Fall 2022 - GEOG 440 D100

Property, Land, Society (4)

Class Number: 4260

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 7 – Dec 6, 2022: Fri, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Nicholas Blomley
    blomley@sfu.ca
    1 778 782-3713
    Office: RCB 7131
    Office Hours: TBA
  • Prerequisites:

    60 units, including eight of upper division geography.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of property, particularly in relation to land, with an emphasis on its social, political, and spatial dimensions. Students with credit for GEOG 440W may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Property relations are immensely important, shaping opportunities, identities and practice. Property is a crucial means by which we make space and place.  What is property? How is it categorized? Who gets to have it, and with what effect?  The broad goal of this class is to understand property, unpack its social and political dimensions, and consider its geographic qualities. We will explore its different forms, when held privately, by groups or by the state.

We will consider these issues through concrete local and international examples. Topics will include gentrification, indigenous property and the BC treaty process, enclosure and the commons, street uses and municipal property, and everyday understandings of property

The format of the class will be seminar-based, with lectures and group discussion based on assigned readings. This will be supplemented by films, and the insights of visiting speakers.

Note: There will be no tutorials in the first week of class

Grading

  • Participation 20%
  • Mini papers 20%
  • Written assignment 25%
  • Group teach-in 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Blomley, N (forthcoming) Territory. Routledge (details tba)

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html