GES 382: Geography of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
Course Objective:
To become familiar with this region of Latin America as a place, i.e., to understand what it is like there. To accomplish this exploration of place, we will study the physical environment as the stage of activity, and the cultural, social, economic, and political histories and situations as the human condition within that stage. We will explore similarities between countries, as well as unique characteristics of each place. Students will gain an appreciation for cultures different from their own and recognize the significance of regional differences on their own lives.
Learning regional geography requires a synthesis of information from many different sources about many different topics. This requires work and thought to put it all together in order to better understand the world’s complexities. You will be exposed to a great deal of material and must integrate that with particular locations in order to understand both people and place. The pay off is an appreciation for the richness of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and through reflection, a better understanding of the place where you live.
