How People and Environments Connect – An Introduction to Environmental Determinism

Human geography encompasses various approaches, including Environmental Determinism, seeks to understand the relationships between people and their environments. From cultural and historical perspectives to economic and political analyses, human geography explores the complexities of human societies, spatial patterns, and the dynamic interactions shaping the world. Through diverse lenses such as social, behavioral, feminist geographies, and Environmental Determinism, scholars employ distinct methodologies to unveil the intricacies of how humans inhabit, influence, and are influenced by the spaces they occupy.

Environmental Determinism in Welfare, Radical Thought, and Behavioral Perspectives

• The Welfare or Humanistic Approach, alongside Environmental Determinism: Human geography primarily focused on various dimensions of societal welfare, encompassing factors such as housing, healthcare, and education. 
  • Geographers have even introduced a course titled “Geography of Social Well-being” into the postgraduate curriculum.
• The Radical School of Thought: They applied Marxist theory to elucidate the fundamental roots of poverty, deprivation, and social disparities. 
  • It connected contemporary societal issues to the evolution of capitalism.
• The Behavioral School of Thought:  They placed significant importance on real-life experiences and how different social groups, based on factors like ethnicity, race, and religion, perceived and interacted with space.

Environmental Determinism, Interdisciplinarity, and Emerging Subfields Exposed

• Exploring the Interplay: Human geography seeks to elucidate the connection between various facets of human existence and the geographical contexts in which they unfold. 
• Interdisciplinary Nature of Human Geography Including Environmental Determinism:  Consequently, it adopts a markedly interdisciplinary character, establishing strong connections with related fields within the social sciences. 
  • This interdisciplinary approach is adopted to gain insight into and elucidate the presence of human elements across the Earth’s surface.
• Emerging Subfields in Human Geography: With the expansion of knowledge, new subfields of human geography have emerged as follows:

Table: Human Geography and Sister Disciplines of Social Sciences

Also Read: UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT: COMPONENTS AND TYPES

Conclusion

• The fundamentals of human geography are a cornerstone of our understanding of the complex interplay between people and the spaces they inhabit. 
• Human geography being a multidisciplinary field, explores the spatial relationships, cultural dynamics, and environmental impacts of human societies. 
• Studying human geography, we gain valuable insights into the world’s diverse cultures, societies, and environments, helping us make informed decisions about the challenges and opportunities that shape our planet’s future. 
• Human geography, including Environmental Determinism, continues to be relevant and essential in addressing the pressing issues of our time, from climate change and resource management to social justice and urban planning.