Geography of the World (ERASMUS)

In winter and summer semester 2020/2021 the course will be conducted online at Google Meet.

The course gives the regional approach to the geography of the world. During the course several different regions are presented with the reference to their development, specific features and characteristics.

Course can be realized in different forms: lecture, workshops and discussion based on the literature. Before the lectures students must read the recommended literature. It is necessary to participate in the discussion.

The course is conducted by several lecturers.

Main subjects:

1. South-East Asia.

a) The lectures gives the background informations about the most important social, economic and natural environment features of the region with focus on tourism development and infrastructure. It also provides informations on agriculture, problems of biggest cities, migrations within and outside the region and protected areas.

b) Workshop on the problems between the development of tourism and water. Beaches, ground water, drinking water, irrigation. Causes of conflicts and compromise strategies on the example of Jawa and Ko Pha-ngan.

2. United States. Tourism movement and tourism infrastructure in National Parks of United States (e.g. Everglades National Park, Yellowstone NP., Mesa Verde NP, Yosemite NP.).

3. Japan: Past and Present. The main aim of this lecture is to show Japanese situation before and after earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster occurring in 2011. The first part will concentrate on student tasks and discussion about modern demography of Japan and demographic-related topics (e.g. immigration policy). During the second part special emphasize will be putted on economic and social consequences of natural and human-related disasters taking places in 2011.

4. Russia - transformation after the collapse of the USSR. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has been undergoing a political, economic and social transformation. The main purpose of lecture is to present various forms of transformation in Russia after the collapse of the USSR. One of the topics would be The Russian health crisis and the economy. During the lecture students will also discuss the prospects for the development of gulag tourism. This lecture will be supplemented with the results of the research carried out in the Magadan Oblast in the Russian Far East in 2004 (this topic only in winter semester).

5. Northern Africa and Middle East. Geography of the Arab countries with particular emphasis on socio-cultural and economic issues (on the example of United Arab Emirates).

6. Ethiopia. Workshop about tourism and its complex relationship with indigenous communities. Mursi people have undergone a process of „touristication”, mainly becouse of the „exotic” physical appearance of the woman with their large lip plates. While tourist treat the Mursi people as curiosities to be photographed, the Mursi in turn deal with the influx of the „Other” in their own particular way (this lecture only in summer semester).

7. Sub-Saharan Africa. Cities in Sub-Saharan Africa: the lecture will focus on the development of colonial cities, with particular emphasis on the colonial era. The cases of Kigali (Rwanda), Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Banjul (The Gambia), Dakar (Senegal), Praia (Cape Verde) will be discussed.

8. Latin America. The lecture provides knowledge of geography of Latin America. During the first lecture special emphasize will be putted on characteristics of the region and its peculiarities, demography, migration and expansion of settlements. The second lecture will concentrate on urban issues i.a. growth and development of urban areas, challenge of slums and environmental problems.

9. Latin America. Galapagos Islands region - the characteristics of the functioning of the national park and marine reserve. Natural attractions of the Galapagos archipelago. Conditions for the development of tourism. Local population - social and economic development. Organization of tourism.

The student knows the criteria of most common divides of the world into certain regions

The student have knowledge about unique features and phenomenons of the certain regions

The student can explain the causes of social, economic and naturalenvironment characteristics of certain regions

The student can explain the factors of development in different regions

The aim of the course is also building awareness of the diversity of nowadays world and new phenomenons occurring in the globalized world

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