Geo
490c
The Country & the City
Spring 2009
Department of Geography
and Meteorology
Valparaiso
University
Class Outline
Today's Readings:
Read Woods Chapter 2: Understanding the Rural
Reading Notes:
What is theory and how can it help us understand the rural? What's the
difference between empirical and critical theories/research? What are
the characteristics of the Geograhical, Sociological, Anthropological,
and Political-Economic traditions/approaches? What impact did the "cultural
turn" have on rural studies? What are the most important concerns
of rural studies and rural geography? What areas need further exploration?
Key Terms:
Political-economy, critical theory, empirical theory
Understanding the Country
"Country Man" Discussion Continued
Looking at the Country
- What makes these scenes rural? How do you know?
- What are the rural characteristics in these landscapes?
- Are there "non-rural" landscape features?
Approaches of Rural Geography
- Geography of Agriculture
- Social Organization and Human Impact
- Rural Landscape and Land Use
- Political Economic Approach
- Cultural Turn
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Copyright 2009 Michael W. Longan