Geography has been noticeably absent at Harvard since 1948, when geologist Marland P. Billings successfully fought to eliminate the geography department. In 1982, Jean Gottmann called the elimination, "a terrible blow…to American geography" and one from which "it has never completely recovered."
Now, Harvard proudly announces the return of geography to the prestigious university through the creation of their Center for Geographic Analysis, which focuses merely on GIS. However, the director of the center is not a geographer but a professor of East Asian languages. For the full story, head on over to Catholicgauze.
Comments
It seems that the growing number of states in the world has once agian brought the need for geographical perspectives. Indeed, given the need for basic information, I sense that the tendency is to resort to traditional discriptive geography. On the other hand the growth of GIS in a broad area of disciplines such as marketing, communcation and public health is bringing about a sytematic geography given that its application of a standard approach of overlays or philosphically a boolian logistic approach.
Ezana Habte-Gabr
Universidad de La Sabana
Esteemed Geography Dudes: Iam truly astounded by the completely blank looks I receive When I talk with some young people about countries, natural features etc. One kid thought I drove to the U.K. in my auto. It was agood car , but not that good! Geography should be taught at elementary school levels. Ilearned Geography at the hands of the good sisters in the fourth gradein the 1940s. We had refreshers through the eighth grade. It did’nt hurt one bit.
Thankyou for the good work, keep it up. George C. Tarpley
If mathematics had been taught the same way as Geography has been taught in America the last several decades, then I am sure that that discipline would have been shoved under the carpet, too. The easy way to teach Geography is through rote memorization. Yet, I have known far too many college students who despise Geography for that very reason. But you should see their eyes light up when one explores the synergistic relationship of Geography to their area of interests, i.e., the geography of music, sports or diseases–with the latter, pre-med students begin to realize the importance of Geography when put into that context.
Many college students are turned off to the discipline of History for much the same reason–rote memorization of dates and events. I was taught to memorize the names and political shapes of countries. A lot has changed in that realm since the 1960′s. However, the natural, cultural and geopolitical forces, which can be explained geographically, are as dynamic today as it was then. It takes the right teacher to facilitate the learning environment for students of all ages. Perhaps we can avoid a war or two if more people understand the true dynamics of Geography.
It is amazing how many people and now children do not know even what the capital of their own state is, let alone which side of the ocean they live on. Geography is a favorite subject of mine due to a great teacher I had in eighth grade. How are you supposed to read a map if you don’t have a clue where the nearest city is? It is sad that our education system is so diminished by closed minds and only taught with memorization and test scores instead of hand-ons and explority opportunities. And now the geography dept. at Harvard headed by a professor of East Asian studies. Sounds like the seriousness of the reinstituting geography in the university is lacking. That’s a shame!!!
Most State Department alumni know when Harvard cut out their geography program. After this body blow to diplomatic education,and some sane approaches to economics,people entering the field of foreign affairs had to work very hard to get themselves up to speed.
It is one thing for a seventh grader to not understand a capital location.It is quite another for the people running our diplomatic corps to avoid knowing where they are going,what products are produced there,what the language is,what the major ports are.What is far worse,the people running NSA and the CIA must recognize the limits of electronic knowledge.
if teachers weren’t so intimidating, “there’s going to be a test” and teach and let the students learn, i’m sure the students would be happy to learn. kids like school but they aren’t taught properly and they reject learning. as an ex-child, at the heart child advocate i don’t blame the kids for not wanting to learn or being able to focus. why do we keep blaming kids for their problems when much of the fault lies with the adults? that is so wrong.
kids are incredibly bright especially if you treat them that way.
i’m more than sure that if the professor has ALREADY LEARNED various languages, he’s a fine choice for the geography dept. i’m sure if they’d hire someone else, they’d have laggig qualities as well….
It’s certainly fair to note the lack of a coordinated effort on geography at Harvard, but I wanted to note that the director of the Center for Geographic Analysis is not a professor of “East Asian Languages,” though he is a member of the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations.
Peter Bol is a historian of China, and while he’s not a geographer, he engages in a form of historical research that brings geographic analysis and thought to bear on the task of understanding how “Chinese” civilization has developed. The GIS data involved in the China project include historical data that, when understood through geographic analysis, illuminate social and physical history that would be missed by the intensive use of texts. The center is by no means a Department of Geography, but its efforts do open doors, and it trains students and teachers in many disciplines how to think geographically.
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Well, anyone who thinks that geography has been absent from Harvard since 1948 ought to look into a little project known as the Laboratory for Computer Graphics and Spatial Analysis that was founded at the graduate School of Design in 1965 nd for about 20 years was the primary catalyst in the development of geographical computation. The Lab was responsible, among other things for developing the first off-the-shelf geographic information systems. Don;t get me wrong, the Center for Geographic Analysis is great, but its not like they came in to rescue Harvard from the dark ages. To lean more about how geography was trandformed at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, see Nick Chrisman’s book: Mapping The Unknown: How Computer Mapping Became GIS at Harvard,. Thank you.
Paul, an excellent comment, thank you very much. I’m always looking for ways to develop the argument event further (Sauer’s argument that is). I was unaware of this effort a the graduate school of design. Thanks!