GEOG 100 - Summary World Regional Geography PDF

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GEOGRAPHY 100 — World Regional Geography SPRING 2019: Tuesday/Thursday @ 11am-12:15pm in MM 100 Instructor: Austin Beahm Email: [email protected] Office Location: PH1-211 Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday from 1-3pm and Wednesday from 2:30-3:00pm Required Texts & Materials • The World Today: Concepts and Regions in Geography by H.J. de Blij, Peter O. Muller, and Jan Nijman (Seventh Edition, 2016) • Scantron forms: # 882 Course Description World Regional Geography is a broad survey of the major cultural regions found throughout the world. The course focuses on the many cultural, environmental, economic and political factors that make places unique, while also accounting for global processes that connect the world. It serves to instill a geographic literacy that will empower students to interpret important global events and patterns. In doing so, the course introduces key concepts, tools, and methods of geographic inquiry used in university-level geographic thought. Student Learning Outcomes 1. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge about the world’s regions to engage in meaningful analysis of global patterns and events; 2. Evaluate the “global context” of every day, lived experiences that might otherwise be understood as insignificant beyond one’s immediate living environment; 3. Aquire proficient understanding of the field of geography and what geographers do; 4. Engage and enhance critical thinking abilities that cross into other fields of inquiry. Grading of Course Exam 1 on Latin America

30% of total grade

Exam 2 on Europe & Africa

30% of total grade

Exam 3 on Asia & the Pacific

30% of total grade

Field Assignment & Photo Essay: Cultural & Culinary LA

10% of total grade

Total

100%

Letter grades will be assigned based on a percentage of the possible points: A= 90-100%, B= 80- 89%, C= 70- 79%, D= 60- 69%, F= < 60%

Description of Course Assessment & Class Expectations Exams: A total of three exams will be given. Exams are not cumulative. Exam dates are listed on the syllabus and it is your responsibility to set aside those dates. Exams can’t be made up without providing documentation of an emergency before the exam date. If you wait until after the exam to contact me, you will a) not be able to take the exam, or in some rare cases b) take the exam with a reduction of 20 points. Exam Format: Exams are given in the format of multiple choice and map identification. An emphasis will be placed on critical thinking and fundamental class concepts. Exam questions are drawn 70% from class lectures and 30% from readings. Field Assignment & Photo Essay: Cultural & Culinary Los Angeles: This assignment provides an opportunity for students to partake in a casual form of field research in a cultural enclave of the Los Angeles area. Options for field assignments will be provided just before the first exam. ! Extra Credit: There may be an opportunity for extra credit to be earned in class during the semester. These opportunities will not be announced and will be awarded to students who attend class that day. Extra credit can not be made up. Reading: Readings are to be done before the week under which they appear on the syllabus. Be sure to keep up with readings so that you have context for the ideas presented in lectures. Attendance: It is important to be here, as much of the material on the exams will originate directly from class discussion. Photography: Throughout the semester, I will be showing you photography from different regions of the world. Although some pictures are shown to give you a sense of place and/or for human interest, others are tied to important concepts from class. Be sure to take notes and stay involved. Office Hours: I’m here to help you! If you need assistance understanding any of the concepts from class, or are even just curious about world travel, feel free to swing by during office hours listed at top of syllabus. Electronic Devices: Turn off all electronic devices. Laptops, phones, i-Pads/tablets, voice recorders are not permitted in class without expressed permission. In addition, it is not ok to take pictures of slides. Disabilities: If you have a disability, please notify me at the beginning of the semester and every effort to accommodate you will be made. If additional help is needed, CSULB offers assistance at the Disabled Students Service Office at 562-985-5401 (TTY: 562-985-5426), or alternatively, visit the office in room BH-270. Academic Honesty & Plagiarism: Familiarize yourself with the CSULB catalog which features information on cheating and plagiarism. Students who are guilty of academic dishonesty will be assigned an appropriate penalty up to and including a grade of “F” for the course. Beachboard Content: Do not, under any circumstance, post class materials or lectures on external websites or disseminate them beyond your individual use. Doing so is a violation of intellectual property law.

*Class Meeting Schedule (Subject to change — any changes will be posted on Beachboard) Important: Each week we introduce a new region of the world with an overview of its cultural, physical, historical and economic geography. We then cover a special topic that is emblematic of that part of the world and helps us understand it in greater depth. These special topics are described below. Week Date

Topic

1

Introduction to the field of Geography & Syllabus Overview Go over the syllabus and course materials found on Beachboard The Caribbean is Paradise. But for Who?: The story of revolution, migration, “brain drain” and hurricanes against the backdrop of the beautiful island archipelago.

1/22 1/24

2

3

Readings

1/29

The Geography of Drugs: Why has the global drug trade made such inroads into Mexico and Central America? How does the global appetite for drugs shape the lives of our southern neighbors?

De Blij: Chapter 2 on Middle America (P. 60-71)

1/31

Guatemala in Focus: Guatemala is home to spectacular Mayan ruins, mountains, lakes and volcanoes. That said, its history is a turbulent one. We discuss the coup of 1954 and the aftermath of conflict in the region. Instructor’s photos shown on highland indigenous culture and syncretic religion.

2/5

Colombia in Focus: Despite its reputation, Colombia is De Blij: Chapter 3 on South defying the odds and making headway in addressing urban America (P. 90-102) poverty. We discuss what drives people to move into “favelas” in Brazil and Colombia. Instructor’s photos shown on Comuna 13, a once notoriously dangerous neighborhood of Medellin that has recently made a change.

