Geography 340
World Regions in Global Context
Fall 2012 Syllabus
Prof:

Professor Kris Olds
Rm. 346 Science Hall
Email: kolds@wisc.edu
Skype username:
Tel: 608-262-5685
Office Hours @ Aldo’s Café, 330 North Orchard Street: Wednesdays
9:30-10:30 am
Office Hours @ Rm 346, Science Hall: Wednesdays 4-5 pm
Office Hours by appointment too if the above times don’t work

TA:

Ms. Samantha Greene
Rm. 217 Science Hall
Email: greene1@wisc.edu
Skype username:
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-3 pm, or by appointment

340 Weblog: http://worldregions.wordpress.com/ & available via Learn@UW

Welcome to Geography 340!
Geography 340 -- World Regions: Concepts and Problems is a new online course that takes advantage of innovations in technology to help:
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Enhance the acquisition of multiple forms of knowledge about world regions (e.g., Africa, Southeast Asia);

Geography 340 (Fall 2012)

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Learn about the insights generated via direct engagement (e.g. via travel and especially fieldwork) with world regions;

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Learn how key public, private and non-governmental actors with ‘global reach’ (e.g., the Gates Foundation, Google, the European Commission,
ASEAN, Médecins Sans Frontières) frame, develop, and implement regionally specific strategies (e.g., the EU’s Asia or Africa strategy).

Thus the course focuses upon substantive characteristics and patterns, research practices ‘in the field,’ and the regional/global ‘geographical imaginations’ of powerful actors in the regional development process.
Geography 340 is a 100% online (virtual) course: we do not, as an entire class, meet physically at anytime during the Fall 2012 term. Indeed, even if we wanted, to this would be impossible as quite a few of you are living in other parts of WI, the US, or the world, or perhaps travelling throughout the term.
This course is also asynchronous which means you can work through the material whenever you wish, though there will be clearly stated deadlines for submitting exercises, etc. I will, though, be available to converse with you individually via Skype or telephone. For those of you on campus, though, please drop by and say hello! My office is in Room 346, Science Hall
(pictured to the right). If you walk towards Science Hall in front of the
Memorial Union, I’m just under the last L of the Science Hall letters on the outside facade!
Geography 340 was launched, in trial fashion during the summer session of 2011.
The 2011-2012 academic year (AY) term was its first real showing and it went very well (though things can always be improved). Given that you are only the third regular term please be sure to provide me with incremental feedback via email or
Skype so I can fix any problems that unexpectedly emerge. Please do not be shy on this front, OK!
Course Content & Structure
A broad 'world regions' approach is being adopted in this course, such that we'll be learning about all of the world’s regions. Given this, Geog 340 is an ideal feeder for regionally-specific courses (e.g., on Africa, Southeast Asia), for students considering, taking, or returning from study abroad sessions, or for students with

Geography 340 (Fall 2012)

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any interest in professions or jobs that will lead them to travel, or to engage with people/firms/agencies/etc., from other countries.
In terms of order vis a vis the course text, please note that we have made a few minor adjustments to the course chapter outline such that this is the flow during the term:
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The United States and Canada
Europe
The Russian Federation, Central
Asia, and the Transcaucasus
Middle East and North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Latin America

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East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Australia, New Zealand, and the
South Pacific
World Regions in Global Context

Note that you only need to scan-read Chapter 1 of World Regions in Global Context at the start of the class, but we are