Regional Geography of Latin America: Overview

Overview

Course Description

This course explores the geography of Latin America and its constituent regions, including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The course follows a topical format, systematically examining the physical, social, cultural, demographic, political, economic, and urban patterns of this important, but understudied world realm. In considering the contemporary state of affairs in Latin America, the course also employs considerable historical analysis. Key topics include trade, colonialism, economic development, human environmental impacts, urbanization, geopolitics, and pre-Columbian civilizations. The course concludes with a brief regional synopsis. GEO 301 satisfies the Global Cultures and Perspectives (or Global Diversity) component of the General Education Requirements.

Goals and Objectives

This course has a number of objectives.

Its primary goal is to instill in the student an appreciation for the simultaneous unity and diversity of Latin America, something perhaps best gained through the integrative nature of geography.
Secondarily, this course seeks to provide the student with knowledge of the complexity of Latin American society and environment, especially their spatial patterns and relationships.
Learning various place locations and related facts, while necessary, is only a tertiary objective.

To meet these goals, this course employs a variety of teaching modes. Lectures provide much of the fundamental information, but student projects and presentations, readings, article discussions, and writing assignments build on this base.

Texts

David L. Clawson, Latin America and the Caribbean: Lands and Peoples (Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1996).

Paul B. Goodwin, Jr., Global Studies: Latin America, Eighth Edition (Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1998).

Schedule and Readings | Assignments and Exams | Policies

Regional Geography of Latin America