2/7

Peru in Focus: We discuss Peru’s history before moving on to its famous modern-day food scene. Beginning in Lima, we then move to the Andes and the Amazon, places of great beauty and stifling poverty. We’ll discuss the idea of “food security” in these regions and how locals have used the resources around them to make a life. Instructor’s photos shown on Peru’s Sacred Valley and the wild food markets of its Amazonian forests.

4

5

6

7

2/12

The United States as a Cultural Mosaic — “Field Assignment and Photo Essay” Introduced: A discussion on the “cultural landscapes” of the U.S. with an emphasis on the cultural and culinary gems of nearby Los Angeles.

2/14

EXAM 1 on Latin America

2/19

Europe and the U.S.: A Comparison of Culture, Identity, and Urban Areas: A look at Europe’s extensive influence on the world and a comparative perspective on life in Europe vs. the United States with a focus on social welfare policy and urban development.

2/21

Europe’s Great Immigration Debate: Many European countries are encountering tensions related to immigration and its impact on European notions of cultural identity. What gives? We consider various sides of the debate.

2/26

The Future (?) of the European Union: “Brexit” is framed in the context of the growing debate on “nationalism” vs. “globalism” in Europe. Are the days of the EU numbered? Or is there still a place for supranationalism in the region?

2/28

Eastern Europe and Russia: The “other” Europe — Eastern Europe and Russia — get less coverage than western Europe. A look at Russia’s place in the world today, and a discussion on how its geopolitical perspective today was impacted by the bygone Soviet years.

3/5

The Oil States of Southwest Asia (aka “Middle East”) and North Africa: An examination on how oil does and does not define life in the region, and how it impacts foreign policy in the west. And a look at common misconceptions about the area, of which there are many.

3/7

Iran in Focus: We profile Iran with a eye toward the Coup of 1953 and our continued — and sometimes contentious— role in the country.

Study for Exam 1 using the study guide posted online

De Blij: Chapter 4 on Europe (P. 122-140)

De Blij: Chapter 5 on Russia (P. 164-179)

De Blij: Chapter 6 on North Africa/Southwest Asia (P. 198-216)

8

9

10

3/12

Africa’s Diamonds and the West: Many of us — perhaps most of us — want diamonds. We link our cultural love for diamonds and our consumption habits to the conflicts driven by the demand for this resource.

Field Assignment and photo essay due today. You must submit it in person. Late submissions docked by 10% each class period.

3/14

Africa’s Geography of Poverty and Hope: Africa is both the poorest continent in the world and perhaps its next big success story. We’ll discuss the international response to Africa’s poverty, foreign investment, and reasons for hope.

De Blij: Chapter 7 on Subsaharan Africa (P. 238-259)

3/19

EXAM 2 on Europe and Africa

De Blij: Chapter 8 on South Asia (P. 278-297)

3/21

South Asia and the Himalaya: We look at the rapidly developing region with a focus on India, its post-colonial emergence, and the startling contrast between its rapidly growing wealth and its infamous slums. What is India, and to who?

3/26

East Asia’s Population Woes: We outline dilemmas of the De Blij: Chapter 9 on East region’s vast but aging population. In addition, a discussion on Asia (P. 314-328) China’s meteoric economic growth and its environmental cost.

3/28

Hong Kong (China) in Focus: Hong Kong is a fascinating city where east meets west. We’ll talk about Hong Kong’s cinematic history, the use of “Feng Shui” in the cities architecture, and its fading neon signs. Finally, we’ll look at its tenuous relationship with China after the British handover. Instructor’s photos shown on Hong Kong’s urban cityscape.

Break 4/2 & 4/4

No Class — Enjoy your break!

11

4/9

Japan in Focus: The balance of the ancient and the modern in today’s Japan. We discuss the ideas of collectivism and sacrifice in Japanese culture. Instructor’s photos shown on the ultra-modern Tokyo and traditional Kyoto.

4/11

South Korea in Focus: The tale of two Koreas. How North Korea and South Korea forged separate roads and what the future may hold. Instructor’s photos shown on Seoul and the DMZ region bordering North Korea.

De Blij: Chapter 9 on East Asia (P. 314-328) continued

12

13

14

15

16

4/16

Cambodia and Thailand in Focus: After a recent history of conflict and displacement, Southeast Asia’s fortunes are changing. We discuss upward mobility in the region and consider those left behind. Instructor’s photos shown on Angkor Wat temple and Budhhism in Cambodia, and on Muay Thai kickboxing in Bangkok’s famed fighting stadiums.

De Blij: Chapter 10 on Southeast Asia (P. 352-369)

4/18

“They Call it Myanmar” documentary on military dictatorship, Buddhism, the “Saffron Revolution” and the possibility of democracy in the country’s future.

4/23

Vietnam in Focus: Discussion on Vietnam forty years after the “American War.” Instructor’s photos shown on urban Hanoi, Central Vietnam’s Hoi An, and the Hmong ethnic minorities in the northern highlands.

4/25

Climate Change in the Pacific Islands: The world’s most vast area is low in population and even lower in political clout. How, then, can it confront climate change? A discussion on adaptation and the imminent future of climate refugees.

4/30

“Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau” documentary and De Blij: Chapter 12 on discussion on the colonization of Hawaii and the resurgence of Pacific Realm and Polar Polynesian identity in the Hawaiian islands. Futures (P. 404-409)

5/2

Guest Presentation given by TA Claudia Quijano. More info provided in the lead in to the presentation.

5/7

The Art of Travel: A “How-to” Discussion on experiential learning through travel and field work abroad.

5/9

Final exam review and semester wrap-up.

5/16

EXAM 3 on Asia and the Pacific at 10:15am-12:15pm

De Blij: Chapter 10 on Southeast Asia (P. 352-369) continued...