Which dualism was NOT a part of the study of Geography?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 4

The correct answer is Option (4) → Social Geography Vs Radical Geography

Geography went through debates about its nature, called dualisms: nomothetic or idiographic, regional or systematic, theoretical or historic-institutional, and physical or human.

Option (1) Nomothetic Vs Idiographic — A dualism in geography. The debate was whether geography should be law making/theorising (nomothetic) or descriptive (idiographic).

Option (2) Regional Vs Systematic — A dualism in geography. The debate was whether the approach of study should be regional or systematic.

Option (3) Physical Vs Human — A dualism in geography. The dichotomy between physical and human was debated, though it is not a very valid one because nature and human are inseparable.

Option (4) Social Geography Vs Radical Geography — Not a dualism in geography. Social geography is a field of human geography, and the radical school is one of the schools of thought of the 1970s. They were never two sides of one debate.

NCERT (2026-27): “You are already aware of the fact that the core concern of geography as a discipline is to understand the earth as home of human beings and to study all those elements which have sustained them. Thus, emphasis is on study of nature and human beings. You will realise that geography got subjected to dualism and the wide-ranging debates started whether geography as a discipline should be a law making/theorising (nomothetic) or descriptive (idiographic). Whether its subject matter should be organised and approach of the study should be regional or systematic? Whether geographical phenomena be interpreted theoretically or through historic-institutional approach? These have been issues for intellectual exercise but finally you will appreciate that the dichotomy between physical and human is not a very valid one because nature and human are inseparable elements and should be seen holistically.”