Research Paper on Human Geography

Introduciton

Cultural memories are the historical transformative experiences defining culture, and they adopt new impacts with time. A race is a group of individuals with similar and differences in their biological features thought by society to be socially significant; hence individuals treat each other differently because of these features. Ethnicity is the shared cultural activities, viewpoints, and differences which group apart one set separately from individuals of other groups. The most common features that differentiate the ethnic groups are lineage, scientific, religion, and historical sense. This response paper that will discuss the main arguments of Monmonier (1995), Diamond (1995), and Alderman & Dwyer (2004) authors towards the relationship between cultural memory, race, and ethnicity.

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Main Arguments

Monmonier (1995) Chapter 2

Monmonier is an excellent author who discusses thoroughly the extent to which map-makers should reach when naming places. The main argument of Monmonier in his book of 'Drawing the Line's Tales of Maps and Carto controversy, (1995)' is the impact of offensive place-names in the geographical features. Monmonier outlines the relationship between place-names, culture and ethnic identity thoroughly.

Diamond (1997) Chapter 16

The main argument of Diamond (1997) in chapter 16 is that geography has power in shaping the social organization of people. He argues that the flow of people, availability of resources, and animal species shape human societies. China is not multicultural because most of the Chinese use Mandarin as their primary language. He argues that China started its unification process after once having a diverse linguistic and cultural. According to Diamond (1997), China's unification was led by the subsequent establishment of writing and technology, and production of food. The agricultural sector of China began early, and the Chinese were able to invent paper and gunpowder. The unification could also have been enabled by the food producers who completely replaced the hunters and gatherers together with their language and culture.

Alderman & Dwyer (2004) Chapter 10

Alderman & Dwyer (2004) main argument was the significant effort that geographers made while studying the collective memory by identifying the way public commemoration is modified by the political contestable and self-contradictory nature of space and location. Memory and place join together to offer a more context of modern identities that provide a modest outline of the essential and active association.

Cultural Memory and Ethnic Perception

Cartographic insults displayed by place-names on maps can lead to embarrassment to the lawmakers, make maps controversial, and surprise people. The cartographers believed that correct map representation was vital to the emotional state of the defamed or insulted people. With no current sanctions that inhibit native utility of racial, ethnic, and offensive names, the map-makers prolonged the predominant cultural landscape. Controversial geographic names lead to maps controversy. Through advertisement of ethnic and racial derogatory place-names that are beyond localities who tolerated the place-names may lead to inciting controversy and stimulating modifications of the maps. Through the transformation of biases towards local language and culture into a real, written material, maps encourage protest from indigenous individuals, and people who are sensitive to culture are eager to incorporate place-names into the cartographic records (Alderman, & Dwyer, 2004).

Disagreements caused by place-names can make a map become a tool for arrogance during oppression and mistreatment moments. Also, disputes to these names can become an instrument of empowering people in the period of tolerance. Exposure of the past values that led to the creation of maps can lead to the evolution of the maps even though they are rarely value-neutral. Place-names that offend people are currently rare as they have not received favorable attention. When cartographers are making new maps, they reject offensive place-names and systematically remove them when revising the old maps. Offensive place-names have enhanced the efforts of changing the native utilization and eradication of offensive insults.

Alderman & Dwyer (2004) discuss that the memory of civil war is vital because the cause of collective memory emotion gravity is the interweaving of place and history. It is interesting that naming of a less noticeable street was interpreted as a deprivation of memory and even if the road had a resilient historical relationship with the person being referred to. For instance, when Dr. King visited Danville, activist felt that Dr. Kind was to have a big road named after him and they argued that naming a road in a low-class neighborhood would be offensive towards Dr. King. Alderman and Dwyer explain that commemorative modifications and problems cannot be wholly analyzed without geographer's assistance.

The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity and Place/Land/Environment

Shifting names from one feature to the other leads to significant impacts on the environment. For instance, the power of naming makes a single name like Mississippi River displace several local names used by people living within the Mississippi River area. In the Diamond 1992 book in chapter 16, it is discussed that language replacement was caused by improved technology and political organization, and the advantage of increased food production. Diamond states that China was the first country to domesticate plants and animals.

The ecological disparities of cool-dry north and warm-wet south of China made the country to have increased food production. Various wild plants are favored by the coastal lowlands and the interior uplands environments; hence they were accessible to the farmers in most parts of China. Food production in China led to civilization featured by urban development and invention of new technological methods. China became unified because various developing sectors like iron smelting and rice farming spread from south to north. The movement led to the production of writing systems, bronze technology, and federal formation. The consequences of the Chinese innovations led to significant development of the adjacent areas.

Language, Culture, and Ethnic Identity

Monmonier (1995) stated that there is intimidation when a colony's geographic characteristics are renamed. Language disparities can cause distorted adaptations and also increasing the modifications that enhance pronunciation and spelling mangle a lot of native place-names beyond recognition. Phonetic transfer of American Indians names is rarely precise due to pronunciation challenges, poor hearing, and unrecognized inborn sounds that may be transcribed in various ways. The United States Board that deals with geographical naming consider the American Indian names to promote the cultural heritage of the U.S. American Indian names that are suitable and unique describe the topography, provides a relationship to local native history and honors natural occurrence. Local place names might be a vital indication of political recognition and cultural respect by government map-makers.

Hardin, & Diamond, (1997) discussed that it is the responsibility of the United States Board that deals with Geographic Naming to identify and replace the offensive place-names. Achievement of ethnicity towards proper language utilization is through standardization of names used on topographic maps and other state publications. The U.S board on Geographic Names has significant sensitivity towards names that are offensive to the people or cause embarrassment to the government. The board omits a name that cannot avoid critics.

Before the maps are published, right decisions that concern controversial names and names modifications should be attained. Local opposition can block the efforts of renaming places with offensive, embarrassing, and unattractive words. Local opposition also uses the news media to create awareness and eliminate offensive place-names. Hardin, & Diamond, (1997) stated that countries using one language or a group that occupies a large group and uses one language could give a testimony of significant geographical expansion of the group hence lacking enough time for the group to adopt different languages. Consequently, countries with many types of communications within a group are close to the distribution of the language to other groups.

Conclusion

The three articles/books provide a deep explanation of the relationship between cultural memory, race, and ethnicity. I love the idea that cartographers believed that correct map representation was vital to the emotional state of the defamed or insulted people because this prevents embarrassment to society. I found out that the United State Board that deals with Geographic Naming have a responsibility towards identifying and replacing offensive place-names. I have also found out that China became unified because various developing sectors like iron smelting and rice farming spread from south to north. The movement led to the production of writing systems, bronze technology, and federal formation. The consequences of the Chinese innovations led to significant development of the adjacent areas. I would strongly recommend the three articles to the current map-makers so that they can learn about the impact offensive place-names on society.

Reference

Alderman, D., & Dwyer, O. J. (2004). Putting Memory in its Place: The Politics of Commemoration in the American South. World Minds: Geographical Perspectives on 100 Problems, 55-60. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-2352-1_10

Hardin, G., & Diamond, J. (1997). Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. Population and Development Review, 23(4), 889. doi:10.2307/2137390

Monmonier, M. S. (1995). Drawing the Line, Tales of Maps and Carto controversy. Cartographic Perspectives, (22), 15. doi:10.14714/cp22.781