This
elective course is offered for advanced undergraduate students.
Office Hrs: Monday and Wednesday: 1:15 – 2:00, or by appointment
Class
meets: Monday and Wednesday 3:30 – 4:45,
SHM 2102
All course
communications will be through Blackboard course site
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This
course is designed as an overview of ideas and methods for understanding the
different historical and modern periods of political geography. The class will examine and analyze the issues
such as position of global power and imposing their ways and views on others.
Through various exploration of divergent viewpoints of global conflict and
change we will focus on historical formulation of states, the theories of post
modern geopolitics, cold war and post cold war brake-up of the communist
states, uncertainties on the Balkans, the expansion of NATO to include former
Communist states in Eastern Europe, China and its new position in the world
order, Iraq and the Middle East crises.
Through class readings, discussions, project, oral presentations, and
writing assignments, it is intended that students will gain critical insights
into current debates over geopolitics and the world politics. The theme of this
year political geography class will be the “
The
course is also designed to be an enjoyable cross-cultural and multi political
experience. Anyone in the course who has lived or traveled abroad will be urged
to share her/his experience and observations. And, I will share my experience –
living under communist regime, liberation and transition, the war, working in
international institution on reconstruction of East Europe and
Blackboard
This course will use Blackboard - www.courses.umd.edu/studentmanuel.
It is mandatory to get aquatinted
with this tool. For information go http://www.oit.umd.edu/pt
Course update: students are expected to check Blackboard daily for
announced AND unannounced changes in readings, exams, due dates, etc. All homework assignments and papers have to
be posted on Blackboard. Hard copy will not be accepted.
The
readings for the course are assigned from two primary sources:
(1)
required textbook, available for purchase at the
Glassner, Martin Ira. (2004 or last edition). Political Geography.
(2)
Other
readings may be assigned from different sources. Information will be announced
and/or posted on “Course material” page on Blackboard.
(3)
Students
are required to read daily newspapers and be prepared to discuss current events
related to the course
(4)
Students are required to read assigned international
newspapers for 7 consecutive weeks. See details under Project
Students are urged to do
the assigned readings before coming to class and daily press to be informed
about current geopolitical events in order to participate fully in class
discussions. Other readings may be assigned from different sources during the
class. Speakers with international experience may join us to share their
experiences and students are expected to participate in discussions.
The
Web
I can not keep up with a
growing number of useful sites! I encourage students to share with the rest of
the class if they come up with any site that could be useful and of interest to
all of us! Here are some links that could be useful in exploring geopolitics:
Issues on population, poverty, borders, refugees, elections, etc.
Attendance Policy
Attendance in my classes is mandatory. Attendance will be
taken at the beginning of the class. Students should realize that irregular
attendance will most likely result in a poor grade. Participation in in-class
discussion is part of the grade.
Students who do not appear in class to carry on the assignments or to
participate in discussions, do not hand in notes/presentations for the
discussion on time will be given a score of "0" for each segment of
the requirement.
Project: How the world views the
Starting date: Sunday 9/21, end date Sunday 11/9
This
project consists of two parts:
For both parts the requirement
is: a thorough search of papers and web
sites from various countries of the world.
For seven consecutive weeks, starting on Sunday 9/21, ending on Sunday
11/9, each student in the group has to read/follow the news in the assigned
newspaper/web site on the
GRADING SYSTEM
|
Task |
% |
% Grade |
|
Participation in class
discussions and progress report Attendance and discussion
during presentations Presentation and
participation in group work 2 tests (15% midterm, 20%
final) Outline with the
annotated bibliography Term paper |
10 10 10 35 10 25 Total 100% |
90-100 (A) 80-89 (B) 70-79
(C) 60-69 (D) 59 and > (F) |
Note: Each segment
of written class requirements has to be submitted on Blackboard. Hard copies
will not be accepted.
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
If you have a documented disability,
you should contact Disability Support Services 0126 Shoemaker Hall. Each
semester students with documented disabilities should apply to
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
The University System of Maryland
policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of
their religious beliefs, students shall be given an opportunity, whenever
feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any
academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious
observances. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the
instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance.
Notice should be provided as soon as possible but no later than the end of the
scheduled adjustment period.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The University of Maryland Maryland
For more information on the Code of
Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu/whatis.html
Tentative Schedule of Classes
Check Blackboard for any announcements: changes, weekly
readings, and the groups
|
Week |
Subjects - Assignments - |
|
(1) 9/3 |
Lecture: Introduction
to political geography – summary of the course |
|
(2) 9/2-10 |
Lecture: History
of Geopolitics
Hoge, A Global Power Shift in the
Making |
|
(3) 9/15-17 |
Lecture: Perception of the World and Changing Power,
Imperialism, Colonialism, Decolonialism Lecture: State,
Nation and Nation-State
Cashman, Roma in the IMPORTAMT: I will pass around a list of international newspapers and news
sites (in English) from which students could choose the region, counties and
papers/websites to work on during the 7 weeks project. Students can check the list on Blackboard
and send me an email with their preferences by 9/14 to ensure priority in
their choices. |
|
(4) 9/22-24 |
IMPORTANT: Groups will be formed by 9/20 – start the project on Sunday, 9/21 Lecture: Territory
of the State
Glassner: Chapter 5, 6, 29, and Applebaum,
|
|
(5) 9/29-10/1 |
Lecture: How
are states organized?
Lecture: Political Geography within the state |
|
(6) 10/6 -8 |
Lecture: Electoral
Geography
|
|
(7) 10/13-15 |
Progress report: Monday 10/13 - Progress report on the projects/ less then one
month to the elections. Participation
by all students required – Details about reporting are posted on Blackboard Midterm - on Wednesday– 10/15 1-6 weeks of readings: text book,
selected articles, and lecture notes |
|
(8) 10/20-22 |
Lecture: Politics of Religion, Language,
and Ethnicity Judson, Integration Is Issue of
Language and Geography |
|
(9) 10/27-29 |
OUTLINE: Submit
detailed outline of your research paper with annotated bibliography (3 – 4
pages) – find instructions on Blackboard – Announcements space - Due
Monday 10/27 – 11:00 PM Lecture: Population and Geopolitics Lecture: Migration and Geopolitics Tony Blair,
Controlling our borders : Making migration work for Nicholson - Economic migration and asylum |
|
(10) 11/3-5 |
Lecture: The |
|
(11) 11/10-12 |
Lecture: Boundary Studies in Political
Geography Video: Lecture: The Walls – preventing
illegal migration? IMORTANT: All presentations on the |
|
(12) 11/17-19 |
Presentations – the project results/discussion - Wednesday – 11/17-19 IMPORTANT: Draft paper due on Wednesday of
week 12– 11/17. Submission is voluntary and no
grade will be applied. No late drafts will be accepted.
Comments will be returned by Monday - 11/24 |
|
(13) 11/24 |
Presentations – the project results/discussion - Monday 11/24
NOTE: There will be no class on
Wednesday 11/26 |
|
(14) 12/1-3 |
Presentations – the project results/discussion - Monday/Wednesday
– 12/1-3 |
|
(15) 12/8-10 |
Lecture: Summary of the course – The topics of the
political geography Final Exam – Wednesday
– 12/10 8 – 15 weeks
of readings: text book, selected
articles, and lecture notes |
|
(16) |
IMPORTANT: Term paper is due on the final
exam day. Check
the University final exam schedule for due date and time. |