FALL 2007 HONORS COURSES

HONR 229X The Geography of China
Wednesday, 3-5:30pm
Dr. Shunlin Liang, Department of Geography

Since initiating the reforms and open policy, China has achieved tremendous success. China's rapid growth is now a driving force in the global economy and is achieving unprecedented rates of poverty reduction. However, China faces ongoing and emerging challenges related to its continued rapid growth – growing income inequality, economically lagging western and northeast regions, unsustainable resource exploitation, and issues related to growing regional and global economic integration. Moreover, growth is also seriously damaging the natural resource base and generating major environmental liabilities. The country's environmental problems include land degradation, deteriorating water quality and water scarcity, severe air pollution and declining natural forest cover.

This course will cover physical geography, history, and economic and political systems of the world's most populous country. Major focus will be on geographical issues in China's contemporary development: agriculture, population, urbanization, energy, environment, transportation, industry and trade, and international relations.

The major course requirements include: short research essays of 3-5 pages; a group presentation on controversial topics, a mid-term exam; and a final research paper. Students will be encouraged to develop their own research topics for the final papers.

Tentative Texts:
China's Geography: Globalization and the Dynamics of Political, Economic, and Social Change (Changing Regions in a Global Context: New Perspectives in Regional Geography) by Gregory Veeck
Geography of China by China Handbook Editorial Committee

CORE: Behavioral and Social Science [SB]