Historical geography

The historical geography is a branch of geography. As a space science that deals with processes of human activities and the resulting spatial structures at any time of the past, she crosses all disciplines of human geography and is closely related to the respective sub-disciplines of the historical sciences. However, while the latter examines the influence of the space on the particular time, the Historical Geography explores the influence of the respective time on the space or the landscape. Especially close is traditionally the connection to the historical geography and the country's history. Historical and geographical issues are a central part of the interdisciplinary environmental history.

Task

The task of the Historical Geography is the collection, description and explanation of the quality and quantity of relevant economic, demographic, social, political and natural processes in the spatio-temporal differentiation. Thus, the Historical Geography tries to reconstruct past landscape conditions and by comparing determine regularities in the development of cultural landscapes.

Focus

Main focus is on the historical settlement research, in the geography of rural areas, in the hallway and settlement onomastics, in the deserted villages and the hallway form research. A branch - that is more strongly developed than in Germany, especially in the English-speaking world - is the urban morphology.

Another related scientific approach is the Genetic Landscape Research, who wants to explain contemporary spatial structures and processes from the past. Here is traditionally the settlement Genetic research is an important part of discipline.

The Applied Historical Geography tries to integrate into today's planning and environmental education, the findings of historical geography and the Genetic Landscape Research. A goal is the maintenance and further development of the historical heritage in the form of the cultural landscape.

As a field of study Historical Geography in Germany is offered at the universities of Berlin, Bonn and Bamberg.