2023

Introduction to Human Geography

Name: Introduction to Human Geography
Code: GEO13385L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: Geography

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

Understanding Human Geography in the context of Geography: addressing some of the themes of current Human Geography; identify, understand and discuss the most important concepts and perspectives used in Human Geography; Identify the diversity of the planet and its implications in human life; To value the geographical perspective in the approach of the demographic, economic and political dynamics at different scales; discuss factors and forms of spatial organization; reflect on the exercise of political power over the territory; To initiate the students in the analysis of the territory, developing a geographical perspective: to value the direct observation through a case study in integrated study visit.
Learn to apply concepts and use the proper terminology; combine space-time dimensions in the interpretation of phenomena and processes in Geography; Learn to articulate different scales in the interpretation; use statistical, documentary and cartographic sources in the analysis.

Contents

- Fundamentals in Human Geography (fundamental concepts of Geography: scale, landscape, region, geographical space, territory, processes or geographical properties (other concepts): location, distribution, differentiation, spatial interactions, structures and networks; in human geography, space and time, some relationships that (pre) occupy geographers: local - global, society - nature - culture, territory and representations)
- Population, resources and sustainable development (population dynamics, growth and environmental crisis)
- Processes and organization of geographic space (geographies of global urbanization, transport, networks and settlement structures, dynamics in rural areas)
- Power and territory (territory and territoriality, nation-state, nationalisms and governance, citizenship)

Teaching Methods

The teaching method is based on the presentation and discussion of theoretical concepts, the presentation of themes, through reference texts and practical examples. These integrate the new issues arising from the contemporary world and value the applied dimension of Geography. Performing individual application exercises. These, developed in the classes and in the different themes, have the purpose of encouraging the critical reading, the autonomous research, the articulation between theory and practice. Group work is done outside of class. It values the exit of field and the resulting learning
Continuous evaluation will consist of: a) group work to be developed following the field trip, with a discussion of the plan evaluated and an oral and written presentation (20% of the grade); b) two individual tests (70% of the grade). Participation in the classes and the realization of the small application exercises (10% of the grade) are taken into account.