what?

why?

how?

What is political?

We will spend our time thinking about politics often removed from the state, politics as relationships of power in our everyday life.

wHAT IS GEOGRAPHIC?

Geography here begins with material space and expands outward. We're interested in our the places we occupy are changed by power and we're interested in geographies of potential (mobilities, migration) as well as spaces at a range of scales (the body, the classroom, the city).

bECAUSE:

• When we critique the way maps are made, cities designed, homes organized, we recognize the ​taken for grantedness of the world we live in. 
• We begin to see that geographic ​knowledge production is privileged and tells particular stories.
• We understand that our worlds are deeply performative, though no less real.
• We are equipped to question power imbalances--from Ferguson to lines at the airport--and to recognize our complicity in these relationships.

Lecture

One knowledge-dense lecture a week, with some time for questions and engagement. Here I will lay out the big ideas of the week, with less attention to the individual readings assigned.

TUTORIAL

The tutorial is a chance to both address questions from lecture and to engage with the readings I have selected to illustrate the lecture concepts. I expect you to come to tutorial, to have read the readings, and to come ready to ask questions of me and your classmates over our time together.

critical essays

Four papers on topics you select over the course of the term. I will discuss these more, but I view the critical essay as a valuable 'testing ground' for your ideas, and will be looking for intellectual creativity coupled with analysis and clarity.

exams

There will be a midterm in class, to be discussed at a later date.

As well, I will assign a take home final exam which you will have plenty of weeks to work on at the end of the course.

GETTING IN TOUCH

QUESTIONS? CONCERNS? Office hours?

Offline

I maintain scheduled office hours on the Burnaby campus, Mondays before class, 3:00-4:10pm in Robert C. Brown Hall 6234.

Additionally, I may be reached by appointment, Mondays and Tuesdays in Burnaby, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Harbour Centre on the Vancouver campus.

Online

I can be reached by email at: jlabove@sfu.ca. Please be sure to include "GEOG 381" in your subject line and allow me at least 48 hours exclusive of weekends to respond.

You may also direct your question to me via Twitter (@jlabove). Please use the hashtag #GEOG381.