The multi-paradigmatic and transdisciplinary character of Geography

Abstract

It is difficult to define precisely the contents that are dealt with in the teaching-learning process of Geography today. This complexity is closely related to the equally complex definition of the discipline itself and the limits of its field of study. Starting from the question of why is it so difficult to define the limits of Geography, the aim of this paper is to determine the agents that hinder this process of definition. The answer lies in the multi-paradigmatic and transdisciplinary nature of Geography, which motivates different interpretations and approaches. Multiparadigmatic, because its knowledge is based on the diversity of geographical currents (regional, human, physical...), which cannot be reduced to a single paradigm. Transdisciplinary, because it has been nourished by the methods and approaches of other disciplines (Economics, Anthropology, Meteorology...) to explain the links between society and the environment (Economic Geography, Cultural Geography, Climatology...), in order to better understand the past and the present to anticipate the future. It is no coincidence that the transition from a school Geography, useful for training, which aims to contribute to the construction of a collective identity and the development of national awareness by creating a school culture, to a more scientific Geography, which seeks true knowledge and the solution to real problems, is still slow and complicated.