Cultural Geography (GEOG 2)
El Camino College
Office: NS 209
Email: mreed@elcamino.edu
Phone: 310-660-6016
Website:
http://www.elcamino.edu/Faculty/mreed/index.htm
I. Rationale
Instructor: Michael Reed
Fall 2005 Office Hours:
M
7-8 AM
T
---------W 1:15 -2:15 PM
TH 1-2; 5-6 PM
F
7-8 AM
I. Rationale
This course is a systematic study of the cultural
variables of mankind: population, religion,
language, economic activities, and settlements.
II. Recommended Prerequisites/Proficiencies
Prerequisites: Eligibility for English 2R.
III. Course Materials
A. Reed, Michael. Custom book and readings
based on Edward Bergman and William
Renwick. Introduction to Geography: People,
Places, and Environment. Third Edition.
Required.
B. Goode’s World Atlas: 21st Edition. 2004.
Recommended. Every geography student
should own an atlas.
IV. Course Objectives
Students will be able to demonstrate critical
thinking skills and a basic understanding:
1. of geographical place names and the concept of
regions
2. of the spatial aspects of the world’s humancultural phenomena
3. of the analysis of maps showing cultural
phenomena and will develop skills in reading and
interpreting the patterns shown.
4. the complex interrelationships between
humankind, technology, and the bio-physical
environment
5. that different groups of people see and think
differently about their world because of cultural
restraints.
V. Attendance/Absence/Tardiness/
Withdrawal Policies
Students are expected to attend all class
meetings. Students are expected to arrive on
time, prepared to learn. More than 3 total
absences from class during the semester,
unless cleared by the instructor, may lead to
your name being dropped from the class and/or
your grade being lowered. If a student wishes to
drop the class, the student alone is responsible
for notifying the Office of Admissions and
Records. Failure to do so may lead to a
permanent F on your academic
record. Emergencies are defined as serious
illness or death of close family member,
student's illness corroborated by a physician,
jury duty, earthquake, flood, fire, landslide,
avalanche, tornado, etc.
If you miss a class it is your responsibility to find
out what you missed and get copies of the notes
from your peers. Please do not call me to ask,
"Did I miss anything important today?"
Peer contact numbers:
1. ____________________________________
2. ____________________________________
3. ____________________________________
VI. Grades and Exams
Grades will be based on the results of two
exams (100 and 200 points each), five typed
answers to chapter review questions (100), and
five quizzes on the assigned articles (100
points), making for a total of 500 possible
points in the course.
Grade breakdown:
5 Chapter Review Homeworks
(5 x 20 Points)
100
points
Note: Must include the answers for Chapter 1
plus four (4) other chapters of your choice.
Each homework is due on Friday of the week
the chapter was assigned. No late answers.
5 Article Quizzes
(5 x 20 Points)
100
points
Midterm
100
points
Cumulative Final Exam
200
points
Total
500
points
VII. Exam Make-up Policy
NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN. If you
must miss an exam for an emergency of any
type, YOU MUST CONTACT ME IN ADVANCE
or IMMEDIATELY UPON REALIZING THAT
YOU WILL BE ABSENT. You must attend the
final exam to pass this class. Any EXCUSED
exam absences will be replaced by research
papers assigned by the instructor.
VIII. Late Work Policy
Course work submitted one day late receives
50% credit. Two days or more late and no credit
(0%) is given. This rule is strictly applied.
IX. Class Assignments/Instructor
Expectations
Please bring your book to class every Friday.
Students will come to each class session
prepared to learn. Specific reading and problem
assignments will be given in class and are listed
in the syllabus. Regular discussions of reading
material will occur on Fridays.
El Camino College offers many excellent
services such as counseling, tutoring, financial
aid, etc. Please make use of these services by
applying at the appropriate office. If you are
having difficulty with this course, you should visit
the instructor during office hours. If you have
any serious health problems, especially if they
may require emergency treatment, please notify
the instructor.
X. Academic Dishonesty Policy
College study is the process of becoming an
independent scholar. All students are expected
to do their own work. All forms of cheating and
plagiarism are absolutely forbidden. This is the
official policy of El Camino Community College
and the instructor of this course. Students found
to be using unauthorized materials on exams,
copying off of other student exams, copying
other written materials without proper credit to
the original author or any other form of cheating
will have that assignment marked F for failure
and may receive a failing grade for the course
depending on the seriousness of the violation.
Incidents of academic dishonesty will be
reported to the Vice President of Instruction and
become part of the student’s permanent
academic record.
XI. Schedule of Assignments
Subject and Reading Assignments
Introduction to Geography:
Key Concepts
From Hunter-Gatherers to
Globalization: Geographic History in
Nutshell
Textbook
Chapter
Readings
1
Reading 1: Cahill, Tim.
Professor Cahill’s Travel 101
Lecture
Only
Reading 3: Miner, Horace.
Body Ritual of the Nacirema
Review Questions
Review Questions: 1-11
Thinking Geographically: 2
Population and Migration
5
Reading 2: Green, Peter.
Infinite Ingress: A Human Wave
is Breaking Over California
Review Questions: 1-7
Cultural Geography:
Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Regions
6
Reading 4: Legrain, Phillipe.
In Defense of Globalization
Review Questions: 3, 5, 8
Thinking Geographically: 2-4
Reading 5: Cahill, Tim. The
Reception at Bamaga.
Language and Religion
7
Reading 6: Oster, Nicholas. A Review Questions: 3-4, 6, 7-8, 13
Loss for Words.
8
Handout : Lappe, Francis
Moore. Why Can’t People Feed
Themselves?
Review Questions: 1-3, 5
Reading 11: Diamond, Jared.
Easter’s End.
Review Questions: 1-3
** MIDTERM EXAM** (100 POINTS)
Agriculture:
The Human Food Supply
Resource and Environmental
Problems
9
Thinking Geographically: 1-4
Reading 12: Lopez, Barry. The
American Geographies
Reading 13: Connor, Steve:
The State of the World? It’s on
the brink of disaster.
Cities
10
Reading 8: Johnson, Reed.
Downtown Like Never Before.
Review Questions: 1-4
Reading 9: Katz, Bruce and
Amy Liu. Toward a Broader
Metropolitan Agenda.
Reading 10: Holston, Mark.
The Perfect Place; Curitiba:
Brazil’s Urban Paradise..
Political Geography:
A World of States
International Development
** FINAL EXAM ** (200 POINTS)
11
Lecture
Only
Reading 7: Johnson,
Chalmers. Blowback
Review Questions: 1, 3, 4
Chapter 13 Review Questions: 1,
4, 8; Thinking Geography 4 & 5