ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part provides an overview of environmentalism defined broadly as a ‘great debate’ on the nature of the interaction between humans and their environment. It shows how environmentalism has developed both inside and outside of academia, examines modern and postmodern interpretations, and suggests that within Geography these signify a renewed trend towards a more unified discipline. The part suggests therefore that sustainability is both an opportunity for and a test of the unity of Geography. It analyses the conjunction of several environmental and social factors that led to famine in northern Europe during the fourteenth century. The part attempts to unravel the complexities of interactions between climatic change and human society in this historical context. It suggests that the multilayered approach of critical realism offers a means of understanding vulnerability to natural hazards as part of the theoretical foundations of a unified discipline of Geography.
