Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "GEOG 101"
COURSE NAME: "Human Geography"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2015

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: John Carr
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 2:00 PM 3:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
By focusing on issues of globalization, this course provides an overview of core concepts from human geography, including systematic analyses of economic, political, and cultural geography.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Places are increasingly interconnected through economic, cultural, and political flows across the globe. This course is intended to provide you with essential tools for understanding and navigating the changes enabled by Globalization. Topics will include migration, world cities, conflict in the Middle East, the international financial meltdown, outsourcing, and transnational environmental challenges. By focusing on issues of globalization, this course provides an overview of core concepts from human geography, including systematic analyses of economic, political, and cultural geography.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

A. To introduce students to basic concepts in human geography that reveal meaning in the arrangement of things in space.
B. To encourage students to think spatially and identify relationships between people, places, and the environment.
C. To make students more aware of the world in which they live.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Places and Regions in Global Context: Human Geography	Knox & Marston	Prentice Hall	978-0321769664

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments
Course Reader	Other	Other			Course Reader (CR): Access Course Reader free of charge at http://ereserves.unm.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=14402. (PASSWORD: geog101)

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Reading Quizzes	At the beginning of each class there will be typically three to four IClicker questions testing you on your comprehension of the reading for that day.	20
Attendance & Participation	This course will be conducted in as interactive manner as possible, with an emphasis on class discussion. That means that students are expected to do the reading before each class session, and to come to class prepared to ask questions and offer commentary. Credit for participation will require you to contribute constructively to in-class discussion.	5
Exams	There will be three exams covering topics you have engaged in your readings, during class lectures and discussions, and supplemental media and speakers. Exams will be administered during regularly scheduled class meetings and will each be equally weighted	45
Field Projects	You will be required to complete two field assignments developed by the professor. Each field project must be turned in during the regular class period on the day assigned.	30

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until August 7

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

**TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

K&M = Your textbook; CR = Course Reserves

Date

Topics/Assignments Due

Readings Due

WEEK 1:

MONDAY

July 6

Introduction – Where are we? Where are we going?

TUESDAY

July 7

What is Geography and what does Place Mean?

K&M, Ch. 1 pp 12-14, 26-30 (stop at “Spatial Interaction”), 32-35 (Stop at “Developing a Geographical Imagination”). Ch. 6 pp 206-207, 211-215 (stop at “sacred spaces”), 220-221, 226-229

WEDNESDAY

July 8

Is Geography only Mapping? What is a Map?

K&M Ch. 1 pp 15(“maps”)-23(stop at “Geographic Information Systems”) (skip p.16

CR Monmonier “How to Lie with Maps”, Introduction, pp 1-4

THURSDAY

July 9

Political Geography: Nation, State, do we really know what they are?

K&M, Ch. 9 pp. 324-335(Stop at “Imperialism & Colonialism”)

WEEK 2:

MONDAY

July 13

Colonization as Proto-Globalization

K&M, Ch. 2 pp. 48-49 (stop at “Urbanization”), 51-56 (Stop at “Organizing the Periphery”), Ch. 9 pp. 335(Start at “Imperialism & Colonialism”), 340-346

TUESDAY

July 14

Economic Geography, An Introduction

CR: Stutz & Warf “The World Economy (5^th Ed.)” Ch.12, pp. 372(start at “International Trade”)-381(Stop at “International Money and Captial Markets”), 395(Start at “Government Barriers to Trade”)-396(Stop at “Effects of Tariffs and Quotas”)

WEDNESDAY

July 15

The Forces of Industrialization and Development

K&M, Ch 7, pp 236, 238-239, 245, 248, 251-258

THURSDAY

July 16

FIRST EXAM

WEEK 3:

MONDAY

July 20

Urbanization and Industrialization

FIRST FIELD PROJECT DUE

K&M, Ch 2. p. 47-49 (stop at “geography of the Premodern World), Ch 10. pp. 376-379, 382-392 (stop at “Imperialism and Peripheral Urbanization”), 393, 395-396, 398, 401 (Bottom), 404- 405 (Stop at “future geographies”)

TUESDAY

July 21

Urbanization as Migration I

K&M, Ch 3 pp 97-106, Ch. 10 pp 392, 399-401, Ch 7, pp 261-267, 270, Ch. 11 pp 431, 434-439 (stop at “Future Geographies”)

WEDNESDAY

July 22

Urbanism as Migration II

CR: “The Best Job in Town”

THURSDAY

July 23

Neoliberalism, Debt & Structural Adjustment

K&M, Ch 7, pp 245, 248-250 (Stop at “Fair Trade”), Ch. 9 pp. 343-344, 356-358 (Stop at “Human Rights”)

WEEK 4:

MONDAY

July 27

11/12

SECOND EXAM

TUESDAY

July 28

The War on Terror

K&M, Ch 2 pp 70-71(stop at “Future Geographies”), Ch 5 pp. 179(Start at “Culture and the Nation)-181, Ch. 9 pp 350-356, 370

CR, McGrath, T “Watch this English-speaking ISIS fighter explain how a 98-year-old colonial map created today’s conflict”

WEDNESDAY

July 29

Parastates: The Problems of Terrorist and Narco-Regimes

CR, .W. Singer “Pakistan’s Madrassahs: Ensuring a System of Education Not Jihad PP 1-5

CP, William Finnegan “Silver or Lead” (Excerpts)

THURSDAY

July 30

Understanding the Economic Crisis

K& M, Ch. 8: pp 259-260

CR, Transcript “The Giant Pool of Money” This American Life. (Alternately, I recommend you listen to the original radio broadcast at: www.thislife.org

WEEK 5:

MONDAY

August 3

No Class – Class Cancelled

TUESDAY

August 4

Economic Crisis and Structural Adjustment: The case of : Greece

SECOND FIELD PROJECT DUE

TBA & CR: Europe’s Attack on Greek Democracy

By Joseph Stiglitz

WEDNESDAY

August 5

Nature/Society Relationships I : Climate Change and Environmentally “Fierce” Dilemmas

K&M, Ch. 4 pp. 120-123 (stop at “Nature-Society Interactions”) Ch. 4 pp. 134-139(stop at “Nuclear Energy”), 144-146

CR, Petroleum and Propaganda (2012) Farley, J.,

THURSDAY

August 6

Conclusion - Class Wrap Up: Who am I? Where am I? What should I do? What can be done? Final Exam Review

FRIDAY

August 7

FINAL EXAM

**This syllabus is subject to instructor’s changes, which will be announced in class.