HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Rogers State University

Dr. David A. Tait

Associate Professor

 

GEOG 2243                                                                                          Fall 2006

ZAP 1297                                                                                              MW 2:00 PM    

                                                                                   

 

Getting In Touch With Your Professor

 

Office: Auditorium Lower Level

(“The Bunker”)

Claremore Campus

 

E-Mail:dtait@rsu.edu                                                             Phone: (918) 343-7746

 

Website: http://www.rsu.edu/faculty/dtait/

 

E-mail is often the most efficient way to communicate. Use it!  You may get a quicker reply to your question or concern than with any other method.  Your e-mail should always include the course and your full name in the subject line.  For example: U.S. History, George W. Bush.

 

Office Hours

 

My office is in the basement of the Auditorium on the Claremore campus.  The easiest entrance is through the side doors.

 

Office hours on the Claremore campus:

Ø      Monday 12:30-1:30 and 3:30-5:00

Ø      Wednesday   12:30-1:30 and 3:30-5:00

Ø      Thursday 11:00-12:00 and 1:00-3:00

Ø      Friday 1:00-3:00      

Other times:

Ø      Available by special arrangement

Required Books

James M. Rubenstein, The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography. 8th edition. Pearson Education, 2005. ISBN: 0-13-142939-6 

Bjorn Lomborg, The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World.  Cambridge University Press, 2001.

 

 

CLASS CALENDAR

 

This calendar lists course topics, reading assignments, exam dates, and other deadlines.  It is subject to revision by the professor during the semester.

 

Website

 

Up-to-date information about this course can be found on your professor’s website. Visit the website regularly to look for new information.   If there are changes in the course calendar and/or course requirements, you will find them there.  http://www.rsu.edu/faculty/dtait/

           

Unit 1

Orientation to Human Geography

August 21 & 23

 

Information

 

Cultural Landscape, chapter 1, Key Issues 1,2,3 (Space, Place, Region)

 

Overview 

This unit introduces us to geography; to human geography as opposed to physical geography; to the basic concepts of space, place and region; and to the use of maps to find information. 

Objectives

• Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
• define the subject matter of geography, and of human geography in particular;
• define & apply the key concepts of space, place & region, and other technical terms associated with them;
• identify & locate formal, functional & vernacular regions; and use online resources to study the distribution of certain features in the US and Canada.

 

Unit 2

Maps, Concepts and Information

August 28 & 30

 

Information

 

1.  Cultural Landscape, chapter 1 (complete)

2. Lomborg, Skeptical Environmentalist, Chapters 1 and 2

 Overview 

This unit introduces key elements in the making and interpretation of maps, including scale and projection, mathematical location longitude and latitude; the role of geographic information systems in contemporary geography; the concepts of culture, cultural ecology, mental maps, spatial interaction and diffusion.  The unit also introduces a critical perspective on common perceptions of environmental issues.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the affect of different scales and projections on the depiction of earth on maps;
• describe the location of particular places on earth mathematically, in terms of medians and parallels; and
• define and describe different forms of diffusion. 
• Explain Lomborg’s concept of “The Litany” and how it affects the interpretation of environmental issues.

 

Unit 3

Dynamics of Human Population

September 6

(No Class September 4)

 

Information

 

1. Cultural Landscape chapter 2

2. Malthus, Essay on Population, 1798 edition: Preface, chapters 1,2,3,4 (last nine paragraphs), and 18. 

3. Skeptical Environmentalist, chapters 3, 4 and 5

4. Economist, “World Hunger,” 2003.  PDF file.

5. Economist, China and Population, PDF File

Overview 

This unit examines the distribution of human population, fundamental factors affecting the growth of human population, and the demographic transition theory.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• describe the distribution of human population;
• identify and discuss the key factors in population growth and decline.
• discuss the demographic transition theory and apply it to the analysis of different countries and regions;
• summarize the principal ideas of Malthus’s Essay on Population (1798);
• analyze population pyramids; and
• evaluate population theory and trends in light of current knowledge.

