Özet:

Written by William D. Pattison and published in the Journal of Geography for the first time in 1964 (W.D. Pattison, "The Four Traditions of Geography" Journal of Geography Vol. 63 no. 5: 211- 216), this article presents a brief and excellent statement concerning the main themes in American geography. The article has helped to reduce the problem of defining the broad scope of the discipline in a few sentences which would be acceptable to and understood by the public, teachers, and professional geographers. Examining geographical work from early history to the present, Pattison determined four distinct traditions. He asserted that these four traditions could be observed in almost all geographic work and it was these traditions that bound the minds of professional geographers. The traditions are spatial, area studies, man-land, and earth science traditions. Immediately after the publication, the article was accepted commonly and sent out clear messages as to how geography should have been perceived. One of the reasons why the article remains unique is that it covers all aspects of geography and this includes even new developments emerged after the publication of the article. Thus, the article has become one of the classical works of American geography. Almost all graduate students consult it when they try to find a perspective for their research. The article is thought to be one of the best resources to suggest to those Turkish readers who wonder about geography in America. Probably there is not a single article as short as this one, analyzing American geography. Therefore, this translation, it is hoped, will help those who want to learn about the development of geography in other countries. Key Words: American Geography, geographical traditions, history of geography, William D. Pattison, philosophy of geography.

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