GHY 1020‐101 – World Regional Geography – Spring 2015 MWF 1:00 – 1:50 PM – 293 Rankin Science West Professor: L. Baker Perry, Ph.D. Office: 296 Rankin Science West Phone: (828) 262‐7597 Email: perrylb@appstate.edu Office hours: MWF 9:00 – 11:00 AM, MW 2:00 – 3:00 PM, or by appointment Required Texts and Readings 1. Rowntree, Les, Martin Lewis, Marie Price, and William Wyckoff. 2015. Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development (6th Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. 2. Course materials (including special readings) available on AsUlearn. Course Description: GHY 1020 focuses on people and environments from a world regional perspective. Over the course of the semester, we will study the geographic characteristics of each of the twelve regions of the world. First we will investigate the physical geography—especially climate, as the physical processes play important roles in the subsequent human occupation and help us understand regional differentiations. We then examine patterns of population and settlement in each region. This moves us towards the study of cultural coherence, diversity and the geopolitical framework of the region. We will conclude each regional study by addressing economic and social development. Throughout the course, we will tackle contemporary global issues such as economic globalization, health and development, agriculture, and global climate change. In addition, we will explore how many global and local issues are connected, especially in the context of globalization, free trade, and agriculture. Lastly, we will work with sketch maps to understand and conceptualize the spaces within which the regions, physical processes, and human processes occur. Objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should have a better understanding of global cultures and environments, be able to think critically about contemporary global and local issues, and sketch a detailed map of the world. Exam Dates: Exam I 4 Feb Grading: Attendance 10% Exam II 4 Mar Midterm Exams 40% Exam III Response Paper 10% 3 Apr Map Project 20% Exam IV 1 May Final Exam 20% Final Exam 5 May Attendance: Course attendance is expected and will be taken on a routine basis. Two absences are allowed without penalty (and no questions asked!); each additional absence results in a 2.5‐point deduction from your participation grade. Absences may be excused for verifiable emergencies and for university‐sponsored activities. Response Paper: One response paper (4‐6 pages in length) will provide students with an opportunity to critically engage readings and topics covered in class. The due date is March 25th. Specific instructions will be given at a later date. Sketch Map Project: Though there are many ways to describe the world, maps convey a tremendous amount of information in a concise format. While labeling and studying maps can be instructive, the process of sketching continents, rivers, political and cultural divisions, and other features will force you to untangle topological relationships and learn different physical and human features. Therefore, you will have a map project that will account for 20% of your final grade. The project is due on April 15th at the beginning of class. Exams: There will be four required exams over the course of the semester. Make up exams will only be given due to a verifiable emergency. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the faculty member within 24 hours of the scheduled exam to request a makeup. Final Exam: The final exam is cumulative and is scheduled for May 5th, from 9:00 to 11:30 AM. All students will take the final at this time. Letter Grading Scale: Highest Lowest Letter
100.0
93.0
A
92.9
90.0
A‐
89.9
87.0
B+
86.9
83.0
B 82.9
80.0
B‐
79.9
77.0
C+
76.9
73.0
C 72.9
70.0
C‐
69.9
67.0
D+
66.9
63.0
D 62.9
60.0
D‐
59.9
0.0
F
Course Policies TARDINESS: The course will begin promptly at 1:00 PM. Please arrive on time or a little before to avoid being inconsiderate of your fellow classmates. Please note that you will likely be marked absent if you arrive late. CELL PHONES AND WIRELESS DEVICES: Please turn off all cell phones during class. Texting will not be tolerated during class. EATING: Please eat your meals before or after class. No food is allowed while class is in progress. Statement of Student Engagement with Courses In its mission statement, Appalachian State University aims at “providing undergraduate students a rigorous liberal education that emphasizes transferable skills and preparation for professional careers” as well as “maintaining a faculty whose members serve as excellent teachers and scholarly mentors for their students.” Such rigor means that the foremost activity of Appalachian students is an intense engagement with their courses. In practical terms, students should expect to spend two to three hours of studying for 2
