Introduction
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Course Logistics
Syllabus
 Website
 Assignments
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Grading
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28% Quiz 1
20% Quiz 2
8% Quiz 3
36% Discussion assignments (3% each)
4% Discussion participation
4% Map Literacy
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Map Literacy
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Part of understanding Regional Geography is map
literacy and knowing where places are
To get credit for this component of class students
will make use of a free app/website called Seterra.
Links to specific Seterra map quizzes are posted
on blackboard.
All must be completed by May 4th
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Discussion Sections and
Homework
Weekly discussion/homework
assignments are posted under the
content tab of blackboard
 Responses are to be submitted via
blackboard Wednesday morning at 9am
each week
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What is Geography?
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What is a Social Science?
Primary focus on people
 Science = uses the scientific method
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What is the Scientific Method?
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Observe the world
Come up with a possible explanation
(Hypothesis)
 To be the scientific method a hypothesis must
be capable of being proven wrong.
○ falsifiable
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Test that hypothesis
Repeat as necessary
Theory: hypothesis that has been unable to
be demonstrated as false
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How do we formulate and test a
hypothesis in the social
sciences?
Data collection
Experimentation and methods
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Some of the Realms of Geographic
Thought
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Physical Geography
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Geology and geomorphology
Oceanography
Atmospheric sciences
Environmental Geography
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Economic geography
Political geography
Conflict geography
Feminist geography
Human Geography
Interface of the two: Human-Environment
Interaction
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1st Discussion Assignment:
Country Fact Sheet
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Pick a country from a region other than the region in
which the country you consider to be home resides
Create a 1 page, bullet point style fact sheet that
summarizes basic information about “your” country
Physical attributes: location, climate, landscape, biota,
natural resources, environmental threats, etc
Economic attributes: types of activities, income, poverty
levels, HDI (more in a bit), trade relationships, currency,
etc
Social Attributes: language, religions, ethnic groups,
notable traditions or holidays, fashion, etc
CIA world fact book is good inspiration BUT do not simply
copy it.
Cite all your sources, don’t use encyclopedias!
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If I should not use encyclopedias
where can I get basic
information?
CIA World Fact Book
 United Nations
 World Bank
 Government Websites
 Media sources (evaluate
trustworthiness!)
 Books and scholarly articles
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Citations
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Regardless of style, all must include
basic information
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Author
Title
Date published
How published
○ Journal name
○ Book publisher
○ Organization (for web or official documents)
○ url and retrieval date for web only resources
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Converging Currents of Globalization
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Globalization
 Increasing interconnectedness
 Human and physical environments
 Continual reorganization of global and local
geographies
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Understanding our contemporary world
 Challenging
 Necessary
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What is globalization?
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Economic Globalization
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Global communication systems
Transportation systems
Transnational corporations
International financial institutions
Free trade agreements
Market economies
Abundance of goods and services
Economic disparities
International workforce
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Cultural Globalization
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Changing Human Geographies
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Cultural changes
 Consumer culture
 Tensions
 Western values
 Traditional diets changing
 Language
 Societal values
 Hybridization
 Demographic changes
 Crime
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Globalization and Migration
Push and pulls
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Geopolitics and Globalization
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International government structures (e.g., United Nations)
Geopolitical integration
Regional organizations (e.g., EU, WTO)
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The Environment and Globalization
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Intensifying environmental problems
Disrupted local ecosystems
Commodification of resources
Displacement of native peoples
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Controversy About Globalization
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Advocates of globalization
Critics of globalization
A middle position
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Diversity in a Globalizing World
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Homogenization
Protection of diversity
Economic unevenness
Flat versus spiky world
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Geography Matters: Environments, Regions,
Landscapes
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Areal differentiation
 Describe and explain differences
between places.
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Areal integration
 Describe and explain linkages or
connections between places.
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Scale
 Local to global
 Complicated linkages
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Regions
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Formal
 Clear political or
physical definition
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Functional
 Defined by
administrative or
other practical
interactions
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Vernacular
 No formal
definition,
common
language
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The Cultural Landscape
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Visible, material expression of human
settlement
Exhibits great diversity across the globe
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The Geographer’s Toolbox: Location, Maps,
Remote Sensing, and GIS
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World Regional Geography
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Population and Settlement
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Population Growth and Change
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Population Pyramids
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The Demographic Transition
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Global Migration and Settlement
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Migration
 Cities
 Urbanized
population
 Push versus
pull factors
 Net migration
rate
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Population Density
Agricultural
landscape, Iowa,
United States
Dense
settlement, India
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Cultural Coherence and Diversity
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Cultural collisions and hybridization
 Colonization
 Globalization
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Cultural imperialism
 Promotion of one cultural system at the expense
of another
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Cultural nationalism
 Protection and defense of a cultural system
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World Languages
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World Religions
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Gender and Globalization
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Gender
 A sociocultural
construct
 Gender roles
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Geopolitical Framework
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The nation-state
Separatism
 Ireland
 Scotland
 Iraq
 Spain
 Russia
 ….
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The Colonial Imprint
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Global Conflict and Insurgencies
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Product of and reaction to globalization?
Counterterrorism
Counterinsurgency
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Economic and Social Development
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What is
Development?
2 standard
definitions
 Economic growth
○ GDP/capita
 Improvement in
social welfare
○ Life expectancy
○ Literacy
○ Poverty reduction
○ Social equality
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More and Less Developed Countries
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Indicators of Economic Development
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Amartya Sen
Development as Freedom
 Freedom from hunger, suffering,
violence, disease, ignorance,
discrimination
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Indicators of Social Development: The HDI
Most common metric
 Measures : health, wealth, education
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Poverty and Mortality
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Poverty and deep poverty
Under age 5 mortality
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Literacy and Gender Equity
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