Professors: Guntram Herb; Tamar Mayer; Ronald Liebowitz (president); Associate Professors: Anne Knowles; Peter Nelson (on leave academic year 2009-10); Assistant Professors: Jeff Howarth; Jonathan Schroeder; GIS Specialist and Teaching Fellow: William Hegman; Department Coordinator: Ann McLean
Geography is concerned with describing and explaining spatial patterns and with understanding the processes by which spatial forms change through time. In pursuing these concerns geographers carry out their studies in many different cultures and environments. Consequently, there is a strong emphasis upon international as well as regional and local studies. The diversity of economic, social, political, and physical variables involved in spatial studies also creates many interdisciplinary links. Because geography has a tradition of service to society, geographers serve as policy makers in business and in local, state, and national governments, addressing issues in resource use, planning, transportation, and a variety of problems related to the spatial organization of society.
Required for the Major: The geography major consists of 10 courses. All students who elect to major in geography must complete GEOG 0100, GEOG 0310, GEOG 0320, and four other 0200-level elective courses, only one of which may be numbered above 0250, one 0400-level seminar, and GEOL 0112 or GEOL 0170. In addition, geography majors must complete a cognate course outside the geography department that complements the student's geographical interests. The electives and the seminar must be selected in consultation with, and approved by, the major advisor.
Required for a Joint Major: A joint major in geography requires 6 courses: GEOG 0100, GEOG 0310 or GEOG 0320, three electives, none of which may be numbered 0250 or above, and one seminar at the 0400-level. All joint majors must complete a joint senior work that is developed in consultation with and approved by their academic advisor. Students who pursue a joint major in geography and environmental studies should complete GEOG 0310 in addition to GEOG 0320.
Required for a Minor: GEOG 0100, one seminar at the 0400-level, and three additional courses.
Advanced Placement: One course credit will be awarded for an advanced placement (AP) score of 5 in human geography. Geography majors who receive a 5 on the AP exam may count this course credit as one 0200-level equivalent toward their major requirements, but are still required to complete GEOG 0100. The AP credit may not be used to satisfy joint major or minor requirements.
Geography Specialization in International Studies: GEOG 0100, GEOG 0206 or GEOG 0207 or GEOG 0210 or GEOG 0211, GEOG 0214 or GEOG 0215, GEOG 0220 or GEOG 0223, GEOG 0310 or GEOG 0320, one seminar at the 0400-level.
Departmental Honors: Students who seek to earn honors are required to maintain a B+ average in the major and write a two-credit, honors thesis. For students who elect to write a thesis, a proposal must be submitted to the department for approval two weeks prior to the first day of the term in which the student wishes to enroll in GEOG 0700. Upon approval of the proposal, the student must enroll in GEOG 0700 for two consecutive terms and give a presentation of the thesis upon its completion. Honors will be conferred or denied on the basis of an evaluation of the thesis by the faculty.
GEOG 0100 Place and Society: Local to Global (Fall, Spring)
This course is an introduction to how geographers view the world and contribute to our understanding of it. Where do the phenomena of human experience occur? Why are they there? What is the significance? These questions are fundamental for explaining the world at different scales from the global to the local. Throughout, we will focus on the spatial basis of society, its continual reorganization through time, and how various human and environmental problems can be usefully analyzed from a geographic perspective. (Open only to first-year students and sophomores) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SOC DED (fall: G. Herb, spring: A. Knowles)
GEOG 0120 The Power of Maps (Not offered 2009-10)
From earliest time, people have made maps to show what was theirs and to take what was not. Maps have been synonymous with power, from the Renaissance, when geographic knowledge was deliberately falsified, through the cold war, when maps were manipulated to shape perceptions of the other side. Maps have been critical to some of our most humanitarian efforts, but ironically, the technology that enables emergency response systems also guides weapons. Through examples like these, this course explores maps as windows to the societies that make them and examines modern technologies in historical contexts. More broadly, the course introduces fundamental issues in geography and social science. 3 hrs. lect. SOC HIS
GEOG 0206 Human Impact on the Global Environment (Not offered 2009-10)
This course examines the relationships between humans and their environment(s) around the globe. It examines how social, economic, and political factors operating through human organizations of production, consumption, and social reproduction have disturbed physical processes. The world order, the product of power relationships between states and economic interests, mainly dictates how these factors operate. Because political preeminence will continue to play a role in environmental issues, this course will pay special attention to the social, political, and economic polarization between the developing and the developed worlds and will examine its impacts on the global environment. (Open to seniors by waiver only) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr disc. SOC CMP
