Applied geography in Central Europe

Abstract

This paper is not concerned with the definition of applied geography, the topic of another study in the present volume. Nevertheless, we need to state a few starting points. First of all, we shall not discuss the application of geographical knowledge as such, since it reaches far back to the beginnings of agriculture, the building of towns and the beginnings of sailing. We speak about applied geography only if it makes use of the body of scientifically established knowledge of geography as a codified discipline in the interest of the successful operation, and attainment of the aims, of the economic, political and social user distinct from scientific life. The link to this utilisation is the specialised geographer well acquainted with the conditions and aims of application, whether working within the academic world or at an applying organisation. Generally, researchers speak about applied geography, while users require knowledge necessary for town planning, the location of industry, flood control, etc. and they are unconcerned with disciplinary origins. The majority of the researchers do not consider applied geography as a branch of geography but as a special approach. I have narrowed down Pacione’s comprehensive definition (“… applied geography may be defined as the application of geographical knowledge and skills to the resolution of social, economic and environmental problems” Pacione 2001, p. 3) by concentrating on its social/economic application, disregarding its countless technical applications from afforestation to flood control. Second, aside from one or two examples, I shall forgo referring to historical antecedents and review only the past 50 years, in the course of which the methodology facilitating the applicability of geography (quantitative geography), the training of geographers in application and a number of areas of application developed. During this period, the developmentKeywordsPublic AdministrationRegional PlanningCentral EUROPERegional DisparityCentral European CountryThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.