Introduction and course overview:

Welcome and what is geography?

ENVSOCTY 1HA3
Society, culture and environment
Dr. Melanie Bedore
Today’s schedule – Welcome!
Unit 1: Introduction to human geography and
environment & society

1: Introduction & Course overview: What is human

geography?
2: Key concepts in human geography I
3: Key concepts in human geography II
4: The map

Readings: Chapter 1
Today’s schedule
Introductions

What are geography and human geography?

Course learning objectives, key questions, details,

structure

Advice, tips for success

Introductions
 Melanie Bedore
• Pronouns: She/her
• Call me Dr. Bedore, Melanie, or Mel
• Ph.D. Geography (Queen’s), MPA (Queen’s), BPAPM
(Carleton)

 Teaching and Research Interests:

• Student engagement, motivation and active learning
• Urban geography, economic geography
• Food, poverty and inequality, cities, social justice

 Personal time
• Cooking, baking, exercising, reading, gardening
Introductions
Prof. Mel loves libraries and New Brunswick
A starting point: What is geography?

A good place to start:

• What is geography?
• What is human geography?

Geography: The study of patterns and processes on the:

• Derived from:
What is geography?
Two branches of geography:
1. Physical geography
• Study of patterns & processes of the:
• Physical environment (landforms, climate, hydrology,
geology, ecology, etc.)
 i.e.,

2. Human geography
• Study of patterns & processes of the:
• Social environment (economy, culture, politics, behaviour,
etc.)
 i.e,
Geography: The study of patterns and processes on the
earth’s surface

Human Geography: The study of human patterns and

processes

Patterns, processes, and their importance

Patterns, processes and their importance
The of people, their cultures, economies, settlements,
political and social structures, and behaviour
• Where do people experience the poorest air quality?

The processes that:

• Why is air quality so bad in these areas and not others?

The
• Does it matter that the people who suffer most due to poor air
quality are often poor and members of visible minority groups?
• What does this call on us to do, as geographers, community
members, responsible citizens?
What is geography?
: What is where, why there, and why care?

What is where?
Involves:
Describing the spatial organization (patterns) of people, places, and human
phenomena

Why there?
Involves:
Explaining the processes that produce these patterns

Why care?
What is the meaning or significance of the patterns and their explanations?
Involves:
Interpreting, arguing what these patterns mean and their:

See Text Box 1.1

 Human geography at McMaster University
An introduction to the theories, methods and patterns in human
geography…
 In particular social and cultural geography

ENVSOCTY 1HA3 ENVSOCTY 1HB3

Key concepts in human geography Key concepts in human geography

Cultural geography Global economic issues

• Language and religion Globalization and development
• Race and ethnicity, gender and
sexuality Population and health geographies

Rural and urban geography (inequality, Urban geography (cities and

local and global trends) urbanization)
Political geography Agriculture and food systems
Geographical perspectives on Geography of economic activity
environmental change
A few questions we will tackle together
In the 21st century, are we becoming all the same?
Where are the world’s major languages and religions popular, and
why?
How do your ethnicity and gender shape your life experience?
Why are the populations of some rural places shrinking while
others are growing?
What are pros and cons of living in a slum or gentrifying area?
What are the root causes of terrorism and political instability?
Why do people use and abuse the environment, and what should
we do about it?
Why have a course like this?
Purpose: To provide an introduction to the theories,
methods, and concepts of human geography - with a
particular focus on social and cultural expressions of
difference
• An overview of human geography: What do human
geographers do? How do they think?
• Provide a foundation for subsequent HG courses
• Become more ‘geographically aware’ global citizens, with…
 Understanding of global issues
 Critical thinking skills
 Motivation and creativity to develop effective solutions to
complex challenges
Our learning objectives: Questions and answers
What is where, why there, and why care?
What does it mean to be a human geographer?
How do geographers think about culture, cities, politics,
and the environment?
How do things like colonialism, racism, patriarchy, and
political power shape the world?
What does it mean that some places are ‘contested’?
How is geography a strategy? For what?
Instruction
Each week:
• Two lectures
• Assigned textbook reading

Starter lecture notes will be available for downloading at the start of

each week
• Complete your lecture notes while listening

 Having incomplete notes alone are not enough

• Multitask to make notes on what you see and hear
• Exam content comes from what is written and spoken

 Why do we do this?
• Notetaking is a (useful) skill
• Taking notes keeps you focused
• Putting ideas into your own words = deeper learning, better retention
In this course, you will choose a ‘stream’ to guide
your learning

1) The testing stream

2) The tutorial stream
3) The research stream
+Watch our A2L page for announcements about registering

Information about the streams, tests, assignment, grades:

Course outline/syllabus
Avenue page > Content > Course documents

Check here before emailing us, please!

