearing animalsbearing animals

Cultural Cultural LandscapeLandscape

“ “Cultural Landscape” originate Cultural Landscape” originate fromfrom

all human activities in a specific all human activities in a specific

area.” area.”

Themes of Cultural Themes of Cultural LandscapeLandscape

Settlement PatternsSettlement Patterns Land DivisionLand Division ArchitectureArchitecture