Undergraduate Course: Geographies of economies, environment and politics (GEGR08017)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides an introduction to four sub-disciplines in human geography: economic geographies, political geographies, development geographies and the study of environments. The course examines how geographical concepts (like borders, space, and scale) are key to making sense of how economies, environments, states and power are related. |
| Course description |
This course introduces students to the ways that geographers understand connections between economies, environments, states, and power. The course will examine how geographical concepts like space, borders, mobility and scale can help explain political, economic and ecological processes and conflicts. This will help students to understand and challenge past, present and future-focused explanations of 'modernity', 'progress', 'sustainability', 'political economy' and 'development'. The course will also analyse changing narratives about our economies and environments, emphasising that these are plural and contested concepts. Students will link concepts to contemporary events as well as consider different visions and pathways for what sustainable futures might entail.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Human Geography (GEGR08007)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is compulsory for 2nd year students on the Geography (MA Hons) Degree Programme. This course is open to all 2nd year university students, but priority will be given to students on the Geography Degree Programmes. Students from other programmes may be able to join if there is space. Please contact geoset.ug.drummond@ed.ac.uk to check availability. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | This is a second-year course; students are expected to have an academic profile equivalent to our first-year Geosciences degrees. Entrance to our Geoscience degrees requires an equivalent to Scottish Highers in two of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics or Physics and this background is assumed.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 120 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6,
Other Study Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
166 )
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| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
Groupwork
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Contemporary Issue Analysis (60%):
- This is a 2,000-word essay on a concept of the course.
- AI-Assisted Generation: AI tools may be used to identify ideas, key themes, and plan your assessment, but not to generate content. If you use AI, you must acknowledge it in your submission.
- Coursework Extensions: Extensions are permitted for this assessment. Please review the guidance on the Registry Services website and apply via MyEd.
- Extra Time Learning Adjustments: Students with Extra Time Learning Adjustments may request additional time for this assessment. Applications should be made using the Extra Time Learning Adjustment (ETA) tool, available via the Disability Support page in MyEd.
Individual Reflection (20%):
- This is a 1,000-word reflection on the group work and presentation.
- AI-Assisted Generation: AI tools may be used to identify ideas, key themes, and plan your assessment, but not to generate content. If you use AI, you must acknowledge it in your submission.
- Coursework Extensions: Extensions are permitted for this assessment. Please review the guidance on the Registry Services website and apply via MyEd.
- Extra Time Learning Adjustments: Students with Extra Time Learning Adjustments may request additional time for this assessment. Applications should be made using the Extra Time Learning Adjustment (ETA) tool, available via the Disability Support page in MyEd.
Course Engagement (20%):
- Course engagement will be assessed on successful completion of short quizzes, bringing materials to class, and providing peer feedback.
- AI-Assisted Generation: AI tools may be used to identify ideas, key themes, and plan your assessment, but not to generate content. If you use AI, you must acknowledge it in your submission.
- Coursework Extensions: Extensions are not permitted for this assessment.
- Extra Time Learning Adjustments: Extra Time Learning Adjustments are not permitted for this assessment.
Course Pass Requirements:
In order to pass this course, students must meet all of the following requirements:
- Achieve a minimum mark of 40% on the 'Contemporary Issue Analysis' assessment.
- Achieve a minimum mark of 40% on the 'Individual Reflection' assessment.
- Achieve an overall course grade of 40% (or higher).
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| Feedback |
Students will receive feedback in the following ways: weekly oral feedback during tutorials; through course engagement activities (e.g. comprehension quizzes); oral and written tutor and peer feedback on group presentation; oral feedback from staff during office hours; written feedback on summative assessments; class-level feedback on summative assessments via lectures and Learn.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explain key concepts and current debates in human geography, relating to environments, economies and politics.
- Apply concepts to analyse contemporary environmental, political and economic issues and controversies.
- Synthesise connections between different readings, concepts, topics, places and processes.
- Demonstrate written communication skills, including ability to organise content clearly and concisely.
- Demonstrate oral communication skills, including, reflexive and respectful engagement with different opinions.
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Reading List
Recommended Reading List:
Ashish, K., Salleh, A., Escobar, A., Demaria, F. and Acosta, A. (eds) (2019). Pluriverse: a post-development dictionary. Tullika Books: New Delhi, India.
Blomley, N. (2005). Remember property? Progress in Human Geography, 29(2), 125-127.
Gibson-Graham, J. K. (2006 [1996]). The end of capitalism (as we knew it): A feminist critique of political economy. University of Minnesota Press.
Harvey, D. 1996. Justice, nature, and the geography of difference. Blackwell Publishers.
Scales, I.R., 2014. Green consumption, ecolabelling and capitalism's environmental limits. Geography Compass, 8(7), pp.477-489.
Selections from: International Encyclopaedia of Human Geography, including:
Engel-Di Mauro, S. (2020). Socialism and Communism
Farish, M. and T. Barney. (2020). Maps and the State
Hunt, Sarah and de Leeuw, S. (2020). Decolonization
Jessop (2020). State Theory
Murrey, A. (2020). Colonialism
Neuman, R. (2009). Political Ecology
Paasi, A. (2020). Borders
Sheppard (2020) Capitalism
Willis and Kumar (2020) Development
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Students will be able to engage in depth in contemporary debates in human geography.
- Students will able to critically apply geographical concepts to explain and challenge contemporary events.
- Students will able to write clearly and convincingly; and present their ideas rigorously, reflexively and respectfully.
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| Special Arrangements |
This course is compulsory for 2nd year students on the Geography (MA Hons) Degree Programme. This course is open to all 2nd year university students, but priority will be given to students on the Geography Degree Programmes. Students from other programmes may be able to join if there is space. Please contact geoset.ug.drummond@ed.ac.uk to check availability. |
| Keywords | Human Geography,Political Economy,Environment,Sustainability,Development Geographies |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Mary Lawhon
Tel: (0131 6)50 8516
Email: mary.lawhon@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Leigh Corstorphine
Tel: (0131 6)50 9847
Email: lcorstor@ed.ac.uk |
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