GEOG 495: Special Topics
Winter 2014
The Geographies of Climate Change
INSTRUCTOR:
Major Captive Audience
Sessions:
Craig ZumBrunnen—Office: 412E Smith Hall
Tel: 543-4915,
E-mail: craigzb@uw.edu
Office hours---
TuTh 12:30- 1:20 in 412E Smith Hall and by appointment
Class Meeting Times and
Geographical Coordinates:
Pedagogic Solo: TuTh 1:30 - 3:20 PM, Parrington Hall Room 313
Class website access
URL: https://catalyst.uw.edu/workspace/craigzb/39135
Login: Your UW NET id
PW: Student id #
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
What does science tell us about
climate change? How can we
understand various forecasts? How
is the
media
reporting the issue? How does
climate change play out politically and economically, globally and
locally? What can we do about it? Through
readings, lectures, films, class discussions, fieldtrips to
alternative
energy sites and interactive class Ògames and experientialÓ processes, the
class will explore
the
science, history, controversies, and forecasts surrounding climate change.
John
HoughtonÕs 4th edition of Global Warming will be used to
provide an overall briefing on
climate
change. Other readings and
discussions will be designed to address a number of broad questions.
A core question will be to explore
what science tells us about climate change. The Global Warming Reader,
edited
by Bill McKibben, will serve as a guide for a historical, scientific and
political perspective on climate
change
and global warming. Andrew Dessler
and Edward ParsonÕs paperback will serve as a guide to the
debate
over The
Science and Politics of Global Climate Change. Maxwell T. BoykoffÕs Who
Speaks for the
Climate?, will be used to
help make sense of media reporting on climate change. Questions of the
interactions
of oil, water and climate will be explored. Brian Stone, Jr.Õs The City and the Coming Climate
will
serve as an entre to discussions of climate change in the places we live. While not formally required
reading,
Laurence C. SmithÕs The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping CivilizationÕs Northern Future
is an
excellent
multi-dimensional aid for understanding the strong climate change forecasts 50
years into the
future. Finally, we will explore what we as
individuals will face and what, if anything, we can constructively
do
to have positive impacts on the future climate of our planetary home.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
You are expected
to attend all the TuTh "command performances" in Room 313 Parrington
Hall (provided,
of course, that your
physical, mental, and psychic health permits such attendance) and to keep up
with
the reading assignments.
At all times, BE RESPECTFUL to your classmates by not beginning to Òexhibit
departure behaviorÓ before the bell rings
or you are dismissed. If for any reason (doctors appointment, etc.)
you need to leave the
lecture room prior to the bell or prior to being dismissed, PLEASE
sit near the
classroom door and leave
quietly. You will be "evaluated" class participation, and your understanding
of
concepts and relationships;
however, emphasis will be placed on the latter. Although the jargon and
technical terms of the fields of
physical / environmental geography and climate change are extensive, in
this course they will be
considered as simply a "short-hand" means of communication rather
than as a
reservoir of potential
examination questions concerning definitions of terms.
TEXTS:
John Houghton, Global
Warming: The Complete Briefing,
4th edition. Cambridge University Press:
Cambridge, 2009.
[GWCB]
Boll McKibben (editor), The
Global Warming Reader: A century of Writing about Climate Change.
Penguin Books: New York, NY 2011. [GWR]
Maxwell T. Boykoff, Who
Speaks for the Climate? Making
Sense of Media Reporting on Climate
Change. Cambridge University
Press: Cambridge, 2011.[WSC]
Brian Stone, Jr. The City and the Coming Climate: Climate
Change in the Place We Live.
Cambridge University Press: Cambridge,
2012. [CCC]
Andrew E. Dresser and
Edward A. Parson, The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change:
A Guide to the Debate.
Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2006. [S&P]
David Archer, Global
Warming: Understanding the Forecast, 2nd edition. John Wiley
& Sons,
Hoboken, NJ 2012. [in
bookstore]
Laurence C. Smith, The
World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization's Northern Future.
Dutton, Published by Penguin Group:
New York, NY 2010. (suggested)
GRADING
(or EXTERNAL REWARD/PUNISHMENT INFORMATION):
The
final reward/punishment certificate for this course will be based on your
performance on the
following take-home, essay exams.
(1)
First chance at Geographical Roulette – midterm Exam 1 due: Tuesday, Feb. 11,
based
on lectures and readings from January 7 through February 6, 2014 (Total
of 100 points.)
(2)
Last chance at Geographical Roulette – lecture Final Exam if we use time schedule:
Friday, March 21, 2:30 -4:20 PM, Parrington Hall Room 313, based on
lectures and readings
from
February 11 through March 13, 2014 (Total of 100 points).
Both
exams will be take-home essay exams and you will have a choice of responding to
your choice of
one of two questions.
Maximum number of total course points = 200 points.
LECTURE
PHILOSOPHY:
NOTE: Lectures will be given
ASSUMING that you have done the
reading assigned for that given day.
NOTE: Make-up exams and
INCOMPLETES will be given only under the MOST DIRE circumstances.
Accordingly, please make prior arrangements for
your own ambulance or hearse!!!!
VERY
IMPORTANT NOTE: I am eager to serve you as a resource person, so PLEASE
feel free to
ask questions before,
during and after class and during office hours. The intent is to
facilitate
understanding and communication, and
not to confuse or obfuscate! I am particularly interested in
getting feedback from you as to
what portions of the course and topics you find most difficult,
interesting, challenging, dull,
easy, boring, etc. Such information will hopefully benefit both your
educational experience and that of
those who follow you.
Revised LECTURE
OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:
DATES LECTURE TOPICS
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Jan. 7 Introduction GWCB 1-92
Jan. 9 Heartland Video &
discussion
Jan. 14 Attend talk: ÒWhipsaw of Damocles: Are Climate
Change
and Pandemic Influenza Related?Ó by Robert Wallace
Jan.
16
Begin lectures on key atmospheric
processes and geologic
history of key atmospheric components CCC ix-45, S&P vii-17
Jan.
21 Continuation
of discussion of climate change, GWR 9-93, CCC 46-67
greenhouse
gas & effect, climates of the past S&P 18-89,
Jan 23 Climate changes and evidence, past
climates
GWCB 69-92
Jan. 28 Modeling the climate GWCB 93-137
Jan. 30 Climate
change in 21st century GWCB
137-171
Feb. 4 Class discussion –
ÒScienceÓ in The Global Warming Reader GWR
9-93
Feb. 6 Class discussion –
ÒPoliticsÓ in The Global Warming Reader GWR 97-288
Midterm questions given out –
lectures & readings from 1/7 through 2/6
Feb. 11 Making sense
of media reporting
WSC viii-188
Midterm
due @ class time
Feb. 13 Making sense
of media reporting continued
Feb. 18 Impacts
of climate change, GWCB 172-238, GWR 292-403
Feb. 20 Concerns
& uncertainty GWCB 239-289, S&P 90-127
Feb. 25 Climate
change policy debates
Feb. 27 Strategies,
Energy, transport
GWCB 290-390
March 4 Islands
of Heat & Green Factor CCC 68-174
March 6 Impasse
& steps forward S&P 128-185
March 11 Impasse & steps forward continued GWCB 391-407
March 13 Review and overview – What can you
do?
Final
exam given out – lectures & readings 2/11 – 3/14
March 21 Final
exams as scheduled would be 2:30-4:20 PM; we will decide this in class.