Human Geography is concerned with (a)
understanding the human world and its interaction with physical, built, and
symbolic landscapes and (b) using this knowledge to work towards more equitable
societies.
The modules provide a broad overview of human
geography as a discipline and introduce core concepts used by human
geographers, particularly the notion of ‘space’, scale, and the relationships
between society and space and between people and the natural environment on
which it depends for survival. In this regard, understanding population
dynamics and related environmental impacts are crucial.
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The modules introduce
students to key population concepts theories and systems models to
understanding population changes and related impacts. Critically examining population
data and trends, such as migration and mobility is also an important focus.
Additionally, modules examine the linkages between population growth and
environmental issues, including climate change. Building
sustainable human environments, for ourselves and future generations, is a key
challenge in the world today.
Sustainability themes interrogate key issues such as the definition and
measurement of sustainability, the history of the current environmental crises
and society’s responses to it.
Furthermore it engages critical thinking about
environmental problems, their causes and solutions. The modules engage the
contexts of rural and urban environments to highlight the issues related to
sustainable environments. Two examples of sustainability concerns relate to the
impacts of urban form on the biophysical (and social) environment and secondly,
the serious concerns for food security in rural areas as rural communities
engage directly with their local environments.