North American Geography for Teachers GCU 676 School of Geographical Sciences Arizona State University

Why North America? Geographers study Realms –Use physical, human, and technical skills –Realms divided into Regions Regions share spatialness –Apply spatial perspectives to Regions Large OR small areas –E.g., world, country, state, county, city, AND any noun or adjective E.g., anthropogenic susceptibility of AIDS worldwide OR in a specific neighborhood OR within a specific ethnicity OR …

Area Studies Strong tradition in geography Learning all there is to know about an area Traditionally, area specialist knew EVERYTHING about their Area Nowadays nearly impossible in a Region –Tendency to focus on smaller and smaller areas

Area Specialist? 50 years ago, “Latin American Geographer” = THE authority on Latin America Now? Example: –Latin America  South America  Cono del Sur  Peru  Andean Peru  Urabamba Valley  Indigenous Crop Use  Indigenous Crop Use in Pisac  Potatoes (  Solanum chacoense)

Regional Science Region: –In most instances, a geographical area smaller than the nation in which it is found E.g., a city, a county, a group of counties or a state –Can defy governmental boundaries E.g., watershed, labor market area –Social & economic models must adapt national-scale concepts and incorporate physical features of the landscape

From Loveridge, S Basic Regional Science Today

Regional Science? Multi-disciplinarity can enhance analyses –But “Too many cooks…” No real “home” –Found in other disciplines (except at Cornell) What level to write the material? –E.g., time-compression might be elementary for advanced geography students but entirely new for advanced economics students Is NOT Geography (but use concepts)

Logistics of GCU 676 Assessment different than –See the document AssignmentStruc676.pdf Smattered with readings and group discussion questions ARGUS resource: – /argus/ /argus/ Related Books and WebSources Online Textbook: –

Readings & Discussion Question Readings: –Patterson, William The Four Traditions of Geography. Journal of Geography Vol. 63 no. 5: –Robinson, Lewis J. 2002?. A New Look at the Four Traditions of Geography. Journal of Geography Vol. 75 no. 9: –Ingold, T The Temporality of Landscape. World Archaeology, Vol. 25, No. 2, Conceptions of Time and Ancient Society. pp Would you consider Geography to be a “regional science” or an “areal science” or a “spatial science”?