GEOG 0207 Resource Wars: A Geopolitical Perspective (Fall)
The world of relatively accessible natural resources is now a thing of the past. As it becomes more difficult to find secure and clean energy sources and manage chronic food and water shortages, some countries that were once politically and economically marginal will become increasingly more important. And as another billion people will be added to the world's population, the fight for resources will become ever fiercer. These will result in further erosion of personal and states' securities. In this course we will analyze, from a geographic perspective, the political, economic, social, and environmental dynamics of conflicts over natural resources at the local, regional, international, and intra-national scales. We will pay special attention to the ways natural resources fuel conflict. SOC AAL (T. Mayer)
GEOG 0210 Geographic Perspectives on International Development (Spring)
The focus of this course is the development process in the non-Western World. We will examine why there has been a need for "development"; what is the relationship of "development" to "underdevelopment"; and whether this relationship has resulted in dependence, independence, or interdependence. We will focus on the contribution of development to progress of the non-Western World, on the one hand, and to its stagnation, on the other. We will examine specific issues like food, population, the environment, the rural scene, the urban scene, and the general political and economic scenes. We will question the underlying assumptions of development, examine the role and the possibilities of development from within, and maintain a critical view of Western development. 3 hrs. lect. SOC AAL (T. Mayer)
GEOG 0211 The Global Economy (Not offered 2009-10)
The "global economy" is now part of our everyday language, but its common usage rarely addresses where this entity came from, what drives it, what its consequences are, or where it is going. Geography can add much to our understanding of the global economy; indeed, geography shapes the economy and is in turn shaped by economic processes. To elicit a better understanding of this interaction and what the global economy is about, the course readings and exercises will focus on the following themes: the historical development of the global economy with a focus on technological innovation and geographical change; the character, reach, and role of trans-national corporations; the situation of particular regions and cities in global economic structures and processes; the question of social and environmental sustainability; and the emerging digital technologies, such as the Internet and what they pose for the future of global capitalism, society, and geography. 3 hrs. lect. SOC NOR
GEOG 0212 Urban Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
Urban landscapes are the expression of economic, political, and socio-cultural processes layered on top of each other in particular time-space contexts. In this course, students will theoretically and empirically examine the complex and dynamic urban landscape. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of the location of cities within a larger global economic system of cities, along with the internal organization of economic, cultural, and social functions within cities. We will also examine the processes behind contemporary urban issues such as homelessness, boosterism, urban renewal, gentrification, poverty, and crime. 3 hrs. lect. SOC NOR
GEOG 0213 Population Geography (Spring)
Through a combination of lectures, readings, and exercises, this course provides background and analytical experience in the spatial dimensions of population dynamics. Students will theoretically and empirically examine geographic variations in natural increase, domestic and international migration, infant mortality, disease, and hunger. Topics will include the intersection of settlement-environment-disease, circular migration systems, cultural influences on demographic processes, and linkages between international and domestic migration flows. We will also assess various policy options and their effectiveness in addressing important demographic issues. The exercises will expose students to the vast amount of population data publicly available and introduce them to techniques used to examine and assess population related issues. SOC DED NOR (J. Schroeder)
GEOG 0214 Geography of War (Not offered 2009-10)
Whether it is maps employed in the defense of the Han dynasty in the second century B.C. or the logistic support for cruise missiles in the Gulf War, geography has always been associated with war and the exercise of power. The course will examine how geography and geographers were involved in the propagation, justification, and administration of territorial conquest and control. Students will be actively involved in unraveling the story of geography and war through group research projects on different wars. The findings of these projects will be presented in an exhibition at the end of the semester. 3 hrs. lect. SOC HIS
GEOG 0215 Political Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
Political relations within and between states do not occur in a vacuum. Rather, they are rooted in a specific and tangible geographic context. Political geography examines the interactions between this context and political processes at various geographic scales, ranging from the local to the global level. This course will focus primarily on the state and international level and will address issues such as the territorial exercise of power, state formation, nationalism, geopolitics, and international conflicts and cooperation. 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. SOC
GEOG 0216 Rural Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
This course explores the intersection between demographic, economic, cultural, and environmental forces on the rural landscape in both advanced economies and LDCs. Students will be exposed to theoretical and empirical approaches to rural development in different international and regional contexts, as well as problems associated with these development paradigms. Particular attention will be paid to neoliberal economic policies and their impacts on rural areas, and the course will frequently draw on examples from New England and North America. Additionally, the world is becoming increasingly urbanized, so we will examine the ways people come to know rural areas through the media, literature, and travel. This course includes opportunity for service learning. (Formerly GEOG 0221) 3 hrs. lect. SOC NOR
GEOG 0217 Geography of Islands (Spring)
In this course we will examine islands from the perspective of physical geography, human geography, and the humanities in order to connect the physical characteristics of islands to the processes and functions that characterize them. Through lectures, readings, and writing assignments, we will consider islands as discrete terrestrial systems and as components of pelagic systems, as a person's home and as a nation's outpost, as a place of refuge, and as a place of exile. By viewing islands as both laboratory and metaphor, we will identify the many contributions of islands to theories of space across academic disciplines. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (J. Howarth)
GEOG/AMST 0218 Cultural Geography (CW) (Spring)
What do landscapes mean? How are places created and invested with significance? Why do people struggle to control public and private space? This course examines these and similar questions. Its main goals are to open students' eyes to the wealth of meanings embodied in the built environment and our metaphorical understandings of landscape, place, space, and geographical identity, and to teach skills for interpreting and representing those meanings. Lectures, course readings, and small-group projects will draw on social theory and empirical approaches, with a regional emphasis on North America. 3 hrs. lect. SOC NOR (A. Knowles)
GEOG/AMST 0219 Historical Geography of North America (CW) (Fall)
North American society and landscape have been shaped by powerful forces over the last 500 years: conquest, disease, war, migration, the railroad and the farmer's plow, urban growth, and industrial transformation. In the process, new regional cultures formed while older societies were profoundly changed. In this course we will examine the geography of historical change in the United States and Canada, focusing on the themes of territorial control, human settlement, the inscribing of cultural and economic systems on the land, and North Americans' attitudes toward the places they inhabit. Limited spaces available to fulfill college writing requirement 3 hrs. lect. HIS SOC NOR (A. Knowles)
GEOG 0220 Geopolitics of the Middle East (Spring)
This course examines the Middle East from a geographical perspective with emphasis on the historical and political underpinnings of the region. The Middle East, the cradle of civilization, has been, due to its geography, one of the major arenas for political and ideological conflicts. It has been subject to an unequal power relationship with the West, which, together with Islam, has affected the level of its political, social, and economic development. This course will provide an analytical introduction to the historical, political, social, and economic geography of the region and will analyze the major transitions this region has undergone. 3 hrs.lect. SOC CMP AAL (T. Mayer)
GEOG 0223 Geopolitics of Europe (Spring)
The course examines what is arguably the most influential region in the world from a geographic perspective. First, we will chart the complex geopolitical dimensions of Europe in an attempt to understand what unites this highly differentiated region. Next, we will critically evaluate the main European political body, the European Union. Then we will analyze the political, social, economic, and environmental challenges that threaten to destabilize Europe. Finally, we will try to assess the degree to which political power in Europe has acquired a "European" dimension at the grassroots level by investigating political activism across borders of individual countries. Students will be actively involved in this study through a research project that culminates in a conference on the Future of Europe at the end of the semester. 3 hrs. lect. SOC EUR (G. Herb)
GEOG 0229 American Landscapes (CW) (Fall)
In this course we will explore the origins and meanings of classic American landscapes and how they have changed over time. Lectures and readings will emphasize spatial relationships between the natural environment, architecture, local human customs, technological change and regional economic development. Through independent field observations and research projects, students will learn how to read, analyze and represent the history of environmental and cultural change embedded in today's landscapes. 3 hrs. lect. HIS SOC NOR (J. Howarth)
GEOG 0231 Planning with Maps (Fall)
In this course we will explore how maps are used to plan spatial configurations that serve human purposes. Through lectures and readings, we will review ways that geographers, architects, and planners have represented the form and human use of space across scales. Using the Middlebury Campus and Village as case studies, students will work independently and in small groups to assess planned spaces with maps, photographs, activity diaries, and personal interviews. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (J. Howarth)
