GEOG 4350: Topics in Modern Geography Spring 2011 ~ Section 001 ~ Tues/Thurs 11:00-12:20 ~ UH 321

Transcription

1 Instructor: Dr. Andrew Milson Office Number: Science Hall 323C Telephone Number: Address: Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 9:30-11 & M-F by appointment Course Description An examination of patterns and processes in human geography with an emphasis on making and interpreting maps using technological tools. Geographical concepts will be explored through case studies of real-world issues such as population growth, migration, urbanization, economic development, cultural conflict, disease, human impact on the environment, and globalization. Required Course Materials Human Geography in Action, 5th edition, by Kuby, Harner, and Gober, WileyPlus Edition Student Learning Outcomes Upon completing this course, students will be able to: 1. Convert map scale to real-world distances. 2. Recognize choropleth, proportional symbol, isoline, and dot maps. 3. Recognize that changing the scale and type of a map changes its message. 4. Understand the difference between changing scale and changing level of aggregation. 5. Use GIS to change the class limits on a choropleth map. 6. Describe the geographic distribution of groups in the United States. 7. Evaluate map layers using a geographic information system (GIS). 8. Define the core of a culture region on the basis of its main cultural traits. 9. Define the domain of a culture region based on the degree of agreement between culture trait boundaries. 10. Discuss the history and geography of the Middle East and/or American Southwest. 11. Identify the cultural traits that make your subregion distinctive versus those that are shared with the entire North American culture region. 12. Recognize symbolism as it is used to promote regional identity. 13. Recognize that regional imagery often promotes one group's identity while excluding that of others. 14. Define and give examples of hierarchical diffusion. 15. Define and give examples of contagious diffusion. 16. Interpret a scatter diagram. 17. Interpret animated maps that change over time. 18. Calculate cumulative totals and make a cumulative graph. 19. Describe the diffusion of AIDS in the United States. 20. Apply principles of spatial interaction to patterns of movement. 21. Identify the major source areas for migration to your state. 22. Use functions of a spreadsheet. 23. Produce and interpret a scatter diagram. 24. Discriminate between positive and negative residuals. 25. Identify outliers on a scatter diagram. 26. Think critically about models in human geography. 27. Relate the shape of population pyramids to a country's birth, death, and growth rates. 28. Differentiate population pyramids of countries with rapid, slow, and negative population growth. 29. Understand the hidden momentum built into current population pyramids. 30. Recognize the hypothetical nature of population projections. 31. Differentiate among primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary activity. Page 1

2 32. Explain how and why certain kinds of economic activities minimize certain kinds of costs. 33. Identify and explain employment patterns on maps. 34. Define the economic specializations of your state or province in relation to the nation, and understand why those specializations exist. 35. Describe how your state's economic profile has changed over time. 36. Differentiate between basic and nonbasic economic activity. 37. Calculate a regional multiplier from the ratio of total to basic activity. 38. Define development in economic and human welfare terms. 39. Identify countries where economic and human welfare measures yield different rankings of development. 40. Interpret the reasons for these different rankings. 41. Consult UN documents and Web sites to identify other development indicators. 42. Differentiate among agricultural landscapes. 43. Understand how and why the same crops and livestock are produced in different ways in different regions of the world. 44. Collect primary data in your local supermarket. 45. Describe global food chains. 46. Recognize different land uses in satellite images. 47. Use remote sensing to study land use change. 48. Differentiate between low- and high-order goods and services. 49. Construct and interpret a scatter diagram using a logarithmic scale. 50. Estimate the minimum market size necessary to support a central place function. 51. Relate high- and low-order goods and services to a city's position in the urban hierarchy. 52. Use a geographic information system (GIS) to modify market areas. 53. Understand land-use patterns and trends in today's cities. 54. Use electronic data from the U.S. Census Bureau or Statistics Canada. 55. Relate a small geographic area to the larger urban context. 56. Structure and sharpen field observation skills. 57. Assess the relationship between urban growth and transportation technology. 58. Articulate the causes of urban sprawl. 59. Use GIS layering to visualize the uneven geographic effects of urban sprawl. 60. Evaluate the alternative solutions to urban sprawl and recognize the inherent trade-offs among them. 61. Advocate a position on urban sprawl. 62. Negotiate an acceptable solution to urban sprawl with those who hold a different position. 63. Compute an index of residential segregation. 64. Use spreadsheet functions. 65. Make choropleth maps using a GIS. 66. Examine the geographical consequences of ethnic political turmoil. 67. Distinguish between the concepts of a nation and a state, ethnonationalism and irredentism, and nationalism and patriotism. 68. Recognize whether a country is a nation-state, and if not, why not. 69. Explain the advantages of regional autonomy and of unitary and federal systems of government. 70. Critically analyze news stories on ethnic conflicts around the world. 71. Interpret current events in the former Yugoslavia or Iraq in the context of their history and geography. 72. Calculate total carbon dioxide emissions from population, affluence, and technology data for different country groups. 73. Work with data in different units of measurement. 74. Relate levels of development and geographic location of countries to environmental impacts. 75. Break down environmental problems into five system components: human driving forces, human activities, environmental change, adverse consequences, and solutions. 76. Describe the causes and effects of the disappearing Aral Sea, cattle grazing in tropical Latin America, and wildlife corridors in North America. Page 2

3 77. Understand different stakeholder groups perspectives on environmental problems. 78. Advocate a position on an environmental problem, and search for solutions that are amenable to several groups. Major Assignments Your course grade will be determined by your performance on: Lab exercises (25%) Quizzes (10%) 3 exams (15% each) Comprehensive final exam (20%). Grading Policy Refer to the course calendar for due dates. No make-up work or extra credit assignments will be accepted in order to improve your grade. Grading Scale A = % B= 80-89% C= 70-79% D= 60-69% F = below 70% Attendance Policy Exercises and quizzes completed during class time will be assigned points. Since these activities require student s participation in specific class periods, the activities cannot be made up at any other time. Drop Policy Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through selfservice in MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point two-thirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for non-attendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information. Americans with Disabilities Act The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Any student requiring an accommodation for this course must provide the instructor with official documentation in the form of a letter certified by the staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored. Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based Page 3

4 academic accommodations can be found at or by calling the Office for Students with Disabilities at (817) Academic Integrity It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University. According to the UT System Regents Rule 50101, 2.2, "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." Student Support Services Available The University of Texas at Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to help students develop academic skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts and information related to their courses. These resources include tutoring, major-based learning centers, developmental education, advising and mentoring, personal counseling, and federally funded programs. For individualized referrals to resources for any reason, students may contact the Maverick Resource Hotline at or visit for more information. Electronic Communication Policy The University of Texas at Arlington has adopted the University MavMail address as the sole official means of communication with students. MavMail is used to remind students of important deadlines, advertise events and activities, and permit the University to conduct official transactions exclusively by electronic means. For example, important information concerning registration, financial aid, payment of bills, and graduation are now sent to students through the MavMail system. All students are assigned a MavMail account. Students are responsible for checking their MavMail regularly. Information about activating and using MavMail is available at There is no additional charge to students for using this account, and it remains active even after they graduate from UT Arlington. To obtain your NetID or for logon assistance, visit If you are unable to resolve your issue from the Self-Service website, contact the Helpdesk at helpdesk@uta.edu. Final Review Week A period of five class days prior to the first day of final examinations in the long sessions shall be designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow students sufficient time to prepare for final examinations. During this week, there shall be no scheduled activities such as required field trips or performances; and no instructor shall assign any themes, research problems or exercises of similar scope that have a completion date during or following this week unless specified in the class syllabus. During Final Review Week, an instructor shall not give any examinations constituting 10% or more of the final grade, except makeup tests and laboratory examinations. In addition, no instructor shall give any portion of the final examination during Final Review Week. Classes are held as scheduled during this week and lectures and presentations may be given. Page 4

5 Date GEOG 4350: Topics in Modern Geography Topic/Assignment 1.18 Introduction to the Course True Maps, False Impressions: Making, Manipulating, and Interpreting Maps 1.20 Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 1 on WileyPlus 1.25 Layers of Tradition: Culture Regions at Different Scales Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 2 on WileyPlus 2.1 Tracking the AIDS Epidemic in the United States: Diffusion through Space and Time Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 3 WileyPlus 2.8 Exam 1 Chapters Newton s First Law of Migration: The Gravity Model Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 4 WileyPlus 2.17 One Billion and Counting: The Hidden Momentum of Population Growth in India Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 5 on WileyPlus 2.24 Help Wanted: The Changing Geography of Jobs Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 6 on WileyPlus 3.3 Exam 2 Chapters Rags and Riches: The Dimensions of Development Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 7 on WileyPlus 3.15 SPRING BREAK 3.17 SPRING BREAK 3.22 Read: pp (Globalization of Agriculture) Lab: Complete LAB 8 on WileyPlus 3.24 Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Market Areas and the Urban Hierarchy Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 9 on WileyPlus 3.31 Reading the Urban Landscape: Census Data and Field Observation Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 10 on WileyPlus Page 5

6 4.7 Exam 3 Chapters The Disappearing Front Range: Urban Sprawl in Colorado Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 11 on WileyPlus 4.19 Do Orange and Green Clash? Residential Segregation in Northern Ireland Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 12 on WileyPlus 4.26 Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Nations, States, and Nation-States Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 13 on WileyPlus 5.3 Preserving the Planet: Human Impact on Environmental Systems Read: pp Lab: Complete LAB 14 on WileyPlus :00am -1:30pm Final Exam comprehensive (50% Chapters 11-14) Page 6