Evolution Of Geographical Thought

Paper Code: 
GEO 501
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course Outcomes (COs)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

On completion of this course, the students will be able to: 

CO 1: Students can enhance the knowledge about temporal succession of geographical views from ancient times to the 20th century so that they are able to know the development of thought in the field of geography in India as well as the world CO2: Students will learn contemporary knowledge of medieval period and explorations after that. 

CO3: Enhance the contribution of thinkers in scientific geography.   

CO4: Introduce the students to the philosophical and methodological foundations of this part and its place in the world of knowledge. 

CO4:  Enhance them with the major landmarks in development of geographic thought at different periods of time and in major paradigms. 

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, 

Reading assignments, Demonstration, 

Learning activities for the students: Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, Seminar presentation 

Class test, Semester end examinations, 

Quiz, 

Assignments, 

Presentation, 

Individual and group projects 

 

9.00
 
Geographical knowledge of the ancient period:
Evolution of geographical knowledge
• Indian scholars
• Greek scholars
• Roman scholars
9.00
 
Geography of medieval period:
• Contributions by Arab geographers.
• Dark Age
• Renaissance and its impact on geographical knowledge
• Period of explorations and Discoveries and spread of European trade
9.00
 
Development of scientific geography:
• Varenius
• Immanuel Kant
9.00
 
Geography in the nineteenth century:
Founders of Modern Geography:
• Contributions by Humboldt, Ritter, Ritchofen, Ratzel
• Dualism in Geography:
• Human and Physical, Regional and Systematic
9.00
 
Geography in the twentieth century: Works of
• Vidal de la Blache
• Ellsworth Huntington
• Carl O Sauer
Major Paradigm Shifts in the subject
• Quantitative Revolution
• Behavioural Revolution
• Humanism
• Radicalism
Essential Readings: 
 
• Husain, Majid: Evolution of Geographical Thought (Rawat Publications,2004,2010)
• Singh, Manoj: Evolution of Geographical Thought (New Delhi : Sonali Publications, 
2016)
• Peet, Richard: Modern Geographical Thought (Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishers,
2004)
• Dikshit, R.D.: Geographical Thought : a contextual history of ideas (New Delhi: Prentice 
Hall, 2004)
• Rana, Lalita :Evolution of Geographical Thought (New Delhi : Concept Publishing 
Company, 2014)
• Rana, Lalita :Systematic Record of Evolution (New Delhi : Concept Publishing 
Company, 2014)
• Pandey, Akhilesh K: History of Geographic Thought (India : Ancient Publishing House, 
2015)
Academic Year: 
2022-2023