 

 

Unit 4

Human Migration

September 11 & 13

 

 

Information

 

Cultural Landscape chapter 3

Overview 

This unit examines patterns of human migration and factors that encourage or discourage migration, both between countries and within countries.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the principal reasons for human migration;
• describe different patterns of migration;
• identify and describe major migrations in the contemporary world; and
• discuss the major periods of migration in United States history.

Unit 5

Folk and Popular Culture

September 18 & 20

 

First Exam September 13

Units 1-4

 

Information

 

 Cultural Landscape chapter 4

Overview 

This unit introduces the concepts of folk culture and popular culture and examines the origin and diffusion of these forms of culture.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• define and distinguish between folk culture and popular culture;
• describe the origin and diffusion of folk and popular cultures;
• discuss the role of television in the diffusion of popular culture; and discuss problems that popular culture’s expansion produces for folk culture.

 

Unit 6

Language

September 25 & 27

 

Information

 

Cultural Landscape chapter 5 

Overview 

This unit examines the distribution of human languages, relationships between languages, the global role of English, and efforts to preserve local languages.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• describe the global distribution of English-language speakers;
• discuss the role of English in global culture and business;
• identify other major world languages and their distribution; and
• discuss issues involved in preservation of local languages.

 

Unit 7

Religion

October 2 & 4

 

Information

Cultural Landscape chapter 6
“The Fight for God,” Economist, December 19, 2003 PDF link
“Therapy of the Masses,” Economist, November 6, 2003. PDF link

Overview 

This unit considers the nature of religion and discusses the global distribution of religions, religious organization of physical space, and territorial conflicts between religions groups.

 

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• identify and describe the principal religions of the contemporary world;
• discuss the origins and diffusion of those religions;
• examine the roles of religions in social, cultural and political conflicts; and describe different religious approaches to the organization of space

 

 

Unit 8

Ethnicity

October 9 & 11

 

Second Exam October 11

Information

1. Cultural Landscape chapter 7

2. Where is Kurdistan? (Economist) PDF

3. Fears of a Kurdish Revival (Economist) PDF

4. Kurds: Trying to get their own back (Economist) PDF

5. Seeking a Voice: Sunnis in Iraq (Economist) PDF

Overview 

This unit defines ethnicity as a cultural category, distinguishing it from the biologically oriented concept of race, and discusses the distribution of ethnicities, the relationships between ethnicity and nationality, and conflict between ethnicities.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• define ethnicity and distinguish it from the concept of race;
• discuss the relationships between ethnicity, nation-states and nationalism;
• describe and discuss key ethnic conflicts in the contemporary world; and
• describe the distribution of ethnicities within the United States.

 

 

Unit 9

Political Geography

October 16 & 18

 

Information

 

Cultural Landscape, chapter 8
Economist, “Civil Wars,” PDF File

Overview 

This unit introduces the concept of states, discusses the location of states and the boundaries between them, and patterns of conflict and cooperation between states.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• identify and locate major countries of the world;
• discuss the concept of “state” and its development in the modern world;
• identify different shapes and boundaries of states;
• discuss problems that arise in the relationship between states and nationalities; and
• discuss patterns of cooperation between states

 

 

Unit 10

Agriculture

October 23 & 25

 

Information

 

1.Cultural Landscape, chapter 10

2. Skeptical Environmentalist, chapter 9
3. Economist, “Fish Farming,” PDF File
4. Economist, “World Hunger,” PDF File

Overview 

This unit discusses the origins and diffusion of agriculture and the variety of agricultural regions in the contemporary world .

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the origins of agriculture;
• describe different systems of agriculture; and
• describe and discuss contemporary ecological and agricultural issues in agriculture. 

 

Unit 11

Industry

October 30 & November 1

 

Information

 

Cultural Landscape, chapter 11

Overview 

This unit examines the origin, development and diffusion of industry, factors influencing the distribution of different types of industry, and problems confronting industry.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the industrial revolution and its diffusion;
• describe the global distribution of industry;
• identify key factors in the geographical distribution of industry; and
• discuss key problems facing industry in more developed and less developed countries.

