1 Geography 370 Urban Geography Department of Geology and Geography Ohio Wesleyan University Fall 2009 Course Syllabus1 Professor: David M. Walker Office: SWSC 237 Office Hours: 11-12 MWF and by appointment I am in my office many times other than office hours. If my door is open, students are welcome and invited to come in if they wish to see me. I am also happy to make appointments to meet with students at other times. Office Phone Number: 740-368-3624 Email: [email protected] ”Learning is not understanding the "true" nature of things, nor is it (as Plato suggested) remembering dimly perceived perfect ideas, but rather a personal and social construction of meaning out of the bewildering array of sensations which have no order or structure besides the explanations (and I stress the plural) which we fabricate for them.” Prof. George E. Hein Course Introduction This course is called Urban Geography. What does that mean? The etymology of urban is urbs, derived from Latin, which signified city or town. Urbs contrasted with rus, signifying a rural landscape. From the same etymological Latin roots originate the words urbane—to mean refined and perhaps even sophisticated—and rustic to mean simple, unrefined or rural. Cities and urbanization processes are intertwined. Since this is an Urban Geography course, we are to study cities from a geographical perspective, or a geographic framework. Our readings will primarily be in the discipline of Geography and we will read recent writings as well as classic works. In doing so, we will learn about the processes and practices within the city AND how geographers view the world and why geography matters in the way people live their lives. 1!As!per!the!usual!caveat,!this ! syllabus!is!a!work!in!progress.! I ! may!alter!the!syll abus!throughou t ! t he!semester!depe nding!on!events!that!emerge , ! new!readings!that!surface,!if!I! choose!to!include!films!as!a!pedagogical!to ol,!invite!guest! l ecturers,!or!if!I!choose!to!include!in!the!syllabus!any!contemporary!news‐worthy!events!pertaining!to!the!class.!!!!2 Now, but what of geography? And what is a geographic framework anyway? Geography is about space. More specifically geography is about the socio-spatial dialectic. Geography is the study of relations between society and the natural environment. Geography looks at how society shapes, alters and increasingly transforms the natural environment, creating humanized forms from stretches of supposedly “pristine” nature, and then sedimenting layers of socialization one within the other, one on top of the other, until a complex natural-social landscape results. Geography also looks at how nature conditions society, in some original sense of creating the people and raw materials which social forces "work up" into culture, and in an on going sense of placing limits and offering material potentials for social processes like economic development and the emergence of cities to occur (Peet, Richard, 1998, Modern Geographic Thought. Blackwell Publishers, London/New York). The "relation" between “society and nature” is thus an entire system, a complex of inter-relations. These processes are what geographers call the socio-spatial dialectic (Edward W. Soja, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 70, No. 2, Jun., 1980, pp. 207-225). • people modify the spaces they live in (say, for example the creation and modification of cities) • and in turn are modified by them3 So, in this course we will study urban processes and cities employing the socio-spatial dialectic as our constructional framework. Objectives of the Course 1. Students should be able to identify what constitutes the urban (surely it is not just what is considered sophisticated, no?—and what does that mean anyway!) 2. Students should be able to explain how cities are formed, how they function, and how they change. 3. Students should be able to define characteristics of cities across space and time. 4. Students should be able to describe who and what are cities for. To elaborate, do people in different places and different time periods (and times of the day) have similar and/or dissimilar experiences of the urban? In considering these questions, we will examine different approaches to cities in a contemporary and historical context and trace how urban spaces have come to be, how they have been utilized historically, the contemporary uses of cities and the future of cities. Attendance is required You cannot pass this course without coming to class. I will take attendance daily. Throughout the semester: • You are allowed two unexcused absences—no questions asked. • Each additional unexcused absence will result in a demotion of your grade by one letter. • I will excuse absences if you provide me with an official written document – such as a doctor’s note in case of illness. Excused absences are exempt from the two rules stated above. Do not come to class late!!! This disturbs me and the rest of the class. Class decorum I do not mind if you eat or drink in the class- just do so discreetly. However, it is not tolerable for you to read magazines, newspapers, fill out crossword puzzles, fiddle with cell phones, black berries etc., , sleep!, or do work for other classes during Geography 3370. Please take care of these duties before or after class.  If you repeatedly leave the classroom to check your cell phone, you will be counted as absent, unexcused.4  If you repeatedly text or fiddle with your cell phone, blackberry, etc., you will be counted as absent, unexcused and asked to leave.  If you sleep in class, you will be counted as absent, unexcused. Plagiarism and Cheating The Dean’s office is responsible for dealing with cases of plagiarism and cheating. Make sure you understand how these offenses are defined and what the punishment for either is. You can find this information in your copy of Students Rights and Responsibilities. Late Papers Absolutely no late papers will be accepted and no make up tests or presentations will be given. If you have an emergency, and are unable to turn in a paper or attend class during a presentation, the only acceptable method for doing so will be with an excused letter from the Dean’s office. No other form of excuse or letter will be accepted. Readings Text: