Gritzner, Jeffrey Allman

English

University of Montana

University of MontanaScholarWorks at University of MontanaSyllabi Course Syllabi1-2014GPHY 433.01: Cultural GeographyJeffrey Allman GritznerUniversity of Montana, jeffrey.gritzner@umontana.eduLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted forinclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contactscholarworks@mso.umt.edu.Recommended CitationGritzner, Jeffrey Allman, "GPHY 433.01: Cultural Geography" (2014). Syllabi. 1413.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/1413THE UNIVERSITY OF M O NTANAC u ltu ra l Ecology  (G P H Y 433)General InformationTime Spring Semester, 2014; TR, 9:40-11:00Place Stone Hall, Room 217Instructor Jeffrey A. GritznerOffic Stone Hall, Room 204Office Hours TR, 3:00-4:00; W, 10:00-11:00; or by appointmentOffice Telephone 243-5626Teachi ng Assistant Amy LippusOffic Stone Hall, Room 304BElectronic M ail amy.lippus@umconnect.um.eduRequired Domosh, Mona, Roderick P. Neumann, Patricia L. Price, and Terry G. TextbookJordan-Bychkov, The H um an M osa ic : A C u ltu ra l Approach toH um an Geography, 12 * ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 2013.M ona Domosh is the Joan P. and Edward J. Foley, Jr. 1933 Professor of Geography at Dartmouth College. Her A.B. (1979), A.M. (1983), and Ph.D. (1985) were all conferred by Clark University. Her areas of specialization include urban geography, gender, cultural geography, and historical geography.Roderick Neumann is a professor of geography in the Department o f Global and Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University. His B.S. was conferred by California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (1982); his M.S. by the University of Idaho (1986); and his Ph.D. by the University of California at Berkeley (1992). His areas of academic specialization are political ecology, cultural geography, social theory, conservation and development, landscape studies, environmental history, Africa, Europe, and the American West.Patricia Price is a professor o f geography in the Department o f Global and Sociocultural StudiesIla y s  2at Florida International University. Her A.B. (1987), A.M. (1990), and Ph.D. (1997) were all conferred by the University of Washington. Her areas of specialization include cultural geography, urban geography, race and ethnicity, Latino/a immigration, United States-Mexico borderlands, popular religiosity, and narrative.Terry Jordan-Bychkov (1938-2003) occupied the W alter Prescott Webb Chair in History and Ideas at The University of Texas at Austin.He received his A.B. from  Southern Methodist University (1960); his A M  from  The University of Texas at Austin (1961); and his Ph.D. from  the University of W isconsin-Madison in 1965. His areas of academic specialization included cultural and historical geography, the American frontier, Texas, and Europe.Additional biographical inform ation regarding the authors can befound on pagexxi of The Human Mosaic.Optional Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers o f Term Papers, Theses, andReference Dissertations. & ed. Chicago: The University of ChicagoPress, 2013.Kate Turabian (1893-1987), form erly the Dissertation Secretary at The University of Chicago, established this publication during the Depression of 1930-1935 as an inexpensive companion to The Chicago M anua l o f  Style. It is designed as a guide to suitable style in the presentation of term papers, theses, and dissertations in both scientific and non-scientific disciplines. It remains the most w idely used manual for writers in the United States.The Context of Cultural Ecology within the Discipline of GeographyGeography comprises a bewildering number o f facets. Because there is no generally accepted classification of the subdivisions of the discipline, the fo llow ing is more indicative than definitive:A main division is that between regional and top ica l{ also referred to as systematic) geography, distinguishing the study of areas in the fullness of their interrelated characteristics from  the study of single features (topics). This distinction is a matter of emphasis: Regional synthesis draws upon knowledge of particular features present in the area, w h ile the analysis of one topic necessarily includes delineation of the area (region) in which it occurs.Topical geography also has a broad twofo ld division: Biophysical geography (sometimes termed physica l or natural geography) examines characteristics of the atmosphere, land, water, and soils, as well as the d istribution and interrelationships of plants and animals. Human  geography (or anthropogeography) deals w ith  geographical aspects of humanity. Again the distinction is artificial: Natural systems are increasingly modified by human activity. At the same time, the biophysical environment influences the biological and social characteristics of humanity.ITays 3Like biophysical geography, human geography is composed of many specialties. For example, economicgeography considers how mankind makes a living. The topic can be subdivided further, variously focussing upon agriculture, manufacturing, trade, transportation, or other areas of economic activity. Cultural geography, from which cultural ecology emerged, is another broad subfield of human geography. The term, when introduced into the United States from  Germany some seventy-five years ago, referred to the study of how culturally diverse societies adapted to, and modified, the earth's surface—creating "cultural landscapes" which contrast with pristine "natural landscapes." The subject has now come to