 

Unit 12

Services

November 6 & 8

 

Third Exam November 8

 

 

Information

1. Cultural Landscape, chapter 12
2. Economist, “Back Office to the World,” PDF document

Overview

This unit examines the origin, development and diffusion of services, and factors influencing their location in more developed countries.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the origin, development and diffusion of services;
• distinguish between different kinds of personal and business services;
• discuss the relative importance of services in the tripartite economy of a more developed country;
• identify key factors influencing the location of services; and analyze family histories and personal aspirations in terms of the three sectors.

 

 

Unit 13

Economic Development

November 13 & 15

 

Information

1. Cultural Landscape, chapter 9

2. Skeptical Environmentalist, chapters 5, 6, and 7

3. Economist, “Economic focus, God, man and growth”

4. Economist, “If you consider people, not countries"

Overview 

This unit examines the distribution of different levels of economic development, possible reasons for different degrees of development, and challenges facing less developed countries.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• describe the distribution of more and less developed countries;
• discuss reasons for differing levels of development; andanalyze the prospects for economic development in less developed counties.

 

 

 

Unit 14

Resources and Environment

November 20, 27 & 29

 

Regional Comparison Due November 20

Information

1. Cultural Landscape, chapter 14
2. Skeptical Environmentalist, chapters 10-13 and 15-19
3. Economist, “Feeding the Five Billion,” PDF File
4. Economist, “Fish Farming,” PDF File

Overview 

This unit examines the distribution and use of resources and the interaction between human activities and other elements in natural environmental systems.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• discuss the supply of fossil fuels and the possible depletion of this resource;
• define pollution and identify principal causes of it; and
• discuss the prospects of expanding the supply of food for humans.

Unit 15

Cities and Suburbs
December 4 & 6

 

Information

Cultural Landscape, chapter 13

Overview 

This unit examines the development of cities, the distribution of cities in the contemporary world, the distribution of population within urban areas, and challenges facing cities and suburbs.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

• Describe differences between cities in more developed and less-developed countries.
• Identify major challenges facing cities and suburbs.
• Describe the distribution of population within urban areas.

          

Unit 16

Final Exam

Wednesday December 13

1:45 – 3:45 PM

12:45 –2:45 PM

 

 

KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLASS

Course Description

The Rogers State University catalog describes this course as:  “An introduction and general education course which emphasizes the interrelationship of the physical environment and human responses.” It introduces key concepts and major topics in human geography, and provides for development of a number of skills in research and interpretation of information.  The class includes reading, online research, map reading, online discussions, writing assignments, and exams. 

Prerequisites

This course presupposes college-level reading and writing skills.  The reading will be difficult for students who do not read English well.  Students who do not write Standard English competently may have trouble with the writing assignments.  If you have not satisfactorily completed English Composition I, it is strongly recommended that you take it concurrently with this class.

It is assumed that all students have basic skills in word-processing, document production, and use of the Internet to locate and transmit information.

It is also expected that students can perform simple mathematical operations such as the calculation and comparison of averages, ratios and percentages.  Some exam questions may require these skills.

 

Course Objectives

 

Please see the detailed objectives provided in the class calendar for each unit.

 

 

Approach to Learning

This is primarily a lecture class.  Students learn in three principle ways: by listening carefully to the lectures; by reading carefully all of the assigned material; and by completing a variety of assignments, including examinations.  In addition, students my advance their learning by asking questions in class; visiting with the professor during office hours; reviewing the professor’s evaluations of their assignments; talking with the professor by phone; or corresponding with the professor by e-mail.

 

Required Work and Grading

 

Your grade in this class will be based on attendance, a regional comparison paper, and four exams.

 

Attendance (100 points)

 

Students are expected to attend all classes, arriving on time and remaining to the end.  (Arriving late or leaving early counts as an absence).  You will receive four points for each class attended.  Because we have more than 25 classes, very good attendance can earn some extra credit for you.  However, a student who is counted absent for more than 10 classes will receive a semester grade of F, regardless of the number of points earned on exams or the regional comparison.

 

Exams (550 points)

 

There are four exams.  The first exam is worth 100 points; the remaining exams are worth 150 points each.  Exams occur in Units 4, 8, 12, and 16 (final exam). Exams may include essays (take-home or in-class), identifications, multiple-choice and true-false questions, item matching, and map questions.  Detailed advance instructions for each exam will be posted on the professor’s website.

