GEOG 301—Global Economic Geography
Spring 2012
A systematic survey of human economic activities. Analysis of resource exploitation and use, including agriculture, extractive
activities, industry, commerce, and service functions. Recommended for business and liberal arts majors. This is an approved
Global Culture (GC) course.
MWF 11-11:50
Butte 503
Dr. Jacque Chase--jchase@csuchico.edu
Ryan Miller, TA--rmiller43@mail.csuchico.edu
Dr. Chase’s Office Hours: M/W/TH 12-3 or by appointment in Butte 507
TA Office Hours: Friday 11-12 in Butte 111
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one
directly affects all indirectly—Martin Luther King “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963
Structure and Objectives of the Class
Economic Geography is a field of human geography that focuses on the distribution of production,
consumption and circulation on the earth’s surface, and how and why this distribution is changing. What
are the forces that drive the “creative destruction” of economic space and place? How are new global
players like China going to influence where and how you work? Do globalization and technology erase
the friction of distance in our economic transactions? How do transnational corporations create and
destroy productive spaces? How has the mobility of the workforce changed, and why? Which cities will
take command of the global economy? How do we explain the emergence of places like Silicon Valley,
Hollywood, or Bangalore? Can people plan for regional prosperity? All these questions are animated by
the restless geography of a diverse capitalism. This course takes a broad social science approach to the
subject of global economic geography. We will at times draw on social, cultural, political, and
psychological realms to understand the uneven and dynamic nature of the global economy. You are not
expected to have previous knowledge of economic theories or models, although we will go over some of
these.
The course is a combination of interactive lectures, class discussions on readings, and exercises. In
general, I will introduce a new topic or set of topics each Wednesday. The course will not meet on most
Fridays, marked in red in the course calendar. During these times you will be required to complete
exercises that help you practice and understand concepts in the readings. You will have basic reading
quizzes every Wednesday that help me establish your attendance and the extent to which you are getting
readings done in advance of each new topic. We reconvene on Monday, at which time you will be
required to demonstrate a critical understanding of the non-textbook readings. Throughout the course you
will also practice “critical writing” and “critical seeing,” which will be explained in due time. What is
important to emphasize now is that during the entire course you will be practicing critical thinking skills
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that you will use the rest of your intellectual life (in school and beyond). You will find that the skills you
will practice here will hone your abilities and make reading and writing (as well as seeing) more
meaningful to you. These are, in other words, lifelong capabilities.
The course is organized roughly around the intellectual trajectory of economic geography, but that does
not mean we will read all the classics in the field. Rather, the textbook gives us a “short cut” to this
background. The main focus of our critical reading, however, will be chapters and articles that are related
to the enduring yet current issues in economic geography (such as location of production).
Learning Outcomes
This course will introduce or expand on five of the Geography and Planning Department’s student
learning outcomes (SLOs):
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Formulate geographic research questions.
Recognize the presence and application of regional, local and global dimensions of the social and
physical worlds in data.
Understand varying interpretations of causality, interaction, policy and values in humanenvironmental relationships.
Understand the ways we use the environment can affect future generations and other human and
natural systems.
Analyze information from different physical or social sciences from a geographic perspective.
The course will reinforce the following learning objectives of general education (global cultures):
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Recognize and appreciate the diversity of the world economy.
Learn to think critically about the economic and cultural diversity of the world economy and
theories that explain this diversity.
Know basic factual information related to global economic diversity.
Course Requirements
Activities
Points
2 Critical Writings
2 Critical Seeing Exercises
9 Other Exercises
15 Skeletal Reading Quizzes
Final Exam
Participation/Critical Reading
Total
60
40
90
30
30
50
300
You can see by the weight given to participation that this is a valued part of this course. Because we will
be meeting only twice a week for much of the semester, it is essential that you make attendance of this
class a priority. As such, I will apply a stringent attendance policy as follows:
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Attendance will be taken every day, either in the form of reading quizzes (also graded—no make ups) or
roll. I will drop students who miss more than one class in the first two weeks of class. Absences will
affect your participation grade. Do not plan trips or schedule work during times when you should be in
class. Court dates, work, weddings, reunions, long weekends, etc. should not take priority over your
engagement with school and with your learning.
