GEOG202 Introduction to Human Geography

MW 2-2:50 Room 2205 Lefrak

Instructor: Dr. Martha Genres, (301)405-4064, mgeores@umd.edu, 2181F Lefrak
Office hours: MW 3-3:30 and by appointment
Teaching Assistants: Ashley Enrici, Quentin Stubbs, Elizabeth Hoy, Derrick Scott

Course goals:
It is the goal of this course to introduce you to how geographers look at the world and as you learn that to
give you the opportunity to explore the world as a geographer. Some of you may be taking this course as
part of the liberal arts area of your education because is an SB Core class. As an SB Core class it is
designed to show you the methods and concepts of human geography as a social science. You will learn
different concepts and theories about social systems, most focusing on the questions of “What? Where?
and Why?” The over-arching theme in this class is society and sustainability. This requires us to look at
the physical and social environments as one entity. Globalization and human dimensions of global
change are integral parts of the course.

The course includes 2 lecture sessions per week and a one hour discussion session once a week.
Discussion sessions are led by the Teaching Assistants and the purpose of the discussion session is to give
you the opportunity to explore the concepts introduced in the lectures. There will be homework
assignments that are associated with the discussion sections.

Accommodations, university rules, and classroom rules

Students must complete all of the assignments to receive a grade in this course.
If you have disabilities, learning or otherwise, you should visit the Disability Support Office to fill out
appropriate forms that will tell me what accommodations to make. These may include testing formats,
class participation difficulties, and paper writing. Since you know now when assignments are due for the
semester, I will expect everyone to turn them in on time on the same day. Please talk to me about what
arrangements are necessary to allow you to learn the content of the course.
I will make every effort to accommodate students who are registered with the Disability Support
Services (DSS) Office and who provide me with a University of Maryland DSS Accommodation
form which has been updated for the Spring 2011 semester. This form must be presented to me
no later than Feb 15. I am not able to accommodate students who are not registered with DSS or
who do not provide me with documentation which has been reviewed by DSS after Feb. 15.
Campus Senate policy requires students who are absent due to illness/injury to
furnish documentary support to the instructor. If you have the flu you must not come to class, but
you must contact your TA or me to explain the absence within one day of the missed class.
.
By February 15, 2010, students must make a request for a make-up exam if I have indicated a
date on this syllabus that you are unable to make due to a specific religious observance (specify)
on a specific date. Please refer to the Online Undergraduate Catalog “Policy on Religious
Observance.”

Academic honesty
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s work as if it was your own and will not be tolerated. If I
believe that there has been plagiarism on an assignment, I will inform you of my determination and it will
be referred to the Student Honor Office. Remember that on each assignment you must write and sign the
honor pledge. “I have neither given nor received any unauthorized help on this assignment.”
University rule on completion of work
The University requires that all work must be completed in order for you to pass the course.
Classroom rules
I expect that there will be no classroom decorum issues, however, just in case, you should know my
policy. Cell phones, pagers, instant messaging, IPODS, Blackberries, laptops, alarm clocks, cd/tapes
(does anyone use tapes?), DVDs – must all be in their off positions. These devices are annoying, rude
and make me lose my train of thought – and you don’t want to do that! If a cell phone rings or pager rings
…., I will ask you to leave class for the day. Research has shown that students using laptops during class
are not using them for taking notes, so please leave your laptop closed

Class attendance – For some reason the official university policy is that you are not required to attend
the lectures. If you choose to attend, plan to stay for the full 50 minutes. Leaving during a lecture is
rude and disrespectful of the instructor and the class. Class will always end at 2:50, do not pack up your
notebooks before then.

You are required to attend the Discussion sections. In the Discussion sections, please come prepared
to contribute.. The issues we will be discussing are “politically charged.” All views are welcome and
should be freely expressed; that is what classroom discussion is all about. Voicing different opinions is
part of class participation, and please, do not be silent if you have a view or an opinion that will challenge
others. There are no right or wrong opinions.
Students are expected to treat each other with respect. Disruptive behavior of any kind will not be
tolerated. Students who are unable to show civility with one another, the teaching assistants, or myself
will be subject to being referred to the Office of Student Conduct or to Campus Police. You are expected
to adhere to the Code of Student Conduct.

Textbooks: Human Geography: People, Place, and Culture 9th edition, although 8th is fine.
Looseleaf ISBN 9780-4-7041838-3 There is also a web version, and a “Student Companion”
web site.
College Atlas of the World 9780-4-7174117-6

Course Requirements:
Midterm Exam 30%
Final Exam 40%
Discussion section 30%

The over-arching theme in this class is society and sustainability. This requires us to look at the physical
and social environments as one entity. Globalization and human dimensions of global change are an
integral part of the course.

The syllabus follows the textbook chapters although only reading the book is unlikely to get you the A
you all want. The textbook is very dense – filled with many concepts.

Week 1 Jan 24 Introduction Ch. 1 Page 1-33

Jan 26 Introduction Ch. 1
Week 2 Jan 31 Population ch. 2 Page 34-67
Feb 2 Population Ch. 2
Week 3 Feb 7 Migration Ch. 3 Page 68-97
Feb 9 Migration ch. 3
Week 4 Feb 14 Ethnicity ch. 5 page 125-147
Feb 16 Ethnicity ch. 5
Week 5 Feb 21 Language ch. 6 page 148-176
Feb 23 Language Ch.6
Week 6 Feb 28 Religion ch. 7 Page 177-218
March 2 Religion ch. 7

Society and
Week 7 March 7 Sustainability
March 9 EnviJusti

March 14 Midterm
exam

Folk/pop
Week 8 March 16 culture ch. 4 Page 98-124

Spring
Week 9 March 22 Break
March 24
Week
10 March 28 Political ch 8 Page 219-256
March 30 Development Ch. 10 Pages 300-327
Week
11 April 4 Development
April 6 Development
Week April 11
12 Agriculture ch. 11 Page 327-360
Industry,
April 13 Services ch. 12 Page 361-388
Week
13 April 18 Urbanization ch. 9 Page 257-299
April 20 Urbanization ch. 9
Week Human
14 April 25 environment Ch 13 Page 389-417
Human
April 27 environment ch. 13
Week
15 May 2 Globalization Ch. 14 Page 418-430
May 4 Globalization Ch. 14

Final Exam
May 16, 1:30-3:30