The Interaction of Nature and Society

The author reviews the material of his article on the Stalinist definition of the geographical environment [Soviet Geography, December 1963, pp. 3–19] in the light of L. F. Il'yichev's pronouncement on the unity of the natural and social sciences [Soviet Geography, April 1964, pp. 32–34]. Like V. A. Anuchin, Saushkin interprets the ll'yichev statement as encouraging more work on geographic synthesis that would integrate the findings of the specialized physical and economic geographic disciplines.     

The Present State of Toponymy in the USSR

A review of recent place-name research, methods, and publications in the Soviet Union by a deputy chairman of the Toponymy Commission of the Moscow Branch of the Geographical Society USSR. For a previous article on Soviet toponymy, see E. M. Murzayev, “Origin of geographic names,” Soviet Geography, Accomplishments and Tasks, American Geographical Society, 1962, pp. 254–58.     

Concerning A Certain Controversy

Saushkin disputes S. V. Kalesnik's view [see Soviet Geography, September 1965] that changes introduced by man in the geographic environment are relatively unimportant compared with changes induced by natural processes. Saushkin also insists, contrary to Kalesnik, that people are part of the geographic environment or “humanized” nature.     

Fifty Volumes of the Serial Voprosy Geografii

Professor Saushkin, a member of the editorial board of Voprosy Geografii since its inception, reviews the first 50 volumes of the serial and its program of publication. Many volumes of Voprosy Geografii have contained inter-disciplinary articles focused on specific geographic problems. This integrated approach to geography has often aroused controversy. Seven major fields of research of Soviet geography are outlined for the period 1960–80.     

Geographical Aspects of Public Health

A review of Soviet research in medical geography stresses that in addition to study of the geography of disease and its causes of propagation, Soviet medical geographers are also concerned with identifying the natural factors that have a beneficial effect on the health of man. Five current research trends are outlined. For previous material on medical geography, see Soviet Geography, October 1962.     

Geographic Conferences in Havana

Professor Semevskiy, who is visiting professor at the University of Havana lists the proceedings of monthly geographic meetings in the Cuban capital. His previous report on geography at the University of Havana appeared in Soviet Geography, November 1963.     

Physical-Geographic Processes Unfavorable for Agriculture and Control Measures Against Them

The authors describe the distribution of drought, sukhovey winds, dust storms, and waterlogging in the Ukraine, and the measures taken to combat these phenomena. They urge deeper research into physical-geographic processes that are harmful to agriculture and the devising of a scientifically grounded system of control measures. A previous paper on physical-geographic regionalization of the Ukraine [see Soviet Geography, December 1960] represented an earlier stage of their research project.     

The Heat and Water Balance of the Earth's Surface,the General Theory of Physical Geography and the Problem of the Transformation of Nature

Two Soviet specialists in the geography of the United States analyze regional shifts in terms of the three major regions distinguished by Soviet geographers: North, South, West. The article, written before the 1960 census, is based largely on the Statistical Abstract of the United States for 1959 and earlier years as well as Current Population Reports. Problems of urban growth are also discussed, including traffic problems and population shifts to the suburbs.     

About S. V. Kalesnik's Article on “Monism” and “Dualism” in Soviet Geography

The author defends V. A. Anuchin's efforts to develop the theory of unity of geography based on Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Konovalenko finds that Americans are closely following the theoretical discussion in Soviet geography because they, too, are supposedly searching for a methodological foundation of a unified geography. He holds that Soviet geography, by developing such a theory on a Marxist basis, can win followers within the ranks of foreign geographers, including Americans. S. V. Kalesnik's article appeared in Izvestiya Vsesoyuznogo Geograficheskogo Obshchestva, 1962, No. 1, pp. 15–25, and was translated in Soviet Geography, September 1962 pp. 3–16).     

Yu. G. Saushkin's Reply to a Letter of Protest by Nine Soviet Geographers

The following is a reply to a letter that appeared in Soviet Geography, January 1963, pp. 60–62, accusing Saushkin of having given a misleading picture of Soviet economic geography in his article in the American journal Economic_Geography, 1962, No. 1. Saushkin rejects the charges that he gave a one-sided and impoverished picture of the Soviet discipline, that he minimized Lenin's contribution to Soviet economic geography, that he departed from an official definition of the discipline adopted in 1955, and that he supported three controversial Soviet geographers, R. M. Kabo, N. N. Kolosovskly, and V. A. Anuchin.     

