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GEOG 2200: Global Connections
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Hours:
John Milton
B-340, Loeb Bldg
613-520-2600, ext. 8741
[email protected]
Monday and Wednesday 1700 – 1800 or by appointment
Course Timetable:
Summer Semester
Monday and Wednesday, 1800 – 2100
Course Description
This course is about making connections – between different aspects of human activities
next door to us and on the ‘other’ side of the world; between the changes and
challenges being felt at different places defined at different geographic scales; and
between conditions in the past, the present and the future. In this course we will
introduce a range of issues and questions – and even attempt to answer some of these
– concerning the dynamics of “globalization.” Globalization involves complex sets of
interactions between people (both politically and culturally), embedded within
economic activities that link people often across vast distances, and in our somewhat
volatile relationship with the ‘natural’ environment both local and global. We will
examine the forces, and their origins, that are shaping the world today and driving
change. We will consider how history has shaped today’s world, how differences
between places drive globalization, and the local is re-emerging within globalization.
However, the purpose of this course is to not simply introduce students to the nature of
globalization and the resulting connections it creates, but to encourage students to
begin to think critically about the issues connected with globalization and its dynamics.
Ultimately it is hoped that students taking this course will have a greater appreciation of
the importance of geographic analysis when examining the many issues facing us, from
the local to the global, today. In opening up a wide range of issues, spanning centuries
and continents, the course is unavoidably selective in its coverage. The concepts and
theories presented in the course will help give order to what otherwise is simply a
confusion of ‘facts.’ But theories are not foolproof; and part of what the course
attempts to teach is critical awareness with which to challenge the assumptions hidden
behind theoretical arguments, and the degree to which ‘the facts’ support them.
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Course Outline
Week
July 6
Topic
How are we Connected? Introducing Global Connections.
Flat World or Spiky World? OR Why Geography Matters! The Geographic Expression
of Unevenness: A World of Cores and Peripheries.
Required Reading: Creating Today’s World.
July 8
Historical Connections. Connections through History OR Why History Matters!
Required Reading: History Matters.
July 13
Economic Connections I. Consumption and Beyond: The Globalizing of Consumption
and Manufacturing.
Required Reading: Connections Through Consumption and Manufacturing.
Assignments: First Assignment released.
July 15
Economic Connections II. Servicing the World: The Internationalization of Services.
Why India?
Required Reading: The Internationalization of Services.
July 20
Cultural Connections I. Are we Moving towards a Global Culture? Social Networking
and Hybrid Identities.
Required Reading: Creating Today’s World.
Assignments: First Assignment due. Second Assignment released.
July 22
Cultural Connections II. The International Connoisseur: Global Diets for the Global
Citizen.
Required Reading: The International Connoisseur.
July 27
Environmental Connections I. Natural Resources and Need.
Second Assignment due before start of class.
Required Reading: Natural Resources and Human Needs.
Assignments: Second Assignment due. Third Assignment released.
July 29
Environmental Connections II. The Climate Connection: Why should we all be
concerned with Climate Change?
Required Reading: Climate Change: Forget the Blame! Share the Solution!
August 5
Political Connections I. Security and the Sceptre of Terrorism.
Required Reading: Terrorism and Geo-political Security.
Assignments: Third Assignment due. Fourth Assignment released.
August 10
Political Connections II. Globalization and Development OR Development as
Freedom? Beyond Simple Economics.
Required Reading: The Individual as the Basis of Development.
August 12
What Might the Future Hold? Emerging New Global Relations: Globalization and
Localization and the Dynamics between the Local and Global.
Review.
Assignments: Fourth Assignment due.
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Course Book
There is no formal text book for this course. E-chapters will be released immediately following
each lecture. However, there are a few books you may wish to acquire or download if you are a
geography student or environmental studies student (or a student with an interest in
geography). These are:
de Blij, Harm. 2009. The Power of Place. Geography, Destiny and Globalization’s Rough
Landscape. Oxford: Oxford University Press. This book is available as an e-book through
the university’s library.
Sparke, Matthew. 2012. Introducing Globalization. Ties, Tensions and Uneven
Integration. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
Learning Objectives
Students will be introduced to the:
 Complex nature of globalization and its processes;
 Manners in which we are connected within our community and between communities
in every part of the world through events, products and actions; and
 The importance of geographic analysis when addressing the many issues we face today,
from the local to the global.
