GEOG 2600 - The Power of Place: Intersections of Humanities and Geography

GEOG 2600 explores how and, to a limited extent, why disciplines of the humanities and sciences view the natural world differently, and consequences of this disconnect. Can place, the second great theme of geographers, be reconciled with humanities' sense of place? Is geographers' location that different from philosophy's space? How does a novel's setting achieve meaning beyond description? The subject matter of this course is broad (e.g., philosophy, literature, language, history, geology, hydrology, weather and climate change), but by focusing on the American West, this course provides an excellent proving ground for studying the intersection of the two fields since the West is both place and idea. Students analyze how specific elements of physical geography portrayed in settings of literature and films of the American West project values and how identities of areas are formed by geography and culture. GEOG 2600 prepares students to recognize how these intersections have consequences for the economy, policy, and physical environment.