The discipline of Geography focuses on the science of place and space; on how humans and the environment interact and influence each other. Our world is not flat and even though the problems we face seem global, each place on earth is experiencing them unevenly because of its location, resources, culture, and history. This course will help students to understand how most of the contemporary global challenges date back to colonialism and how complex our problems are and display spatial variability. Several global issues, such as migration, security, food, health, energy, and climate are the major topics to study the increasing global interconnectedness and socio ecological impacts of political, economic, and cultural globalization.

In this course students will:
Demonstrate an ability to think globally and use geographic perspectives to analyze global phenomena.
Critique various economic and political systems with regards to government influence in trade, development , environmental impacts, and social welfare.
Evaluate their own lives and their connection to other cultures, places, and peoples in the world.

Latin America covers part of North America, South America and the West Indies. It stretches from Atacama desert to rugged highlands and Alpine glaciers of the Andes mountains, from the Rio Grande to Tierra del Fuego.The fertile plains of the Pampas is one of the world's richest agricultural regions. The Amazon Basin is the largest and wettest lowland in the world. Culturally, Latin America is a great mixture of European, indigenous and African cultures.

In this course, we will examine the peoples and places of Latin America from a geographical perspective. We will explore the geographical dimensions of economic, cultural, political, and physical forces influencing Latin America as a region. We will have a mixture of thematic and regional approaches to study the concepts and look into various physical and historical processes that have shaped dynamic and diverse cultural landscapes. We will study contemporary environmental and developmental issues, trends in migration, agricultural change, and globalization to understand Latin America's position in the global economy.

Learning Outcomes:
*Analyze and articulate geographic concepts related to the geography of Latin America, its physical environment, peoples, cultures, and history.
*Analyze changing political and economic relationships between the United States and countries in Latin America in order to be a more informed and engaged global citizen.
*Interpret maps, graphs, and visuals as tools for analyzing the distribution patterns of phenomena and understanding their importance.
*Evaluate how changing cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics of Latin American countries influence internal strife and external intervention.
*Understand the complexities that contribute to the social inequality, political conflict, and environmental concerns prevalent in some Latin American countries and discuss possible solutions.

Latin America covers part of North America, South America, and the West Indies. It stretches from lifeless Atacama desert to rugged highlands and Alpine glaciers of the Andes mountains. The fertile plains of the Pampas are one of the world's richest agricultural regions. The Amazon Basin is the largest and wettest lowland in the world. Culturally, Latin America is a great mixture of European, indigenous and African cultures.

In this course, we will examine the peoples and places of Latin America from a geographical perspective. We will explore the geographical dimensions of economic, cultural, political, and physical forces influencing Latin America as a region. We will have a mixture of thematic and regional approaches to study the concepts and look into various physical and historical processes that have shaped dynamic and diverse cultural landscapes. We will study contemporary environmental and developmental issues, trends in migration, agricultural change, and globalization to understand Latin America's position in the global economy.

COURSE LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES

Define Latin America as a world region.
Identify the main physical and cultural features and characteristics of Latin America.
Interpret maps, graphs, and visuals as tools for analyzing the distribution patterns of phenomena and understanding their importance in the context of Latin America.
Explain the impacts of European colonialism in Latin America.
Evaluate how changing cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics of Latin American countries influence internal strife and external intervention.
Explain the complexities that contributed to the social inequality, political conflict, and environmental concerns prevalent in some Latin American countries.
Discuss the changing political and economic relationships between the United States and countries in Latin America.

Course syllabus relies on library ebook, Shawn Smallman and Kimberley Brown’s Introduction to International Studies, (University Of North Carolina Press, 2015).

Course Description:
International Studies is a multidisciplinary study of the major geographical, political, economic, social and cultural issues that dominate the international agenda. This is an introductory course to international studies where the contemporary and historical relationship between countries and complex global forces are analyzed. Several global issues, such as migration, security, food, health, and climate are the major topics to study the increasing global interconnectedness and the political, economic, and cultural globalization.

At the end of this course:
Students will acquire the foundational knowledge in the field of international studies.
Students will demonstrate an ability to think globally and use multidisciplinary perspectives to analyze global phenomena.
Students will be challenged to think critically about their own lives and their connection to other cultures, places and peoples in the world.

Learning Outcomes:
Analyze and articulate geographic concepts related to the geography of Latin America, its physical environment, peoples, cultures, and history.

Analyze changing political and economic relationships between the United States and countries in Latin America in order to be a more informed and engaged global citizen.

Interpret maps, graphs, and visuals as tools for analyzing the distribution patterns of phenomena and understanding their importance.

Evaluate how changing cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics of Latin American countries influence internal strife and external intervention.

Understand the complexities that contribute to the social inequality, political conflict, and environmental concerns prevalent in some Latin American countries and discuss possible solutions.