Introduction to human geography (summer semester)
Lectures on Monday - Thursday
8.00-10:00 am, MS 227
Instructor Information
Instructor: Aila Bandagi Kandlakunta (professional website)
Email: WebCampus email preferred
Course Description
Geography is the study of the complex and dynamic relationship between people and their environments. As a human geography class, we will focus on the social, political, and economic aspects of this human-environment relationship and, in particular, how human activity is organized across space and organizes space. The goal of this course is to introduce you to the discipline of human geography and the practice of thinking “geographically” about the world. By the end of this course, you will be able to define and explain key concepts in human geography, including place, space, and globalization, be able to articulate what a geographic perspective is, in other words what makes geography unique from other fields of study, and how a geographic perspective can be used to illuminate societal problems and solutions. GEOG 106 is a gateway to the Geography major/minor and fulfills the Core Objective 6 and 11 requirements.
This course has originally been created by Dr. Jessie Clark for the fall semester of 2021. I borrowed ideas for this course from Dr. Paul White and Dr. Sneha Annavarapu as well.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the session, students will be able to:
Define and explain key concepts and themes in human geography and political, social, and economic aspects of human-environment relationships (CO6)
Apply a geographic perspective to the interpretation, emergence and influence of globalization at different scales and sites. (CO11)
Apply critical thinking, writing, and creative skills to analyze geographic relationships and processes in a global context. (CO11)
Listen effectively, facilitate dialogue with peers, and imagine human experiences different from their own.
Required Texts/Course Materials
This class does not have a required textbook. Anything you need to read, I will provide you in the course through links / uploads of documents in the course module.
Class Structure
In person: This course is delivered in person. I will not be able to make accommodations for students who wish to take this course entirely online. If you must miss class due to illness and/or quarantine, please let me know right away and I will work with you to make appropriate accommodations.
WebCampus: WebCampus is our home base for the course. This is where you can access all essential information and materials, including the syllabus, assignments, additional readings, updated grades, and announcements. Please visit the course website regularly to keep up to date on the course.
If you have trouble using Webcampus, please visit: https://www.unr.edu/tlt/webcampus/self-help
Student Lounge: Within each discussion section in WebCampus, there is a ‘Student Lounge’. A Student Lounge is a discussion and support space for students. This is where you can ask each other logistical questions about the course and material, share ideas/feedback on assignments, or simply gripe if you’re having a bad day. You can find this discussion thread, entitled ‘Student Lounge’, within your discussions section in WebCampus. The ‘Student Lounge’ space is not private and can be seen by instructors.
Classroom respect and Etiquette
Think about this classroom as a community. You are all 106 students and have been brought together with the collective mission to learn. Begin from that place of shared purpose when engaging with one another. We learn through collaboration, consensus, disagreement, and empathy. This is where the foundations for democracy are formed and sustained. Simply put, be respectful of people, listen to them, and be kind. Here are some ways we can achieve this:
Respond, don't react. Commit to learning, not debating. Suggested strategies: avoid playing devil's advocate simply to create a reaction, practice summarizing what the other person has said before you respond, complete assignments before class, so that your responses are thoughtful and informed.
Keep both intent and impact in mind. Understand that people come from many different backgrounds with different experiences. Don’t assume the worst. Separate the idea from the person.
Practice calling each other in, rather than calling each other out. Someone is allowed to tell you they felt hurt by your language or disagree with your opinion respectfully, so long as the response is relevant to the discussion topic. “I” statements over “you” statements are one way to keep the discussion respectful, and avoid remarks that insult or devalue what someone has shared.
Listen. Be considerate of others’ time, and practice patience; avoid interruptions, and, at the same time allow someone the space to share. Be especially considerate of those for whom English is their second language.
Bring an open mind into the discussion space; consider the possibility that you may be wrong. Recognize that we all bring a set of biases into the classroom. And remember that a bias is not necessarily a bad thing, but knowing our biases can help us learn better. What are yours? Where do they come from? How can you learn from them, and grow?
Recognize that some topics may be emotional for some; others may be indifferent to the topic. Keep an open mind no matter what the topic.
Be mindful of your own tone and be understanding of others’.
If you don’t feel comfortable discussing a topic, actively participate by listening and learning from others.
Practice empathy. Try to imagine experiences other than your own. Likewise, recognize the multidimensional nature of human beings. Just because you may not agree on one point, does not mean there are no other points of agreement or shared experiences between you. Seek these out!
Every day is a new day.
What are some other ways that we can make this class into a good learning experience for everyone?
