 The fact that geography affects local populations is common knowledge to me. I come from a country in which very few generalizations can be made about its citizens simply because the people from one part of it are so different from the people from another. Now, this may be the case for other countries, such as the United States, yet, the difference between the United States and my country is that the latter is over two hundred square miles smaller than Alaska. 

While people from the West Coast and Southerners can be very different, they can also be up to two thousand miles away, or more. At that distance, it could almost be considered bizarre they mirrored each other. However, what keeps people from traveling the 400 miles from my country's Caribbean coast to its capital, is the world's highest mountain range outside of Asia; in other words, geography. Seeing this effect, it doesn't really seem like a long shot to claim that geography also influences something that has also influenced society ever since its conception, religion. That is why I chose to study a country that not only has a diverse geography, but also a multitude of beliefs, India. 

First of all, because India's largest religion is Hinduism, my first source is the first chapter "Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction" by Kim Knott. In it, she gives us a brief explanation of how Hinduism is studied and the main points its study deals in. This not only includes the different perspectives of both Hindus and non-Hindus, or "devotees" and "scholars" as Knott refers to them, but delves into the origins of the devotees' beliefs by including historical references. The only values or interest that seem to be at stake here are the author's credibility in her community and the perception that her readers will have of her subject of study. This could also be interpreted as the author putting her reputation on the line by publishing her book. However, seeing as how Knott is currently, many years later, a professor in Lancaster University under the department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, we could say that she seems to have good authority over this topic. If she had compromised her trustworthiness, it is hard to believe that she could still work at a prestigious university.

My second source is also a book written by Kim Knott, "The Location of Religion: A Spatial Analysis". The purpose of this publication is to provide an in-depth analysis of the relationship between spaces and religion. This applies both to intangible spaces, e.g. cultural, political, and physical ones, e.g. geographical. Seeing as how she is presenting her own theory, one could say the interests at stake are for her to be taken seriously. Because of this, the evidence and logic presented must be the kind that she would belief would influence her community in her favor to support her theory. Again, judging by the amount of articles and books she has written, Kim Knott is an active part of the conversation in her field of study. In fact, she is said to have created a "spatial methodology for contextualizing religion". Someone like her, who has had a lifelong, steady career, has earned credibility.

Finally, my third source is an article in a geographical trade publication, Progress in Human Geography, written by Justin K. H. Tse, titled "Grounded Theologies: 'Religion' and the 'Secular' in Human Geography." In it, Tse strives to prove that there is no such thing as a division between matters of faith secular spaces of the social and political is not possible. He is speaking to his community and trying to convince them to move in a certain direction, so what is at stake is not only his validity, but also his aim. Because of this, one can suppose that he put all evidence and sound reasoning he could find to use. Not only is the fact that his article was published in a trade publication a marker of his academic validity, but also that he is affiliated or backed by the University of British Columbia. This means that the University was willing to stake their own reputation on Tse's research's credibility.

In conclusion, there are many sources backing up my claim that geography or special relationships affect religious beliefs. What I have most commonly found, however, is that many argue that this relationship is not studied enough, something that might hinder me seeing as how I am relying primarily on secondary sources. The perspectives of these sources, as well, will influence the way I look at the issue because I am only looking at one fraction of the whole conversation. In the end, because of lack of information or sources, I might even have to expand my question to "How does geography affect religion" in general. This would be a much easier connection to make, especially if looked at historically, but I would like to consider it almost a worst-case scenario if I were to not have sufficient information.