every hour of class time. Hence, a fifteen hour academic load might reasonably require between 30 and 45 hours per week of out‐of‐class work. Academic Integrity Code As a community of learners at Appalachian State University, we must create an atmosphere of honesty, fairness, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of each other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of an Appalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form and will oppose any instance of academic dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code, which can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web Site: http://studentconduct.appstate.edu/. Office of Disability Services Appalachian State University is committed to making reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented qualifying disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If you have a disability and may need reasonable accommodations in order to have equal access to the University’s courses, programs and activities, please contact the Office of Disability Services (828.262.3056 or www.ods.appstate.edu). Once registration is complete, individuals will meet with ODS staff to discuss eligibility and appropriate accommodations. 3
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Topic
Globalization
Themes and Issues in World Regional Geography
Portraying the Earth: Maps and Map Projections
No Class ‐‐ MLK Holiday
Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Global Circulation and World Climates
Global Climate Change: Detection and Attribution
Energy, Water, and Biogeography
King Corn
King Corn
Exam I
North America: Physical Geography
North America: The Human Landscape
Unnatural Causes: The U.S. Health Crisis
Latin America: Physical Geography
Climate Change in the Tropical High Andes
Latin America: Population, Culture, and Geopolitics
El Salvador: The Violence of Love
Liberation Theology
Latin America: From Dependency to Neoliberalism
The Caribbean: Natural Hazards
The Caribbean: The Human Landscape
Exam II
Sub‐Saharan Africa: Physical Geography
No Class ‐‐ Spring Break
No Class ‐‐ Spring Break
No Class ‐‐ Spring Break
Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Human Landscape
N Africa and SW Asia: Physical Geography
N Africa and SW Asia: The Human Landscape
N Africa and SW Asia: Geopolitical Tensions
Europe: Physical Geography
Europe: Population and Settlement
The Russian Domain
Central Asia
Exam III
No Class ‐‐ State Holiday
South Asia: Physical Geography
South Asia: The Human Landscape
Glacier Change in the Himalayas
Southeast Asia: Physical Geography
Southeast Asia: The Human Landscape
East Asia: Physical Geography
East Asia: The Human Landscape
2011 Japan Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster
Australia and Oceania
Sir Ernest Shackleton and the West Wind Drift
Exam IV
Final Exam (9:00 ‐ 11:30 AM) 4
Readings
Chapter 1 (pp. 1‐12)
Chapter 1 (pp. 12‐49)
McKnight & Hess 2005 (pp. 30‐41)
Chapter 2 (pp. 50‐55)
Chapter 2 (pp. 56‐63)
Chapter 2 (pp. 61‐65)
Chapter 2 (pp. 66‐81)
http://www.kingcorn.net/
http://www.kingcorn.net/
Study!
Chapter 3 (pp. 82‐94)
Chapter 3 (pp. 95‐135)
http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/
Chapter 4 (pp. 136‐153)
Brönnimann et al. 2014
Chapter 4 (pp. 154‐177)
Romero 2003
Gutiérrez 2005
Chapter 4 (pp. 177‐191)
Chapter 5 (pp. 192‐205)
Chapter 5 (pp. 205‐237)
Study!
Chapter 6 (pp. 238‐253)
Chapter 6 (pp. 254‐295)
Chapter 7 (pp. 296‐308)
Chapter 7 (pp. 308‐349)
Chapter 7 (pp. 328‐337)
Response Paper Due, Chapter 8 (pp. 350‐362)
Chapter 8 (pp. 363‐397)
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Study!
Chapter 12 (pp. 538‐547)
Chapter 12 (pp. 547‐583)
Work on Sketch Maps!
Sketch Maps Due, Chapter 13 (pp. 588‐598)
Chapter 13 (pp. 598‐635)
Chapter 11 (pp. 482‐495)
Chapter 11 (pp. 495‐535)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
Chapter 14
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/shackleton/expedintro.html
Study!