Geography 342

Geography of the World Economy

 

 

This course explores the historical and geographical dimensions of global economic transformation.  The first third of the course traces the historical emergence of global trade, European colonialism and capitalism— emphasizing changing geographies of power, production and labor.  The rest of the course is devoted to examining industrial capitalism (particularly during the early 20th century), and more contemporary globalization processes (post-1960s).  We will chart the rise of global assembly lines, international institutions of regulation (GATT, WTO), neoliberal economic policies in the North and in the South, new patterns of transnational labor migration, and political movements resisting “globalization.”  Throughout the course a recurring theme is how economic geographies connect to social ones, including geographies of race, gender and inequality—from the local to the global.

 

 

 

Weekly Topics:

 

Week 1:    Introduction and World Economy in 1400
   Week 2:    Mercantile Capitalism and European Colonialism
Week 3: Industrial Revolution, The International Division of Labor and Fordism
Week 4:   

Post-Fordism:  Contemporary "Globalization"
   Week 5:    Case Studies of Globalizing Industries
Week 6:    The State and Economic Transformation
    Week 7:    Globalization:  Effects on Peoples and Places I
   Week 8:    Globalization:  Effects on Peoples and Places II
Week 9:    Globalization:  The Environment and Social Justice
   Week 10:   International Trade Agreements and Democracy

 

 

 

 

Reading requirements (available UO Bookstore or Knight Library reserve):

  • Peter Dicken (2002) Global Shift:  Transforming the World Economy

  • Deborah Barndt (2002) Tangled Routes:  Women, Work and Globalization on the Tomato Trail

  • Reading packet

 

Grading breakdown: (see explanation below)

Weekly study questions (complete 4 out of 9 sets for grade)  25%
News analysis paper (3 pages) 20%
Extra activity 5%
Participation (attendance; peer review; participation) 10%
Midterm 20%
Final exam 20%

 

Weekly Study and Reflection Questions:

Each Friday study questions will be posted on Blackboard for you to download .  These represent one of the most important tools to help you succeed in this class:  complete these study questions before the following Wednesday.  You need to turn in four of these worksheets as part of your grade for this course, two prior to the midterm and two after the midterm.  These worksheets are always due at the beginning of class on Wednesday of the following week.  Late worksheets will not be accepted, as you have many opportunities to finish four of the worksheets.       

News analysis:

The news analysis (3 pages maximum) requires you to find one article from the popular media that is connected to issues of “globalization” or “the global economy” (e.g. the New York Times, Time Magazine, LA Times, etc.) and undertake a critical reading of the article(s) using what we have learned in class.  Basically, in the news analysis you will look at the argument and evidence presented in the article about issue X and Y related to globalization.  Then you will use class materials to think about the kinds of assumptions made in the article, including what issues are excluded, and the particular “spin” or “take” of that article in relation to understanding “globalization”.

For example, you might look at how a media article talks about or "frames" global poverty and free trade agreements (e.g. NAFTA; WTO).  Does the article implicitly or explicitly talk about the causes of poverty on a global scale?  Does it make particular assumptions about the impact of trade agreements on poverty?  What do you think is left out of the story, given what we have learned in class?  Whose perspective or position is represented in the article?  I will be providing more guidance in class about this paper.

 Exams:

Both the midterm and the final exams will consist of short and long answer essay questions, including some identification (ID) questions, as well as a map section.  The final exam is a take-home exam, due on Tuesday, March 18th. Make-up exams will be allowed only for documented medical reasons.

Extra activity

For this assignment, students can either attend one panel of the Environmental Law Conference (see www.pielc.uoregon.edu/agenda.html) and write a one paragraph commentary on the panel; or students can participate in a debate about globalization on the last day of class.  You must decide by week three which option you want to take!  I will explain this in more detail......

 

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