Peabody - Social Studies Education (SSED 2690-01)
Student Course Syllabus - Fall 2003
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 2690
Instructor: Dr. Hari P. Garbharran
Class Time: Wed-- 4:10 PM to 7:00 PM
Class Bld.: Payne 105
Office: KOM 322F, MTSU
Phone: 898-5977
Hours: By appointment only
E-mail: garbharr@mtsu.edu
Text: “The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography” by James M. Rubenstein, 7th Edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey 2002.
Course Content
The course is designed to examine the human and cultural aspects of various regions of the world during the course of this semester. Our discussion will include the spatial manifestations of culture, including population distribution and movements, language, religion, ethnicity, political geography, and resource issues. Our conversations will examine human geography themes at local, national and international levels as we probe into the nature of geographical thinking and inquire into the characteristics of geography as a social science.
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course include:
v developing a basic understanding of the regions of the world and recognizing the significance of geography in shaping the regions of the globe
v challenging students to analyze spatial information about people, places, and environments on Earth’s surface
v training students to identify similarities, differences, spatial patterns and relationships in their study of geographical areas
v exposing students to various peoples and cultures of the world and examining the human impact on settlement patterns and geographical development
v enhancing understanding of the relationship between cultural experience and human perceptions of places and regions
v challenging students to look for relationships between human migration patterns and the characteristics and complexity of the Earth’s cultural mosaics
v encouraging students to express ideas clearly and concisely through research preparation and presentation
Requirements
1. All students are required to read the assigned passages in the text and all other required materials. All students are expected to participate actively in discussions through the Prometheus course web site.
2. Assignments/discussions - Due each week as indicated at the end of each chapter in the “Thinking Geographically” section of the text. Deadline for all assignments are on Sunday each week, 11:59CST. Whenever essays are required, these will be typed, double spaced, exhibit good grammar and spelling, and otherwise conform to departmental standards. Essay length will be at least one page in length but not to exceed 2 pages
.
3. Testing will include progressive quizzes/exams in multiple choice format.
4. Class Participation/Attendance. On-going class participation through the Prometheus course website is a priority of this web-enhanced Human Geography course. Mandatory attendance on the following dates: August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, and December 10, 2003-- No excuses, no exceptions.
Evaluation
Evaluation will be based on monthly quizzes/exams (40%), assignments/discussions (40%), and class presentation with illustrated poster (20%). Papers and exams will be graded with the usual A-F scale
Late policy for assignments/discussions: Under extraordinary circumstances extensions may be granted. Otherwise, a penalty of 1/3 grade will be subtracted for each day an assignment/discussion is late.
Topical Schedule
Human Geography SSED 2690– Fall 2003
August 27 What is Human Geography? Studying Human Geography– Case study based on ongoing research of informal communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
September 3 Chapter 1: Thinking Geographically. Five key issues thinking about space, place, region, scale and connections
Question 4, page 33, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
September 10 Chapter 2: Population. Case study of population growth in India focusing on world population distribution, population concentrations, reasons for differential growth, and overpopulation problems.
Question 4, page 68, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
September 17 Chapter 3: Migration. Case study of Spanish migration: reasons for migration, distribution, obstacles faced by migrants, intra-regional migration.
Question 2, page 100, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
September 24 Exam 1 (South Africa, Chapters 1-3); Student Presentations
October 1 Chapter 4: Folk and Popular Culture. The Aboriginal Artists of Australia at Lincoln Center: origin and diffusion of popular culture, reasons for clustering, distribution, problems caused by globalization
Question 5, page 131, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
October 8 Chapter 5: Language. Case study of French and Spanish in the US and Canada: distribution of English-Language speakers, Relationship of English and other languages, Distribution of other language families, reasons for preservation of local languages.
Question 1, page 169, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
October 15 Chapter 6: Religion. The Dalai Lama vs. the People’s Republic of China. Where are religions distributed, why do religions have different distributions, why do religions organize space in distinctive patterns, why do territorial conflicts arise among religious groups.
Note: Mid-Semester Progress Reports due
Question 5, page 208, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
October 18-21 October break
October 22 Exam 2 (Chapters 4-6); Student Presentations
October 24 Last day to drop a Fall course with a W grade
October 29 Chapter 7: Ethnicity-- Ethnic Conflicts in Rwanda. Distribution, reasons for transformation into nationalities, ethnic clashes.
Question 5, page 242, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
November 5 Chapter 8: Political Geography. Changing Borders in Europe—where are states located, where are boundaries drawn between states, why do boundaries between states cause problems, why do states cooperate with each other.
Question 4, page 277, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
November 12 Chapter 14: Resource Issues—case study of pollution in Mexico City. Reasons for depletion of fossil-fuels, pollution of resources, expandability of global food resources.
Question 3, page 484, Due Sunday, 11:59PM, CST.
November 19 Exam 3 (Chapters 7, 8, 14); Student Presentations
Nov 22-30 Thanksgiving Holidays
December 3 Answer open question during class time.
December 10 Last Day of class. Student presentations end. Wrap up and evaluations