GEOG 303.03 and .72 Geography and World Affairs

Syllabus

Spring 2012                                                       Dr. Scott Brady
Office: 523 Butte Hall                                         Location: Cyberspace      

Office Hours: MWF 9-9:40 and 11-12:40.                   

Phone: 898-5588                                      
 sbrady@csuchico.edu

 

Men are so inclined to content themselves with what is commonest; the spirit and the senses so easily grow dead to the impressions of the beautiful and perfect, that every one should study, by all methods, to nourish in his mind the faculty of feeling these things... For this reason, one ought every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.

     Goethe, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship. Bk. v, ch. 1 (Carlyle, tr.) [source: Stevenson]

General Education:

THEME G: GLOBAL ISSUES 

 

Course Description:

This course is a geographical survey of several of the world's major regions with emphasis on those features important to an understanding of cultural differences and economic and human sustainability. This course presents fundamental geographic concepts in the context of the world's places and regions. Special emphasis is placed on factors that link and isolate peoples of the world. 

Course Objectives:

Course Format: This is an online readings course.  We never meet.  We read, do exercises, take 3 exams and write a paper.  Students may utilize the chat room feature on our Vista site.  I will not monitor chats and they will not be graded.  Students should utilize the chat room as a support tool.  You can exchange questions, information and helpful hints in the chat room. 

Email: Students should utilize the email feature on our Vista site for all communication with me. Sometimes students ask questions that are shared by other students.  In such cases, I'll post my answer as an announcement on the Vista site.

Office Hours:  I also will use office hours to answer studentsÕ email inquiries. This will require patience. Students should not expect immediate responses to emails. I will respond only during office hours.

Website: will regularly update the course website.  Students must visit the site to be aware of changes and additions.  You will find links to websites embedded in each week of the course.  I will also post questions beneath these links that will guide your viewing of these sites.  The information that I guide you to will be covered on exams.

Readings: A fundamental element of a liberal education is the development of the ability to read critically. Hence, your success in this course largely depends on the amount of time and effort you devote to the assigned readings.

Question Sets:  To ensure that students keep up with the assigned readings, students must complete question sets that guide them through assigned textbook readings. You do not turn in question sets to be graded.  You simply complete them to prepare yourself for the exams.  I post question set keys every week or so, so that you may check your answers against mine.

Atlas Exercises: Students will complete several atlas exercises during the course.  These are self-directed exercises that you will not turn in to me.  Similar to questions sets, I post keys every week or so, so that you may check your answers against mine.  I use atlas exercise to create exam questions.

Exams: There are 3 exams.  They are open book exams that include information from the readings, question sets, atlas exercises other materials that I direct you to through the web-site.  Exams contain 25-30 multiple choice/short answer questions.  I will make exams available for a 4-day period. Students will have ~60 minutes to complete exams.

Make-up Exams: I do not allow students to make-up missed exams.

Optional Research Project: Students have the option of completing a research project in this course.  The research project is an annotated bibliography of at least 1500 words. It has two parts: a proposal and the final project. The instructions for the proposal are at this link. The instructions for the final project are at this link. Here's a past example of an annotated bibliography: link. Students will turn in this project in the body of an email, not as an email attachment.  You will send your proposal and annotated bibliography to my email address: sbrady@csuchico.edu.

Plagiarism: Unfortunately, students have committed plagiarism on their annotated bibliographies during past semesters.  They copied work from an online source and presented it as their own.  I referred these students to judicial affairs and asked that they receive the most severe penalty.  I will continue to do so. 

The University catalogue http://www.csuchico.edu/catalog/cat05/ includes an overly general description of activities that constitute plagiarism.  I have included it below.  

"Plagiarism: Copying homework answers from your text to hand in for a grade; failing to give credit for ideas, statement of facts, or conclusions derived from another source; submitting a paper downloaded from the Internet or submitting a friend's paper as your own; claiming credit for artistic work (such as a music composition, photo, painting, drawing, sculpture, or design) done by someone else."

You must use in-text citations to give credit to your sources.  If you have any questions about plagiarism, please contact me.

Grades:

Academic Policies and Regulations

Final grades are based on % of 200 or 150 total points, earned from the categories below.
A=92-100%; B= 80-91%; C=68-79%; D=50-67%; and F= less than 50%.

