GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE:

            Europe is one of the world’s major regions. As a major world region, the rationale for examining the geography of Europe should be self evident. When one looks at Europe, it is apparent that Europe has played a dominant role in world history for the last half Millennium, and it has a special contribution to the course of American history and geography. Currently, Europe interests us a possible model of the future (collective security and economic cooperation) as well as a counter-balance to American leadership in global affairs (geopolitics and world cultural).

            Geography of Europe (GEOG 325) is a new “regional geography” course that examines the human and physical geography of Europe, the European Union, and the contested meanings of “Europe” itself.  The political, economic, and cultural changes in Europe occur at both governmental and individual levels; the European Union is an institutional fixture as well as a contested symbol of the new Europe. The three main geographical scales of inquiry are (1) the internal geographies of individual European states as well as cross-border regions, (2) the regional geography of the European continent, and (3) the global ramifications of a unified Europe.

            The successful outcome of this course, which is my goal, is to (1) increase and develop your knowledge and proficiency of individual European states as well as the European Union and other supranational groups in Europe, (2) facilitate your understanding of the various cultural, political, and ecological contexts in Europe, (3) develop a dialogue of "Europe" in regards to identity and territory, and (4) convey the importance of intellectual pursuits that construct geographical places, regions, and ideas.

                The only formal prerequisite for this course is upper-class standing. Therefore, there is no presumption of prior geographical study, but being familiar with geographical concepts from such courses as GEOG 201, 202, and/or 203 would be useful. It would also be an advantage to have an interest in Europe (via language, policy, or history). As a 300 level course, you should take some initiative to assess your preparation and capabilities to successfully learn the topic. One feature of a geography course that differs from other university courses is the need to use atlases and maps; be prepared for extensive memorization of geographical features (both physical and cultural) and their locations on different maps of Europe.

The European Culture Area: A Systematic Geography, 4th Edition. Terry Jordan-Bychkov and Bella Bychkova Jordan. Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. ISBN# 0-7425-1628-8

Boundaries and Place: European Borderlands in Geographical Context. Kaplan and Häkli, editors. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2002. ISBN# 0-8476-9883-1

Access to an academic atlas and/or internet. Recommend Goode's World Atlas, 20th Edition.

         I use a 1000 point scheme for grading. *see grade table below*

Every evaluation has a set value of points, and the final grade is determined from the total number of points accumulated. Half of the points will come from best two out of three midterm examinations (250 points each): the cumulative final exam is also worth 250 points. The examinations will consist of multiple choice, fill-in the blank, short answer, and map locations.

         Another 200 points consists of a writing project (options include a traditional research paper, a thorough film/cinema project, or an elaborate journal). The paper will be 8-12 pages of writing (not including figures, tables, maps, etc,) and be on an approved topic. The other writing projects will be individually designed and approved by me. The remaining 50 points derives from an atlas exercise.

         The final grade is based on the total points and ranking of your points, not the percentage of points.  I set the point thresholds only after evaluating the whole class and the point distribution.