GEOG 1050 Syllabusv 2 - Lecture notes 1-6 PDF

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The syllabus for Fal 2020...

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GEOGRAPHIES OF GLOBAL CHANGE GEOG 1050 | FALL 2020

MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY Lectures: MWF, 11:00-11:50 am Instructor: Nicholas Lynch Office Room Number: Online Only (Details on Brightspace) Contact/Email: via Brightspace Office hours: M & W, 11:50AM-12:50AM, or by appointment (Connection details on Brightspace) COURSE DESCRIPTION Welcome to Geography 1050 — Geographies of Global Change. GEOG 1050 explores major challenges facing the globe in the age of the ‘Anthropocene,’ including: climate and environmental change, sustainability, human development, economic globalization, cultural change, and population and migration. These issues will be examined through the perspective of geography, an academic discipline that focuses on the distribution and interaction of the physical, biological, and cultural features our planet and societies. The course serves as an introduction to geographical analysis and preparation for advanced study in geography; it will also encourage you to become an engaged citizen of our modern world. The course is organized around the exploration of four central forces driving global change: demographics, growing demand for resources, globalization, and climate change. The course asks four basic questions: What is the Anthropocene?; What changes are occurring?; Why are they occurring where they are?; and Why should we care about the changes? HOW WILL THE COURSE RUN? You can attend lectures in real time and/or access recorded material on your own time. Lectures will be delivered via Zoom; links are provided via Brightspace/D2L (online.mun.ca), and will occasionally be updated/changed. Check announcements for the latest link. Attending live lectures will offer a few benefits, unavailable in recorded material: you’ll have a chance to discuss material with your instructor and fellow students, apply some concepts from

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class, and practice/preview class assignments. This is intended to serve students who learn best through active participation, prefer a regular schedule, or simply want something a little less ‘packaged’. CONTACT & COURSE WEBSPACE: You should contact me through the course Desire to Learn (Brightspace), online.mun.ca; the address is given on ‘Classlist’ page, through the ‘Communication’ menu on your 1050 course shell. You can expect a reply typically within 24 hours on weekdays. READINGS Textbook: Erle Ellis, A Very Short Introduction to the Anthropocene (Oxford University Press, 2018). This textbook is required and may be purchased via the MUN Bookstore or ordered online. A copy will also be on reserve in the library. Other course readings: Additional course readings are available online via Brightspace and the MUN library. Required readings associated for each module and topic are listed below. Note: This course makes extensive use of Brightspace, so please familiarize yourself with the course shell and check it regularly! SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE This is a general schedule only, and dates and topics are subject to adjustment. Check Brightspace regularly for updates. Date

Module

Sept 9

1

Sept. 21 Oct. 7

2 3

Oct. 26

4

Nov. 13

5

Nov. 27

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Topic Introduction: Welcome to the Anthropocene Demographics and the Human Epoch Growing Demand for Resources and the Great Acceleration Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future A World Connected? Globalization and the Anthropocene Re-imagining the Anthropocene

COURSE EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT Quizzes (5) *CREW (critical reading) Assignments (5) Midterm Assignment Final Assignment

Lead Content Instructor Nicholas Lynch Nicholas Lynch Monica Engel Joel Finnis Paul Ledger Nicholas Lynch

10% 25% 30% 35%

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Quizzes All quizzes will be administered online (Brightspace), with follow-up class discussions. Students will have 20 minutes to complete each Quiz. Each Quiz will be open for a 24-hour period, and must be completed during the specific time. Quiz materials are based on both textbook readings and lecture materials. Provisional dates for the quizzes are: • • • • •

Quiz 1: Introduction | Sept 18 | open 5pm - closes 5pm Quiz 2: Demographics | Oct 2 | open 5pm - closes 5pm Quiz 3: Resources | Oct 21 | open 5pm - closes 5pm Quiz 4: Climate | Nov 6 | open 5pm - closes 5pm Quiz 5: Globalization | Nov 25 | open 5pm - closes 5pm

CREW Assignments These are critical reading exercises. Students will use the template provided on Brightspace (under ‘Documents’) to determine the claim, reason, evidence, and warrant of the assigned article. Students will submit all CREW assignments as a PDF file via Brightspace/Dropbox by 5pm on their due date. CREW #1 Module 1 due Sept 25th CREW #2 Module 2 due Oct 14th CREW #3 Module 3 due Oct 30th CREW #4 Module 4 due Nov. 18th CREW #5 Module 5 due Nov. 30th

* More details about assessment methods, CREW assignments, and other activities will be provided in class. See Course Policies (below) for information on late or missed assignments and evaluations. Planning for the Anthropocene Assignment: Midterm and Final Assignments Rather than a traditional midterm and final exam, you will complete two take-home assignments, reflected on a semester-long exercise (see ‘Planning for the Anthropocene’ folder on Brightspace). These are due October 23 and December 7 at 5PM. Assignment questions will be provided at least one week before these deadlines.

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SCHEDULE & READINGS The required readings (and multi-media resources) for each day are outlined below under ‘Readings & Resources.’ Please see Brightspace for links. I recommend you complete the required readings before each day’s lecture. Note: I reserve the right to adjust the readings and schedule if necessary!

NOTE: A larger PDF of the schedule is available on Brightspace 4

DESCRIPTION OF LETTER GRADES A (80–100%) Student work is excellent in most respects: evidence of extensive knowledge and understanding; evidence of substantial reading and study beyond the course content; well organized, sharply focused and well balanced; contains good insights and some originality; comprehensive grasp of course material, breadth and depth of outside reading; consideration of almost all the salient points; very good ability to analyse, synthesize and evaluate the relevant material. B (65-79%) Student work is good: well argued: evidence of reading beyond assigned class material, solid knowledge and understanding of relevant course material; covers most of the relevant points in satisfactory depth; demonstrates attention to the questions at hand; wellstructured arguments; lacks the originality and insights of a first-class assignment. C (55-64%) Student work is adequate: shows some knowledge and understanding of course content; little or no evidence of outside reading beyond assigned and required sources; contains errors or omissions; focus wanders from the questions at hand; weak use of examples and weak organization. D (50-54%) Student work is weak: shows limited knowledge and understanding of the topic; may contain errors and omissions; attempts to answer questions but misses important points; poor use of examples and poor organization; may lack focus, be poorly written, short or incomplete; shows very little evidence of background reading; may seriously misinterpret or avoid the topics at hand. F (...