Why does geography get lumbered with earth sciences all the time?

Not got anything against environmental sciences and infact i enjoy them.
But its getting worse and worse as institutions eradicate geography out of education as departments are absorbed into broader entitys.
Earth Science is not geography its a monolithic subject area with one epistimology. It has no relation to the 4 recognised things that make up geography place, society, environment and space

Its about time that geography gets put back on the map and regains its focus in schools, wider academia and on the student room :tsr2:

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Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

ok firstly - it's lumped together in the student room because the geologists wanted their own forum - this forum was dying a death and so the users of this forum were asked if they'd be willing to share (in an attempt to promote enough interest in both subjects to bring the geog forum back to life - that appears to have worked :smile:

) http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=251007

secondly - earth sciences does not equal environmental science. In fact looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_sciences it bears a very close resemblance to physical geography (and geography is listed as a sub-topic within earth sciences :wink:

)

Reply 2

Timothy

In the USA, physical geography is in the subject Earth Sciences.

Reply 3

arkbar

Actually, here we have both Earth sciences and physical geography in different departments and my department offers quite a lot of physical geography modules.

Reply 4

Timothy

Really? Ah ok, was just going on what Holden said (i think or Roberts).

Reply 5

arkbar

I think the rocky stuff is lobbed into earth science a lot more, we don't have any glaciologists in the department for example. But here, there's people who specialise in soil, biogeography etc.

Reply 6

ali567149

earth sciences does not equal environmental science. In fact looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_sciences it bears a very close resemblance to physical geography (and geography is listed as a sub-topic within earth sciences :wink:

)

Oh....good source i will remember to quote it in my finals instead of some accademic lit.
No i guess earth sciences cover a slightly broader range if you inclued outer space stuff.
However it still has no relation to geography. And just because some person on the internet says so does not make it a fact!!!
It is clear the the subject of geography in the past few decades has drifted in two differing directions of the human and physical, held together by the ideas space, society, environment and place. My reason for starting this thread was to rais the issue of the potential destruction of geography in the near future if it fails to regain its status and purous in accademia.

Reply 7

dd1989

Physical Geography sucks penis :P Bring on the humans!

Reply 8

alex p

i think the question is more why does earth science get lumbered with geography all the time.

geography is a study of stuff in relation to the earth and its processes. i doubt that you can find a single bit of geography that isnt directly related to earth science.

Reply 9

arkbar

Postmodern urban theory.

Reply 10

Fields

To be honest, nobody really knows what geography is.

Reply 11

alex p

arkbar

Postmodern urban theory.

is at some point based around earth processes leading to the overall theory.

Reply 12

Fields

alex p

is at some point based around earth processes leading to the overall theory.

Explain then.

Reply 13

alex p

urban theory = architecture = geology = an earth science

i hope thats simple enough, but i really cant be bothered to go through everything when im right.

Reply 14

Fields

alex p

urban theory = architecture = geology = an earth science

That's ridiculous.

Reply 15

dd1989

fieldsofanfield

That's ridiculous.

Indeed it is... What a toss pot in thinking that architecture has anything at all to do with Geology.

Web definition.

Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, "the earth") and λογος (logos, "word", "reason")) is the science and study of the Earth, its composition, structure, physical properties, history, and the processes that shape it. It is one of the Earth sciences.

I'm not seeing any definition relating to architecture and buildings.

Geology is more about the actual earth..not what humans shove on the top.

Reply 16

alex p

yes, but without geology what humans shove ontop of the earth will fall over and hopefully certain people who think archtects dont need geology will go with it.

for example, my uncle had to study alot of geology before he could become a governmental architect. that may have been on a much larger scale than normal architects but you still need it.

what about the buildings designed by geologists to resist earthquakes?

"Introduction
The geology of a county can often define the nature of the landscape, farming, industry and the architecure of a county. In this synopsis of the geology of County Wexford we will briefly describe the underlying Bedrock Geology and its links to the mineral industry and some architecturally important historic buildings."

http://www.gsi.ie/news/GSI_News/Issue_No_05/Web/Wexford.htm

looks like quite a few "toss pots" agree with me, and maybe when you pull your head out youll see that.

ignorance is an awesome form of humour, keep it up.

Reply 17

Fields

You're assuming that 'postmodern urban theory' is synonymous with 'architecture'. That is quite simply incorrect. Your whole argument is flawed I'm afraid. 10/10 for effort though.

Reply 18

alex p

Urban Studies is the scientific discipline that studies all aspects of cities, their suburbs, and other urban areas. This includes urban economics, urban planning, urban architecture, urban ecology, urban transportation systems, urban politics, and urban social relations. This can be contrasted with rural areas and rural lifestyles.

List of terms in urban studies
autonomous village
arcology
architecture

(wikipedia)

the 'postmodern urban theory' would fall into the catergory of urban studies