include all applications of the idea of culture to geographical problems. It analyzes the spatial variations of material traits, such as house types, as well as cultural traits, such as religion. Cultural ecology is simply a more dynamic, interactive variant of cultural geography.Each human group—community, society, or nation—has its distinctive culture. The investigation of such collective groups in their areal differentiation and interrelations is termed soc/a/geography. This term, long applied in Europe, is increasingly being applied in the United States as well. Inevitably, it overlaps cultural ecology. It would be difficult to consider a cultural tra it w ithout consideration of those who invented, distributed, received, or modified it— and one cannot imagine a society w ithout its cultural attributes.Politica l geography examines political phenomena in their areal context. In dealing w ith  the territorial manifestations of economic, social, and cultural forces and patterns, political geography relies heavily upon the other subfields of human geography.An understanding of the present usually requires knowledge of how it came into being—in other words, genetic analysis. Thus, geography has an historical component. However, when we speak of historical gyo^ycaphy, we generally mean geography of the past for its own sake. Apart from its focus upon some form er era, historical geography employs the same concepts and asks the same questions as do other branches of the discipline. Traditionally, historical geography has been closely allied to cultural geography and cultural ecology.Another approach to geographical analysis is to carve out a specific cross-section of the discipline for special examination. Environmentalgeography might serve as an example. O f course environmental issues have always been considered in geography, but modern trends in environmental change and their accompanying problems enhance the importance of this topic. Although some geographers would suggest that environmental geography is merely an aspect of biophysical geography, its historical, social, cultural, economic, and political components demand almost equal attention.Another category concerns not the content, but the tools, o f geographical investigation and presentation. In the forefront stands cartography. In recent decades, the rapid development o f mathematics, statistics, and computerized inform ation has led to the development o f geographical in form ation systems (GIS) which complement and expand upon traditional cartography. Finally, there are the techniques of fieldwork, and their extensions into remote sensing— both through aerial photography and through increasingly sensitive infrared sensors, radar, and other scanning devices installed in earth- orbiting satellites.Through participation in this course, students are expected to gain a better understanding of complex, interactiveITays 4human-environmental relationships, and the ir relevance to responsible citizenship.Research AssignmentOn Tuesday, February 4 ,you  w ill be given an assignment designed to fam iliarizeyou w ith  resources available for research in cultural ecology in the Mansfield Library and elsewhere in the greater community. The assignment is to be completed and submitted by Thursday, February 13 .Critical EssayA critical essay of approximately four double-spaced pages, including footnotes and references, w ill be due no later than Tuesday, March 18 , but may be submitted at any time prior to the 18 . The essay should be related to a topic discussed in class, and should draw upon at least fou r sources other than the assigned readings. It should sf/vcr/y fo llow  the standard form described in Kate L. Turabian's A M anua l fo r Writers o f  Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (w ith footnotes and a corresponding bibliography, rather than parenthetical references and a corresponding reference list). Several publications provide useful inform ation regarding grammar, punctuation, mechanics, word choice, paragraphs and essays, research w riting and documentation, and ESL tips—for example, Blanche Ellsworth and John A. Higgins' English Simplified, 13 ed. (New York: Longman, 2011).Term PaperThe term paper should be roughly fifteen pages in length, w ith  the text double-spaced. The elements of a term paper typically include (i) a title  page, (ii) table of contents, (iii) a list o f tables, (iv) a list o f illustrations, (v) a list of abbreviations, (vi) the text, and (vii) bibliography. Elements (i), (vi), and (vii) are required—the others are to be included as appropriate. The first draft o f the paper w ill be due no later than Thursday, April 17 . The paper w ill be evaluated and returned fo r revision. The revised paper, together w ith  the firs t draft, is to be submitted by Thursday, M ay 1 . Research fo r the paper should draw upon at least five sources other than the assigned readings. The term paper must conform strict/yto  the conventions contained in Turabian,/! M anua l fo r Writers o f  Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.ExaminationsA mid-term examination is schedulled fo r Thursday, March 27 . It w ill cover the readings, films, and class discussion related to the firs t three units. The final examination is schedulled for 8:00-10:00, Thursday, M ay 15 , and w ill cover the readings, films, and discussion related to units IV and V.Graduate IncrementGraduate students enrolled in Cultural Ecology axe required to submit a second essay of at least six pages. It must draw upon six  or more refereed publications other than the assigned