Geography Concept and Methods - Anthropocene Concept - Literature review Example

Geography Concept and Methods (Anthropocene concept) Change Techniques Professor (Tutor) The Name of the School (University) The City and State Date Geography Concept and Methods (Anthropocene concept) The idea of Anthropocene was coined in 2000 and represents the recent history of the earth roughly from 1760 up to now that is considered as the era shaped or modeled through human’s actions in the world. The recent focus on effects of human activity on planet earth has considerably been expounded from all fields of science including geography. This ‘new’ approach exposes fundamental tensions between human and physical geography, the latter of which has long adopted a systems approach, and the former expressing deep unease. Geographers have assisted in analyzing and increasing the understanding of the multifaceted relationship between the human and physical environment. The following paper aims at discussing how geographical thinking contributes to Anthropocene and whether geography will play a significant role in addressing the complex environmental and social issues or does Anthropocene threaten to further divide the discipline. Geographical thinking has contributed to the idea of Anthropocene in numerous ways. Geographical science has been able to analyze and document the many changes that have occurred due to human activity as well as natural events (Castree1, 2014). One of the main ways geographical thinking is contributing to Anthropocene is through mapping of the changes witnessed due to increased human activity. According to Henning (2013), geographers and geographical though has helped to visualize and map the environmental and physical changes in this new era. Graphical displays or map visualizations have a long history in interpreting the intricacy of our environment into logical visual representation (Henning, 2013). The use of maps has helped in representing the geography of earth and how to make logical conclusions as well as analysis. Current methods of mapping or discovering new places as well as exploring the physical environment have been a breakthrough in the concept of Anthropocene. Geographers have developed new and innovative ways for mapping through the use of computers as well as geographical information systems. These methods have the capability to analyze and draw logical conclusions from both the physical and human environment of the earth (Henning, 2013). Currently, geographers have the ability to understand the environmental conditions of seas, rainfall, and even evolution of changes in this area. Additionally, the use of powerful computing and technologies has the ability to visualize all this data and make further analysis on ecological footprints. The use of the gridded catogram has the ability to calculate the number of hectares of ecological foot print that human in each grid cell impact the physical and natural environment (Henning, 2013). Through the use of such technologies, it is clearly easy to understand the historical as well as future effects of human activity on the earth. Another way that geographical thinking is contributing to Anthropocene is through epistemology of human disturbance. According to Lave et al. (2013), the combination of biologists and geographers have studied and debated on epistemology of human disturbance as well as the ontology of biogeographically elements. It is suggested that human values rather than ecological effects determine the positivity and negativity of human alteration of vegetation. Additionally, geographers have conducted increased research on the potential impacts of human distribution as well as human activities on the physical and human environment (Lave et al., 2013). Issues of geopolitics are also playing a major role in determining the political effects of climate change and human activities in the new era. Environmental history and political ecology have also been discussed and studies for decades now. Geographers have combined ethnographic research and nature’s material elements to explain environmental degradation and change. According to Lave et al. (2013), this combination has facilitated political ecologists to expound on issues such as the African drought and how pastoralists respond in specific regions. These contributions on the intricate relationships of human, physical, and natural environments are based on the study of critical physical geography. Critical physical geography is based on the need for advancing geographical thinking based on the increased influence the world has witnessed from human activities. Currently, Anthropocene is still not a recognized term based on the lack of boundaries or international acknowledgement. Nonetheless, it is clear that geography plays an important role in understanding whether a new era can be scientifically identified and acknowledged. The increased tension between the physical and human environment have raised eyes in all fields of science that has increasingly developed many tension in geography. Geographers are currently tasked with understanding the role played by culture in physical geography (Kirsch, 2015). Another major issue is that due to increased human activity, people have increasingly mixed and directly or indirectly impacted the human and physical environment