Geography: a modern synthesis

by Peter Haggett

A generation of geography students on both sides of the Atlantic were raised on Peter Haggett's classic text, A Modern Synthesis. First published in 1972, it went through three revisions and was translated into six languages. This new version, re-titled for a new century, A Global Synthesis retains many of the features which gave the original volume such worldwide appeal. It presents geography as an integrated and integrating discipline, seeing both environmental and human geography and systematic and regional geography as intrinsically linked. It argues the facts of geographic distributions, the techniques by which geographers study the world, and the philosophy which informs their analyses all a part of a global synthesis. This synthesis operates at a range of spatial scales from the local up to the planetary system itself. It ranges in time back to human origins and onward to human futures. The book sees geography as an essential discipline for students wishing to understand their changing world at the start of a new millennium.Key* thoroughly revised, restructured, and rewritten to reflect changes in world geography, it is illustrated with over 500 figures and stunning new plates* retains a distinctive five-fold structure spanning the major geographic fields with one additional section (The Geographers Toolbox) and includes several new chapters e.g. Globalization; Geography of World Health; Geographical Information Systems (GIS). New sections are also provided on themes such as Global Warming, Gender Geography, and Job Opportunities for Geographers* although aimed at students with little previous geographictraining, it also provides onward links to more advanced courses for those wishing to pursue the subject further.* each of the book's 24 chapters is accompanied by three boxes. These are concerned introducing new methods (e.g. GIS software packages); illustrating the contributions of a particular geographer (e.g. Peter Gould and the geography of Aids); providing a regional case study (e.g. Lake Baikal); describing a historical phase in the development of geography (e.g. The Berkeley School)* new appendices a glossary of key geographical terms; sites on the world wide web of interest to geographers.Peter Haggett is Professor Emeritus of Geography in the University of Bristol and a member of the Institute of Advanced Studies. A Cambridge graduate, he taught geography at three U.K universities (London, Cambridge and Bristol) and at more than a dozen universities in North America and Australasia. He has acted as advisor to African and Asian universities, and served as visiting scientist at the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Over the last forty years, he has authored and co-authored a score of volumes and atlases and established three new geographical journals. His research has been recognized in the first award by France of its Vautrin Lud Prize (geography's Nobel-like award); by gold medals from the American Geographical Society, the Royal Geographical Society and the Swedish Geographical Society; and by honorary degrees from universities on both sides of the Atlantic. With Seden's Torsten Hagerstrand, he was one of the two founding members of the European Academy and also served as Vice President of the British Academy.

Genres: Geography, Science

483 pages, Unbound

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Peter Haggett was a British geographer and academic, Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Fellow in Urban and Regional Geography at the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol.

Reviews

[Nurullah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read this book for my thesiss..

[Recensioni in tre parole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fumoso. Complesso. Intricato.

[Roni Kantola · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely is interesting, covering multiple areas of interest. Also, this is both quite abstract and practical, so there are both real world examples and mathematical etc. approaches. Anyway, there's perhaps even too much stuff, and the overall is a bit messy, with some old theories in it too. But that's why it is actually quite silly too. Consider this as an art piece, and this becomes great science fiction. Anyway, the text is fine, after you really immerse yourself in it, instead of have fun browsing.

[Kasun Wijesundara]

I want to read this book....my Favourit book this.........

[Veera K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dated and poorly constructed, did not like it that much (but had to read it for school). As a european I noticed the authors concentration on america and ignorance of many other parts of the world.