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Ideas in Profile
Geography: Ideas in Profile
Ideas in Small Introductions to Big Topics
Geography gives shape to our innate curiosity; cartography is older than writing. Channelling our twin urges to explore and understand, geographers uncover the hidden connections of human existence, from infant mortality in inner cities to the decision-makers who fly overhead in executive jets, from natural disasters to over-use of fossil fuels.
In this incisive introduction to the subject, Danny Dorling and Carl Lee reveal geography as a science which tackles all of the biggest issues that face us today, from globalisation to equality, from sustainability to population growth, from climate change to changing technology - and the complex interactions between them all.
Illustrated by a series of award-winning maps created by Benjamin D. Hennig, this is a book for anyone who wants to know more about why our world is the way it is today, and where it might be heading next.
Geography gives shape to our innate curiosity; cartography is older than writing. Channelling our twin urges to explore and understand, geographers uncover the hidden connections of human existence, from infant mortality in inner cities to the decision-makers who fly overhead in executive jets, from natural disasters to over-use of fossil fuels.
In this incisive introduction to the subject, Danny Dorling and Carl Lee reveal geography as a science which tackles all of the biggest issues that face us today, from globalisation to equality, from sustainability to population growth, from climate change to changing technology - and the complex interactions between them all.
Illustrated by a series of award-winning maps created by Benjamin D. Hennig, this is a book for anyone who wants to know more about why our world is the way it is today, and where it might be heading next.
175 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
15 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Danny Dorling
66 books98 followersDanny Dorling is a British social geographer researching inequality and human geography. He is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography of the School of Geography and the Environment of the University of Oxford.
Danny Dorling has lived all his life in England. To try to counter his myopic world view, in 2006, Danny started working with a group of researchers on a project to remap the world (www.worldmapper.org).
He has published with many colleagues more than a dozen books on issues related to social inequalities in Britain and several hundred journal papers. Much of this work is available open access and will be added to this website soon.
His work concerns issues of housing, health, employment, education and poverty. Danny was employed as a play-worker in children’s summer play-schemes. He learnt the ethos of pre-school education where the underlying rationale was that playing is learning for living. He tries not to forget this. He is an Academician of the Academy of the Learned Societies in the Social Sciences, Honorary President of the Society of Cartographers and a patron of Roadpeace, the national charity for road crash victims.
Danny Dorling has lived all his life in England. To try to counter his myopic world view, in 2006, Danny started working with a group of researchers on a project to remap the world (www.worldmapper.org).
He has published with many colleagues more than a dozen books on issues related to social inequalities in Britain and several hundred journal papers. Much of this work is available open access and will be added to this website soon.
His work concerns issues of housing, health, employment, education and poverty. Danny was employed as a play-worker in children’s summer play-schemes. He learnt the ethos of pre-school education where the underlying rationale was that playing is learning for living. He tries not to forget this. He is an Academician of the Academy of the Learned Societies in the Social Sciences, Honorary President of the Society of Cartographers and a patron of Roadpeace, the national charity for road crash victims.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 1, 2025
It's a strange experience when you're standing knee-deep in the ocean, reading this book, and a nearby beachgoer asks "hey, whatcha readin" and you have to respond "uhh, a book about geography?"
Yes, I am a nerd!
Regardless of the odd looks you'll get from others, Geography is a fine introductory primer to the wide-ranging study that is geography. It's more than just maps and charts! It's populations and cultures and basically everything that ties us together and to the land. It's a hell of a lot, and it's all smartly rendered in the tight little package that is this book.
Give it a whirl if you feel like learning a lot in a little time, though the 2015 publication date means some of the material will feel dated, it being from a pre-Trump, early-climate change world.
Yes, I am a nerd!
Regardless of the odd looks you'll get from others, Geography is a fine introductory primer to the wide-ranging study that is geography. It's more than just maps and charts! It's populations and cultures and basically everything that ties us together and to the land. It's a hell of a lot, and it's all smartly rendered in the tight little package that is this book.
Give it a whirl if you feel like learning a lot in a little time, though the 2015 publication date means some of the material will feel dated, it being from a pre-Trump, early-climate change world.
