Over one hundred and seventy maps and plans are preserved from the ancient Near East, drawn on clay tablets or inscribed in stone, though a full study of all the available cartographic material from Mesopotamia has never before been undertaken. This thesis offers a critical analysis of these maps and plans, with particular focus on their graphic conventions, typology and function in Near Eastern society. The text on many of these maps is also undeciphered and a number of examples are translated here for the first time, including an unpublished map of an irrigation network in the Schøyen Collection. By examining all this material in a single study, it becomes clear that there was a coherent documentary genre in Mesopotamia which was cartographic in nature, and which served a variety of administrative and planning purposes. The Near Eastern cartographic corpus is also contextualised within the wider history of cartography, so that its place in the global development of graphic mapping can be better understood.

The development of unenclosed common waste, parks, hamlets, moated sites and isolated individual settlements in Sutton Chase is traced, using archaeological, documentary and environmental evidence. The value of employing a combination of different methods and sources in the study of landscape development is shown, provided their potential and limitations are critically assessed. The largest waste areas were probably heathland by Roman times, and they were conserved through the Middle Ages as part of the hunting reserve of Sutton Chase, but following the demise of Sutton Chase in 1528, settlement and cultivation of waste areas was encouraged. Deer parks were created in parts of the study area between the 12th and 14th centuries. In the later Middle ages some of these were extended and new parks were created. Most of the hamlets and individual settlements were shown to have been in existence by the Middle Ages, but few of them were on the same sites as Roman settlements. The relative influence of the physical environment, population fluctuations and human policy in the development of the landscape is discussed, and possible future work suggested by the results of the study is outlined.

This thesis looks into the later ‘Asylum Age’ in Scotland, concentrating on the legislation and construction of Scotland’s district lunatic asylums from the passing of the Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1857 to the Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1913. Concentrating on the specific geographies of the asylums, what Foucault refers to as “the space reserved by society for insanity” (Foucault, 1965:251), the thesis weaves a new route between previous radical/critical and progressive/simplistic interpretations of the ‘Asylum Age’, by integrating a Foucauldian interpretation with non-representational theories around the engineering of affective atmospheres. This more nuanced approach, which concentrates on the ‘affective power’ of the institutions across different geographical scales (site and situation, grounds and buildings), recognises the ways in which Scotland’s district asylums, constructed predominantly for pauper patients, were moulded and reshaped as the discourses around the treatment of insanity were developed. The moral, medical and hygienic dimensions to the discourses ultimately outlined the institutional geography, by having a profound influence on asylum location and layout. The ideal district ‘blueprint’ for asylum siting and design, as put forward by the Scottish Lunacy Commissioners, is uncovered and reconstructed by ‘picking out’ the macro and micro-geographies discussed in the annual reports of the General Board. The research then moves to uncover the system ‘on the ground’ as it was constructed in bricks-and-mortar by the various district boards. As asylum location and architecture was a relatively novel concern, questions of siting and design became more pertinent, and indeed central, in institutional planning during the decades after the mid-century lunacy reforms. Thus, despite periods of waning enthusiasm for the institution as a mechanism for ‘curing’ insanity, fitting the building to its purposes continually involved a variety of structural innovations, stylistic refinements and new ways of organising the external and internal spaces of the asylums.

The thesis is about the issue of inclusion regional history into teaching at the second grade of elementary school. It is focused on didactic value of regional history and geography of local region, needs of cooperation between school and local community and possibility of cooperation between history and geography in studying regional topics. Example of studying regional history is shown at the area of Uhlířské Janovice. There is a closer look at this region from historical and geographical point of view. The thesis includes the list of literature and other sources which may be used to get more information about this region. It also contains results of empirical investigation, which discover the degree of regional identity of population of Uhlířské Janovice area. The final part of the thesis suggests methodological materials focused on teaching regional topics, which are based on facts of Uhlířské Janovice area.

