Spring 2004

Geography 200: World Regional Geography

09806-9

Location: 207 Koffolt Lab (KL)

Time: M-W-F, 10:30 to 11:48 a.m.

Instructor: Trevor Birkenholtz

Email: birkenholtz.1@osu.edu

Office: 1070 Derby Hall

Phone: (614) 292-2705

Office Hours: By appointment (email is the best way to contact me!)

Teaching Associate: Kumuda Dorai

Email: dorai.1@osu.edu

Office: 1070 Derby Hall

Phone: (614) 292-2705

Office Hours: M & W, 12:00 – 1:30 pm

Class Website: http://geog-www.sbs.ohio-state.edu/courses/G200/birkenholtz/

Course Description

This is an introductory course in Geography. The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to a geographical understanding of the world. This course will focus on trends in environment, development and population in geographic regions within a global context. Methods and concepts will be introduced and applied to examine the processes that drive change around the world today. By learning geographical techniques of analysis, you will leave this course with a basic understanding of major social and environmental trends in many of the world’s regions in the contemporary global context. Crucial to understanding global processes, is the knowledge of where human and physical features exist. Therefore, students will become familiar with where places and features are in the world. Lastly, the central theme of this course will be to focus on the economic, social, and political processes of globalization that mediate peoples’ relationship with their environment but play themselves out differently in diverse but interdependent and synergistically affected world regions.

Disability Statement

All efforts will be made to accommodate students with disabilities. The Office for Disability Service will be relied upon for assistance in verifying the need for accommodations and for developing accommodation arrangements. Students with disabilities are responsible for making their needs known to me and for seeking assistance in a timely manner.

Texts and Reading

• 2003. Rowntree, L., M. Lewis, M. Price, and W. Wyckoff. Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development - Second Addition.  Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice Hall. This title is available at the local bookstores.
• Additional readings on electronic reserve and occasional handouts.

Requirements

• Attendance will not be taken, but is expected. Exams will be based on lecture & reading; it is in your best interest to attend class. Lectures may not encompass all the readings.
• In addition to the textbook, there will be supplementary readings from time to time. These will serve as both basis for classroom discussion and exam material. There may be short in-class assignments related to these readings.
• Videos will be shown throughout the quarter to emphasize particular points. There may also be quick in-class assignments related to the videos.
• There will be seven map quizzes that correspond to particular regions of study. These will be short and not exhaustive. They will focus on social, physical, and political features. A study guide will be handed out prior to all map quizzes.
• There will be two exams: a midterm and a final. They will consist of mostly short-answer and multiple choice questions. There may, however, be some short essays.
• There will be one research paper that will require you to synthesize geographical concepts and analyses. This will require library and internet research. The assignment will be handed out early in the quarter so that students can get a head start on it. Details will be given with the assignment.

Evaluation and Grading

All assignments and quizzes are due on the assigned date. There will be no exceptions unless a medical excuse is provided. Late assignments will not be accepted. See the instructor about making up quizzes (but only if you have a medical excuse). Students are encouraged to consult the instructor early in the quarter if they anticipate problems either with class attendance or with turning in assignments or taking quizzes, for example because of a full-time job.

The final grade is based on a proportion of the total possible points cumulated over the quarter. There is a total of 600 points.

Map Quizzes 10 points each x 7= 70 points

Miscellaneous* 30 points

Midterms 100 total points x 2= 200 points

Final 150 total points x 1= 150 points

Research Paper 150 total points x 1= 150 points

* Random quizzes, class participation/handout responses

Grading Scale

A = 93 – 100%; A- = 90 – 92.99%

B+ = 87 – 89.99; B = 83 – 86.99; B- = 80 – 82.99

C+ = 77 – 79.99; C = 73 – 76.99; C- = 70 – 72.99

D+ = 67 – 69.99; D = 63 – 66.99;

E = 0 – 62.99

Tentative Schedule

Week	Date	Region or Topic	Readings	Notes
1	M 29-Mar	Introduction
	W 31-Mar	The Geographers’ Toolbox	1-47
	F 02-April	Deconstructing Maps
2	M 05-April	Europe	320-371	MQ 1
	W 07-April	Europe
	F 09-April	Europe
3	M 12-April	The Global Environment	48-75
	W 14-April	Socio-Environmental Processes	Blaut – electronic reserve
	F 16-April	Socio-Environmental Processes
4	M 19-April	North America	76-123	MQ 2
	W 21-April	North America		Chicago
	F 23-April	North America		Columbus
				Columbus2
5	M 26-April	Exam I	Study Guide	Midterm I
	W 28-April	Latin America	124-177
	F 30-April	Latin America		MQ 3
6	M 03-May	Central Asia	418-453	MQ 4
	W 05-May	Central Asia
	F 07-May	Central Asia
7	M 10-May	S-Saharan Africa	218-273	MQ 5
	W 12- May	S-Saharan Africa		Article1
	F 14- May	S-Saharan Africa		Article2
8	M 17-May	Exam II		Midterm II
	W 19-May	SW Asia & N. Africa	274-319
	F 21-May	SW Asia & N. Africa	Sudan1 Sudan2 Sudan3	MQ 6
			UN Resolutions Ch7Images
9	M 24-May	South Asia	504-549	MQ 7
	W 26-May	South Asia
	F 28-May	South Asia		Paper Due
10	M 31-May	Memorial Day – No Class
	W 02-June	East Asia	454-503
	F 04-June	East Asia
Final Exam (Covering last 3 weeks): Monday, June 7 9:30am – 11:18 am

Useful Links

Map Quiz Study Guide: Quizzes 3 through 7

Link to Blank Maps

Research Paper Assignment