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FS056 The Geography of War
Prof. Herb
Spring 2002

Course Requirements and Policies

Participation (25%). This part of your grade will be derived from the quantity, and especially the quality, of your participation in class and fieldtrips. Given the seminar character of the class, it is imperative that you do the assigned readings before class. You are required to attend all meetings.

Book/Film Reviews (20%). You are asked to write 2-3 page critical reviews of John Keegan, War and our World and of a war film of your choice. The main purpose is to critically evaluate how each work pays attention to the influence of geography on warfare. To get an idea of the expectations I have for this assignment, please consult the book review section of an academic geography journal, such as Political Geography or Annals of the Association of American Geography. The book review (10%) is due on 3/5/02, the film review (10%) on 4/11/02, in class.

Class report: Key Issues in Military Geography (25%). You are asked to write a 5-page research paper on a central topic in military geography and present your findings to the class. The topics are listed on the handout "Key Issues in Military Geography." The paper should introduce the issue, discuss its relevance, and provide concrete examples. Be sure to include bibliographic references and to add maps. You have complete freedom in choosing your examples; they can be from any time period or location. The oral presentation of your findings to the class should be no more than 10 minutes and include visuals. The first draft of the paper is due on the day of presentation. The final draft is due two weeks later. The two drafts of the paper count for 15% of your grade, the oral presentation for 10%.

Contribution to The Geography of War Exhibition, "War: A comparative global perspective" (30%). The exhibition focuses on the relationship between geography and war in contemporary conflicts. We will critically examine wars in the context of different visions of future conflicts, such as Homer-Dixon's notion of mass violence or Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations".
The theme will be addressed from two angles:
1) ideology, i.e. how wars are justified to the public, such as the fight against Fascism in World War II. In this case, the focus is geography and public opinion: e.g., nationalism, territoriality, maps.
2) strategy, i.e. how campaigns are carried out, such as the use of guerrilla warfare by the Viet Cong. Here, the focus is on geography and the conduct of war: e.g., environmental obstacles, technology.
Each student will design a web page (15%) and prepare a 10-page research paper (15%). The findings of your research paper will be presented to the class at the end of the semester. Web pages and papers are due on the day of presentation. Late web pages and papers will not be accepted.

Writing Tutor
Since first-year seminars are writing intensive courses, you have been assigned a writing tutor, Emily Price, to help you craft effective papers. While Emily is a geography senior, her assistance is limited to structural and stylistic issues of writing, not the content or research components of papers. Emily is looking forward to working with you and helping you become an effective writer. She can be reached via e-mail (eprice@middlebury.edu) or phone (x6985). Please be respectful of her academic schedule and don't call her in the middle of the night or a few hours before your assignment is due.

General Policies
You are required to attend all class meetings and fieldtrips and to complete all associated assignments. Please refer to the 2001-2002 College Handbook for specific details regarding the honor system and plagiarism under "Student Conduct Policies and Procedures" (Chapter V). These are very serious regulations, and any violations will be reported to the Secretary of the College. Please come see me if you need clarification of the rules.

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