This presentation provides a general description about the Broad theme of Cultural Geography, along with definitions on cultural geography

2. What is Cultural Geography
 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.

3. Evolution of Culture
 Evolution of culture is directly related to
Human evolution (Homo Sapiens)
 Man,’s culture began with the man’s
capacity to use and to create or produce
tools and techniques
 Australopithecus Africanus - 5 Million Years ago
used stone tools
 Use of Fire – 2-3 Million years ago
 Tools made of bones - one million years ago
( Age of Neanderthal Man)

4. Evolution of Culture.. Continued
 Cro- Magnon - 25000 years ago
( A developed Culture than the previous members)
Their contribution to Culture
Cave Paintings, Jewels made of sea shells
statues of women that emphasized pregnancy
weapons made of bones, horn, or ivory

5. Stages of Human Evolution
Australopithecus
Africanus Neanderthal Man Homo Erectus

6. Stages of Human Evolution…… Continuation
Cro Magnon Man Cro Magnon Woman Homo Sapiens

7. What is Meant by Culture ?.......
 “Culture is a unique possession of
man. It is one of the distinguishing
traits of human society. Culture does
not exist at sub-human level. Only man
is born and brought up in a Cultural
environment”
 “Culture is the unique quality of man that
separates him from the lower animals”

8. The Meaning of Culture……
Some Definitions
“ Culture is the major way in which human
beings adapt to their environments.”
Cultural Geography- Serena Nanda
“ Culture is the way of life of a group of people, the
complex of shared concepts and patterns of learned
behavior handed down from one generation to the
next through the means of language and imitation.”
Physical Anthropology and Archaeology – Victor Barnouw

9. Continued
 ”Cumulative creation of man”
B. 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 Wallas
” The forms Superimposed on the physical landscape
by the activities of man”
Carl O Sauer

10. Continued
 ”Cultureis 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

11. Characteristics 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

12. Components of a Culture
 Modes of Behaviour
 Philosophies and Ethics
 Morals and Manners
 Customs and Traditions
 Religious Activities
 Political and Economic
Activities

13. Components of a Culture ( Continued)
 According to Julian Huxly…
1. Mentifacts
2. Sociofacts
3. Artifacts

14. Culture Contents
 Material culture - Man made tools
Infra-structure
 Non-Material Culture – ways of acting
feelings
Thinking

15. Sub Culture
” A sub- Culture is generally taken to
mean a section of a national culture”
Duncan Mitchell

16. Themes in Cultural
Geography
 Culture Region
 Cultural Diffusion
 Cultural Ecology
 Cultural Integration
 Cultural Landscape

17. Culture Region
Formal Culture Functional Culture
Regions Regions

18. What is a Formal Culture
Region
 A region inhibited by people who have
one or more cultural traits in common
( Such as Language, Religion, Race, etc.)

19. What is a Functional Culture
Region
 A region or area that function
as a unit politically , socially or
economically

20. What is Cultural Diffusion ?
 “The process of diffusion involves the
spread of cultural elements , both
materials artifacts and ideas from one
culture to Another”
George Murdock

21. Cultural Diffusion
 Expansion Snowballing Effect
Diffusion
1. Stimulus Diffusion
 Relocation 2. Hierarchical
Diffusion
Diffusion
3. Contagious
Diffusion

22. Stimulus Diffusion
 When a specific trait fails to diffuse, but the underlying
idea concept is accepted
Hierarchical Diffusion
 A type of expansion diffusion , innovations spread from one
important person to another or from one urban center to
another temporarily bypassing persons of lesseimportance
and rural areas
Contagious Diffusion
 The spread of cultural innovation by person to person contact,
moving wavelike through an area and population without
regard to social status

23. Cultural Ecology
• Ecology Oikos + Logia
Oikologia = Teachings
about
habitats
Environmental
• Human Ecology Determinism
Environmental
Possibilism

24. What is Cultural Ecology ?
• The study of the complex intricate
relationships between the physical
environment and people as culture
bearing animals

25. Cultural Landscape
 “Cultural Landscape” originate from
all human activities in a specific
area.”

26. Themes of Cultural Landscape
 Settlement Patterns
 Land Division
 Architecture