January 2012
10 posts
Citing like a geographer
Here are some links to some of the books I mentioned in class yesterday:
Jonathan Crary, Techniques of the Observer
Ian Hacking, The Emergence of Probability
Theodore Porter, Trust in Numbers
Lizza's New Yorker article →
Here’s a link to a long piece by The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza that explores the nature of partisanship/polarization in American domestic politics, with a focus on some interesting primary sources. Does/can a President change Washington or must they ‘only’ strive to get stuff done?
State of the Union
Tonight is the President’s annual State of the Union speech. If you’re listening or watching, try to listen for the ways he frames his references to other places. Think about questions like this:
What areas are presented as risky or problematic in terms of global security?
What are the major environmental issues that make it into the discussion? Are they primarily domestic or...
New York Times on the iEconomy
There’s a great piece on the internet economy in today’s New York Times. Here’s some food for thought:
“It is hard to estimate how much more it would cost to build iPhones in the United States. However, various academics and manufacturing analysts estimate that because labor is such a small part of technology manufacturing, paying American wages would add up to $65 to each...
Violence in Nigerian City of Kano →
Many reports of violence coming out of the northern Nigerian city of Kano. As many as 143 killed in attack by Boko Haram (responsible for killing as many as 510 last year…)
“It was called the “First All-American Tush Tally,” an informal test to measure...”
– From an article discussing the butt-to-seat-size calculations on mass transit in the New York Times...
This American Life on Foxconn →
Listen to this NPR radio piece for Monday. Read the follow up written after a response from Apple posted here.
Course Description
This class will interrogate the geographic elements that underpin several important contemporary issues. It is a political course in that we will emphasize and explore the connections between power, space, and knowledge. It is a historical endeavor in that we seek to expose the fragments that will help us make sense of the present. Together, we will work to open spaces for critical discussion...
