Geography: History and Concepts [Paperback]

Arild Holt-Jensen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1412946506 | ISBN-13: 978-1412946506 | Edition: Fourth Edition

This now standard student reference has been totally revised and updated. It remains the definitive introduction to the history, philosophy, and methodology of human geography.

The book is organized into five sections:

• An historical overview of the discipline and an explanation of its organization; with more on the growth of spatial sciences, Geographical Information Systems, and ways of representing the world
• An examination of geography from Antiquity to the early modern period
• An analysis of paradigm shifts in geography, the philosophy of science, and the quantitative revolution;
• A critical discussion of positivism, empiricism, structuration theory, realism; as well as an introduction to core themes and concepts in current geographical thought including space, place, and post-modernism
• A review of global processes and local responses, from economic globalization to global environmental change

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is well written (and translated) and the basic ideas are clearly presented>>>> (Journal Of Geography )

Not only students but also older geographers and others will profit from reading a work of such clarity and good sense...>>>> (Scottish Geographical Magazine )

From the University of Bergen has come a second edition of Holt-Jensen's useful and well-regarded guidebook to the history of Geographic...This revised and enlarged second edition takes into account new research in geography, and for the historical geographer there are nuggets which are accessible via the volume's Subject Index.>>> (Dr. R. M. Newcomb )

From the University of Bergen has come a second edition of Holt-Jensen's useful and well-regarded guidebook to the history of Geographic...This revised and enlarged second edition takes into account new research in geography, and for the historical geographer there are nuggets which are accessible via the volume's Subject Index. (Dr. R. M. Newcomb )

This book is well written (and translated) and the basic ideas are clearly presented (Journal Of Geography )

Not only students but also older geographers and others will profit from reading a work of such clarity and good sense... (Scottish Geographical Magazine ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Language Notes

Text: English, Swedish (translation) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd; Fourth Edition edition (October 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412946506
• ISBN-13: 978-1412946506
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #794,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A model text, January 7, 2000

By 

Birger Hjørland (Bagsværd, Denmark) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Geography (Hardcover)

This book is now out in a third edition (SAGE Publications, 1999). It is a book about geography, but I review it as a model on how an author in one of the (social) sciences can analyze his discipline in a philosophical way. ------ The book presents different philosophical positions such as positivism, marxism, structuralism, realism and poststructuralism in a clear way and describes how such positions have influenced the development of geography. In my opinion such philosophical analysis of (social) sciences are rare, but extremely important. I whish I knew of similar qualified books in all other domains. Such books shows that sciences are built on assumptions, that can be questioned and they help developing critical thinking.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful and thorough look at Ge, October 29, 2004

By 

A. Freed (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Geography - History and Concepts: A Student's Guide (Paperback)

This book starts each chapter with a nearly intangible discussion of the philosophical aspects of geography for the respective period, then gets into very good summaries of the period, its key players and concepts. Its also sprinkled with great examples of work that illustrates research at the various periods which help cement the concepts.

I expect this will be a useful reference for those time when I forget the difference between structuration theory and realism.