Economics 137 sect. 01 Economic Geography Class meets: Mondays, 6:40-9:10 [B 351] Text: James Wheeler, Peter Muller, Grant Thrall & Timothy Fik. Economics Geography. Third edition. Johnny Wiley & Sons, inc. 1998 Office:Briggs #314 Phones: 993-1055 (faculty office) or 993-1000 (Lansing-Reilly Hall). There is a long recorded message (1 minute and 10 seconds!) if you dial 993-1000. As soon as you hear the recording going on, press "0" and you will be connected immediately to the operator (during office hours). Please leave a message with either number. I will then get back to you as soon as is practically feasible. Office Hours: Since some of the students work during the day, there is no fixed-hours for office consultation. Please feel free to phone for appointment(s). Or, decide on a meeting time with me prior to or after scheduled class periods. Appointment can take place on either weekdays or on weekends. A more efficient way to reach me is via e-mail as I check the “in-box” of my e-mail several times daily. E-mail address: [email protected] Course Objective: Through lectures, class discussions, readings, and a research project, students are: ∞ to be knowledgeable in issues, factors, interacting variables, development tendencies, policy tools and established theories pertaining to the development of economic sectors and sub sectors in diverse regions of the world; and, ∞ to develop relative ease in identifying obstacles to economic development in given situations, in diagnosing given conditions and in developing/forwarding workable solutions or policy recommendations. Exams: There will be a weekly quiz at the beginning of each class, beginning on Jan. 26th, and a final.Grading: Class attendance and participation are expected and assumed. Quizzes: 65%; Final Exam: 25%; Class discussion/participation/attendance: 10%. 90 or better = A 86-89 = A- 82-85 = B+ 78-81 = B 74-77 = B- 70-73 = C+ 65-69 = C 61-64 = C- 58-60 = D+ 55-57 = D Below 55= F TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: DATE TOPICS Part I - Introduction Jan. 12 Ch. 1 & 2: Study of Economic Geography including location theory, past and present trends, spatial patterns, etc.; Global Population Processes and Pressures people distribution, demographic transition, and the Malthus Theory Jan. 19 Ch. 3: Global Economic Development including role of technology, problems of development, etc Jan. 26 Ch. 4: Interdependent Global Economy including the Atlantic Alliance, trade and the Pacific Rim, Dependency Theory, the Brain Drain, The role of multinational corporations, global finance and Communications Part II – How Places Interact, Locally and Globally Feb. 2 Ch. 5: Principles of Spatial Interaction including the Interaction Matrix, basis for spatial interaction, transportation networks and flow, transport impact on economic activities Feb. 9 Ch. 6: Role of Transportation in Economic Geography including transport eras, rates, world transport patterns Part III – Economic Activity and the City Feb. 16 Ch. 7: The City as Economic Node including functions, as an economic base, structure, metropolitan hierarchy, and the new service economy Feb. 23 Ch. 8: Location of Tertiary Activities including classical central-place theory, its application, and modifications to it Mar. 2 Ch. 9: Changing Economic Geography of the Restructured Metropolis including spatial evolution of the American metropolis, causes of activity suburbanization, structure of today’s suburban space- economy, impact of employment deconcentration on community patternsPart IV – Manufacturing Location Mar. 9 Ch. 10: Where plants locate and why including general factors, theories of plant location (Median Location Principle, Linear Market Competition, Weber’s Theory of Location, Losch’s Economics of Location, Smith’s Space Economy, Webber’s Uncertainty Effect), plant location in practice Mar. 16 SPRING BREAK Mar. 23 Ch. 10: continued Mar. 30 Ch. 11: Manufacturing regional patterns and problems including importance of manufacturing, regional patterns and processes, regions in the US, industrial development problems, US and world patterns of manufacturing, globalization of production Part V – Energy Apr. 6 Ch. 12: Economic-Geography of Energy including trade and geopolitics location and spatial distribution in US, alternative sources of US energy, future of US energy Part VI – Geography of Agriculture Apr. 13 Ch. 12 continued and Ch. 13: Spatial Organization of Agriculture including historical geography of farming in US and world, agriculture in modern societies, Von Thunen’s Location Theory Apr. 20 Ch. 13 continued and Ch. 14: Contemporary American agricultural trends Apr. 27 Final