Chabot College
Fall 2002
Replaced Fall 2010
Course Outline for Geography 3
ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY
Catalog Description:
3 – Economic Geography
3 units
An introduction to the world’s major economic systems; their spatial distribution and
characteristics; their relative contributions to regional development and global change;
and related movements of people, goods, and ideas. Techniques and tools of spatial
analysis applied to human-environment interactions, with emphasis on ecological
problems associated with specific economic activities. Field trips may be included.
3 hours.
[Typical contact hours: 52.5]
Prerequisite Skills:
None.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
describe the principal types, characteristics, and spatial distributions of economic
systems in the world
identify factors causing the widening gap in economic wealth and power between
more developed and developing countries, and how the disparities are represented
by core-periphery spatial distribution models
a. describe the impacts of colonialism, globalization, supranationalism,
multinational corporations, and non-governmental organizations on locational
decision-making in contrasting cultures, on national infrastructure development,
and on the allocation and displacement of labor;
b. discuss how locational choices are tempered by contrasting cultures according to
cultural perception of environment and attitudes and traditions about resource
availability.
describe and explain the historical evolution of patterns in regional specialization,
complementarity, and trade in non-Western society since the industrial revolution
a. discuss regional patterns in agricultural specialization, the impact of the “green
revolution”, urbanization processes, and agglomeration economies in various
economic sectors;
b. identify major differences in regional political economies in the contexts of
colonial and neo-colonial exploitation.
articulate principles of location in space, patterns of movement and interaction,
market forces, and the impact of expanding technologies and information systems
provide examples of ecological problems associated with specific economic
activities
Chabot College
Course Outline for Geography 3
Fall 2002
Page 2
Course Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Forces of globalization in the world and regional economies
a. Global restructuring of international business and exchange
b. Regional disparities in economic growth and development
c. Systems of cities
d. Cross-cultural comparisons in political economy
e. Location and displacement of labor
f. Supranationalism, nationalism, multiculturalism, and devolution
Subsistence economic organization in traditional societies
a. Hunting and gathering origins
b. Pastoral nomadism
c. Origin and diffusion of agriculture and animal domestication
d. Subsistence agricultural systems
e. Human-environment interactions in traditional societies
Commercial agriculture
a. Rural land use allocation and models of development
b. Comparative land economics in cultural context
c. Agricultural specialization
d. Mechanization, hybridization, and the “green revolution”
Urban and regional economic systems
a. Scale, externalities, and agglomeration
b. Economic rent gradients and urban land use
c. Internal urban structure: location in the city
d. Economic stimuli in urbanization, and in inter- and intra-urban migration
Location of industry
a. Energy, minerals, forestry, and environmental resources
b. Regional specialization in primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors
c. Consumerism and the culture of tourism
d. Environmental degradation and global environmental change
e. Impact of technology and the information economy
Trends in political economy and global change
a. Changing geographies of movement
b. Population issues: limits to growth and environmental consequences of growth
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
Lecture
Maps, slides, transparencies, and videotapes
Class discussions and student group projects
Chabot College
Course Outline for Geography 3
Fall 2002
Page 3
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1.
2.
Typical Assignments
a. Out-of-class research on location patterns of specific economic sectors of the
U. S. economy
b. Preparation of an in-class oral presentation on a region, which may include:
1)
Audio/visual components
2)
Maps, charts, and diagrams
3)
Computer-based learning resources
c. Essays on researched environmental or cultural issues in the spatial organization
of economic activities
d. Supplemental reading assignments from newspapers or periodical literature on
current issues
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Midterm and final examinations and quizzes
b. Map quizzes on location of industries, resources, and infrastructure
c. Participation in class activities and discussions
Textbook(s) (Typical):
The World Economy: Geography, Business, Development, Stutz, F. P., Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
2001, or latest edition.
The Global Economy in Transition, Berry, B. J., Conklin, E. C., and Ray, D. M., PrenticeHall, Inc., 2001, or latest edition.
Principles and Applications of Economic Geography: Economy, Policy, Environment,
Hanink, D. M., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001, or latest edition.
Special Student Materials:
None
tf:A:\Word\GEOG.3.doc
Revised 1-31-2002