GEOG/GEOL 0250 Arctic and Alpine Environments (Not offered 2009-10)
See Department of Geology for course description. SCI DED
GEOG/GEOL 0251 Geomorphic Processes (Not offered 2009-10)
See Department of Geology for course description. SCI DED
GEOG/GEOL 0255 Surface and Ground Water (Not offered 2009-10)
See Department of Geology for course description. SCI DED
GEOG/GEOL 0257 Soils, Geology and the Environment (Fall)
See Department of Geology for course description. SCI (P. Ryan)
GEOG 0310 Fundamentals of Cartography (Spring)
An introduction to the compilation, design, production, and use of maps with emphasis on both the practical and theoretical aspects of cartographic representation. Lectures and readings introduce basic cartographic principles, and class discussions, critique exercises, and lab demonstrations put these principles into practice. In lab work, students use graphics software and geographic information systems (GIS) to develop map compilation and design skills, building toward a substantial, integrative final mapping project. Major topics covered include principles of graphic design, symbolization strategies, map projections, and thematic mapping techniques. (Not open to first-year students) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab (J. Schroeder)
GEOG 0320 Geographic Information Systems (Fall, Spring)
This course introduces the structure, concepts, and application of geographic information systems (GIS): computer-based systems designed to process large spatial databases. The productive use of GIS technology in the physical and social sciences, environmental management, and regional planning is investigated through a variety of applied exercises and problems. (Not open to first-year and sophomore students) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. DED SOC (fall: J. Schroeder; spring: J. Howarth)
GEOG 0339 Practicing Human Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
Asking and answering geographical questions often invokes a variety of specific spatial-analytical techniques and methodologies. In Practicing Human Geography, students will employ a variety of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in specific research contexts. Through lectures, examples, and readings, students will learn the types of questions each technique is designed to answer, how it works, and how to interpret the results. During weekly discussion sections, students will gain hands on experience with various software packages and employ these techniques to complete a series of research exercises. These research exercises, participation, and a final exam will form the basis for evaluation. (GEOG 0100, and at least one 0200 level course in geography; open to second-semester junior majors and senior majors only; others by waiver) DED
GEOG 0340 Explanation in Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
This seminar begins with an exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary geography. Investigation of the relations among paradigms, objectives, and methods provides a transition to more explicit consideration of research methodologies, which includes problem definition, research design, analytical models, and data collection. (Open to seniors only) 3 hrs. lect. PHL
GEOG 0341 Research in Geography (Not offered 2009-10)
This course provides students with experience in the research process. Students will design research, collect data, produce analyses, and present their findings. The course will be integrative by giving students the opportunity to put into practice theory, methods, and substance from the department's other course offerings. (This course will be offered during winter term, beginning in January, 2009.) (GEOG 0339)
GEOG/GEOL 0352 Glacial and Quaternary Geology (Not offered 2009-10)
See Department of Geology for course description. SCI
0400-Level Seminars
Seminars provide the advanced student with an opportunity to pursue particular research areas in depth. They require intensive writing and reading of the relevant literature and they reflect the specialization areas of the department faculty. More specific seminar descriptions will be provided prior to each registration period, depending upon which seminars are being offered that year.
GEOG 0413 Seminar in Population Geography: Migration in the Twenty-first Century (Not offered 2009-10)
On average, 20 percent of the U.S. population changes residence in any given year, yet the scale, geography, motivations, and impacts of these movements are highly variable, making migration an incredibly pervasive and complex phenomenon. Furthermore, international immigration continues to attract considerable academic, political, and media attention. This course will explore contemporary approaches to migration studies emphasizing the important insights and contributions of geographers. How have geographers examined migration, and how have geographical approaches changed over time? In what ways has technology influenced the motivations, frequency, and implications of migration behavior? What are the different impacts of migration on individuals, households, and communities? And, what are the new innovations in scholarly approaches to migration? Through a combination of readings from contemporary migration literature, discussions, and analyses, students in this seminar will gain an appreciation for and understanding of this incredibly rich and complex phenomena of migration. (Open to seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem.