In addition to attendance, your participation grade will be based on how well prepared you are to discuss
the critical readings in class. I will provide a rubric for your own notes on the readings that you must
complete prior to class. I may occasionally collect these so you should bring them to class every day we
are scheduled to discuss the readings (usually on Mondays). You should also bring in your marked-up
copy of your reading from the reading packet. Although you will not always turn anything in to me, I will
keep track of your contributions. This is not about getting it “right” but making an effort, improving and
eventually learning the important skill of critical reading.
I do not accept assignments turned in to my mailbox or to my email, unless you have been instructed to
do so. Computer or printer breakdowns are not acceptable excuses for missing work so please plan ahead
and leave time for emergencies. When you are asked to post an assignment to Vista, please make sure you
have the computer connectivity to do so if you plan to work from home. If you are having ANY problems
with Vista that seem to be systematic (and not related to your own computer), please let me and Ryan
know immediately by email.
Cell phones, computers and other media will be turned off when you come into class.
Many announcements, calendar events, your grades, assignments, handouts, and other materials will be
on Vista (NOT Blackboard Learn). You are responsible for checking Vista every couple of days for
information. If you want to contact me or Ryan outside of class you can use the Vista email.
Be aware of the campus’s policy on academic honesty. If I have any reason to suspect you have copied
any portion of your papers or gotten unauthorized help, I will send the information to Student Judicial
Affairs and you risk failing the course. If you have questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty,
please don’t hesitate to ask.
Americans with Disabilities Act: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a
disability or chronic illness, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be
evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Please
also contact Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) as they are the designated department responsible for
approving and coordinating reasonable accommodations and services for students with disabilities. ARC
will help you understand your rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and
provide you further assistance with requesting and arranging accommodations.
Accessibility Resource Center--Student Services Center 170-- 530-898-5959--arcdept@csuchcio.edu
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Starting the second week of class we will mostly follow this sequence:
Wednesday
Quick skeletal reading quiz followed by introduction of the topic through interactive lecture and
discussion.
Friday
No class held but students complete project and turn in by 5 p.m. that day to Vista. Professor or
TA available online or in person from 11-12 most Fridays to answer questions.
Monday
Critical reading assignments discussed and turned in. Exercises handed back to students with
discussion.
A note on the readings: You will to do a lot of reading in this class. By developing critical reading skills,
you will find it easier to get through all kinds of readings, including those that you find serious and “dry.”
I cannot promise to assign you just entertaining readings. Some of the readings will challenge you but
please do not give up on them because they lose you at first. If we get bored when reading it is usually
because we don’t understand something, not because something is inherently uninteresting. As you learn
how to dissect your readings you will find it easier to understand and appreciate them even if they are not
written in a light style. I will also teach you some skills that will help you break down your reading before
you even begin by seeing its structure (“skeletal reading”). This will also help you speed up your reading.
What you should hand in when you do a writing assignment:
Include a cover page with your name, date, course information and assignment information on it. All
pages after the cover page should be numbered at the bottom right or center of the page. Write doublespaced with one-inch margins all around. Use indentation to denote the beginning of a paragraph. Do not
insert additional spaces between paragraphs. Your font should be 11-12. If you cite authors, use
parenthetical referencing as in Turabian Chapters 18 and 19. You may print on both sides of the paper or
use the clean side of scratch paper when you print an assignment. If you resubmit a draft, include the
marked-up draft or any comments provided by me or Ryan with your revised version. A revision should
be handed in no later than one week after the first draft is returned to you. All late assignments will lose a
grade point (A to A-, i.e.) for every day (or fraction of a day) late, including weekends.
Course Purchases
1. Wood, Andrew and Susan Roberts. 2011. Economic geography: Places, networks, flows. London and
New York: Routledge. Available at the AS bookstore. Noted as WR in calendar. About $45.