Deliverables
Course grading is based upon a series of on-line assignments and a final examination.
Completion of both elements is mandatory for passing the course. Students may complete an
optional assignment that would reduce the weighting of the final examination.
On-line Assignments
A question and an assigned video or videos have been set for each course topic. You must
complete all four assignments. You are expected to follow the template provided in Appendix
One. You are expected to draw upon the assigned videos and lecture materials. You are,
however, encouraged to draw upon other materials.
The objective of these assignments is to help you think critically about various issues confronting
humanity today. You are expected to take a geographic perspective in your response so follow
the advice given in Appendix One. Each submission is worth 10% so the assignments are worth a
total of 40% of your final grade – so they are important – and doing well on these is a great way
to build a foundation for a good final grade!
Final Examination
Again, because of the nature of a summer course, I will be placing more emphasis on the final
examination than I would for a fall or winter semester course. A three-hour final examination
will be held, as scheduled by the University. You will be notified as soon as I know the schedule.
The final week of the course will include a review of the course and the structure of the final
examination. Further details of the examination will also be posted on the course cuLearn site at
least two weeks before the last class. At present, this will be worth 60% of your final grade.
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Optional Assignment: Mapping Your Global Connections
For those students who dislike formal examinations, you can complete an optional assignment,
worth 20% of your final grade. This assignment has been well received by students in past years.
It challenges you to evaluate your own global self.
Just how global a person are you? Let’s find out by mapping your Facebook ‘friends.’ In this Page | 4
assignment you will take you ‘friends’ and categorize them in two manners: first, geographically,
and second, by the nature of the friendship. You will then be expected to present an analysis of
your global connections. For those of you who do not have a Facebook account, you have the
option of using a sibling’s or friend’s Facebook information. Note: You will need a minimum of
30 friends to do this assignment. An outline is provided as Appendix Two.
Written Assignments
If you feel you need assistance in improving your writing skills, you are encouraged to get in
touch early in the term with the Writing Tutorial Service (Room 229, Patterson Hall,
http://www.carleton.ca/wts/). I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this service as
effective writing is an invaluable skill in the workplace. Students are strongly advised to retain a
hard copy (and electronic backup) of all assignments and term papers in the event of loss for
whatever reason.
Grading
The grading of these components is as follows:
Weightings
On-line Assignments
Four @ 10% each
40%
40%
Final Examination
60%
40%
Optional Assignment
---
20%
Total
100%
100%
Grades
In accordance with the Carleton University Calendar, the letter grades assigned in this course
will have the following percentage equivalents:
A+ = 90-100
B+ = 77-79
C+ = 67-69
D+ = 56-59
A = 85-89
B = 73-76
C = 63-66
D = 53-56
A - = 80-84
B - = 70-72
C - = 60-62
D - = 50-52
F = Below 50
WDN = Withdrawn from the course
ABS = Student absent from final exam
DEF = Deferred (See below)
FND (Failed, no Deferral) = Student could not pass the course even with 100% on final exam.
Final grades are subject to the Dean’s approval.
Deferred Assignments/Grades
Only official deferrals petitioned through the Office of the Registrar will be honoured. Students
who are unable to complete a final paper or write a final examination because of illness or other
circumstances beyond their control or whose performance on an examination has been
impaired by such circumstances may apply within five working days to the Registrarial Services
Office for permission to extend a term paper deadline or to write a deferred examination.
Permission can be granted only if the request is fully and specifically supported by a medical
certificate or other relevant documents.
Requests for Academic Accommodations
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For Students with Disabilities: The Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC)
provides services to students with Learning Disabilities (LD), psychiatric/mental health
disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD),
chronic medical conditions, and impairments in mobility, hearing, and vision. If you have a
disability requiring academic accommodations in this course, please contact PMC at 613-5206608 or [email protected] for a formal evaluation. If you are already registered with the PMC,
contact your PMC coordinator to send me your Letter of Accommodation at the beginning of
the term, and no later than two weeks before the first in-class scheduled test or exam requiring
accommodation (if applicable). After requesting accommodation from PMC, meet with me to
ensure accommodation arrangements are made. Please consult the PMC website for the
deadline to request accommodations for the formally-scheduled exam (if applicable).