May 31, 2020
This books aims to give an introduction to the field of geography, as seen by the authors. The chief message of this book and the chief tenet in geography is "interconnectedness", everything is connected to and affect everything else. The main "unit" responsible for this connection is energy. The massive globalization and in general development of human civilization in the modern age is almost solely due to an increased usage of energy, made possible by fossil fuels. The book argues that geography is essential in understanding this fact. Geography thereby allows us to see the big picure and hopefully solve som of the problems of the present and future. They argue that geography allows us to see the big picture and to solve our current energy problems.
The book covers this theme through 5 subchapters consisting of tradition (of geography), globalisation, equality, sustainability and mapping the future. Spread out around the book are also various maps that aim to give greater insight into the distribution of people, resources etc. In the end of the book there is an excellent introduction to further readings.
In general, this book is somewhat enjoyable and partly achieves what it aims to do. It aims to give a basic insight into geography, and that is just what it does. The structure of the book does leave something to be desired. Main themes are introduced early and spread around the book. In general, the chapters are reduntant as the book covers mostly the same themes throughout every chapter. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to people unfamiliar with the topic of "interconnectedness" (as that is the main theme of the whole book) and to people who want an excellent starting point into further readings.
The book covers this theme through 5 subchapters consisting of tradition (of geography), globalisation, equality, sustainability and mapping the future. Spread out around the book are also various maps that aim to give greater insight into the distribution of people, resources etc. In the end of the book there is an excellent introduction to further readings.
In general, this book is somewhat enjoyable and partly achieves what it aims to do. It aims to give a basic insight into geography, and that is just what it does. The structure of the book does leave something to be desired. Main themes are introduced early and spread around the book. In general, the chapters are reduntant as the book covers mostly the same themes throughout every chapter. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to people unfamiliar with the topic of "interconnectedness" (as that is the main theme of the whole book) and to people who want an excellent starting point into further readings.
May 13, 2020
A book very well conceived for the purpose it was intended from the beginning: to explain what geography is and the main lines that guide it. We end up discovering that geography is the science that literally "studies the world" (geo-earth; graphy-writing) and that a geographer in the world has the mission to discover the connections - often hidden - of the "big picture".
Geography turns the various complexes of our world into something perceptible. We are going through the various chapters of these current entanglements - tradition, globalisation, equality, sustainability - to arrive at the best possible prediction of a future that serves us. Here the author asks us to imagine that we are living in the year 2100 in the UK and describes the scenario: for example, there will be hot summers and more funerals as air quality will worsen in city centres combined with stress and an ageing population. However, he adds that if people want to, they will have already adapted over the century: energy transfer to electric cars, better public transport conditions, and more efficient cities. Conclusion? Great decisions are possible and urgent now, for a decent future, although temperatures continue to rise.
In my opinion, the book can be considered a kind of "21 lessons for the 21st century" focusing on aspects of geography - which we quickly realize is such a science of everything around us. Without a doubt, an excellent introduction to those interested in geography, who are already carrying out a career mission from here: to distil all the information we have available in this century to make the best possible decision for a sustainable future.
Geography turns the various complexes of our world into something perceptible. We are going through the various chapters of these current entanglements - tradition, globalisation, equality, sustainability - to arrive at the best possible prediction of a future that serves us. Here the author asks us to imagine that we are living in the year 2100 in the UK and describes the scenario: for example, there will be hot summers and more funerals as air quality will worsen in city centres combined with stress and an ageing population. However, he adds that if people want to, they will have already adapted over the century: energy transfer to electric cars, better public transport conditions, and more efficient cities. Conclusion? Great decisions are possible and urgent now, for a decent future, although temperatures continue to rise.
In my opinion, the book can be considered a kind of "21 lessons for the 21st century" focusing on aspects of geography - which we quickly realize is such a science of everything around us. Without a doubt, an excellent introduction to those interested in geography, who are already carrying out a career mission from here: to distil all the information we have available in this century to make the best possible decision for a sustainable future.
August 5, 2021
Earth-writing. The literal translation of geography, a discipline which tackles every thing and every person, which this book aims to outline. The 145 pages are subdivided into today's headline questions: tradition, globalisation, equality, sustainability, and the future. The authors succeed in presenting the past-present-future tools and relevance of geography, by tracking flows of energy through epochs, communities, and biomass. The case studies are written memorably, examples which make you pause and re-read and question and tell other people about; this book definitely triggers discussion. The book includes theories of geographical thinking, balanced with ground level experience, contradictions and threats which cause the subject to evolve. It definitely translates the dynamic nature and universal significance of geography, a subject which 'channels(ing) our twin urges to explore and understand'.
September 17, 2017
This simple book is important and demonstrates that Geography links all aspects of society so it gives you context just as much as the opportunity to dive into all manner of detail. While I accept the arguments on equality it goes a bit too strong on this element for me, and while I fully agree with the approach to consumption I am nervous about the very strong endorsement of "how bad are bananas" as a major reference. The view in this of leather is based on standard figures for livestocks carbon footprint, which have not stood up to scrutiny and I struggle to accept. The damage from methane does not appear correct and the figures do not include the carbon sequestration capability of long term grassland, which has recently lead to a University of Edinburgh study arguing that Brazil needs to significantly up beef production to get the livestock improving the savannah.
April 23, 2023
Not impressed with this at all. I thought it would be an overview of the academic field of geography. I thought it would discuss key concepts, thinkers, and findings in the field. I thought I would learn about the tools geographers use to answer their questions. Instead, I got a meandering and jumbled 'report card' on the world's big issues as of 2016 (especially climate change).
At the end they say this: "Indeed, geography may appear to cover every subject. Yet, this is what makes geography so important: it is the enabling subject. It enables us to join physics with culture, biology with philosophy, and even zoology with architecture." What a shame the authors neglected to include any of those interesting topics here.
At the end they say this: "Indeed, geography may appear to cover every subject. Yet, this is what makes geography so important: it is the enabling subject. It enables us to join physics with culture, biology with philosophy, and even zoology with architecture." What a shame the authors neglected to include any of those interesting topics here.
October 28, 2020
For the person who thinks geography is about naming capital cities and flags, a short read to explain otherwise!
This introduction speaks on a global scale about what geography aims to achieve. It begins with an honestly critical account of the subject’s colonial history. This critique then informs the world view that we see of our planet today and the authors use a wide range of geographical lenses to explore global inequality. Finally, the book explores the principle of sustainability that is not just environmental and like any geographer uses knowledge of the past and present to look to the future and enable crucial decision-making.
This introduction speaks on a global scale about what geography aims to achieve. It begins with an honestly critical account of the subject’s colonial history. This critique then informs the world view that we see of our planet today and the authors use a wide range of geographical lenses to explore global inequality. Finally, the book explores the principle of sustainability that is not just environmental and like any geographer uses knowledge of the past and present to look to the future and enable crucial decision-making.
August 8, 2019
This book took a while to warm up for me and only really became alive / interesting / useful at the start of the chapter on Sustainability. What follows is an interesting summary of ideas on the future of a sustainable / unsustainable world. Some useful references for further reading / watching throughout. Worth persevering (or just skip to Chapter 4!).
September 2, 2019
Read this book as a precursor to A-level geography, and would highly recommend others to do the same. Geography Ideas In Profile is a very well written and informative text accompanied by a number of interesting cartographic representations of ideas for the more visually minded. I personally found this very helpful.
November 3, 2022
this book is like reading a decidedly well-written twitter thread about how we're all environmentally and politically doomed + how that all links together and why capitalism is balls by a middle aged geography teacher who is also a father of 2. 10/10
September 8, 2017
4.5 stars
May 18, 2020
One of the best books I’ve read about understanding our world and some of the ‘big issues’. Wonderful
June 28, 2020
energi
November 25, 2022
It was an enjoyable read, a little cliche in execution at times, but overall a solid 5 stars
February 4, 2023
Very good, though gives a "silver lining" treatment to introduced species.
July 6, 2023
Extremely readable and informative on 5 key Geography topics. Beautiful introduction and visionary descriptions on what the subject fundamentally is. Also gives further reading recommendations.
March 9, 2025
good exploration of the basic concepts of geography, id recommend this to someone who’s doing a level geography :)
September 19, 2017
A very interesting read ... as much geopolitical as it is 'geography' made me think more about how we live and I wanted to recommend this book to others.
January 30, 2023
Shows us that you have to look at the past to understand the present and to predict the future. Must become an expert to talk about a place with meaning and importance.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews