Introductory Economic Geography by Sriram Khé

Introductory Economic Geography--Syllabus

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Required text for the course:
NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED for this course.

Click here for the list of terms and concepts that will important to understanding economic geography

I have put together a collection of articles that we will discuss in this course according to the schedule below. Some, or most, of the articles might not come across as news reports and, instead, drive towards a certain point of view. I have intentionally included them for two reasons: First, in a world of instant news, the challenge anymore is to make meaning out of the information and to also simultaneously understand what might be factual or logical errors in the reports. Second, I want students to understand that even when we want to persuade the reader about a certain point of view, we do not merely engage in rhetoric and, instead, argue with evidence.

(Note: the FYI items are not required readings. I have provided them only to help you understand some of the issues related to the idea of higher education itself. We will not take up any class time to discuss the FYI pieces. However, I welcome you to engage me about those, if you choose to, via email, or in my office, or even during the "halftime" break in class.)

The tentative schedule of readings and exams is as follows:

Week #	Topic	Readings (titles listed here)
Week 1	Introduction to the course FYI: James Thurber's University Days :)	I, Pencil: My family tree as told to Leonard E. Read and What isn't for sale?
Week 2	Geographic patterns in agriculture FYI: Should Working-Class People Get B.A.'s and Ph.D.'s? I will be at an academic conference from Thursday; so: No class meeting on Thursday, the 11th	Spaces of banana control Does fashion fuel food shortages? Flower power Math lessons for locavores In praise of fast food Fake meat
Week 3	Geographic patterns in population FYI: The College Dream: Is it higher education or a job training program?	China's pension system waltzes into crisis Childless by Choice I don't want to have children Yes, I'm a homemaker Procreation as a patriotic duty Prizes for sterilisation The world's baby factory
Week 4	FYI: Stop telling students to study for exams	Test 1 : Click here for the questions
Week 5	Spatial interaction and diffusion FYI: Half the college graduates are jobless or underemployed	Pricing powder How did cocaine get so cheap? Bridging the gaps The single most important object in the global economy Portugal and migration Why Times Square needs a McWorld
Week 6	Resources and location patterns FYI: It Takes More Than a Major: Employers Want Broadly Educated New Hires	Coal train foes sound alarm US to become biggest oil producer Canadian tar sands Can you have too much solar energy? Blown in the wind The cost of green On "rare earth": article 1 and article 2
Week 7	Location of secondary and tertiary economic activities FYI: The Five-Minute University Solves the Student Debt Problem	Factory or restaurant? America's food factories Apple and the American economy Made in the world The short history of the future of manufacturing Will robots steal your jobs? The law of averageness
Week 8	FYI: College should be a journey, not a destination	Test 2 : Click here for the questions
Week 9, 10	Environmental impacts of economic activities, and Course wrap-up FYI: College Scam No class meeting on Thursday, May 30th	My morning coffee kills monkeys Blinded by the light Peak everything Wholly shit One nation under smog Why growth is good
Final exam:

Skipping classes in college is very easy to do, but is a bad habit if you wish to graduate with a decent grade. In this course, classroom activities, discussions, and lectures are very important sources of information. Further, in-class activities account for a part of the overall grade. Unless the circumstances are exceptional, you WILL NOT be allowed to make up for absences. Try your best to be on time for class meetings; chronic tardiness tends to interrupt class proceedings. Also, please behave in a civil and courteous manner during class, even when you disagree with the instructor or fellow students. Remember that you are no longer in high school ?

Students who feel that they may need an accommodation for any type should make an appointment to see me and should also contact the Office of Disability Services (838-8250).

Note: I reserve the right to modify the syllabus, if I find it necessary. I will notify such changes in class.

Click here to email me.