For Religious Observance: Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of
religious observance should make a formal, written request to their instructors for alternate
dates and/or means of satisfying academic requirements. Such requests should be made during
the first two weeks of class, or as soon as possible after the need for accommodation is known
to exist, but no later than two weeks before the compulsory academic event. Accommodation is
to be worked out directly and on an individual basis between the student and the instructor(s)
involved. Instructors will make accommodations in a way that avoids academic disadvantage to
the student. Students who have questions or want to confirm accommodation eligibility of a
religious event or practice may refer to the Equity Services website for a list of holy days and
Carleton’s Academic Accommodation policies, or may contact an Equity Services Advisor in the
Equity Services Department for assistance.
For Pregnancy: Pregnant students requiring academic accommodations are encouraged to
contact an Equity Advisor in Equity Services to complete a letter of accommodation. The student
must then make an appointment to discuss her needs with the instructor at least two weeks
prior to the first academic event in which it is anticipated the accommodation will be required.
Academic Standing and Conduct
Students must familiarize themselves with the regulations concerning academic standing and
conduct in the 2014-2015 Carleton University Undergraduate Calendar.
Drop/Withdrawal Date
Please refer to the 2014-2015 Undergraduate Calendar for the final day that one is permitted to
withdraw from a fall term course.
Student Life Services
Student Life Services, located in Room 501 of the Unicentre, offers a wide range of programs
and services to assist students in adjusting to academic life, in improving their learning skills, and
in making academic and career decisions.
University Regulations Regarding Cheating and Plagiarism
University regulations stipulate that any allegation of plagiarism, cheating or violations of
examination conduct rules will be thoroughly reviewed. Each case must be reported to the
Dean, who investigates each allegation. If there is no resolution following this investigation at
the Dean’s level, a tribunal will be appointed by the Senate to review the case and make a final
decision.
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Note on Plagiarism: Webster’s Dictionary defines plagiarism as stealing. Plagiarism is the
submission of someone else’s writing/ideas/work as your own. All ideas presented which are
not your own must be properly referenced. While forms of plagiarism may vary, each involves
verbatim or near verbatim presentation of the writings or ideas of others’ as one’s own without
adequately acknowledging the original source. Plagiarism includes (but is not limited to) copying
from a book, article or another student, downloading material or ideas from the Internet, or
otherwise submitting someone else’s work or ideas as your own.
Appendix 1: Organizing Your Assignments
The purpose of these assignments is twofold. First, collectively they are an opportunity to
examine questions of importance in today’s world. Second, these are an opportunity to hone
your critical thinking and writing skills.
Each of your responses should be a well constructed argument which answers the posed
question. So, how is this achieved? To be well constructed, your argument must be organized in
a logical fashion. Such a well constructed argument consists of:
 Introductory paragraph. It must have an introductory paragraph introducing
the question and its scope. It is unlikely that you will be able to address all of the
aspects or issues surrounding a specific question so you need to state what you
will be addressing and what you will not be addressing so the reader knows
exactly what to expect from the outset.
 Position Statement. Next, you need to make a clear statement answering the
question – yes or no. this can be the concluding sentence of the introductory
paragraph. It is important so the reader, being me, knows the direction your
argument is heading.
 Body of Your Argument. This consists of a series of paragraphs. Each should
focus on a single point. Each point should be properly supported with evidence,
either in the form of supportive literature (peer-reviewed or otherwise credible)
or actual factual evidence. Each successive paragraph should build on the point
made in the previous one. It is in the body of your argument that you present
the evidence supporting your stated position and build your argument.
 Concluding Paragraph. Once you have completed your argument, you are ready
to write your concluding paragraph. This involves re-stating the question and
your position and then summarizing briefly your key points before ending with a
closing sentence.
 References. You must always include all of your references, properly cited.
Each of you should be proud of your work and that pride is reflected in your work’s formatting.
Every submission should be professional in its presentation. By this I mean it should follow any
and all formatting requirements as laid out by your instructor. So here are mine for these
assignments:
 Your page layout should have 1.5 inch borders top and bottom, and 1.0 inch
borders on the two sides.
 You are to use 12 point Times-Roman font.
 Your work should be properly paginated.
 Your work is to be doubled-spaced.
