Wilbur Zelinsky
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Zelinsky is an American cultural geographer
. He is a professor emeritus
at Pennsylvania State University
. An Illinois
an by birth, but a "northeasterner by choice and conviction," Zelinsky received his education at University of California, Berkeley
, where he was a student of Carl Sauer. He received his doctorate in 1953. Zelinsky has made numerous geographical studies of American popular culture, ranging from the diffusion of classical place-names to spatial patterns of personal given names and to the spatial patterning of religious denominations. One of his most ambitious and imaginative projects was a provocative assessment of the impact of increasingly powerful personal preference on the spatial character of American society.
In 1973, Zelinsky published The Cultural Geography of the United States. In addition to his research in popular culture, Zelinsky has made substantial contributions in the fields of "population" and "folk geography".
In 1996, Zelinsky received the Award for Meritorious Contributions to the Field of Geography, presented by the Association of American Geographers
. He served as president of the AAG
from 1972 to 1973. He was also awarded the Cullum Geographical Medal
by the American Geographical Society
in 2001.
Cultural geography
Cultural geography is a sub-field within human geography. Cultural geography is the study of cultural products and norms and their variations across and relations to spaces and places...
. He is a professor emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. An Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
an by birth, but a "northeasterner by choice and conviction," Zelinsky received his education at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where he was a student of Carl Sauer. He received his doctorate in 1953. Zelinsky has made numerous geographical studies of American popular culture, ranging from the diffusion of classical place-names to spatial patterns of personal given names and to the spatial patterning of religious denominations. One of his most ambitious and imaginative projects was a provocative assessment of the impact of increasingly powerful personal preference on the spatial character of American society.
In 1973, Zelinsky published The Cultural Geography of the United States. In addition to his research in popular culture, Zelinsky has made substantial contributions in the fields of "population" and "folk geography".
In 1996, Zelinsky received the Award for Meritorious Contributions to the Field of Geography, presented by the Association of American Geographers
Association of American Geographers
The Association of American Geographers is a non-profit scientific and educational society founded in 1904 and aimed at advancing the understanding, study, and importance of geography and related fields...
. He served as president of the AAG
Association of American Geographers
The Association of American Geographers is a non-profit scientific and educational society founded in 1904 and aimed at advancing the understanding, study, and importance of geography and related fields...
from 1972 to 1973. He was also awarded the Cullum Geographical Medal
Cullum Geographical Medal
The Cullum Geographical Medal is one of the oldest awards of the American Geographical Society. It was established in the will of Major General George Washington Cullum , the vice president of the Society, and is awarded "to those who distinguish themselves by geographical discoveries or in the...
by the American Geographical Society
American Geographical Society
The American Geographical Society is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world...
in 2001.