5, February 2008 Themes in Cultural geography: A. Cultural diffusion 1. Independent Invention: 2. Types of diffusion: a. Corporate: contagious (Walmart) b. Hierarchical (McDonalds) I. Glocalization: Mixture of local culture and global brands. 3. Time-Distance Decay: As cultural artifacts diffuse the more the idea decays the farther you are from the source. 4. Barriers of Diffusion: a. Physical: Mountains, oceans, gorges. b. Cultural: Book burning, terrorist groups, ethnic cleansing. 5. Globalization: The spread of ideas and information across the planet. B. Cultural Ecology: 1. Definition: a. Human Ecosystem: b. Meeting of cultural and physical geography: 2. Two schools of thought: a. Environmental Determinism: I. Human culture is molded by nature: i. Mountains: Secluded, hunters, conservative, no healthcare, freedom loving, -Challenges unimaginative. to transport: backward and conservative due to isolation. -Beauty numbs the mind: mountain people are unimaginative. -Challenges to infrastructure prevent govt. control: mountain people are more freedom loving. ii. Tropics: Cultures are lazy and lack direction. -Fruit grows on trees without farming: Lazy -Heat: Lazy -Life is easy: people lack creativity and drive. -These people need direction from outside to become industrious. C. Environmental Determinism (E.D.) a. Environmental Determinism over emphasizes the influence of the environment. b. Justification for colonialism. D. Possibilism: a. The environment provides opportunity and constraints. b. People make choices from the possibilities provided. c. Impact of technology of the power of the environment. i. Air conditioning in India.