2. Reading packet from Mr. Kopy, #18. About $55.
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COURSE CALENDAR
Introduction
Jan. 23, 25
(M/W)
Warm up, introductions, quick write, critical reading example
Pre-course assessment
Location: Traditions
WR 13-23
Chapters intro, 1, 2 from The Box (Levinson)
Jan .27, 30
(F, M)
Von Thunen/transportation and
rent
Weber/transportation and raw
materials
Feb. 1, 3, 6
(W, F, M)
Regional Multipliers
Feb. 8, 10,
13 (W, F, M)
Christaller central place/Retail
Geography/Spaces of
Consumption
Consumption
WR 26-33; 36-43
Downtown mall (Filion and Hammond); Starbucks and Seattle
(Lyons)
Feb. 15, 17,
20 (W,F,M)
Corporate Geog; /Fordism and
beyond
Wal*Mart’s model
The Firm/Institutional Approaches
WR 53-71
Fordlândia Intro through Ch 3 (Grandin); Wal-Mart World (Burt
and Sparks)
Feb. 22, 24,
27 (W, F, M)
Role of state/Neo-liberal thought
Feb. 29, Mar.
2, 5 (W, F,
M)
Micro Firms/HH/Informal
Mar. 7, 9, 12
(W, F, M)
Foreign Direct Investment:
Dimensions, patterns,
explanations
Product Cycle
Trade, Commodity Chains,
Technology
Mar. 14, 16
(W, F)
Quantitative Revolution
WR 43-49
Economic impacts of prisons on rural places (Farrigan and
Glasmeier)
A Brief History of Neoliberalism, Introduction and Ch. 1
(Harvey); Cut and paste link below for article on contribution of
governments to corporations to attract business:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/business/states-pay-to-trainworkers-to-companiesbenefit.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha3;
"Global back channel" and "Culture of the copy" from Stealth of
Nations (Neuwirth); Beyond capitalist economies article (Wright)
Globalization
WR 73-93
The Box Ch. 14 (Levinson)
WR 93-97
Ch. 5 from Fresh: "vegetables" (Friedberg)
Quality and seafood (Mansfield)
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Reading Quiz Friday
Critical reading on The Box
due Monday
Critical writing #1 Exercise on Weber Due Monday Jan. 30
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on Farrigan and Glasmeier due Monday
Exercise on regional multiplier
Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on mall article and Starbucks article due Monday
Critical seeing #1 on spaces of consumption: Due Friday by 5 p.m.
on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on Burts and Sparks; Fordlândia due Monday
Exercise on large firms
Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on Harvey due Monday
Exercise on role of state
Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on Neuwirth and beyond capitalism article due
Monday
Critical writing #2 on Informal Economies: Due Friday by 5 p.m.
on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on The Box due Monday
Exercise on product cycle
Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Spring Break
Mar. 26 (M)
Commodities, continued
Mar. 28,
Apr. 2 (W,
M—Fri. C.
Chavez Day)
Apr. 4, 6, 9
(W, F, M)
Political Economy/uneven
development of capitalism/labor
Measuring and Visualizing
Development/Emerging Nations
Apr. 11, 13,
16 (W, F, M)
Population/development/women
Apr. 18, 20,
23 (W, F, M)
Local/Regional quotients and
shift-share
Apr. 25, 27,
30 (W, F, M)
May 2, 4, 7
(W, F, M)
Regional Decline
Clustering/Economies of
Agglomeration
May 9, 11
(W, F)
Resources/Nature/Global
Linkages/Protests
Critical reading on Fresh and seafood article due Monday
Exercise on commodities: Map your breakfast
Due Monday
Geographic Inequalities/Uneven Development under Globalization
WR 99-101
Reading Quiz Wednesday
A Brief History of Neoliberalism Ch. 4 (Harvey) ; Boomtown girl
Critical reading on Harvey, Boomtown girl, Atlantic M articles
(Hessler); Atlantic Monthly on Mfg in US (Davidson); Global
Due Monday
elite in Atlantic Monthly (Freeland)
Exercise on outsourcing due SUNDAY by 5 p.m. on Vista
WR 101-24
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Global land grab (Zoomers)
Critical reading on global land grab due Monday
Critical Seeing #2 on mapping due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
The Means of Reproduction Ch. 2 (Goldberg); Japan fertility
Reading Quiz Wednesday
decline (Boling); America's Egypt; (Mitchell)
Critical reading on Goldberg, Boling, Mitchell
Due Monday
Exercise on population due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
WR 125-30
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Manufacturing in Charlotte (Kalafsky); City of Quartz, Ch. 7 on
Critical reading on Kalatsky and Davis due Monday
Fontana (Mike Davis)
Exercise on location quotient Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
The Anatomy of Job Loss (Massey and Meegan) Ch. 6, 7
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Critical reading on Massey and Meegan due Monday
WR 130-36
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Excerpts from New Argonauts (Saxenian)
Critical reading on Saxenian due Monday
The world is spiky (Richard Florida)
Exercise on clustering—Due Friday by 5 p.m. on Vista
Nature
WR 138-58
Reading Quiz Wednesday
Miskitu Hunting (Dunn and Smith)
Critical reading on Miskitu hunting due FRIDAY in class
May 14 121:50 Final
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Course Bibliography (in order of appearance in reader)
Levinson, Mar. 2006. The box: How the shipping container made the world smaller and the world
economy bigger. Princeton University Press.