readings. The topic must be approved by the instructor.Course GradeThe research assignment and critical essay w ill account fo r approximately ten per cent o f the course grade. The termITays 5paper w ill account fo r forty per cent o f the grade; the mid-term and final examinations w ill each account fo r twenty-five per cent of the grade. W hile recognizing the broad range of personalities present in any class, attendance and participation in classroom discussions w ill also be taken into consideration.All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the university. All students need to be fam iliar w ith  the Student Conduct Code. The code is available for review on-line at http://Hfe.umt.edu/vpsa/student_conduct.php.Schedule and ReadingsW eek One (January 26-February 1,2014)Orientation and IntroductionUnit I: The Nature of Cultural Ecology Suggested and Required Readings*M ona Domosh e ta i, The Human Mosaic: A Cultural Approach to Human Geography, 12 ed. (New York: W. H. Freeman and Company, 2013), chap. 1.*Required Readings (chapters drawn from  Readings in  C u ltu ra l Geography  are available on two-hour reserve in the Reserve Materials Collection, Mansfield Library)*"The Themes of Cultural Geography," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, ed. Philip L. Wagner and Marvin W. Mikesell (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1962), 1-24.*Carl O. Sauer, "Cultural Geography," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 30-34.M axim ilien Sorre, "The Role of Historical Explanation in Human Geography," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 44-47.W eekTw o (February 2-8)Distribution of Research Assignments (February 4 )The Nature o f Cultural EcologyCase Study: A Reconstruction of South Asian and M iddle Eastern History Contemporary Case Study: The Development o f Canada's Oil Sands: Costs and BenefitsUnit II: Cultural OriginsIlays 6Suggested ReadingV. Gordon Childe, "A Prehistorian's Interpretation of Diffusion," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 209-217.W eekThree (February 9-15)Presentation by Kelly Webster, Director, The W riting Center (February 11 )Cultural Origins Culture HistoryCase Study: Pre-Columbian New W orld Contacts Submission of Research Assignment (February 13 )Unit III: Livelihood Systems and Settlement Suggested and Required ReadingsHans Bobek, "The Main Stages in Socioeconomic Evolution from  a Geographic Point o f View," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 218-247.I. H. Burkill, "Habits of Man and the Origins of the Cultivated Plants of the Old W orld," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 248-281.Harold C. Conklin, "An Ethnoecological Approach to Shifting Cultivation," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 457-464.*Albert Demangeon, "The Origins and Causes of Settlement Types," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 506-516. *Domosh e ta i, The Human Mosaic, chaps. 8-11.H. Epstein, "Domestication Features in Animals as Functions of Human Society," in Readings in  Cultural Geography,290-301.Dan Stanislawski, "The Origin and Spread of the Grid-Pattern Town," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 318-329.*Derwent Whittlesey, "M ajor Agricultural Regions of the Earth," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 416-444.Weeks Four through Nine (February 16-March 29)Livelihood Systems Hunter-GatherersIlays 7FisherfolkPlant and Animal DomesticationCultivatorsPastoralistsAgricultural Dispersals and Agricultural Regions Submission of Critical Essay (March 18 )The Geography of Food and FamineIndustriesUrban GenesisUrban SystemsMid-Term Examination (March 27 )Unit IV: Culture Areas Suggested and Required Readings*C. M. Delgado de Carvalho, "Geography of Languages," in Readings in  Cultural Geography, 75-93.*Paul Fickeler, "Fundamental Questions in the Geography of Religions," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 94-117. *Domosh e ta i, The Human Mosaic, chaps. 2-7.Fred B. Kniffen, "Louisiana House Types," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 157-169.*lvan Li nd, "Geography and Place Names," i n Readings in Cultural Geography, 118-128.Weeks Ten through Thirteen (March 30-April 26)Spring Break (March 30-April 5)Folk Culture Material Folk CultureCase Study: The Origin and Distribution of Subterranean Aqueducts in Pre- Achaemenid Antiquity Popular Culture The Geography of Religion The Geography of Language Place NamesDeadline for the First Draft of the Term Paper (April 17 )PopulationM igrationDiseaseITays 8Settlement Political GeographyContemporary Case Study: The "Arab Spring"Ethnic GeographyU nitV : Landscape, Human Agency, and the Future Suggested and Required Readings*Edgar Anderson, "Man As a Maker o f New Plants and New Plant Communities," in Readings in  Cultural Geography,465-478.*Domosh e ta i, The Human Mosaic, chap. 12.*Carl O. Sauer, "The Agency of Man on the Earth," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 539-557.Maxi mi lien Sorre, "The Geography of Diet," in Readings in Cultural Geography, 445-456.Weeks Fourteen and Fifteen (April 27-May 10)GlobalizationDeadline for the Submission of the Revised Term Paper (May 1 )Man's Role in Changing the Face of the EarthCase Study: Human Agency and Environmental Change in the West African Sahel Restoring the Earth The FutureThursday, M ay 15 ,8:00-10:00: Examination Covering Units IVand V

GPHY 433.01: Cultural Geography

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GPHY 433.01: Cultural Geography

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