Children’s Urban Geographies

Geo 496 / Geo 596

Fall 2005

Syllabus

Course homepage: http://www.geog.buffalo.edu/~mcope/courses/geo496_596

Professor: Dr. Meghan Cope

Email: mcope@buffalo.edu

Office: 118 Wilkeson Quad

Office phone: 645-2722 ext. 25

Meeting room: 108 Wilkeson Quad

Course Schedule: Wed. 4:10 – 6:50 pm                                  Office Hours: Fridays, 11-1 pm or by appt.

            Lab hours: To Be Determined individually                     

Course Summary: 

Urban geographers have long studied the complex intersections of life in the metropolis: humans interacting with the built environment, political and economic impacts, housing trends, migration patterns, gendered relations, and environmental effects.  But with these, and other, research trends in urban geography, less attention has been paid to how these interactions influence, and are influenced by, children and young people.  This course aims to begin unpacking some of these relationships.  We will a) examine the social category “children,” b) reflect on how children interact in different geographic locations, scales, and contexts, and c) discuss ways children affirm, disrupt, or transgress urban environmental controls created by adults.  Through seminar conversations I hope that you gain greater understanding into the lives of children (those you may teach, know, interact with or even yourself as a child) and are able to parlay that awareness into a productive way of being.     

Moreover, this course represents a special opportunity for students who are interested in hands-on research and community work with children in Buffalo.  Students in the course will participate in a seminar and, through their lab hours, will work directly with elementary school children in an after school program. The seminar readings focus on two main issues: 1) children’s geographies (children’s sense of space, their concepts of cities, and how they themselves are important social actors in the construction of social landscapes) and 2) qualitative research methods (participant observation, ethnography, data collection and analysis); these combine with the goal of ‘bracketing’ our adult assumptions and creating research projects and theories that are as child-centered as possible. The community service component is on-going throughout the semester, during which time students will visit the Butler-Mitchell Boys’ and Girls’ Club a few hours per week to observe, to mentor, and ultimately to research children’s concepts of space and develop appropriate curriculum materials, using such media as art projects, computer mapping, story-telling, videography, games, and others.

Objectives:

·         To expose students to the newly emerging field of children’s geographies.

·         To provide a structured community service experience for students.

·         To provide the opportunity for students to design and complete a small research project involving qualitative methods.

·         Further develop students’ critical thinking, reading, and writing skills.

Enrollment and Requirements:

Enrollment is limited in order to maintain a rich experience for students. Students will need to arrange their schedules to accommodate spending approximately 2 hours/week at the Butler-Mitchell Boys’ and Girls’ Club at 370 Massachusetts Avenue, Buffalo; the best hours are Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday between the hours of 3:00 and 7:00, but Friday afternoons and Saturdays are also possible.  Students will need their own transportation to and from these sites (carpooling may be possible).

Responsibilities and Expectations:

1.       Attendance – the spirit of this course will be difficult to re-capture in notes and class will be more interesting due to your input.  You are expected to attend all class meetings and complete all community service hours.   (While I maintain this expectation, I understand that emergencies arise – please inform me immediately if you are unable to attend class or your service hours.)

2.       Participation – this includes completing the reading for each class, thinking about what you have read, and completing all assignments on time.  It also includes listening actively and allowing each person an opportunity to express his or her view.

3.       Complete all assignments.  See below for further information.

4.       Maintenance of an atmosphere of respect and confidentiality in this classroom and at the Club.  Be considerate.  This class will serve as a forum for debate and discussion: consider the wide variety of backgrounds and experiences of each classmate as a rich resource from which we can all learn.  The children at the Club also deserve your respect – information gained through your observations, experiences, and research project must remain confidential (more on this later).

Evaluation of Students:

More information on each assignment will be provided as we progress through the term. 

Grades will be based on two short (3-5 pages) papers reviewing course readings (10% each), weekly fieldnotes (20%), the Research Plan, (5%), the Learning Project developed by each student (30%), the Final Report and Presentation (10%), and class participation (15%).

Required Texts and Readings:

Readings are provided through a variety of methods, depending on their nature. There are three main delivery systems for the readings: 1. required textbooks (see below). 2. Handouts in class. 3. On-line reserve through UB libraries (this is for book chapters of stuff that isn’t in our required texts and for journal articles.) http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/creserve/

Christensen, Pia and Maureen O’Brien (eds.), 2003. Children in the City: Home, Neighborhood, Community, New York: Routledge Falmer.

Holloway, Sarah and Gill Valentine (eds.), 2000. Children's geographies: playing, living, learning. New York: Routledge.

Katz, Cindi, 2004. Growing Up Global: Economic Restructuring and Children’s Everyday Lives, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Christensen, Pia and Allison James, (2000). Research with Children: Perspectives and Practices

Additionally, I have a large collection of books, articles, and references on many sub-topics of children’s urban geographies that is available for you to borrow.

Additional Notes:

·        Please take the UB human subjects on-line tutorial as soon as possible: http://www.research.buffalo.edu/tutorials/.  Bring a print-out of your certificate of completion to me.

·        Please fill out your ‘volunteer’ forms as soon as possible, including the physical and TB test documentation, and return them to me.

• TBA: Tour and Presentation at Butler Mitchell Boys and Girls Club.
• TBA: Fingerprinting Appointment at 2635 Delaware Ave., North Buffalo (between Hertel and Kenmore, behind Lockport Mattress). Bring your fingerprinting card and a Photo ID.

Assignments and Due Dates: