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Dimensions and Approaches of Rural Settlement

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Dr P K Sharma
➢ Rural settlement geography has a great significance in the study of human
geography. Rural settlement geography attempts the social interpretation of rural
cultural landscape. Some geographers expressing the view of rural problems see
the development of the research field in the evolutionary expansion of the scope
of research to social aspects and integration of different approaches.
➢ Today’s rural settlement geography may become a part of a comprehensive
discipline which undertakes a variety of research issues in such fields as
agriculture, agro-tourism and multifunctional development The research
discipline of “rural geography” in the studies of settlement should continue the
discussion on the functioning of local settlement systems. Studies in rural
settlement in geography now require more theoretical and methodological care
and promotion as many issues are considered to be within the scope of rural
geography.

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The division of settlement geography is into urban and rural. The settlement
geography makes it ideal to play an important role in the development of
interdisciplinary research programmes including both urban and rural areas.
Rural settlement geography needs theoretical reflection and stimulation of
empirical research as, unlike urban geography, it is currently in crisis. At the
core of this area are the traditional research approaches – morphological,
socio-ecological and functional, but the fundamental theoretical and
analytical advances are associated with their criticism and proposals for new
social and cultural interpretations of social life in urban forms.

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➢ In the case of “rural geography”, the situation is more complicated,
although the issue of shaping this new discipline is rarely undertaken
in the geographical discussion. J. Bański stated that the changes that
occur in the field of geographical research on rural transformation in
study as part of a new research discipline namely “rural geography”. He
argues that “rural geography is a discipline that studies all forms of
human activities occurring in rural areas”. Understood in this way,
rural geography will be a complex of specialised geographical
disciplines that investigate rural areas, such as agriculture geography,
settlement geography, population geography, transport geography.

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 Approaches of Rural Settlement Geography
➢ Rural settlements geography interests into social and cultural issues, mainly in
the micro scale and prefers to use qualitative methods. Rural settlement
geography is connected with two major scientific approaches, i.e. the studies of
morphology and functions of rural settlements. The following can be identified
the most important approaches in rural settlement geography:
➢ Rural settlement as a morphological structure: The fundamental aspect of
the analysis involved the search for patterns in the spatial structure of
settlements. Using different methods, settlement development processes were
identified. Generally morphogenetic typologies of settlements were carried out
in different regions.

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➢ Rural settlements as a spatial location: Studies on the location of
settlements were mainly carried out as the development of settlement
processes in the historical regions. Explanation of the settlements location
took place largely in the context of the diversity of natural conditions,
especially since most geographers focused on the ancient period of the
settlement changes.
➢ Rural settlement as part of a settlement system: In-depth functional
analysis of settlement network expanded the concept of settlements
networks with the theory of the settlement system.
➢ Rural settlement as part of the settlement network: The key work that
undertook the issue of development of rural functions and determined their
role in creating a functional hierarchy of the settlement network. It
introduced the hierarchical division of selected rural settlements based on
the index of centrality. In this book we treat the concept of settlement system
as superior to the concept of settlements networks.

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 Problems of Rural Settlements
➢ Rural settlements are large in number and with poor infrastructure in the developing
countries. They represent a great challenge for planners and the research scholars.
￫ Drinking water: Supply of water to rural settlements in developing
countries is not adequate. People in villages, particularly in
mountainous and arid areas have to walk long distances to fetch
drinking water.
￫ Health: Diseases such as cholera and jaundice tend to be a common
problem in rural settlements of developing countries. Most of
developing countries widely affected by drought and flood very
often. The general absence of toilet and garbage disposal facilities
cause health related problems.
￫ Housing: The design and use of building materials of houses vary
from one ecological region to another. The houses made up of mud,
wood and thatch, remain susceptible to damage during heavy rains
and floods, and require proper maintenance every year. Most house
designs are typically deficient in proper ventilation.

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￫ Associability and connectivity: Unmetalled roads and lack of modern
communication network creates a unique problem. During rainy
season, the settlements remain cut off and pose serious difficulties in
providing emergency services.
￫ Basic Amenities: It is also difficult to provide adequate health and
educational infrastructure for their large rural population. The
problem is particularly serious where proper village and houses are
scattered over a large area.
￫ Agriculture: Dependency upon subsistence agriculture, failed to
benefit from modernisation and industrial growth. The industrial
sector in most cases did not expand rapidly enough to provide the
necessary jobs, and the agricultural sector itself remained stagnant
and unproductive.

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 Readings in settlement Geography
➢ The study of settlements is basic to human geography because the form and structure
of settlement in any particular region reflects mans relationship with the environment
grown up and evolved over a long period of time. By studying the site, pattern and
arrangement of settlement we can see something of history of mans explorations and
taming with the environment. Settlement reflects not only mans response to his
environment but also the religious and social customs of his society. Micro- level
appraisal of spatial dimensions of rural settlements exhibits spatial variations in the
size, shape, pattern and types as well as multi-distributional aspects. Surrounding
landscape is a multi-dimensional organization component system; i.e. spatial
structure and spatial interactional components.
➢ In geography, settlement studies hold a significance place because settlements are
viewed as a fundamental expression of relationship between man and environment.
Shelter is one of the most important basic necessities of human being. Settlements are
specific features in different regional context.

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