Economic Geography
Spring 2002
Economics 4389, Section 12824   
     Time: MW 1-2:30 PM      
     Room 116M       

 

Thomas R. DeGregori

Office: 209D M

Office hours: MW 11:30 AM-1 PM or by appointment
Email: trdegreg@uh.edu

Required Reading

John Bryson, Nick Henry, David Keeble, Ron Martin - The Economic Geography Reader - John Wiley

Thomas R. DeGregori - Agriculture and Modern Technology: A Defense, Iowa State University Press

Pick One (or Two) According to Region of Interest

Barbara Weighman - Dragons and Tigers: A Geography of South, East and Southeast Asia - John Wiley

Brian and Olwyn Blouet - Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic and Regional Survey - John Wiley

Deborah J. Gerner - Understanding the Contemporary Middle East - Lynne Rienner

Haggai Erlich and Israel Gershoni - The Nile: Histories, Cultures, Myths - Lynne Rienner (for both Africa and the Middle East)

April A. Gordon and Donald L. Gordon (ed.) - Understanding Contemporary Africa - Lynne Rienner

Dean M. Hanink - Principles and Applications of Economic Geography: Economic Policy Environment (for Europe)

Topics for papers

1) "Natural" Resources - What are they?

2) Globalization and its Implications

3) Geography and Development in _____ - Region of your choice

4) Geography of Conflict and Terrorism

Topics. On topics 1 & 2, do papers of between 5 to 8 pages with a total of about 10 to 15 pages. The third and fourth papers should be between 10 to 20 pages. An outline for each of the topics will be made available in class during the first week of the semester.

The reading assignments for topic 4 are being assembled and should be available by early in the semester. The internet will be used extensively for this topic. The readings and internet assignments will focus on areas where the instructor has worked such as Pakistan/Afghanistan, Sudan/Uganda, Peru, the Philippines, the Middle East and other areas depending on what happens between the time of this posting and the start of the class.

Students wishing to sign up for an additional one or two hours credit as a special problems course may make arrangement with the instructor to do additional papers.

This course may also be taken as a special problems course for 1, 2 or 3 hours credit or for graduate credit. You may take it any time up to May 1, 2002. For special problems, please see Marion Foley in 208B M. Final due date for all papers, December 1, 2002.

Those who wish to take this as an International course for Business, may seek permission for it to so count from Dr. Frank Kelley. Arrangements can be made for some of the above topics to have the necessary regional focus. Those taking the course for 1 hour credit will do one 10 to 15 page paper. Those taking it for 2 hours credit, will do one 20 to 25 page paper. Graduate students will do two papers of 10 and 30 to 40 pages each. Please see me for details and assignment.

The syllabus is being made available and posted November of 2001 to allow students who wish to do so, to begin the research for their papers.

ALL PAPERS MUST INCLUDE SUBSTANTIVE REFERENCES TO THE ASSIGNED MATERIAL. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED MUST HAVE A SOURCE. THE FINAL PAPER MUST ALSO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FROM RESEARCH IN THE LIBRARY OR THE WWW. USE OF INFORMATION FROM THE WWW IS REQUIRED FOR AT LEAST ONE PAPER. HYPER LINKS TO SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SITES ARE PROVIDED ON MY HOME PAGE (http://www.uh.edu/~trdegreg).  PLEASE GIVE AS COMPLETE A CITATION AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING THE URL. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TURNED IN ALL THEIR PAPERS BY THE NEXT TO LAST DAY OF CLASS WILL HAVE THE CHOICE OF AN "I" OR A FINAL EXAM!