EXPEDITIONS, EXCURSIONS, AND FIELD WORK IN GEOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDING

Abstract

In the history of geography, it is possible to identify different modalities of direct contact with the space that is the object of study or teaching, whose potential, virtues and problems differ from each other. The objective of this article is to distinguish the uses over time of three fundamental forms of geographer contact with the terrain, namely: excursions, expeditions and fieldwork, positioning them in their virtues in the construction of geographic knowledge. We argue that over time in Brazil there was a loss of these nuances, which resulted in a loss in the training of professionals in the area. Based on a historical recovery of the uses of each of these modalities in the practice of Brazilian geography, we seek to identify their differences and emphasize the potential of their applications. Carrying out this discussion goes beyond a simple semantic differentiation, as they have potential for the geographer and geography teacher that need to be explored.