The course is an introduction to problems of resource depletion, environmental pollution, and ecosystem destruction. Important issues include population control vs. resource redistribution, the individual's role in the environmental crisis, and the political and technological requirements of sustainable development. 210 Geography of the World Economy During the second half of the twentieth century there have been substantial changes in both the organization of the global economy and the role played by particular places within it. This course is a study of the fundamental concepts and techniques needed for quantitative research in the social sciences. No prior experience with computers is needed.
Students select, design, and execute their own research projects and present their findings.
This course is also listed as POSC 225, SOAN 225, and EDUC 225. Elements of the Earth's energy system are used first to establish the basic causal forces that drive all weather phenomena. These concepts are extended into a section on atmospheric forces and thermodynamics and used ultimately to build an understanding of the middle latitude climate system, including middle tropospheric circulation vorticity concepts and surface cyclone and anticyclone development. During this process, students perform several exercises that focus on atmospheric data analysis and forecasting. These exercise make use of the geography department's digital facsimile weather map system and the McIDAS computerized atmospheric data analysis.