GEO 4471: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

 

Fall Semester 2002

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 12:20 - 1:10 pm: Bellamy 114

 

Instructor:         Dr. Jonathan Leib

Office:              309 Bellamy

Telephone:        644-8375

E-Mail:             jleib@coss.fsu.edu

Office Hours:    Monday & Wednesday 1:30 - 2:30 pm

 

Course Description

 

The spatial dimensions of political behavior from the local to the global level.

 

Course Purpose and Objectives

 

The purpose of this course is to examine the interconnectedness of geography and politics in the rejuvenated field of political geography.  Political decisions and events have geographical impacts because these decisions and events affect places and have impacts at a variety of geographical scales (international, national, regional and local).  As well, geographical factors and places impact political decisions and changes.  Together, the two intertwine as political geography through the power to control and shape space and spatial relations.

 

The power of political geography will be examined in this course at a variety of geographical scales in a variety of places, from issues such as the continued viability of states and the resurgence of nationalism on the world political map, the political geography of identity and place representation, the political geography of population and the environment, the changing nature of global geopolitics, the historical and contemporary political geography of the United States, and geographies of voting.

 

Textbooks

 

Braden, Kathleen E. and Fred M. Shelley (2000) Engaging Geopolitics. New York: Prentice Hall.

 

Demko, George J. and William B. Wood, eds. (1999) Reordering the World: Geopolitical Perspectives on the 21st Century (Second Edition). Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.

 

Shelley, Fred M., J. Clark Archer, Fiona M. Davidson, and Stanley D. Brunn (1996) Political Geography of the United States.  New York: Guilford.

 

Note: Additional readings listed below will be made available for photocopying.  Additional brief readings (handouts) will be distributed in class.

 

Course Evaluation and Requirements

 

Your grade will be determined based upon the results of three exams (two in-class exams and the final exam).  Each exam will be worth 1/3rd of your total course grade (the final exam is not cumulative).  The exams will contain multiple-choice, short answer and/or long essay questions.  Each exam will be worth 100 points.  Short and/or long essay questions combined will account for at least 50 points of the total number of points on each exam.  You will be held responsible for all materials covered in lectures, the assigned readings and handouts on the exams.

 

The exam dates are as follows:

 

Exam 1: Monday, September 30

Exam 2: Wednesday, October 30

Exam 3: Friday, December 13, 7:30-9:30 am (Sorry, it’s not my choice)

 

Exam dates are subject to change due to extenuating circumstances.  In the very unlikely event of an exam date change, I will announce the new exam date in class as far in advance as possible.

 

NOTE: Makeup exams will only be given under extraordinary circumstances (i.e., documented illness or tragedy).  I will consider giving you a makeup only if you contact me prior to the exam!  If I agree to give you a makeup exam, you must take the exam within one week of my granting such permission (Consult the General Bulletin for the University’s policy concerning makeup final exams).  All makeup exams will be essay exams.

 

Grading Scale: Your course grade will be calculated based upon the following scale:

 

A = 92.5 and higher                                A- = 90-92.4

B+ = 87.5-89.9                                      B = 82.5-87.4                                        B- = 80-82.4

C+ = 77.5-79.9                                      C = 72.5-77.4                                        C- = 70-72.4

D+ = 67.5-69.9                                      D = 62.5-67.4                                        D- = 60-62.4

F    = 59.9 and below

 

If you are taking the course under the S/U option: 70.0 and above is Satisfactory, 69.9 and below is Unsatisfactory.

 

Note: I will post your final course grade outside my office door based upon the last four digits of your social security number in non-alphabetical order.  Please let me know if you do not want your final course grade posted.  Grades will not be given out over the phone nor via email.

 

Attendance Policy

 

There is no attendance policy for this class.  However, you are expected to attend class and arrive to class on time.  Habitual tardiness disrupts the class and will not be tolerated.  Please plan your personal schedule accordingly.

 

NOTE: Class will not meet on the following days: September 2 & 16, October 4, November 11, 15, 25, 27 & 29.

 

Students with Disabilities

 

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations should: (1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC); and (2) bring a letter to me from the SDRC indicating you need academic accommodations.  This should be done within the first week of class.

Academic Honor Code

 

Cheating of any sort will not be tolerated in this class.  Anyone caught cheating will be dealt with under the University’s Academic Honor Code found in the FSU Student Handbook and the General Bulletin.

 

Topic List and Reading Assignments

 

I. Introduction

 

– Braden and Shelley, Chapter 1

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapters 1 & 2

 

– Shelley, Archer, Davidson and Brunn, Preface & Chapter 1

 

II. The World Political Map: Nations, States and Geography

 

– Braden and Shelley, Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.7, & 8.4.1; and Chapter 5

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapters 4, 11, 12 & 14

 

– Deborah Sontag (2000) “‘A’ is for Arafat, ‘B’ is for Bethlehem.” New York Times. September 13.

 

– Fiona Davidson (1997) “Integration and Disintegration: A Political Geography of the European Union.” Journal of Geography. 96:69-75.

 

III. Geopolitics: Past, Present and Future

 

– Braden and Shelley, Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 & 2.7; and Chapters 3, 4, 6, 8 & 9

 

IV. Political Geography, Population, and Human Rights

 

– Braden and Shelley, Section 8.6

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapters 7 & 8

 

V. Political Geography and the Environment

 

– Braden and Shelley, Chapter 7

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapters 9, 10 & 13

 

 

VI. Politics of Identity, Iconography and the Representation of Places

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapter 16

 

– Shelley, Archer, Davidson and Brunn, Chapter 5

 

– J. Brooke (1998) “Conquistador Statue Stirs Hispanic Pride and Indian Rage.” New York Times. February 9.

 

– Jonathan Leib, Gerald Webster, and Roberta Webster (2000) “Rebel with a Cause? Iconography and Public Memory in the Southern United States.” Geojournal. 52:303-310.

 

VII. Historical Political Geography of the U.S.

 

– Shelley, Archer, Davidson and Brunn, Chapters 2, 3 & 4

 

VIII. Geographies of Voting I: Presidential Elections

 

– Shelley, Archer, Davidson and Brunn, Chapter 8 & 9

 

IX. Geographies of Voting II: Redistricting, Voting Rights and Political Representation

 

– Shelley, Archer, Davidson and Brunn, Chapter 6

 

– Demko and Wood, Chapter 6

 

– Jonathan Leib (1998) “Political Geography and Voting Rights in the United States.” in F. Davidson, J. Leib, F. Shelley, and G. Webster, eds., Teaching Political Geography. Indiana, PA: NCGE, pp. 59-68.