Exam 1

50 points

Exam 2

50 points

Exam 3

50 points

Research Project

  50 points

Total

200 points

 

If you choose not to complete the research project, your grade will be based on 3 exams. See below

 

Exam 1

50 points

 

Exam 2

50 points

 

Final Exam

50 points

 

Total

150 points

Required Materials:

CSU-Chico's bookstore will have these books.  You should also bargain shop online.  I like http://www.abebooks.com/

Online Resources:

Language, Vocabulary and Esoterica

Magazines and Newspapers

Maps

Population

Religion

Tentative Schedule:

Week 1: 1/23-1/27

Course requirements; Introduction to Geography

 

Question Set 1: From Concepts and Regions in Geography.

Key

Remember that you do not turn this question set or any others to me for grading.

Week 2: 1/30-2/3

Europe

Question Set 2: From Concepts and Regions in Geography.

Key
 


Europe Atlas Exercise
Key

 

Web Resources:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/europe_ref01.jpg

Week 3: 2/6-2/10

Europe

 

Annotated Bibliography information: I have received questions about topics for this assignment.  I allow a wide range of topics because I want students to research a topic that interests them.   My only restrictions are that the topic must be focused in a region that we study this semester and the topic must be mappable.  We will study Europe, Middle America, South America and North Africa/Southwest Asia this semester.

I encourage you to send me any ideas that you have for the assignment.  I'll let you know if you are on the right track.

Also, I will not accept proposals about human trafficking this semester.

Required Reading
Friedman Chapter 1 Questions
Key

 

Required Online Reading:
The two links below contain information about immigration to Europe.  Read them and consider the parallels between migration of laborers to the US and EU.

http://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/billysjourney.htm

Europe's Back Doors.  

 

Web Resources:

Roman Empire
European Union Map
http://www.3dphoto.net/stereo/world/europe/great_britain/gb/great_britain_locator.html

Week 4: 2/13-2/17

Europe

Atlas Exercise #2.

Key
 


Required Online Readings:
The six links below provide information about the growing EuropeÕs growing Muslim population.  I will not post a question set for these articles. However, I will test you on the material.  So read them closely.

 

1. http://pewforum.org/Muslim/An-Uncertain-Road-Muslims-and-the-Future-of-Europe.aspx

 

This link will inform you about the growing population of Muslims in the EU.  You are not required to read the pdf at this link

 

2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251378.stm

This link describes a past controversy between European newspapers and leaders and the Islamic world. This story was among the first that indicated the tension that had developed among Muslims in Europe, Europeans and Arab countries

3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7232661.stm

This link demonstrates Islam's growing influence in Great Britain.

 

4. and 5. The two articles below report on recent comments made by leaders of Germany, France and Great Britain about the failures of EuropeÕs policy of multiculturalism.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12381027

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12376304

 

6. http://pewforum.org/Muslim/Muslim-Networks-and-Movements-in-Western-Europe.aspx

This link provides the most recent demographic data about EuropeÕs Muslims.  It also discusses the real and false links between European Muslims and Muslim networks and terrorism.

Week 5: 2/20-2/24

Middle America

Question Set Ch 4: From Concepts and Regions in Geography.

Key

 

Friedman Chapter 3 Questions
Key

 

Atlas exercise
Key

 

Required Online Reading  
History Moving North
http://www.igc.org/dbacon/Portrait/01MaLife.htm


 

Sample exam questions

 

Week 6: 2/27-3/2

 Middle America continued

Exam 1 will be available February 28-March 2.   The exam will be available at our Vista site from Tuesday 8 am until Friday 5 pm.

Week 7: 3/5-3/9

Middle America 

 

Annotated Bibliography Proposal Due March 9

Instructions at this link.

 

Hello Onliners.  This week I want you to view the documentary, Life and Debt.  Just click on the link and you can view it. Be sure to watch all 4 portions.  Below the link you will find questions for the video.

http://www.livevideo.com/video/BESToftheBEST/8572389162284FFD9468AD17757C5D95/life-and-debt-1of-4.aspx

Students have reported problems with the link above.  Try this one instead and be sure to watch all 13 clips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF7DMkyalHU&p=91EC553862D23EE4

 

Life and Debt Questions

Key

Week 8: 3/12-3/16

South America

Question set
Key

 

Atlas exercise

Key

Week 9: 3/19-3/23  Spring Break

Week 10: 3/26-3/30

March 30. No class in honor of Csar  Chˆvez Day.

South America

 

Hello Onliners. Read the articles at the 3 links below to learn about the role of coca in Andean South America.

