Places & Regions in Global Context – Chapter 1

The Lexus & The Olive Tree – Opening Scene & Chapters 1-4

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Note: Terms in Bold Type are not found in our text and will be covered in class.

 

5 Themes of Geography

        - Location

        - Human-Environment Interaction

        - Region

        - Place

        - Movement

Human Geography (v. Physical Geography)

Environmental Determinism v. Possibilism

Globalization

Region (Formal/Uniform, Functional/Nodal, Perceptual/Vernacular)

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Maps

        - Topographic Maps

        - Contour Maps

        - Thematic Maps

        - Statistical Maps

        - Isopleth Maps (& isolines)

        - Dot Maps

        - Choropleth Maps

        - Located Charts

        - Proportional Symbols

        - Cartograms

Map Scale (Large & Small scale)

Map Projections (Mercator, Robinson, Mollweide, Peters, & Fuller’s Dymaxion)

Location (Nominal, Absolute/Mathematical, & Relative)

Latitude & Longitude

Declination

Site v. Situation

Cognitive Images (Mental Maps)

Distance (Absolute, Relative, & Cognitive)

Direction (Absolute & Relative)

Friction of Distance

Distance-Decay Function

Utility

Space (Absolute, Topological, & Cognitive)

Accessibility

Complementarity

Economy of Scale

Transferability

Time-Space Convergence

Intervening Opportunity

Spatial Diffusion (Expansion, Relocation, Hierarchical, Contagious)

        - Spatial Distribution

        - Density

        - Dispersion/Concentration

        - Pattern

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Due Wednesday, October 3

In The Lexus and the Olive Tree Thomas Friedman utilizes the symbols of (get this) the Lexus and the Olive Tree to represent two often conflicting impulses found within every community and country in this era of globalization. Write a paper discussing the manner and degree to which your country of expertise is pursuing the Lexus, and the ways that it is seeking to protect its Olive Trees.

Of course, this paper can not possibly cover all aspects of the Lexus Olive-Tree dynamic in your country – you will only be able to provide illustrative examples. USE STRONG, SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, hopefully drawing from the articles you located this summer as well as doing additional research. It will be necessary for you to briefly explain what the Lexus and the Olive Tree represent, but the great bulk of your paper should be an analysis of the situation within your country.

Due Tuesday, September 25

(See Separate Handout)

You will be provided with the materials necessary to prepare for two quizzes on the world’s physical geography (see calendar below). One will cover Asia, Africa, and Australia (Friday, September 14), and the other will cover Europe and the Americas (Tuesday, September 18).