Glasmeier, Amy K. and Tracey Farrigan. 2007. The economic impacts of the prison development boom
on persistently poor rural places. International Regional Science Review 30:274-99.
Filion, Pierre and Karen Hammond. 2008. When planning fails: Downtown malls in mid-size cities.
Canadian Journal of Urban Research 17(2):1-27.
Lyons, James. 2005. ‘Think Seattle, act globally:’ Specialty coffee, commodity biographies and the
promotion of place. Cultural Studies 19(1):14-34.
Grandin, Greg. 2009. Fordlandia: The rise and fall of Henry Ford’s forgotten city. New York:
Metropolitan Books.
Brunn, Stanley D.,ed. 2006. Wal*Mart world: The world’s biggest corporation in the global economy.
New York and London: Routledge.
Harvey, David. 2005. A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford University Press.
Neuwirth, Robert. 2011. Stealth of nations: The global rise of the informal economy. New York:
Pantheon Books.
Wright, Sarah. 2010. Cultivating beyond-capitalist economies. Economic Geography 86(3):297-318.
Friedberg, Susanne. 2009. Fresh: A perishable history. Cambridge and London: Harvard University
Press.
Mansfield, Becky. 2003. Spatializing globalization: A ‘geography of quality’ in the seafood industry.
Economic Geography 79 (1):1-16.
Hessler, Peter. 2001. Boomtown girl: Finding a new life in the golden city. The New Yorker, May 28.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2001/05/28/010528fa_fact_hessler?printable=true (accessed
1/23/2010).
Davidson, Adam. 2012. Making it in America. The Atlantic Monthly, January/February.
Freeland, Chrystia. 2011. The rise of the new global elite. The Atlantic Monthly, January/February.
Zoomers, Annelies. 2010. Globalisation and the foreignisation of space: Seven processes driving the
current global land grab. The Journal of Peasant Studies 37(2): 429-47.
Goldberg, Michelle. 2009. The means of reproduction: Sex, power, and the future of the world. New
York; Penguin Books.
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Boling, Patricia. 2008. Demography, culture, and policy: Understanding Japan’s low fertility. Population
and Development Review 34(2):307-26.
Mitchell, Timothy. 1995. The object of development: America’s Egypt. In Power of development, ed.
Jonathan Crush, 129-57. London: Routledge.
Kalafsky, Ronald V. 2007. An examination of the challenges of Charlotte manufacturers. The
Professional Geographer 59(3):334-43.
Davis, Mike. 1990. City of quartz: Excavating the future in Los Angeles. New York: Vintage Books.
Massey, Doreen and Richard Meegan. 1982. The anatomy of job loss: The how, why and where of
employment decline. London and New York: Methuen.
Saxenian, AnnaLee. 2006. The new argonauts: Regional advantage in a global economy. Harvard
University Press.
Florida, Richard. 2005. The world is spiky: Globalization has changed the economic playing field, but
hasn’t leveled it. The Atlantic Monthly, October.
Dunn, Marc Andre and Derek. A. 2011. The spatial patterns of Miskitu hunting in northeastern
Honduras: Lessons for wildlife management in tropical forests. Journal of Latin American
Geography 10(1): 85-108.
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Your Name ___________________________________________
An email other than your Vista contact_____________________
Where are you from?
Where have you lived?
Picture Here
What’s your major?
Tell me something about yourself
Tell me something about how you learn
What other classes are you taking this semester?
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