121-207/307 Landscapes of Power: New Cultural Geographies

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Objectives:

Students completing this subject should:

• be familiar with the new cultural geography and other relevant theoretical traditions;

• understand the relationship between space, place, and identity;

• understand the relationship between a cultural politics of place and power;

• have an understanding of qualitative methods;

• undertake their own empirical research using a local case study.

Content:

An introduction to cultural geography and other theoretical traditions which foreground cultural production and representation in understanding the relationship between place and identity. There will be a general consideration of the relationship between the global and the local and economy and culture. Specific attention will be given to the social construction of identities in and through place. Students will be introduced to the spatial politics of colonialism and post-colonialism, including cartography and power, the spatial politics of resistance. Consideration will also be given to the relationship between space, gender and sexuality, including geographies of fear and the spatial politics of sexuality. Students will also be introduced to qualitative methods and to the ethical issues of researching identity and are encouraged to plan and undertake their own empirical research as part of their written assessment.

Assessment:

Prescribed Texts:

• Jackson P, Maps of Meaning, Unwin Hyman.
  or
  Shurmer-Smith P and Hannam K, Worlds of Desire: Realms of Power: A Cultural Geography, Edward Arnold.