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Department of Geography
College of Arts and Science
8 Stewart Hall
Columbia, MO 65211-6170
phone: 573-882-8370
fax: 573-884-4239
email:
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Department of Geography College of Arts and Science 8 Stewart Hall Columbia, MO 65211-6170 |
phone: 573-882-8370 fax: 573-884-4239 email: |
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| Geography 3270 Syllabus The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the Middle East. The course is divided into quarters. The first of these deals mostly with the ecological history of the region. We will look at the natural resources of the region and at the adaptations of peasants to local environments. In the second quarter we will examine nomadic pastoralism, the problems of urban environments and the roots of the faith and culture of Islam. The Arab-Israeli conflict will occupy most of the third quarter. We will pay special attention to the ongoing peace process (hopefully it will be ongoing) in the region. In the last quarter we will examine the reasons for American involvement in the Middle East, and look at political and environmental problems related to growing human populations, expanding deserts and diminishing water.
Throughout the course I will discuss the purposes and methods of doing research in the Middle East, so that you might learn something about the role of social science in general and geography in particular in analyzing regional problems and proposing solutions to them.
You are invited to improve the course by suggesting what is working and what is not. Although this class follows a lecture format, you may ask questions and volunteer opinions at any time. Discussion is an absolutely vital part of the learning process, but it will not happen unless you make it happen. There is no such thing as a foolish question -- if you want to know, ask! If you know the answer to someone's question, or want to express an opinion, speak! This will be a challenging course. If you are looking for an easy class, this is not it. The reading assignments will sometimes be heavy. The four exams will be very thorough, and essay questions on them will require you to think critically and write clearly. You will learn much and work hard in this class. Your grade will be based on your performance on the four exams, with each exam comprising 25% of your final grade (see attached description of the grading systems). You must take the exam on the scheduled date. If you miss the exam you will receive a failing grade on that exam. The only exception will be for a student whose is able to furnish a documented excuse written and signed by a doctor. No paper or other outside work may substitute for the exams. Cheating will result in an "F" in the course and possible academic suspension, so don't do it! Attendance in the class is required. A formal attendance record may be kept. Repeated absences will be noticed, and in accordance with M.U. regulations these will diminish your grade, even if you are performing well on the exams. Any absence will certainly affect your grade, as much material on the exams will be based exclusively on lecture and will not be found in your readings. Come to class! And, do not come late to class. It is impolite and disruptive. You will also miss important information and announcements concerning changed assignments, new material and tips for studying for tests. If you cannot come to class on time, you should not be enrolled in this course. Being late or absent, or being disruptive or inattentive in class, will result in my issuing Dean Ted Tarkow an 'Early Alert' report about you (see the attached form at the end of this syllabus). If you have a disability and need accommodations, please notify me as soon as possible. You may also contact the Access Office, A048 Brady Commons, telephone 882-4696. Office: 5 Stewart Hall. Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:20-12:20 and 3:20-4:20. You may see me in the office at these times or make an appointment for another time. Don't think of a visit to my office as an imposition on me -- I am there for you. Telephone: 882-0586 E-mail. Feel free to use it. I usually check it once a day: HobbsJ@missouri.edu Web Page. I will require you to use this from time to time. Please take advantage of the computer labs on campus if you do not have one at home. The URL is http://Web.missouri.edu/~grcjh/ Required Texts (available in the University Bookstore at Brady Commons): -Hobbs, Joseph. Course Manual for Geography of the Middle East. M.U. Bookstore Custom Publication. -Held, Colbert. 1994. Middle East Patterns (Second Edition). Boulder: Westview. -Congressional Quarterly. 2000. The Middle East (Ninth Edition). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. ISBN: 1-56802-100-3 -Hammond Atlas of the Middle East. 1996. Maplewood: Hammond -Omran, Abdel R. and Farzaneh Roudi. 1993. 