The Development of International Contacts in the Field of Geography and Preparations for the 20th International Geographical Congress

The authors review international contacts of Soviet geographers in the last four years and describe a volume of Soviet contributions prepared for the London congress. Soviet Geography, its editor, and David Hooson of the University of British Columbia are criticized for their coverage of the Soviet ideological dispute over the “unified geography” concept. A Soviet proposal for greater timeliness and activity in the work of the IGU is offered.     

Basic Principles of Landscape Mapping

This report of the Permanent Commission on Landscape Maps of the Geographical Society USSR defines four groups of landscape maps and their basic mapped objects, ranging from detailed, large-scale facies maps (1:10,000) to small-scale maps of less than 1:1,000,000 showing mainly landscapes (in the sense of a given rank of natural areal unit). The report defines various physical-geographic units, such as facies, urochishche and mestnost' and the Russian terms have been retained where the meaning is ambiguous and there is no clear-cut English equivalent. The report also discusses various ways of formulating map legends. A previous paper on landscape mapping appeared in Soviet Geography, February 1961, pp. 34–47.     

The Work of Geographers on Regionalization of the USSR in the Interests of Agriculture

A progress report on coordinated research by Soviet university geographers on physical-geographic regionalization of the USSR for agricultural purposes. A previous paper by the author on this research program appeared in Soviet Geography, November 1960, pp. 5–19).     

The Importance of Home-Area Studies for Soviet Geography

The article discusses the Soviet Union's nation-wide program of krayevedeniye, a Russian term that is difficult to translate but equivalent in meaning to the German Heimatkunde. The English “home-area studies,” though admittedly unsatisfactory, has been used to avoid foreign terms. The Soviet home-area study program includes amateur studies by local residents, school-sponsored studies to acquaint students with their school district, and government-directed study programs centered on regional museums.     

Basic Methodological Problems in Ethnic Mapping

The following excerpt from a speech delivered October 18, 1963, before the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences USSR by a leading ideological spokesman of the Communist party is relevant to the discussion surrounding V. A. Anuchin's advocacy of a unified geography. Ilyichev denounces the Stalinist definition of the environment as a purely natural category. He charges that some Soviet scholars have used this definition as a “theoretical foundation” for erecting an insurmountable wall between the natural and social sciences. A briefer version of his remarks appeared in the journal Voprosy Filosofi, 1963, No. 11, pp. 6–7.     

The Landscape Map of the USSR,its Scholarly and Practical Significance

The author, the foremost authority on landscape mapping in the USSR, reviews the present state and applications of landscape mapping, and describes the content of a yet unpublished landscape map of the USSR at 1:4,000,000. Previous papers on landscape mapping have appeared in Soviet Geography in February 1961 and June 1962.     

Letter of Protest Regarding Yu. G. Saushkin's Article in Economic Geography, 1962, No. 1

An article published in Economic Geography, 1962, No. 1, by Prof. Yu. G. Saushkin of Moscow University in criticized by nine other Soviet economic geographers for alleged failure to give an objective appraisal of the current state of economic geography in the Soviet Union.     

Review and Discussion of V. A. Anuchin'S Book on Theory of Geography

Following are a review and a discussion of V. A. nuchin's controversial book Teoreticheskiye problemy geografii (Theoretical Problems of Geography), Moscow: Geographical Publishing House, 1960, 264 pp. The table of contents of this book was translated in Soviet Geography, March 1961, p. 88.     

“Methodological Clashes in Moscow” as Misinterpreted by an American Geographer

David Hooson of the University of British Columbia is accused of prejudiced interpretation of the Soviet discussion of V. A. Anuchin's book Teoreticheskiye problemy geografii and of open hostility toward the Marxist basis of Soviet geography. The authors reject Hooson's suggestion that there may be a growing rapprochement between Soviet and American geography, and they reassert the fundamental political orientation of Soviet geography. In the authors' view, the only useful contact between the two sides must be sought in what they call a complete and objective exchange of information and opinion.     

Geographic Study of the Natural Characteristics and the Economic Utilization of the Land Areas of the USSR

This paper by a leading Soviet theoretical physical geographer traces the historical development of the Soviet doctrine of geographic zonality and the role played by heat-moisture relationships in determining the structure, the dynamics and the development of natural geographic zones. The paper includes a table of geographic zonality and explains the periodic character of geographic zonality. Am American review article that provides useful background is: Jacek I. Romanowski, A Survey of Heat and Water Balance Research in the Soviet Union, University of Washington, Discussion Paper No. 41.