1) The testing stream
Two midterm tests (25% x 2)
One final exam (50%)

No assignment or tutorial; ignore your tutorial time in Mosaic

Test format: Multiple choice, true/false + a few written
answer questions
• Crib sheet allowed
Note: These tests and exams are mandatory
No Type 1 or Type 2 MSAFs accepted
No makeup dates for missed tests
Alternate write times if you have a
schedule conflict
2) The tutorial stream
Two midterm tests (20% x 2)
Tutorial participation (30%)
One final exam (30%)

Groups of 24 students or less; good for social learners!

Discuss course content; debates; activities
Weekly tutorial attendance is essential
Tutorials start in week four (September 25-29)
Tutorial times listed in Mosaic may change
 Watch your McMaster email for updates
MSAFs are accepted for a test or missed tutorial
3) The research stream
Two midterm tests (20% x 2)
Written assignment (30%)
One final exam (30%)

No tutorial; ignore your tutorial time in Mosaic

Assignment: Neighbourhood self-guided walking
tour guidebook
• Learning about the cultural, social and historic
significance of a Hamilton neighbourhood
• Fieldwork, research + creative final project
• Midterm checkpoint to verify your progress + final
copy
• Assignment description: Course documents >
Assignment
 Grade Breakdown by Stream

Written Tutorial
Streams Midterms (2) Final Exam
Assignment Participation
Testing
25% x2 50%
Stream
Tutorial
30% 20% x2 30%
Stream
Research
30% 20% x2 30%
Stream

Watch our A2L page for announcements about registering

Required textbook

Mercier & Norton (2019). Human Geography (10th Edition).

Oxford University Press, Don Mills.

Current edition only

Used copies may be available, hard copies via online purchase; please
get in touch with Campus Store

Rent your digital copy at https://www.redshelf.com

Digital companion website
E-version of text, chapter quizzes, study guide, etc.
Use Bibliu at your own risk; pages may not align with hard copy
Our instructional assistant & SEES program
advisor
Heidi Schneider, MA
• schneihe@mcmaster.ca
• Office hours Tues-Thurs 2-2:30pm
 Check course outline for in-person
or virtual
• Drop-in; no need for an appointment

+ Katherine Walker, SEES Academic

Program Advisor
• Helps with program Q&A and
advising, NOT course content!
When corresponding with Heidi or myself…
 Use your McMaster e-mail account
• Do not use personal email or message through Avenue
 From: icarius@mcmaster.ca Sent from McMaster e-
mail
 Subject: ENVSOCTY 1HA3 – can’t see Has a subject line with
lectures course code

Hi Melanie and Heidi, I’m having troubles Has a

watching the lecture recordings for our salutation/greeting
(with correct names!)
course. I tried watching them on two
different devices and I tried closing and Shows responsibility,
restarting my computer, but nothing is steps taken to try to
solve the problem first
working. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks,
Signs off with name,
Ian Carius, 100339995564 student number
Earning an A+: What do past students suggest?

“Mel’s courses are not bird courses”

“At the beginning of the semester I put all the due dates into my
phone’s calendar. For assignments I would put the date one day
before the actual due date to ensure that I would have enough time to
edit and buffer for procrastination.”

“I created a weekly to-do list of all the lectures I needed to attend, all
the textbook readings I needed to complete, and any assignments I
needed to work on. I created this to-do list at the beginning of each
week. Once I knew what tasks needed to be accomplished, I
proceeded to create a schedule for the week so I was able to plan
exactly when each task would be completed. Once I completed a task
I would cross it off my to-do list and that helped me stay organized
and motivated.”
Earning an A+: What do past students suggest?

“Reaching out to my instructor when I had questions about

course material or assessments also helped me remain
engaged. Reading and reflecting on any feedback I had been
given from assignments helped me improve on future
assessments in the course.”

 Give yourself 7-10 days to study for tests

 Take notes during lecture
 Use the textbook for clarification + deepening
understanding
 Start assignments early
Final message
 I am excited work with you; welcome once again!
 Your learning disposition matters to your experience in

this course
• Why are you here? Are you ready to learn?
• You’re in charge of your success; what does success look
like to you?

Next class: Chapter 1, What is human geography?

• Key concepts: pp. 4-21