 

Regional Comparison (50 points)

 

Each student will submit a paper comparing two regions with respect to a particular topic.  Instructions will be posted on the professor’s website.  This assignment is due at the beginning of class on November 20.

 

 

Determining Your Grade

 

Your semester grade will be determined by the number of points you earn for attendance, exams and the regional comparison, providing you have met all course expectations. Students who choose not to meet the “Expectations of Students” stated in the syllabus may receive a failing grade regardless of the number of points earned.

 

A         630 points or higher

B         560- 629 points

C         490-559 points

D         420-489 points

F          419 points or lower

 

It is important to keep in mind that there is no curving of grades, and also that there is no automatic rounding up of grades (e.g., a semester total of 559 points can mean a course grade of C rather than B). 

 

The professor may choose to add extra-credit opportunities, but any such opportunities will be available to the whole class, not just to individuals.   Keep on top of your grades: make sure you know what you need to do to get the grade you are aiming for.

 

 

COURSE POLICIES

 

Expectations of Students

 

            The path to success in the class begins with the attitudes and actions of students and the professor.  This is what I expect of students:

1. complete all required work on or before the due date, and keep up to date on the assigned reading;

2. conduct yourself in class so that lectures and other scheduled activities can proceed without distraction or interruption (no talking, whispering, or other actions that can interfere with orderly learning). No communications devices (telephones, beepers, pagers, etc.); if you have such devices, they must be turned off for the entire class period.  Treat other students with respect at all times.  Students who disrupt the class in any way may be dismissed from the classroom;

3. comply with all relevant Rogers State University policies, especially those concerning academic integrity; and

4. attend all classes, arrive on time, and stay to the end.  If you miss a class for any reason, it is your responsibility to obtain the notes and other necessary information from other members of the class who are willing to help you.  Please note: class attendance is very important, because exams are based in large part on what happens in class and because each student’s input is needed in discussions.

 

The Professor’s Responsibilities

 

The professor has certain responsibilities, too.  You can expect that I will:

1.  lecture on topics mentioned in the course calendar, or related to them;

2.  provide reasonable advance notice of changes in the course calendar and/or required work;

3.  maintain regular office hours for students; and

4.      grade and return your work in a timely manner.

 

 

Special Student Needs

Rogers State University is committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to educational program and services. Any student who has a disability that he or she believes will require some form of academic accommodation must inform the professor of such need during or immediately following the first class attended. Before any educational accommodation can be provided, it is the responsibility of each student to prove eligibility of assistance by registering for services through Student Affairs.

 

Students needing more information about Student Disability Services should contact the Office of Student Development at 918-343-7707.

 

Please make your requests for accommodation by e-mail.

 

Academic Misconduct

 

            Students are expected to follow university policies as

put forth in the institution's Student Code of Responsibilities and

Conduct.  In accordance with Title 12 of The Student Code (page 11),

instances of alleged academic misconduct will follow the policies and

procedures as described in Title 12.  As a general rule, faculty at

Rogers State University have the responsibility of enforcing the

academic code.  Therefore, if academic misconduct is suspected I will

submit a letter of alleged academic misconduct to the Office of Student

Affairs. 

 

Non-academic misconduct

 

            In order to maintain an effective learning environment, students

are expected to fully comply with The Student Code.  Disruptive

behavior will not be tolerated.  It is the responsibility of each

student to read and become familiar with the policies of The Student

Code.

 

Textbooks

 

It is the student's responsibility to secure access to the textbook and any other required books so that you can complete all assignments exactly on time. Required books are available from the Rogers State University bookstore and other vendors.  Please keep this in mind: you are obliged to do the reading.  “The bookstore didn’t have it” is not an acceptable reason for missing deadlines.

 

 

 

Other Reading Assignments

 

Many units include required readings from other sources in addition to the textbook.  These will be available in one or more of the following ways: websites, PDF files on the professor’s website, reserve readings in the RSU Library.  To access a PDF file you will need the free Acrobat Reader, available from adobe.com.

 

 

Keep copies of all your work

 

Always keep a copy of any work you turn in.  Although it doesn’t happen often, an assignment could get misplaced.  If it does, you need to have a backup copy.  It is recommended that you keep a hard copy as well as a computer file.