Geography of World Affairs: A Human--Environment Perspective
Fall 2004

Syllabus

This course examines and analyzes the interaction between people, the environment, and culture.  To do so it focuses on four somewhat separate yet interrelated themes:

Objective:  An understanding of the relationship of humans to their environment both physical and cultural around the globe and how this effects our future.

Population: The developed country dilemma -- this component of the course investigates the changing demographic pattern and problems emerging in developed countries of the world as opposed to developing countries.  It looks at the impacts of these changes on quality of life and survival of cultures as well as possible solutions to address these problems and how this is changing the spatial pattern of humans and the environment around the globe.  Specific emphasis is on Italy.

Cultural Collapse: Mayan Cities -- this component investigates the collapse of an ancient great civilization, the Maya, exploring the interplay of demographics, culture, economics, environment, and politics that lead to its demise.

Basis of Life: Water -- this component investigates a finite and rapidly diminishing water supply,  the Ogallala Aquifer in the American High Plains, which is under great stress.  It looks at the culture that emerged based on this resource and explores suggestions that are being made to change or even end this culture in order to adopt to a new future.

Basis of Life: Energy -- this component investigates the development of large scale hydro electric dams with a special emphasis on the Three Gorges Project in China (the world's largest dam).  It investigates the pheasability of such energy sources as well as the specific project that is currently nearing completion.

Organization:  The course is organized around a series of videos, lectures and discussions.  Active participation by students is essential to make a course of this nature work.

All readings are available electronically from library or web sources.  Students are expected to have read the posted material prior to class time.

Grading:

Pop Quizzes (10 points) -- at random pop quizzes will be given at the beginning of a class period (kindly arrive on time).  These serve a variety of purposes.  First and foremost they are informational and help the instructor to understand if students are understanding material.  Second, they reward preparation and attendance.  Third, they help the students to prepare for other examinations in class.  These pop quizzes will be graded on a three point basis either two points for taking the quiz and making an effort and a third point for a correct answer or if their purpose is merely informational all students will be awarded three points regardless of correct or incorrect answer. 

Three Examinations (15 points each) -- after each of the first three components of the course a short examination made up to multiple choice, identification and short answer questions will be given (check the schedule page for the the dates of these exams).

Final (30 points) -- a comprehensive final will be given at the end of the quarter reviewing materials from the first three components of the class as well as covering the final fourth component of the course.

Three Discussion Reports (5 points each) -- the last period for each component will consist of a discussion day.  Students will be given a list of open ended questions to consider, then broken into discussion groups of up to 10.  Each group is to come up with a report addressing and documenting these questions.  Students will be given time in class to draft an answer to the questions, then we will spend some time in class having some of the groups presenting their answers.  After class the group is to produce a final two page typewritten report which is due at the beginning of the next class period (also coincidentally the day of the component examination -- working on the report should prove a useful technique in preparing for the exam).  Discussion reports will only be assigned for the the first three components of the course.

Letter Grades -- In the examinations and final an anchor score system is used where the two highest scores represent 100% correct regardless of the number of points at risk.  All other scores then follow based on their proportion of the anchor.  Pop Quizzes are graded as noted above.  Discussion Reports can have a maximum of 5 points.  Course final grade is out of 100 points from the above measures.  Letter conversions based on the 100 points are as follows: