Geography 323

Urban Geography (Geog 323)

Colleen M^cTague

Winter 2002

Office:	400B Braunstein Hall
Office Hours:	M/W: 12:00-1:00, T: 12:30-2:00
Telephone:	556 - 3249
Email:	mailto:colleen.mctague@uc.edu

Course Objectives

This course will introduce students to the study of urban geography and will examine the spatial evolution of the American urban system from the late 1700s through the present. Emphasis will be placed on the changing spatial organization of economic activities such as manufacturing and services, and how developments in economic structure, transportation, and communications have affected urban areas. After a broad study of the changing urban spatial structure is completed, the course will examine more specific spatial processes such as: real estate development, neighborhood formation and change, economic and racial segregation, formation of place-based communities, and contemporary metropolitan restructuring. Finally, alternative urban futures will be considered. Throughout this course, the economic, institutional, and political forces that shape urban systems will be emphasized. By the end of this course, students should have a good understanding of the geography of a variety of urban systems, the social forces that shape these systems, and how the geography of these systems in turn shapes society.

Exams:
Mid-Term	100
Final	100
Analysis Papers 6 @ 15	90
Attendance and Participation	50
Field Trip [extra credit]	15	*
Term Paper	150
Annotated Bibliography	10
Total	500	*

Course Requirements and Grading

A	=	475	B+	=	435	C+	=	385	D+	=	335
A-	=	450	B	=	420	C	=	370	D	=	320
			B-	=	400	C-	=	350	D-	=	233

*Extra Credit available - see below

Required Texts

Knox, Paul. 1994. An Introduction to Urban Geography. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:

Prentice Hall.

Sorkin, Michael. 1992. Variations On A Theme Park. New York, New York: Hill and

Wang.

Cincinnati Map (Hertz) - highly suggested

Cincinnati Street Map - highly suggested

Exams

Two exams are planned, a midterm and a final. You will be responsible for all material covered in class and all material covered in the required readings. The final will not be comprehensive

Analysis Papers

After completing each assigned reading in Variations On A Theme Park (VOTP), you will prepare a typed, double-spaced, short (about 400 words and at least three paragraphs) analysis of the ideas presented by the author. Then, to the best of your ability, apply the concepts that you have read about to Cincinnati or another pre-approved city in which you are very familiar. We will discuss the readings in class and you will turn in the papers after the discussion. No late papers will be accepted without making prior arrangements.

Attendance and Participation

Attendance and active participation in class is expected. Random attendance will be taken and used in calculating this portion of your grade.

Field Trip

There will be a fieldtrip to the Carew Tower Building, located in the CBD of Cincinnati. Attendance is optional and it is worth 15 points. Date and time to be arranged.

Term Paper

The term paper must be on a topic related to this course, suggested from your readings in Variations On A Theme Park, and specific to Cincinnati or another pre-approved urban center in which you are very familiar. It should be well-researched drawing on at least five scholarly sources, and present a logically sound and well-reasoned analysis. It should be about eight double-spaced pages written in 12 point characters with one-inch margins. Any widely accepted style format is acceptable. The first 100 points of your grade will be based on the content of your paper, 25 points will be based on organization, grammar, spelling, correct referencing of sources, and 25 points will be based on how you integrated the use of maps, tables, and graphs where appropriate.

Annotated Bibliography

The annotated bibliography should consist of the sources you plan to use for your term paper. It should cite your references and add a sentence or two about the contents of the source that pertains to your research. Citations of books should include, title, author, publication date and, if the material is a credited chapter, the author of the chapter. Citations of magazines, newspapers, and journals require the name of the publication, issue date, title of the article, author if credited, and page number. Resources from the WWW are not acceptable unless they are electronic reproductions of refereed journals. Interviews need the date and place of the interview, as well as the name and position of the person interviewed.

Extra Credit - Movie Review

You may write a movie review and analysis of a film about Urban Geography for extra credit. This extra credit opportunity is designed to help you connect some of the more general processes and principles you have learned in class to the lives of real people in cities. Prior approval of the movie(s) must be obtained. Most of your grade will be based on how well you integrate concepts from class and the text into your film review. The review should be approximately three pages (900-1200 words). A play-by-play of the plot is not adequate. While you will want to provide a summary of the story line and your opinion of the film (no more than 20-25% of the content of the paper), your primary task is to show how the experiences of the characters in the film are influenced by broader processes (75%-80% of the content of the paper). Some of these processes may include or relate to economic change, urbanization, historical urban development, immigration, agriculture, industry, or religion, to name a few. It will be very helpful to you if you take brief notes as you view a film; be especially careful to note things that relate to class. Consult your lecture notes and textbook for relevant information. You may do a maximum of two reviews and each is worth a maximum of 15 points.