Discutir as tendências teóricas e conceituais da Geografia física é fundamental para que se possa visualizar trajetórias, abordagens, influências e debates que ocorreram na Geografia nos últimos 50 anos. Foi realizado um balanço dos trabalhos produzidos e publicados nos Anais e/ou Caderno de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos, ocorridos no período de 1954 a 2004, tais como: Congresso Brasileiro de Geógrafos, Encontro Nacional de Geógrafos, Encontro Nacional de Estudos Sobre o Meio Ambiente, Simpósio Brasileiro de Geografia Física Aplicada, Simpósio Brasileiro de Climatologia Geográfica e Simpósio Nacional de Geomorfologia. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: realizar levantamento bibliográfico e destacar alguns aspectos do percurso histórico da Geografia no mundo e no Brasil, destacando a Geografia Física; efetuar balanço de como vem sendo abordada a Geografia Física, em eventos científicos, utilizando-se como fonte de informações os Anais e/ou Cadernos de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos realizados ao longo do período de 1954 a 2004; refletir sobre os direcionamentos da pesquisa em Geografia Física, contribuindo com uma visão crítica dos trabalhos analisados; identificar as tendências teórico-metodológicas e temáticas dos trabalhos publicados nos Anais e/ou Caderno de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos; discutir e levantar hipóteses dos motivos porque muitos geógrafos físicos participam de eventos ligados à outras áreas de conhecimento fora do âmbito da Geografia; discutir possíveis motivos para que alguns eventos ligados à área de Geografia Física pararam de ocorrer; refletir e analisar o atual momento da Geografia Física. Foi aplicado, também, um questionário junto aos membros de Comissões Organizadoras de eventos ligados à área de Geografia Física e entrevistas com geógrafos brasileiros que marcaram tendências teóricas da Geografia Física. A análise desses Anais e/ou Cadernos de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas permitiu a identificação dos diferentes tipos de trabalhos que foram publicados e divulgados e que estão diretamente relacionados com a área da Geografia Física, realizando, assim, uma classificação dos trabalhos baseada nas diversas subdivisões da Geografia Física. / It is fundamental to discuss the theoretical and conceptual tendencies of the Physical Geography so that the paths, approaches, influences and debates that have happened in Geography for the last 50 years can be visualized. A balance of the produced works was accomplished and published in the Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions in scientific events, occurred from 1954 to 2004, such as: Geographer Brazilian Congress, Geographer National Meeting, National Meeting of Studies on the Environment, Applied Physical Geography National Symposium, Geographical Climatology Brazilian Symposium and Geomorphology National Symposium. This research had such objectives: to accomplish bibliographical raising and to stress some aspects of the Geography historical course in the world and in Brazil specifying the Physical Geography has been approached using as source of information the Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions in scientific events accomplished along the period from 1954 to 2004; to reflect about the directions of the research in the Physical Geography, contributing with a analyzed work critical view; to identify the theoretical-methodological and thematic tendencies of the works published in the Annals and/or Summary Notebook and Scientific Contributions in scientific events; to discuss and raise hypotheses about the reasons why many physical geographers participate the events directed to other knowledge areas out of Geography extent; to discuss possible reasons about why some events directed to the Physical Geography area stopped happening; to reflect and analyze the current moment of the Physical Geography. It was also applied a questionnaire along with the Organizing Commission members for events to the Physical Geography area and interviews with Brazilian geographers who have marked the Physical Geography theoretical tendencies. The analysis of those Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions allowed the identification of the different types of works that were published and released and they are directly related to the Physical Geography area. Thus a classification of works based on the several Physical Geography subdivisions was accomplished.