Course Requirements
Your performance in the course will be evaluated through a variety of activities. The final grade is based on total points you earn over the semester. A total of 300 points is possible, divided as shown:
Assignment Points
Quizzes (10 pts. x 8 total) = 80
Discussion posts for attendance & participation (10 pts. x 4 total) = 40
Discussion posts for weekly class project (details below) = 80
Final Project =100
Total = 300
Assignments
There are four kinds of assignments that you will do in this class - quizzes, discussions posts, weekly projects and a final project. All assignments can be completed during class time. They will, however, be available from the morning of the class (8.00AM) till the end of the day (11.59PM), if you need extra time to complete them. You are strongly encouraged to use the time allotted in the class to complete all of the work. If for some reason, you are unable to complete the assignment, reach out to me sooner rather than later - we will figure out an alternative.
Quizzes: Monday and Tuesday at the end of day. 10 pts.
There is a quiz of ten multiple choice and true/false questions covering the lectures. Each quiz has a 20 - minute time limit. The timer begins once you start the quiz and will auto-submit at the 20-minute mark. Each quiz is available the morning of the class and is due at the end of the day.
Weekly A&Ps: Wednesday at the end of day. 10 pts.
Attendance & Participation (A&P) assignments ask you to apply the week’s topics in a discussion. Activities may involve listening to a podcast, watching a video, conducting a field exercise, or reading an article. I will provide the A&P activity on Tuesday before it is due. We will discuss these in Wednesday classes. At the end of the class, you will have to post a short write up on the discussion - this can be your notes, something new you learnt, something you wish you could discuss etc.
Weekly Class Projects: Thursday at the end of day. 20 pts.
I will give four assignments in total, but here is the deal:
- If you do 3 out of 4 assignments, I will grade each assignment as 20% of the total grade.
- If you do 4 out of 4 assignments, I will grade each assignment as 15% of the total grade.
So, pick depending on how many deadlines you think you can manage.
The assignments are not based on any specific readings but are activities that are inspired by us thinking about space and people around us. They are designed to make you think independently. I am trying to make these assignments as interesting as possible. As with anything, if you have any issue with any assignment, let me know. We will figure out a suitable alternative for you. These projects should ideally not take you more than 2 hours, but be prepared to spend more time on them. I will be in our regular classroom during this time - so you are welcome to either come to class and work, or choose to work from home, the library, or a coffee shop…or just the beautiful outdoors!
Final Project: End of the day on 14th July. 100 pts.
A term project will be due at the end of class and will involve an independent geography field project on a place of your choosing. The goal of this project is to introduce you to the process of conducting geographic research and thinking critically about places. I will provide more details through webcampus and throughout the class.
Extra Credit: Periodically throughout the term
Periodically throughout the semester I will provide extra credit opportunities in the form of activities and bonus quizzes. For in-class opportunities, you must be in class to receive credit. The first extra credit opportunity is on the first day of class!
Late Work Policy
Late assignments will not be accepted except in case of illness or other hardship beyond the student’s control. In these cases, please communicate with me right away. It is your responsibility to manage your time throughout the week and submit work on time. Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments will be due on WebCampus at the end of the day. The time on your computer may differ slightly from the time on the servers running WebCampus. If WebCampus indicates that your assignment was submitted late, it will be counted late. Please don’t wait until the last minute.
Communication
I will communicate with you in the following ways:
Every week’s details (including readings, activities, projects) will be uploaded to webcampus the Friday morning before.
Please check the Announcements regularly for course updates.
Comments and grades on assignments will be provided by the end of every week. If there is going to be a delay in grading, I will notify you in advance.
*Note: before you send me an email with a question pertaining to the course, please check the syllabus and WebCampus. Chances are you’ll find your answer there.
Academic Standard
The University Academic Standards Policy defines academic dishonesty, and mandates specific sanctions for violations. See the University Administrative Manual.
Equal Opportunity and Title IX
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a safe learning and work environment for all. If you believe you have experienced discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, or stalking, whether on or off campus, or need information related to immigration concerns, please contact the University’s Equal Opportunity & Title IX office at 775-784-1547. Resources and interim measures are available to assist you.
Statement of Disability Services
Any student with a disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with the Disability Resource Center (Pennington Student Achievement Center, Suite 230) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Course schedule
1. A Geographic Perspective
2. Cultural geography: Space, Place and People
3. Colonialism and Neo-colonialism
4. Understanding World Systems
5. Juneteenth
6. Cultural geography: language, religion, and food
7. Race, class and development
8. Food Geography
9. Political Geography: States & Nations
10. Human - Environment geography
11. Urban Geography: U.S cities
12. Transportation Geography
13. Mental health break / work on final projects
14. Day off
15. Electoral geography
16. Geographies of the oppressed
17. Feminist and Queer Geographies
18. Reno-ography: Geography around us
19. Synthesis and reflection
20. Day off to finish final project