GEOG 0415 Seminar in Political Geography: Landscape and Memory: Geographies of National Identity (Fall)
The course focuses on the intimate relationship between human-made landscapes and nationalism. It examines both the built landscape and nationalism as twin narratives. The human-made landscapes tell the story of the nation: they reflect what the nation has chosen to remember of its unique past and they also affect the nationalism that develops in a specific territory. With examples from the US, Poland, Germany, and Israel we will illustrate how the human-made landscape serves as important physical and cultural crucible in which people construct ideas, memories, and icons that become an important part of a nation's memory and intensify the nation's sense of identity. (Open to seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (T. Mayer)
GEOG 0415 Seminar in Political Geography: The Geography of Peace (Spring)
In this course we will provide a geographic perspective on peace. After an introduction to the historical role of peace in the discipline of geography and to general philosophies of peace, we will look at areas where peace is maintained through force, such as military occupation and peacekeeping. These more abstract spaces of peace – expressions of what peace scholars call 'negative' peace – are complemented by a focus on places of peace and their associated practices in the section that follows. Here, we will discuss communes, nonviolent strategies, and new social movements and conceive peace not simply as the opposite of war, but as the pursuit of a non-violent and socially just society. In the last section, we will turn to case studies to examine how peace is waged at different scales and in different contexts and forms. (Open to seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (G. Herb)
GEOG 0416 Seminar in Geographic Explorations of the 'Global Rural' (Not offered 2009-10)
Rural places have often been characterized as being isolated and remote, yet migration, telecommunication, and globalization are connecting rural communities with more urban society. This increased connectivity has spawned a rich body of geographic scholarship exploring the varied dimensions of rural change. In this seminar, students will examine this emerging rural goegraphy literature with a specific focus on rural development issues in the United States. Topics to be covered in the seminar include (but are not limited to): Latino immigration to rural communities, domestic urban to rural migration, the politics of rural land use change, telecommuting and rural economic development, and persistent poverty in rural regions. In addition, a set of short research assignments will introduce students to methodological approaches utilized by rural geographers. (Open to seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. NOR
GEOG 0419 Seminar in Historical Geography: Visualizing the Past (Fall)
Historical geography is the study of past places, landscape change over time, and the spatial patterns and processes embedded in historical conditions and events. This seminar explores key concepts, sources, and analytical methods in historical geography. Students' independent research projects will draw on maps and other primary documents as sources of historical evidence and geographic information. Project development will focus on learning how to frame spatial questions, gather geographic data, and apply geospatial methods to historical research. The main topic of the seminar in 2009-10 will be the geographies of the Holocaust. (GEOG 0219 or GEOG 0310 or GEOG 0320; open to seniors only: others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. EUR (A. Knowles)
GEOG 0420 Seminar in Geographic Information Systems and Cartography: Visualizing Population Change (Not offered 2009-10)
Understanding how populations are distributed and how they are changing is crucial in many areas of public and private planning and social science research, and maps and geographic information systems (GIS) are valuable tools for investigating population dynamics. This seminar introduces a variety of advanced geographic visualization and analysis techniques useful in the exploration of population patterns and trends, including map animation and cluster analysis. Students work in groups to prepare datasets of historical census data and then, for individual final projects, develop a series of visualizations of these data. Readings delve into research in population studies and in advanced analysis and visualization techniques. Seminar meetings are divided between discussions of readings, project progress reports, and lab demonstrations. (GEOG 0310 or GEOG 0320; open to seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (J. Schroeder)
GEOG/GRMN/INTL 0436 Terrorism (Not offered 2009-10)
See Program of International Studies listings for course description. This course is equivalent to INTL 0436 and GRMN 0436. Register for this course under INTL 0436. Students interested in the possibility of receiving German credit for this course should contact Michael Geisler.
GEOG/INTL/ENAM 0446 Social Movements (Not offered 2009-10)
See Program of International Studies for course description. This course is equivalent to INTL 0446 and ENAM 0446. Register for this course under INTL 0446.
GEOG/INTL/ENAM 0470 Marxism Today (Not offered 2009-10)
See Program of International Studies listings for course description. This course is equivalent to INTL 0470 and ENAM 0470. Register for this course under INTL 0470.
GEOG 0500 Independent Study (Fall, Winter, Spring)
(Approval only) (Staff)
GEOG 0700 Senior Research (Fall, Winter, Spring)
(Approval only) (Staff)