Landscape science: a Russian geographical tradition

Shaw, D.J.B. and Oldfield, J. (2007) Landscape science: a Russian geographical tradition. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 97(1), pp. 111-126. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8306.2007.00526.x)

Abstract

The Russian geographical tradition of landscape science (landshaftovedenie) is analyzed with particular reference to its initiator, Lev Semenovich Berg (1876-1950). The differences between prevailing Russian and Western concepts of landscape in geography are discussed, and their common origins in German geographical thought in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are delineated. It is argued that the principal differences are accounted for by a number of factors, of which Russia's own distinctive tradition in environmental science deriving from the work of V. V. Dokuchaev (1846-1903), the activities of certain key individuals (such as Berg and C. O. Sauer), and the very different social and political circumstances in different parts of the world appear to be the most significant. At the same time it is noted that neither in Russia nor in the West have geographers succeeded in specifying an agreed and unproblematic understanding of landscape, or more broadly in promoting a common geographical conception of human-environment relationships. In light of such uncertainties, the latter part of the article argues for closer international links between the variant landscape traditions in geography as an important contribution to the quest for sustainability.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Oldfield, Dr Jonathan
• Authors: Shaw, D.J.B., and Oldfield, J.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HF Commerce; G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General); G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Central and East European Studies
• Journal Name: Annals of the Association of American Geographers
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0004-5608
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2007 Taylor and Francis
• First Published: First published in Annals of the Association of American Geographers 97(1):111-126
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher