Fall Quarter Classes

In his book What is Geography?, Alastair Bonnett (2008) attempts to address a question which has since my first day at UCL constantly reappeared as a inherent query in this overly-introspective field of study. His answer, while typically ambiguous like those that have come before, is in my opinion one of the best. Bonnett believes Geography to be the fundamental fascination with exploration. This is not just meant in a traditional sense, but also in a more conceptual way that sees us looking to study all aspects of the world both near and far. Indeed, the scope of what can be studied in Geography is enormous with the four classical groupings of environmental, economic, political and social only drawing further attention to the infinite breadth of the subject.

Out of this breadth and ambiguity is born a fantastic opportunity for a geography student abroad to explore new and unfamiliar territories. Enabled by the US’s university structure, which encourages a far more diverse educational experience than that of the UK, this exploratory drive has been my rationale while selecting the following classes for the Fall Quarter at UCLA:

Film And Television 106A - History of American Motion Picture

The purpose of this class is to explore the history of the American film industry from its origins to its current form. While it may not be initially apparent, the class is linked to Geography in multiple ways. Indeed, as frequently as film comes up in Geography, through studies of cultural and historical representation (Rose 2012), the ‘reel vs. the real’ (Aitken and Zonn 1994) and its role in the US’s global cultural hegemony (Wasser 2009), so too does Geography make itself known in film studies. Such examples include:

- the urban economics of vertical integration and economies of scale that hastened the creation of the Hollywood studio system,
- the importance of changes in social classes across the 20th century in the US that enabled film’s rise to become the most powerful and accessible means of entertainment to the masses,
- and the place of film as a geopolitical ploy, both during the era of wartime propaganda but also today as a means of reasserting US dominance around the world (Sklar 1975).

Assessment: 20% attendance and participation, 20% research paper, 20% mid-term exam, 20% reflective paper, 20% final exam.

International Development Studies 191 - China’s Trade with Africa: Neocolonial or Win-Win?

Perhaps demonstrating the most obvious links to Geography, this class examines the new and asymmetrical relationship between China and Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on concepts also covered in UCL’s Development Geography (GEOG2014) module, such as neo- and post-colonialism and the development of the African middle classes (Birdsall 2010; Kothari 2005), IDS 191 raises the question of whether China’s trade with Africa will be mutually beneficial or solely neocolonial and exploitative. While the class is an excellent opportunity to study what looks to become one of the world’s most lucrative trade ‘partnerships’, it is also a valuable chance to gauge an American perspective over its greatest global opponent. Indeed, the class taught by an ex-consultant for U.S.A.I.D and the World Bank meaning the overall impression of China given to students is overwhelmingly negative. It therefore seems unlikely that ‘win-win’ will be the answer to the class’ title question. Whether or not this is true will be seen through the group research projects undertaken by students. In these each group will investigate a specific African country’s trade relationship with China. My group assignment will be Tanzania.

Assessment: 100% group research project.

Religious Studies 120 - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach

One of the most appalling and tragic conflicts that has gripped the world for decades is the spread of violence through much of the Middle East. While clearly political, these conflicts are also deeply religious. Having studied such issues from a geopolitical standpoint, both at UCL and through the informative documentaries of Adam Curtis, I am now keen to gauge why such conflicts exist from a religious sense. As a student of a secular senior school my religious education was limited to the confines of a grudgingly attended Jewish Sunday-schooling. Thus RS 120 will provide an excellent opportunity to learn about the interconnectedness of the three Abrahamic religions and the conflicts arising both between them and internally among their many denominations. Composed by students from a range of religious backgrounds (an aspect which itself lends the opportunity to learn about others’ religious experiences and perspectives), the class is taught through a mixture of readings, discussions and guest speakers. It aims to cover topics from religious ancestors to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Assessment: 20% weekly reflective question/comment, 30% mid-term exam, 50% research paper. 

I hope that through their synoptic ties, these classes will expand my geographical studies both inside and outside the classroom.

References

Aitken, S.C. and L.E. Zonn (1994) Place, Power, Situation, and Spectacle: A Geography of Film, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. 

Birdsall, N. (2010) ‘The (indispensable) middle class in developing countries; or, the rich and the rest, not the poor and rest’, Centre for Global Development Working Paper 207, Washington DC.

Bonnett, A. (2008) What is Geography?, Los Angeles: Sage.

Kothari, U. ( 2005) ‘From colonial administration to development studies: a post-colonial critique of the history of development studies’ in Kothari, A Radical History of Development Studies, London: Zed Books, 47-66.

Rose, G. (2012) Visual Methodologies, London: Sage.

Sklar, R. (1975) Movie-made America, New York: Random House.

Wasser, F. (1995) ‘Is Hollywood America? The trans-nationalization of the American film industry’, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 12, 4, 423-437.