 You are not expected to have a formal cover page for your assignment. Instead,
you are required to have a proper heading that includes the question, your
name, your student number, the course code and name and date of submission:
Question
Submitted [date]
For GEOG 2200 Global Connections
Your name, student number
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Some other thoughts of importance:
 Finding time. The vast majority of individuals may believe that they can sit down
and write a proper (an “A” grade) assignment. In reality, they cannot. Your first
version is only a draft; it is not the final version (or at least, it should not be the
final version). You need to find the time to think and to organize your ideas; to
review the assigned materials and conduct additional research that will provide
the supporting evidence to your argument; and to organize your ideas and
points into a logical sequence.
 Incorporating supporting evidence. Yes, this is a second year course. And yes, it
is a summer version of a second year course. Nevertheless, you are expected to
conduct the research necessary to produce a strong assignment. Obviously, a
response that draws upon a range of peer-reviewed articles and other reputable
sources will likely earn a better grade. Please note my one pet peeve: do not use
Wikipedia ever. Wikipedia is not a peer reviewed document. It is an open-source
document which permits anyone to make edits to articles. For that reason
alone, it is not an appropriate reference for an academic work.
 Be critical in both your thinking and your writing. Be stoic in your approach. Do
not use such phrases as “It is obvious” or “It is common knowledge that” or
“Everyone would agree that.” None of those statements is necessarily true.
Furthermore, do not use such phrases as “In my opinion” or “I think.” While
these are certainly valid when expressing your opinion, such expressions are
discouraged in critical thinking. You should be using such phrases as “The
evidence suggests” when reaching conclusions.
 Finding more time. You need to make sure that you have time not only to write
your assignment, but time to review it. You need to be able to put your paper
aside for a few days. Then return to it and read it over. You will find all sorts of
grammatical errors, typographical errors, structural errors as well as
inconsistencies. You will come across awkward sentences, run-on sentences,
incomplete sentences and muddled/confusing sentences. You will come up with
additional ideas and arguments that either supports your arguments OR that
challenges your arguments (meaning you have to address these). You will come
up with better ways of explaining or arguing ideas. In the end, you will produce
a better paper. You could have someone else read your assignment, but make
certain that he/she will be critical (and not simply someone who will tell you
how brilliant you are). As I have often said, a professor can tell how much effort
has been invested in a paper just by reading it.
 Proper referencing. Make sure that you have cited ideas originating from other
individuals in your text and provide complete references of all articles and other
documents used in your work. There is no such thing as too many citations in
your work. Citations crediting others for ideas and arguments used by you in
your work do not reduce your voice in your work. In many ways, such citations
reinforce your voice. So be complete.
 Don’t be afraid of your own insights, arguments and conclusions. There is no
such thing as a correct or incorrect answer to these questions. There are only
poorly written arguments and well written arguments. You are being graded on
how well your argument is written and presented.
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Appendix 2: Mapping Your Global Connections
Students have found this exercise both enjoyable and informative. It involves the mapping of
your Facebook friends two ways: regionally (that is, geographically) and by social relations (that
is, socially). The steps involved are as follows:
1. Organize your Facebook friends. This should be done according to these
categories:
a. Family,
b. Personal Friends (friends that you know face-to-face),
c. Friends
by
Shared
Interest
(including
through
school
assignments/projects),
d. Friends of Personal Friends (friends of your fiends), and
e. Facebook-‘friended’ Friends.
NOTE: You should place friends in the appropriate category based upon how
you first ‘met’ them. For example, if you met someone as a friend of a friend
and then they become a personal friend, you would place them in the ‘Fiends of
Personal Friends.’
2. Map the locations (residences) of these friends on a world map. Use different
icons OR use different colours to identify friends under the different categories.
Discuss this distribution. You could look at how your global connections have
grown over time by creating a sequence of maps presenting different time
periods in your life. Are your connections truly global or not? Do you see any
geographic clusters of friends? If yes, why do these clusters exist? Are they
because of travels or school or interests?
3. Map the ‘locations’ of your friends on a social map. We’ll look at examples of
social maps in class. However, the purpose here is to present graphically how
your Facebook friends are organized socially. Discuss your findings. Are your
global connections still concentrated on family or personal friends or some
other category of friends? How have your connections evolved over time? How
do you think your Facebook world will evolve in the years ahead? For example
do you think that work will change the composition of your Facebook friends?
Do you plan on travelling? How have your travels to date influenced your global
reach through Facebook?
A more detailed outline will be provided through the course cuLearn site.
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