Module Identifier GG25610  
Module Title GEOGRAPHIES OF LATE CAPITALISM  
Academic Year 2007/2008  
Co-ordinator Dr Gareth C Hoskins  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Dr Tamsin E C Davies  
Pre-Requisite Registration for Single or Joint Honours Degree Schemes in geography or attendance at one or more of GG/DA 10110, 10210, 10310, 12610  
Course delivery Lecture   18 hours. 9 x 2 hours.  
  Seminars / Tutorials   2 Hours.  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Unseen Examination Paper (complete two from four question set)100%
Supplementary Exam2 Hours Unseen Examination Paper (complete two from four question set)100%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
  1. Describe and evaluate the key economic and socio-political processes shaping the geographies of contemporary Britain
  2. Appreciate and appraise a range of theoretical interpretations that account for the processes of change
  3. Identify and evaluate a range of data sources and methods that may be used in studying economic and social change and policy engagement
  4. Show evidence of the depth of their reading, interpretation and evaluation of current academic and policy practice through the marshalling of an argument in written form.

Aims

  1. Explore key changes taking place within contemporary capitalist space economy and the associated political and social order;
  2. Look specifically at the processes which maintain and unsettle capitalism and how geography is implicated from the local scale to the body;
  3. Introduce a number of theoretical frameworks to help think through geography of key social, economic and political changes.

Brief description

This module focuses on the geographies associated with contemporary capitalism through a number of theoretical approaches. The themes addressed in this module include:

Module Skills

Problem solving The themes addressed in the module identify the challenges facing policy and planning and students are required to be aware of the nature of such problems and reflect critically on strategies that have been adpoted to address them.  
Research skills Will be developed and expanded through the range of reading and web-based policy sources examined in support of this module.  
Communication The ability to write effectively on the themes covered will be assessed in the examination. Discussion in the lecture period will be encouraged but not assessed.  
Improving own Learning and Performance This module requires an additional three hours self-directed work for each one hour taught - this will necessitate that each student develops self-management and time management skills.  
Information Technology Students will be introduced to the availability, use and evaluation of data and other material derived from on-line sources. Such material may be cited in answers offered on the examination paper.  
Application of Number Some quantitative data will be included as source material in lectures. Students will be expected to be able to use and interpret such data.  
Personal Development and Career planning The themes addressed in this module provide an important context through which to consider various future career and life paths.  
Subject Specific Skills No additional subject-specific skills are developed, existing ones may be practiced in the examination.  

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Amin, A. (1994) Post-Fordism: A Reader Oxford: Blackwell
Gibson-Graham, J.K. (1996) The End of Capitalism (As We Knew It): A Feminist Critique of Political Economy pp 299. Oxford UK and Cambridge USA: Blackwell Publishers
Harvey, D. (1989) The condition of postmodernity. London: Blackwell
Mohan, J. (1999) A United Kingdom? Economic, Social and Political Geographies. Arnold. 034067752X
Shepard, E. and Barnes, T. (ed) (2000) A companion to economic geography Oxford: Blackwell
Thrift, N. (2004) Knowing capitalism London: Sage

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5