Required Online Readings:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94518300

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6934807.stm

http://www.democracyctr.org/blog/2010/03/usbolivia-drug-show.html

Required Non-online reading:

Hot, Flat and Crowded QS #1

Key

 

Hot, Flat and Crowded QS #2

Key

 

Plan Colombia is a US-Colombia plan that came about during the Clinton administration.  Read this document closely.  Consider what amounts of money are being used for what specific activities and supplies. 

http://www.state.gov/www/regions/wha/colombia/fs_000328_plancolombia.html

I also want you to read the report from the US governmentÕs Government Accountability Office (GAO). It is a report on the successes and failures of Plan Colombia

GAO Report on Plan Colombia

And finally, view this 25-minute video. Shoveling Water, from Witness for Peace, which details the consequences of one aspect of Plan Colombia

Shoveling Water

 

Week 11: 4/2-4/6


Exam 2 will be available April 3-April 6.   The exam will be available at our Vista site from Tuesday 8 am until Friday 5 pm.
 

Exam 2 will include questions about this weekÕs readings.

Sample Exam Questions

 



Hello Onliners. This week I want to conclude our look at South America by considering the region's most provocative figure, Hugo Chavez.  Read the two articles at the links below to learn how Chavez is using his country's petroleum reserves to influence global geo-politics.

 

http://www.coha.org/press-release-a-suggestion-to-president-hugo-chavez-reevaluate-your-alliances/
 
http://www.coha.org/china-in-search-of-energy-security-chavez-lays-out-the-welcome-mat/

 

 

Week 12: 4/9-4/13

North Africa/Southwest Asia

Please view the animation at the link below to see an introduction to this realm:

http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/EMPIRE17.swf

 

Question set

Key
 

Atlas exercise

Key


Lexus and The Olive Tree p. 249-256.

Friedman Questions

Key
 

Hot, Flat and Crowded QS #3

Key


Web Resources: 
PASSIA: Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs - Jerusalem
http://www.mideastweb.org/maps.htm

http://www.mideastweb.org/mrefugees.htm
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/pillars.shtml
http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

 

 

 

Week 13: 4/16-4/20

North Africa/Southwest Asia

Required Online Reading:
I want you to read the article at the link below. The first link is the actual article from the Armed Forces Journal and suggests what the map of the Middle East might look like after the war in Iraq ends and the US has departed. The second is a link to the map that he discusses in the article.

1. http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2006/06/1833899

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ralph_Peters_solution_to_Mideast.jpg

 

Hot, Flat and Crowded QS #4

Key

 

Web Resources:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~gov46/sykes-picot-1916.gif

 http://www.dartmouth.edu/~gov46/uk-mideast-1917-1971.gif

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~gov46/dates-independence.gif

http://www.pbs.org/lawrenceofarabia/

http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/0_pal_facts_MAPS.htm

http://www.mideastweb.org/mrefugees.htm

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_middle_east/iraq_timeline.jpg
 
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/iraq_dissident_areas_1992.jpg
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/iraq_oilfields_1992.jpg

Week 14: 4/23-4/27

North Africa/Southwest Asia

Required Readings:

Hot, Flat and Crowded QS #5

Key

 

FriedmanÕs Take on Bin LadenÕs Death

No QS


 

Week 15: 4/27-5/4

Required Reading:

The Arab Spring at One. By: Ajami, Fouad, Foreign Affairs, 00157120, Mar/Apr2012, Vol. 91, Issue 2

Question Set

Key

 

Example of annotated bibliography

This link http://www.aallnet.org/products/2004-47.pdf no longer works.  It used to lead to an example of an annotated bibliography that a student copied during a previous semester.  The primary lesson is do not copy or plagiarize.
 
This week you should make final edits and complete your annotated bibliographies.  They are due on Friday, May 4.  Be certain to review the assignment instructions above and the description about plagiarism.  If you have any questions, contact me. You must turn your paper into turnitin.com before turning it in to me. 
The instructions for Turnitin.com are at this link. This is a required part of your annotated bibliography assignment.  You should submit your paper to turnitin 3 or 4 days before May 6 so that you will have time to correct any errors.

The due date for your annotated bibliography is Friday, May 4.

 

Week 16: 5/7-5/11


Prepare for the final exam.

Week 17: 5/14-5/18

Final Exam Week
The final exam will be available from Tuesday at 8 am until Friday at 5 pm, not Friday at midnight.



Final exam questions from past semesters