Discutir as tendências teóricas e conceituais da Geografia física é fundamental para que se possa visualizar trajetórias, abordagens, influências e debates que ocorreram na Geografia nos últimos 50 anos. Foi realizado um balanço dos trabalhos produzidos e publicados nos Anais e/ou Caderno de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos, ocorridos no período de 1954 a 2004, tais como: Congresso Brasileiro de Geógrafos, Encontro Nacional de Geógrafos, Encontro Nacional de Estudos Sobre o Meio Ambiente, Simpósio Brasileiro de Geografia Física Aplicada, Simpósio Brasileiro de Climatologia Geográfica e Simpósio Nacional de Geomorfologia. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos: realizar levantamento bibliográfico e destacar alguns aspectos do percurso histórico da Geografia no mundo e no Brasil, destacando a Geografia Física; efetuar balanço de como vem sendo abordada a Geografia Física, em eventos científicos, utilizando-se como fonte de informações os Anais e/ou Cadernos de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos realizados ao longo do período de 1954 a 2004; refletir sobre os direcionamentos da pesquisa em Geografia Física, contribuindo com uma visão crítica dos trabalhos analisados; identificar as tendências teórico-metodológicas e temáticas dos trabalhos publicados nos Anais e/ou Caderno de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas de eventos científicos; discutir e levantar hipóteses dos motivos porque muitos geógrafos físicos participam de eventos ligados à outras áreas de conhecimento fora do âmbito da Geografia; discutir possíveis motivos para que alguns eventos ligados à área de Geografia Física pararam de ocorrer; refletir e analisar o atual momento da Geografia Física. Foi aplicado, também, um questionário junto aos membros de Comissões Organizadoras de eventos ligados à área de Geografia Física e entrevistas com geógrafos brasileiros que marcaram tendências teóricas da Geografia Física. A análise desses Anais e/ou Cadernos de Resumos e Contribuições Científicas permitiu a identificação dos diferentes tipos de trabalhos que foram publicados e divulgados e que estão diretamente relacionados com a área da Geografia Física, realizando, assim, uma classificação dos trabalhos baseada nas diversas subdivisões da Geografia Física. / It is fundamental to discuss the theoretical and conceptual tendencies of the Physical Geography so that the paths, approaches, influences and debates that have happened in Geography for the last 50 years can be visualized. A balance of the produced works was accomplished and published in the Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions in scientific events, occurred from 1954 to 2004, such as: Geographer Brazilian Congress, Geographer National Meeting, National Meeting of Studies on the Environment, Applied Physical Geography National Symposium, Geographical Climatology Brazilian Symposium and Geomorphology National Symposium. This research had such objectives: to accomplish bibliographical raising and to stress some aspects of the Geography historical course in the world and in Brazil specifying the Physical Geography has been approached using as source of information the Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions in scientific events accomplished along the period from 1954 to 2004; to reflect about the directions of the research in the Physical Geography, contributing with a analyzed work critical view; to identify the theoretical-methodological and thematic tendencies of the works published in the Annals and/or Summary Notebook and Scientific Contributions in scientific events; to discuss and raise hypotheses about the reasons why many physical geographers participate the events directed to other knowledge areas out of Geography extent; to discuss possible reasons about why some events directed to the Physical Geography area stopped happening; to reflect and analyze the current moment of the Physical Geography. It was also applied a questionnaire along with the Organizing Commission members for events to the Physical Geography area and interviews with Brazilian geographers who have marked the Physical Geography theoretical tendencies. The analysis of those Annals and/or Summary Notebooks and Scientific Contributions allowed the identification of the different types of works that were published and released and they are directly related to the Physical Geography area. Thus a classification of works based on the several Physical Geography subdivisions was accomplished.

The diploma thesis The Use of Regional History of Vltavotynsko in History Lessons. Workbook with Regional Historical Topics is a contribution to the methodology of history lessons. It defends the importance of regional and environmental education as well as education for relationship to cultural-historical heritage in lessons of history, especially at upper primary schools. The mentioned aspects of history education are observed in particular chosen educational documents, which determined the form of education in the 1990s and then also the final product of this reform - the Framework Educational Programmefor primary education. The main output of the thesis is a textbook about the regional history of Vltavotynsko called People from the River, which reflects the learned knowledge. The textbook does not only contain exercises typical for a workbook, but it also includes other texts and visual materials which present the basic historical development in the micro-region to pupils in an attractive way and they are a valuable contribution to pupil's environmental education, too.