Time and space are two of the most basic dimensions of human life. They envelop all human beings from birth to death. As such, they provide the context for human existence. At the same time, however, time and space also serve as major influencing factors in mankind's actions. Hence, a vast literature has developed on time and space as separate dimensions, and recently on time-space as joint dimensions. Interestingly enough, the social connotations of time and space have mostly been studied with the individual human being in mind. The more societal significance of time and space, whether separately or jointly, have been relatively neglected. It is the purpose of this volume to help fill this lacuna through discussions on some of the many junctions of time, space, and society at large. The discussion will naturally involve concepts and findings from more than just one discipline -- notably, geography, sociology, social history and political science. It is, thus, obvious that the topic may be highlighted from several perspectives. Given my own education and work, the approach will lean more to the geographical perspective. Geography has a special merit as an integrating framework for the study of time, space, and society. It is a discipline that has space at the center of its raison d'etre and, as such, has always striven for integration, holism and comprehensiveness.
The first English translation of a book which questions the relevance of space for the social world and in so doing offers exciting new directions for both geography and sociology.
Overview of Space Technology It has been over 50 years since the rst satellite was sent into orbit, and the impact of space technology can be felt in many aspects in our day to day life. In addition to the convenience of knowing exactly where we are on the planet via GPS satellites; or deciding what to pack for a trip based on forecasts from weather satellites; watching CNNinaremotevillageviabroadcasting satellites;therearenowsomecrucialen- ronmental uses of Space technologies in the areas of natural resources management and environmental monitoring. Remotely sensed data reveals an unparallel view of the Earth for systems that require synoptic or periodic observations such as inv- tory control, surveying, agriculture, business, mineralogy, hydrography, geology, land mass cover, land utilization and environment monitoring. The advancement of remote sensing has made remote sensed data more affordable and available to merge with a variety of data sources to create mash-ups. The amalgamation of these data sources into disciplines such as agriculture, urban planning, web applications, cartography, geodetic reference systems, and global navigation satellite systems, are an important advancement of space applications and space science. Space Technology and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) The MDGs are a set of time-bound, measurable goals and targets that are global as well as country-speci c for combating poverty, hunger, diseases, illiteracy, envir- mental degradation and discrimination against women.
Hailed once as giants of the Amazon , Panará people emerged onto a world stage in the early 1970s. What followed is a remarkable story of socio-demographic collapse, loss of territory, and subsequent recovery. Reduced to just 79 survivors in 1976, Panará people have gone on to recover and reclaim a part of their original lands in an extraordinary process of cultural and social revival. Space and Society in Central Brazil is a unique ethnographic account, in which analytical approaches to social organisation are brought into dialogue with Panará social categories and values as told in their own terms. Exploring concepts such as space, material goods, and ideas about enemies, this book examines how social categories transform in time and reveals the ways in which Panará people themselves produce their identities in constant dialogue with the forms of alterity that surround them. Clearly and accessibly written, this book will appeal to students, scholars and anyone interested in the complex lives and histories of indigenous Amazonian societies.
Originally published in 1982, Time Resources, Society and Ecology examines and seeks to examine the time dimension in terms of the ecology, technology, social organization and spatial structure of the human habitat. Approaches to time resources – sociological time-budget studies, anthropological activity analysis, and economic analysis of money allocation – have been limited by their sectoral scope or their failure to relate effectively to the processes of social interaction, technological change and environmental structure. In this book, the book’s articulation of time resources is developed in a general theoretical framework of action and interaction in time and space. The book examines constraints and possibilities facing preindustrial societies and throws light on the impact of technology on modern societies. Basic models of time allocation are presented, and, finally, a cross-cultural comparison is made of the mobilization of time resources in preindustrial societies. Geographers, social anthropologists and human ecologists should find this work directly relevant to their interest in understanding the interactions between man and environment.
This book is abut the place of space in the study of class formation. It consists of a set of papers that fix on different aspects of the human geography of class formation at different points in the history of Britain and the United States over the course of the last 200 years. The book shows that the geography of class formation is a valuable and cross-disciplinary tool in the study of modern societies, integrating the work of human geographers with that of social historians, sociologists, social anthropologists and other social scientists in an enterprise which emphasises the essential unity of social science.
Spaceflight is a rational undertaking, yet full of emotions. It is a dream of mankind and a multi-billion industry likewise. It is subject to a distinct branch of law – and moreover part of modern pop culture. In short: spaceflight is fascinating. “Outer Space in society, politics and law” is an inter-disciplinary approach to the understanding of modern space law. Technical, cultural and historical aspects lay the foundation for a sound comprehension why space law norms have been established and what they mean in practice. The reader will realize the impact space and spaceflight have on society – from Stonehenge to climate change. A new approach to presenting space law: comprehensive and illustrative. “We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. That's a clear prescription for disaster.” Carl Sagan