This lecture was the introduction to the course and gave a foundation for subsequent classes as well as an overview of the disciplines we would be investigating. The lecture began with a discussion on the importance of taking a geographical perspective using the 5 p’s which are:
- processes
- places
- patterns
- people
- perspectives
These 5 attributes along with Tobler’s First Law, which states “Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things”, form the foundation of a geographical perspective. This stance forms a sense of place around what is being investigated and integrates factors. In this course we will be doing this through the use of GIS and the study of landscape ecology, health geography and crime.
Applying the five p’s to any of these fields it becomes apparent how important a geographical perspective is. In Landscape ecology the form of the landscape and distribution of objects across it is indelibly linked to these five variables through various channels. Landscape level processes such as the erosion of top soil can influence the patterns of vegetation and in turn the people that are present. In looking at these factors the perspectives of people from different academic and cultural backgrounds is necessary as important information could be gained from indigenous and academic backgrounds.