Geog 280: Cultural Geography
Threatened Culture Group
Semester Assignment
One of the goals of Cultural Geography is to learn about various culture groups of the world and how they fit into the modern world. The purpose of this assignment is to give members of the class an opportunity to learn more about a culture group that is threatened in terms of its existence. Each student will choose one of the listed culture groups and research aspects of that group during the semester. In addition, students will gain practice in information literacy skills by:
Complete the following assignments using the suggested resource materials. Be sure to cite all sources you use in the Turabian format. All assignments should be typed single-space front of a SINGLE SHEET of paper with a font size of 12-point or smaller and margins of 1-inch or less. The deadline for each assignment is listed below and on your syllabus. Late submissions will be graded down one letter grade for each day that the assignment is late.
Assignment 1: Background information on all groups
Consult the web and other sources listed below to write a brief overview of each of the groups given above. Once you have completed your description of each group, choose one that you want to study in more depth.
Assignment 2: Overview of the culture group
Consult encyclopedias, news magazines, and journal articles to write a one-page background paper on the physical environment of the culture group you have selected. If possible, include information on how the group perceives nature.
Assignment 3: Description of the language, religion and social forms of the culture group
Use reference sources, such as Culturgrams and Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life, to learn more about language, religion and social forms of the group you have selected. List and discuss three to five specific aspects of the culture that are very different from your own culture.
Assignment 4: Current problem faced by the culture group
Use news magazines, newspapers, and reliable web sources to investigate a current (past 6 months) problem (environment, health, political, social, etc.) faced by your assigned culture group. If at all possible, use a foreign newspaper as one of your sources. Write a one-page briefing paper of the problem and how the problem is, if at all, being addressed.
Assignment 5: Population data analysis of the world region in which your culture group is located
Collect population data for the country associated with your assigned culture group. Compare those data to data collected for the United States, Mexico, Ethiopia, the Ukraine, Australia, Malaysia and Algeria. Present the data in a table, and describe how the group compares to the other countries.
Assignment 6: Livelihoods and place in the world economy
Using reference sources and research databases, collect information on the livelihoods of your selected culture group. Investigate how the group is actually or possibly connected with the world economy and impacted by globalization. Report your findings in a one-page briefing paper.
Assignment 7: Economic data analysis of countries of the region the region
Collect data on a single economic variable for the country of your culture group and for 15-20 of the countries that surround the country to which your culture group belongs. Choose a variable that you feel is important in assessing the status of the country relative to the region and the rest of the world. Create a choropleth map of the data and then write a one-page paper to discuss the spatial patterns evident on the map.
Reference sources to consult for background information and statistics:
LEO
Catalog of books and videos in JMU Libraries.
Limit use of web sites to United Nations and U.S. Government sites, such as Country Studies.
Style Manual
For additional help in finding sources:
Contact: Lynn Cameron, Liaison Librarian for Geographic Science, camerosl, 568-3826, Carrier Library 114.