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I. How To Define Regions and Evaluate the Regionalization Process
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It has been said that making regions is the highest form of geographer's art. Indeed, classifying places is difficult, but nonetheless we all use the idea of regions every day. We speak about places such as the Great Plains, the Caribbean, Europe, or sub-Saharan Africa. These all are regions. In the past, geographers believed there were natural and God-given regions, and the task of geography was to discover those regions. As that search continued, it became apparent to geographers that regions were mental constructs. By interpreting landscapes and other information, geographers decide how to divide the surface of the earth into regions. Today we understand that all individuals (geographers and non-geographers alike) engage in the process of regionalization; that is, finding out what areas have more in common with each other than areas outside their boundaries.
All regions have certain characteristics in common. They have a location, boundaries, and area. We talk about formal regions that are homogenous and functional regions defined in terms of functions or interactions of different kinds. Regions can be organized in hierarchical order (for example, Europe, Western Europe, and the Wine Regions). People may have quite contrasting views as to how the earth should be regionalized. Different groups perceive the amenities and disamenities of different parts of the world and make regions according to their perception or understanding of what the world is like. Whenever geographers make a region, they must be aware that other people can come up with equally valid classifications. Every effort must be made to ensure that the criteria used to define a region are such that another person using the same criteria can come up with the same set of regions. Regions should be replicable.
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Places and Regions in an Era of Globalization
This is a Web-based exercise, not a traditional lesson plan. This exercise introduces students to the concept of regionalization. The region is a fundamental theme in the discipline of geography. The main parts of the lesson are Maps, Discussion Forum (which allows message interaction via "HyperNews"), and Links to more information on region.
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