Description, Enrollment, Instructor, Books, Grading
Course Description
This course is a historical geography of the southwestern United States
and northern Mexico, the arid southwest quadrant of the North American
continent. Focus is on two subtopics.
- The ways of life of the "Native Americans," "Spaniards," and
"Anglos." Emphasis is placed on subsistence or economic activities of
the respective people as they are influenced by the bio-physical
environment, technology, demographics, and culture.
- The effects or changes that successive peoples had on the
environment and earlier residents (e.g., how the Spanish mission system
affected native cultural ecologies and landscapes) are similarly
elucidated.
This course is designed for students in history, anthropology,
education, Latin American Studies, American Studies, and
Mexican-American Studies, as well as geography. It is intended to
provide an understanding of the processes that create geographically
identifiable regions.
Enrollment Information
Course number: GRG 320K
Unique number:
Meeting time: MWF 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Meeting room: GRG 316
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of
instructor.
Instructor Information
Instructor: Dr.
William E. Doolittle.
Office: GRG 306
Hours: by appointment
email: dolitl@austin.utexas.edu
Textbooks
For an insightful comment on landscape and literature in the American
Southwest click
here.
- Gary Nabhan, The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in
O'odham Country. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2002.
- Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop. New
York: Vintage, 1971.
- Cordia Sloane Duke and Joe B. Frantz, 6000 Miles of
Fence: Life on the XIT Ranch of Texas. Austin: University of Texas
Press, 1961.
- Allan Hayes and Carol Hayes, The Desert Southwest: Four Thousand Years of Life and Art. Berkeley, 2006.
- Field Trip Guide - to be purchased at Jenn's Copy
and Binding, 2200 Guadalupe Street (in the basement of the Church of
Scientology building)
Basis of Grading
- A short (500-700 word) written review of each of the first three
assigned books @ 10% each = 30%
- Class participation (including attendance and discussion in
class, completion of two exercises, and going on both field trips) = 20%
- Two exams @ 25% each = 50%
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~wd/courses/320k/general/descrip.html
Created by William E. Doolittle. Last revised 21 May 2008, wed