FRS 001P — Sec. 001 — (1 unit) — CRN 45487 — W 2:10-3:00pm — 104 Sproul
Let’s Talk Political Geography: Is the “Cold War” Really Over?

Instructor: Dianne Meredith, Department of Geography, College of Letters and Science

Description: Not yet! - at least, not in Northeast Asia. Japan and Russia never signed a peace treaty from World War II because they are still arguing over a string of tiny islands between Hokkaido and Kamchatka. The Koreas are divided between North and South, with vastly incompatible economies and ideologies. The Russian Far East, a sparsely populated storehouse of raw materials, fears the demographic pressure from millions right across the border in Northeast China, although they need China’s labor force and its market. Meanwhile, economic linkages between Pacific Russia, China, Japan, and North Korea are overriding politics through black market exchanges as well as legitimate efforts to create a trans-border economic zone along the Tumen River. What do we make of all this?

Format: This course does not presuppose any prior expertise on the topic, and will progress from a basic understanding of the region’s geography and history to increasingly complex political geography considerations. The instructor will provide short background lectures each week as a springboard for discussion. Discussion and weekly “reflection on the issues” papers will be based on analysis of timely articles or book excerpts, provided to the class each week. The centerpiece of the seminar will be a 4-week focus on North Korea (DPRK). Working in pairs, students will take turns summarizing readings and providing questions for class discussion. There will be no final exam or long paper. Grading: Grades will be determined as follows: “Reflection” papers 50%, Leading a Discussion 20%, Participation in Discussion 20%, Map Quiz 10%.

About the Instructor: Dianne Meredith is a Lecturer in Geography at UC Davis and teaches courses in World Regions, Cultural Geography, and the History of Geography. Her research interests include political and historical geography, with a regional focus on the Pacific Rim.