Quantitative revolution

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The quantitative revolution represents one of the most important paradigm shifts in the history of modern geography and marked a departure from traditional, idiographic research. It occurred during the 1950s and 1960s and marked a rapid change in the method of geographic research, from regional studies to spatial science.

background

Geographical science was severely neglected in the post-war period , considered weak and unscientific. In the early 1950s there was a growing need to study how physical, economic, social, and political processes are spatially organized. The analytical method of determination developed from an abstract, theoretical approach to geographic research. The analytical method of the investigation led to the development of generalizations that were logically applicable to the spatial aspects.

The revolution

course

The quantitative revolution began in the universities of Europe, especially in England ( University of Cambridge , University of Bristol ) and Sweden ( University of Lund ), and those of the United States ( University of Iowa , University of Washington ). The cooperation between the universities of Lund and Washington was particularly important.

In the German-speaking area it was initially accepted only hesitantly. However, in particular at the German Geographers' Day in Kiel in 1969, various “revolutionary” efforts in geography culminated, of which the quantitative revolution ultimately achieved the greatest importance. Young specialist representatives (especially didactic specialists) made demands on the future development of scientific geography, which can be summarized as a theoretical, a methodical and an application-related reorientation.

theory

From a theoretical point of view, the habilitation thesis by Dietrich Bartels , On the scientific-theoretical foundation of a human geography, was particularly groundbreaking . In addition to the basic approach of looking for general laws of space, what was new was its scientific-theoretical foundation.

methodology

The "revolution" led to an increased use of EDP statistical methods, in particular multivariate analyzes of geographic research. The newly applied methods reflect a number of mathematical techniques that improve accuracy. Quantitative geography can essentially be divided into two areas: 1. Statistical methods and 2. Mathematical methods for modeling . Some of the techniques that embody the revolution:

The preponderant emphasis on statistical modeling eventually undoed the quantitative revolution. In the 1970s , quantitative geography lost its importance.

application

In its application orientation, the “revolution” was primarily geared towards socio-political relevance. While the lack of applicability was initially criticized in part, Bartels and later Martin Boesch tried to conceptualize a “committed” geography based on the spatial science approach. In the English-speaking world, welfare geography was a similar approach based on indicators of prosperity such as well-being .

The consequences

The greatest impact of the quantitative revolution was not brought about by the revolution itself, but by the effect of the spread of positivist thinking. Growing interest in the study of distance as a critical factor in understanding the spatial arrangement of phenomena during the revolution led to the formulation of the first law of geography by Waldo Tobler . The increased use of computers in geography also led to many new developments in geomatics , such as the creation and use of GIS and remote sensing .

literature

  • Dietrich Bartels : On the epistemological foundation of a human geography . Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1968 ( Geographic Knowledge - Geographical Journal, Supplement No. 19).
  • Dietrich Bartels (ed.): Economic and social geography . Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Cologne 1970 (Contains mainly translations of English-language articles).
  • Geosciences Association: Inventory of the situation in German school and university geography. In: Wolfgang Meckelein and Christoph Borcherdt (eds.): Deutscher Geographentag Kiel 1969 . Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1970, pp. 191–207 ( German Geographers' Day : Conference Report and Scientific Treatises No. 37).
  • Ernst Giese : Development and research status of quantitative geography in the German-speaking area. In: Geographische Zeitschrift 68, No. 4, 1980, ISSN  0016-7479 , pp. 256-283.
  • Peter Sedlacek (Ed.): On the situation of German geography ten years after Kiel , Osnabrück University, Osnabrück 1979, ISBN 3-922043-01-1 ( Osnabrück Studies on Geography No. 2).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bernd Belina : Geographical Ideology Production - Critique of Geography as Geography . In: ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies . tape 7 , no. 3 , 2008, p. 510-537 ( acme-journal.org [PDF]).
  2. ^ Anoop Nayak, Alex Jeffrey: Geographical Thought: An Introduction to Ideas in Human Geography . Pearson Prentice Hall, Harlow / New York 2011, ISBN 978-0-13-222824-4 , pp. 37-38 .
  3. ↑ a b Ernst Giese : Development and research status of quantitative geography in the German-speaking area . In: Geographical Journal . tape 68 , no. 4 , 1980, p. 256-283 .
  4. ↑ Heike Egner : Theoretical Geography . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2010, ISBN 978-3-534-22846-1 , pp. 94 .
  5. ↑ Gerhard Bahrenberg : Quantitative Geography: On the importance of mathematical methods and models in geography . In: Geographical Rundschau . tape 38 , no. 4 , 1986, pp. 170-174 .
  6. ↑ Dietrich Bartels : On the epistemological foundation of a human geography . Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1968 ( Geographic Knowledge - Geographical Journal, Supplement No. 19).
  7. ^ Dietrich Bartels: Spatial scientific aspects of social disparities . In: Communications of the Austrian Geographical Society . tape 120 , no. 2 , 1978, p. 227-224 .
  8. ↑ Martin Boesch: Engagierte Geographie: for the reconstruction of spatial science as policy-oriented geography (=  geographic knowledge . Volume 98 ). Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 1989, ISBN 3-515-05514-2 .