consequently creating “emerging geographies” (Lorimer, 2012). Scientists are increasingly delved into understanding “man” in terms of his role in the whole physical environment of planet earth. It is this focus and geographical thinking that has revealed how humans are connected to the current era and its through geographical research that idea of Anthropocene can be understood. Geographical research into numerous elements of the physical and human environment has illustrated how geography is contributing to Anthropocene (Castree1, 2014). Increased human activities especially through industrialization have made major changes to the world’s physical environment. Geographers have evidently illustrated that increased industrialization has led to increased changes in physical sedimentation (Whitehead, 2014). Furthermore, human activities have also led to changes in temperature, the rise in sea levels as well as biotic changes. Increased focus on these issues illustrates that geography has a critical role to play by translating the physical environmental changes into understandable relationship of human and physical environment. It is through geographical thinking that people can understand the historical changes that have occurred in the suggested new era. Although geography alone may not make sense of the Anthropocene, it plays a significant role in analyzing the complex relationships between human and the physical environment (Whitehead, 2014). Historical analysis of the physical environment also plays a significant in ensuring that all the physical changes the earth has undergone can be explained. Geographers have also contributed to Anthropocene by extending the focus of geographical research. This is through different methods such as adopting new geographical ideas as well as viewpoints. The focus on culture, human activity, and sustainability are among the many new perspectives that geography is introducing (Castree2, 2014). Moreover, geographers have also adopted the new approach of combing different disciplines of science such as biology or environmental science with geography. Overall, geographical thinking has significantly contributed to Anthropocene by extending beyond the traditional perspectives as well as introducing new methods to enhance Anthropocene understanding. Despite the evident contributions of geographical thinking to Anthropocene, it is unclear if geography will play a more significant role in addressing with the complex environment and social issues, or does it threaten to further divide the discipline. The focus on Anthropocene is real and has raised alarms in each field of science as people push to make a meaning of its emergence and relevance in developing world science history. With its emergence being so recent, increased tension has surfaced on the role of geography in advancing the social and environmental issues. Firstly, it is would be wrong to doubt that Anthropocene may threaten to further subdivide the field of geography. As discussed earlier, geographers have used different methods to contribute to Anthropocene. However, some of these methods have gone to numerous extents including combining geography with other disciplines leading to new concepts such as geo-biology. The mere fact of this existence makes it hard to deny a possible division of disciplines. Moreover, the study or analysis of the Anthropocene as a geological period is full of increased challenges in terms of boundaries (Johnson et al., 2014). For instance, Anthropocene will require increased focus on issues such as industrialization or pop culture, which are not the sort of hard science that can be linked to geography (Kirsch, 2015). The emergence of new disciplines such as environmental science is clear evidence that geography may further be subdivided into studding geological timelines. Most critics of Anthropocene have cited the need for hard evidence to illustrate that a new era has begun. For instance, stratigraphers have argued that the emergence of Anthropocene is based on an ideological fact that merely provides sufficient geological evidence. In this case, geography may as well have a role to play in understanding the complex social and environmental issues. Geography has a role to play in ensuring that the physical environment can help to explain humanities impact on the environment. It is through the study of the current as well as historical physical and human environment that people can understand whether the Holocene era ended and the Anthropocene has started. The main issue surrounding the Anthropocene debate is not whether there is a new era, but it is on providing the hard evidence to support the arguments. Castree2 (2014), argues that there exists geographers who have joined in making considerable contribution to Anthropocene and many others with the same potential. These contributions include both in the practice and discourse of Anthropocene. Additionally, it is through geography that the word and concept of Anthropocene was developed. Geographical studies and technologies will be put to challenge in determining the overall impact of human activities on the physical and human environment (Kirsch, 2015). Additionally, as the world advances, it is clear that the issue of environmental sustainability will remain a key agenda. People, corporations, and governments have