Fresh Social Geography Dissertation Ideas To Consider


Geography is a highly diverse area of academic study. It’s usually divided into two main fields: physical geography, a scientific discipline that incorporates geology, hydrology, oceanography, ecology, and earth history in the study of physical features of the Earth’s surface; and social geography, which examines the interactions between people and landscapes. It examines the spatial components of sociology and anthropology, creating a rich field of study. If you’re planning a geography dissertation, there are many, many topics that you can explore. Here are some ideas, and categories of ideas, that can become insightful, fresh social geography dissertation ideas to consider.


  • Obesogenic environments. The U.S. obesity crisis is at an all-time high, and there is a social geography component to the issue that you can explore. In terms of urban geography, for example, suburban sprawl has led to an increased need to use cars for transportation. This removes a fundamental form of exercise from the majority of people who don’t live downtown in a major city, contributing to the sedentism that can cause obesity. Local food environments are also a factor. The type of foods that people have easy access to are often obesogenic.

  • Census geography. Using recent census data, you can explore spatial distribution of populations. For example, to what extent are different ethnic or religious groups separated from one another? In what regions is the bulk of the population concentrated?

  • The impact of tourism on local geography. How does tourism, especially ecotourism, affect wildlife conservation efforts? How does the human traffic affect the landscape?

  • Food culture and food geographies. How does location affect the foods that people eat? How do eating patterns and traditions differ in different spatial regions? What factors lead to those differences?

  • Smoking geography. How have smoking bans actually affected smoking habits in local people?

  • Crime pattern analysis. What types of crimes, and at what frequencies, occur in different locations? For example, how do rural crime rates differ from urban crime rates?

  • Geography of health. How does health differ in different areas? For example, are suburban populations in better health, with fewer health problems and lower premature mortality, than urban populations? What factors, like income level and access to health care, affect the distribution of health?

These are just a few of the many fresh social geography dissertation ideas to consider when you’re planning original research into the interactions between humans and their environments. For more topic ideas, look to current social trends, political issues, and other things going on in modern society.