The Structure of Ethnogeography

Abstract

Ethnogeography is an interdisciplinary science situated between ethnology and geography. In one sense, it is a field that studies the territorial distribution of ethnic groups and constitutes a part of geography of population. In a broader sense, however, it is an independent discipline that examines all spheres of human geography from an ethnic perspective.
In the present article, ethnogeography is examined in this second, broader sense, and an attempt is made to structure the field. Six constituent branches of ethnogeography are identified:
1. Historical ethnogeography;
2. Ethnogeography of population;
3. Ethnogeography of culture;
4. Economic ethnogeography;
5. Social ethnogeography;
6. Political ethnogeography.
Each of these branches includes several subfields. For example, within the ethnogeography of population, one may distinguish demographic ethnogeography, ethnogeography of migrations, urban ethnogeography and others. In political ethnogeography, subfields such as electoral ethnogeography and ethnic geopolitics can be identified. The article provides a brief overview of the main branches and subfields of ethnogeography.