continuously focused on sustainability, which is a key agenda for the future of the earth. The increased focus on sustainability and conservation call for increased research and debate in discourse as well as practice. Geography thus has a large part to play in translating some of these intricate relationships between the physical and human environments. Despite this, there is the need to acknowledge that even with this role; there is increased uncertainty in the future. The idea of developing and studying a new era is based on interacting with environmental, social, human, and physical sciences. As it is, Anthropocene may require the development of inter-disciplinary approaches that allow for consultations as well as research from different scientific perspectives (Lorimer, 2012). It is the very fact of this new emergence that may threaten further division of geography. To push the limits higher in terms of understanding these relationships will require a great deal of collaboration from different scientific fields. The heightened debate among scholars from different disciplines illustrates the increased tensions that increasingly illustrate gaps in understanding the role of geography in Anthropocene. In the future, there is uncertainty on how each discipline will play a role in Anthropocene study. The need to develop inter-disciplinary approaches is evident with how geography has closely been linked to human activities or philosophy. Such encounters and advancements will have an impact on the future of geography as a scientific field. Developing the discourse on Anthropocene may require significant changes to the way geography is taught in the future. Moreover, it may call for technical changes on the discourse of geography. New methods and concepts may come up that requires the development of new curriculums in geography. Castree2 (2014), has acknowledged that there is increased uncertainty based on how geographers are conducting independent research into Anthropocene issues. The lack of collaboration as well as setting of boundaries in physical and human environmental study is also a major challenge. Even if the understanding Anthropocene issues will requires geography, a new discipline of understanding geological timelines may emerge further splitting the discipline (Castree2, 2014). The recent explorations and advancements in geographical thinking has illustrated new and significant perspectives of geography. Geographers are taking on new challenges that push the realms of geography’s traditional role to the furthest. All this is happening at a fast rate that has not allowed for sufficient analysis and criticism. It is this very fact that illustrates the uncertainty in the future in terms of geography’s role in Anthropocene. Nevertheless, as it stands, geography has a large role to play in the future in terms of addressing the social and environmental issues surrounding the world. This will occur with increased uncertainty as to whether Anthropocene may divide the geography discipline. In conclusion, Anthropocene has emerged as a buzzword in the field of geography. Increased criticism and uncertainty have continued to surround the concept of Anthropocene as a new geological timeline or period. It is clear that marking the end of an era and the start of new era is not a small issue. Geography has played a great role in this new paradigrim. The emergence of the Anthropocene concept, while yet to be formally recognized as a geological period, has been hailed as the end of the dichotomous nature/culture divide that has characterized (particularly) industrial-period Western thought. In its place has emerged a ‘systems-based’ approach to current global challenges in the environment space – an approach in which humans are merely one component (or sub-system). Geography has and will continue to play a major role in understanding as well as translating the complex relationships between physical and human environments. This will happen with increased uncertainty that is based on threat of dividing the discipline of geography. References Castree1, N., 2014. Geography and the Anthropocene II: Current Contributions. Geography Compass, 8(7), pp.450-463. Castree2, N., 2014. The Anthropocene and Geography III: Future Directions. Geography Compass, 8(7), pp.464-476. Henning, B., 2013. Geography Today: Mapping the 'anthropocene'. 1st ed. [ebook] Sheffield: Springer. Available at: [Accessed 8 Sep. 2015]. Johnson, E., Morehouse, H., Dalby, S., Lehman, J., Nelson, S., Rowan, R., Wakefield, S. and Yusoff, K., 2014. After the Anthropocene: Politics and geographic inquiry for a new epoch. Progress in Human Geography, 38(3), pp.439-456. Kirsch, S., 2015. Cultural geography III: Objects of culture and humanity, or, re-'thinging' the Anthropocene landscape. Progress in Human Geography. Lave, R., Wilson, M., Barron, E., Biermann, C., Carey, M., Duvall, C., Johnson, L., Lane, K., McClintock, N., Munroe, D., Pain, R., Proctor, J., Rhoads, B., Robertson, M., Rossi, J., Sayre, N., Simon, G., Tadaki, M. and Van Dyke, C., 2013. Intervention: Critical physical geography. Can. Geogr., 58(1), pp.1-10. Lorimer, J., 2012. Multinatural geographies for the Anthropocene. Progress in Human Geography, 36(5), pp.593-612. Whitehead, M., 2014. Environmental transformations. 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