Cultural Geography

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the limits of geographical research and strategies for addressing such limitations
• Demonstrate critical awareness of issues surrounding the collection of 'data' of various types relevant to the study of geography
• Analyze geographical work on culture reflectively and critically
• Conduct independent research
• Relationships between landscape, place, space
• Participate in in-class discussion
• Public speaking and presentation of ideas
• Develop arguments in an in-depth, ordered and motivated way
• Non-representational theory, or, the ‘affective turn’ in cultural geography
• Structure different approaches in cultural geography for the purposes of research
• Various methods used in cultural geography (ethnography, visual methods, science and technology studies)
• Utilise interdisciplinary methodologies
• Identify appropriate research techniques and methodologies for the investigation in cultural geography
• Cultural issues including heritage and society
• Assess differing theories in cultural geography
• More-than-human approaches to human geography

Cultural geography is a field of vibrant scholarship within the discipline and this unit gives students and introduction to this body of work. Week by week students will be introduced to different areas of inquiry and conceptual fields in cultural geography. This will include debates surrounding the relationship between culture and nature, how our identity is shaped by experiences of space and place and the forces of power which are present in and shape space. The course also demonstrates how concepts prevalent in cultural geography effect methodologies and research used in geography. Throughout the course a number of case studies are drawn upon which exemplify the various conceptual themes of cultural geography; from recent research into microbial aesthetics and handwashing through to analysis of the Television series The Wire.

Teaching and learning methods

The module is delivered via a weekly two-hour lecture and a near-weekly one hour seminar. Each session will usually feature a lecture outlining key conceptual issues and a case study in which this issue is present. A seminar will take place in the week of the lecture which will centre on student engagement with the lecture theme. Seminars will take place through a variety of formats such as presentations, debates and group discussions. The format of each seminar is disclosed in the handbook and will also be outlined the week before the seminar is to take place.

The module will draw upon local, national and international examples and will employ a diverse range of materials including academic, literary and popular texts, media accounts and film. Sessions are clustered into blocks reflecting contributor expertise.

The module comprises of two pieces of coursework.

For seminars, students will be split into two groups at the start of the module and will be assigned a seminar leader.

Assessment strategy

The first half of the course is assessed by an essay worth 50% of the final grade will be attached that includes a freedom of choice as to the topic used to address the essay question.

The second half of the course is assessed through choice of one of a range of five essay questions.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External