'The Middle East Population Puzzle.' Population Bulletin 48(1). You will also be required to read articles in your course manual and on reserve at Ellis Library. Be sure to bring your Course Manual, Atlas and the relevant readings to each class meeting. Here is the tentative lineup (subject to change) of lectures this semester: Part One: The Physical Foundation 1. Tuesday, August 22: Introduction to the Course 2. Thursday, August 24: No class, due to travel obligation 3. Tuesday, August 29: Landscapes of the Middle East 4. Thursday, August 31: The Natural History of Middle Eastern Deserts 5. Tuesday, September 5: The Domestication of Plants and Animals in the Middle East 6. Thursday, September 7: Leopard Cave: Fieldwork on the Egyptian Neolithic 7. Tuesday, September 12: The Ecological Trilogy, I: Village Life 8. Thursday, September 14: Exam 1 Part Two: The Cultural Foundation 9. Tuesday, September 19: The Ecological Trilogy, II: Pastoral Nomadism 10. Thursday, September 21: The Ecological Trilogy, III: Urban Life 11. Tuesday, September 26: An Introduction to Islam, I 12. Thursday, September 28: Field Trip to the Islamic Center. Details to be announced. 13. Tuesday, October 3: An Introduction to Islam, II 14. Thursday, October 5: Sinai, the God-Trodden Mountain 15. Tuesday, October 10: Exam 2 Part Three: The Arab-israeli Conflict 16. Thursday, October 12: Jerusalem, Center of the World 17. Tuesday, October 17: The Arab-Israeli Conflict I 18. Thursday, October 19: The Arab Israeli Conflict II 19. Tuesday, October 24: The Arab Israeli Conflict III 20. Thursday, October 26: The Peace Process I 21. Tuesday, October 31: The Peace Process II 22. Thursday, November 2: Exam 3 Part Four: Problems in the Geography of the Middle East 23. Tuesday, November 7: Problems of Population and Urbanization, I 24. Thursday, November 9: Problems of Population and Urbanization, II 25. Tuesday, November 14: The Geography of Oil 26. Thursday, November 16: No class, due to professional meeting (this cancellation is subject to change). Tuesday, November 21 and Thursday, November 23: Thanksgiving Break! 27. Tuesday, November 28: The Geography of Desert Storm 28. Thursday, November 30: Desertification and Landscape Change 29. Tuesday, December 5: Water Problems, I: The Aswan High Dam 30. Thursday, December 7: Water Problems, II: Regional Conflicts 31. Tuesday, December 12: Discussion and Preparation for the Final Exam 32. Friday, December 15, 3:30-5:30 P.M., Parker Auditorium (Stewart 100). FINAL EXAM. Grading System for Geography 275 If you have taken Geography 1 or 2, you will be familiar with the grading format for this course. Here's how it works: Generally, your score on an exam will be graded as 90-100 points, A range; 80-89 points, B range; 70-79 points, C range; 60-69 points, D range; and below 60, F range (yes, there is an F+!). Sometimes if test results suggest the test was too hard, I will adjust accordingly; for example, 86-95 could be in the A range, 76-85 in the B range, etc. So, your score on each test will be assigned points that correspond with your actual letter grade on that test. Here's that Geography 1 and 2 scale that will be used:
Please see me if you have any questions about the grading system. Remember that with this system it is possible for all of you to get A's. That would give me great pleasure, so try your best! |
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When you finish this course you will be able to think and speak effectively about the Middle East, particularly about relationships between villagers, nomads and city folk; about the environmental history of the region; about management of environmental problems such as desertification and water shortages; about the civilization of Islam; about the culture and management of sacred places; about the reasons for war; and about the need for peace.
We will cover many topics that you might think have nothing to do with geography. Geography, however, is much more than place names and major industries. Peoples' cultures, religions, world views and politics affect the landscape. It would be impossible to understand the region without considering these factors. Geography as a discipline is an ideal vehicle for understanding problems and finding solutions in the troubled Middle East. Geography's great strength as a science is its holistic perspective which integrates understanding of people with understanding of the natural environment. Using geographic perspectives, in this class we will understand where the Middle East has been as a region, and where it is headed. We will then be in a good position to propose alternatives: how to achieve peace, how to achieve a more equitable distribution of scarce water resources, how to help an ignorant world become more aware of the importance of this region.
In this class you will see much of the Middle East. There will be slides and films which will bring images of this part of the world and its problems to your critical eye. View these actively; engage yourself in these images and ask questions about them. Try to develop a way of "reading" the landscapes of the Middle East. Think about travelling to some of these places. Then go to them... 
