Module Identifier GG25810  
Module Title SOCIAL AND CULTURAL GEOGRAPHIES  
Academic Year 2007/2008  
Co-ordinator Dr Peter R Merriman  
Semester Semester 2  
Course delivery Lecture   18 Hours. 9 x 2 hours  
  Seminars / Tutorials   2 Hours. 1x2 hours  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Unseen Exam  100%
Supplementary Exam2 Hours Resit on condoned (medical) grounds arising from non-completion of examination or coursework involves the completion of the missing component(s) for the full range of marks on dates set in the Supplementary Examination period. Resit due to aggregate failure or non-completion of part of the assessment requires re-examination of each of the main components if marks of <40% in both were obtained, or re-examination or re-submission of the failed component (examination or assignment) to obtain a maximum mark of 40% for the module. Examination component to be re-examined through the setting of a new unseen exam paper. Presentation component to be re-examined through an individual viva with a member of staff on a similar topic. 100%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:





Brief description

The module introduces students to the sub-disciplines of social and cultural geography. The module will start with two separate lectures which examine the historical development of the sub-fields of social and cultural geography, stressing the ways in which the subfields developed, and the tensions which have emerged between them. In a group seminar in week three the students will discuss the issue of relevance and what they feel is the purpose of work undertaken in social and cultural geography, and other areas of human geography. Subsequent lectures will look at a number of the central themes which are deployed in the work of social and cultural geographers, including representation, identity, exclusion, materiality, and scholarship on mobility, consumption, commodities and landscape. The final lecture will provide a course summary, and will look at some of the latest directions and research agendas being pursued by social and cultural geographers.

Content

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTORY LECTURES AND SEMINAR

1. Module Introduction
Introduction to Social Geography
2. Introduction to Cultural Geography
3. Seminar: Relevance and social and cultural geography

SECTION 2: CENTRAL THEMES

4. Representation
5. Mobility
6. Identity
7. Commodities and Consumption
8. Exclusion
9. More-than-human geographies

SECTION 3: CONCLUSIONS

10. New directions in social and cultural geography
Course summary

Module Skills

Problem solving The module will develop students' problem-solving skills in the group seminar classes, where they will discuss selected academic articles relating to the theme of relevance. The student group seminar presentations will be assessed.  
Research skills Students are expected to supplement lecture materials by undertaking research in the university library, while their research skills will also be developed in group seminar discussions.  
Communication The module will help students to develop their written and oral communication skills. Group seminar discussions and presentations will enable students to develop their oral communication skills, and the examination will enable students to practice and enhance their written communication skills. Each student will be expected to contribute to the group oral presentation and the presentation mark will include both a group component (70%) and an individual component (30%).  
Improving own Learning and Performance Student attendance and participation in the lectures, and their undertaking of the written examination and group seminar presentation, will help them to enhance a range of learning skills. The module requires students to undertake sixty hours of self-directed study.  
Team work The module includes a two hour seminar which requires students to work in small groups, discuss a series of readings, and debate their findings with the class. These exercises will develop the students' team-working skills.  
Information Technology Students will develop their IT skills through the use of bibliographic search engines, Blackboard, the library catalogue, and standard word-processing packages.  
Application of Number Not developed in this module  
Personal Development and Career planning The module will help students to develop key transferable skills, in addition to raising important questions which will help them to think about their role as citizens within society. The course discusses themes which will be invaluable for students wishing to undertake postgraduate study in human geography.  
Subject Specific Skills The module will enable students to practice subject-specific skills which they have developed in years one and two, including techniques for analyzing social and cultural texts. Students will develop their analytical skills through seminar discussions and in their examination.  

Reading Lists

Books
** Essential Reading
Valentine, Gill (2001) Social Geographies Harlow: Prentice Hall
** Recommended Text
Blunt, A., Gruffudd, P., May, J., Ogborn, M. and Pinder, D. (eds) (2003) Cultural Geography in practice London, Arnold
Cloke, P., Crang, P. and Goodwin, M. (eds) (2005) Introducing Human Geographies London: Hodder Arnold
Crang, Mike (1998) Cultural Geography London: Routledge
Panelli, R. (2004) Social geographies London: Sage
Shurmer-Smith, P. (ed.) (2002) Doing cultural geography London: Sage
** Supplementary Text
Mitchell, D. (2000) Cultural Geography Oxford: Blackwell

Journals
** Recommended Text
Cultural Geographies
Ecumene
Social and Cultural Geography

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5