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Regional  Field  Excursion  (GEOG  3030)  Mexico  City,  May  5-­‐16,  2014  

Department  of  Geography  and  Environmental  Studies    

   

GENERAL  INFORMATION  &  APPLICATION  PROCESS    Overview  Through  a  combination  of  readings,  lectures,  discussions  and  field  visits,  this  two-­‐week  international  field  course  offers  students  a  unique  educational  opportunity  to  explore  the  complex  and  varied  urban  and  social  geographies  of  Mexico  City.  Major  course  themes  for  GEOG  3030  include:  urban  contexts  (e.g.  the  colonial  city,  neoliberalism  and  urban  restructuring);  urban  governance  (e.g.  social  movements  and  the  right  to  the  city,  the  role  of  the  state);  the  production  of  urban  space  (e.g.  informal  settlement;  downtown  gentrification)  and  urban  issues  (land  use  conflicts,  pre-­‐hispanic  towns  and  local  autonomy).        The  course  will  be  jointly  coordinated  by  Dr.  Jill  Wigle  from  the  Department  of  Geography  and  Environmental  Studies  at  Carleton  University,  and  by  Dr.  Luisa  Veronis  from  the  Department  of  Geography  at  the  University  of  Ottawa.  It  is  anticipated  that  approximately  10-­‐12  students  from  each  university  –  for  a  total  of  approximately  20-­‐24  students  –  will  participate  in  the  field  seminar.  The  course  will  take  place  in  Mexico  City  from  May  5-­‐16,  2014.  Selected  students  will  be  expected  to  participate  in  3-­‐4  group  meetings  for  organizational  purposes  in  the  winter  semester  before  the  course  begins.  While  course  reading  materials  will  be  in  English,  translation  will  be  provided  for  guest  speakers  and  field  visits,  as  required.      Prerequisite:  Third-­‐year  Honours  standing  in  Geography,  or  permission  of  the  Department.  All  interested  students  must  participate  in  the  course’s  application  process  (see  next  page).      

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Application  Process  Interested  students  must  participate  in  the  application  process.  If  you  are  interested  in  taking  GEOG  3030,  please  submit  your  application  to  Jill.Wigle@carleton.ca  by  December  20,  2013.  Include  the  following  information  in  your  application:    1. Full  name  and  year  of  birth  2. Student  number  and  Carleton  email  address  3. Your  Honours  degree  program    4. Your  reasons  for  wanting  to  take  GEOG  3030  5. An  explanation  of  how  GEOG  3030  relates  to  your  studies  at  Carleton,  including  some  discussion  of  

relevant  course(s)  taken  in  geography  or  related/relevant  areas  6. Your  ability  to  live  and  study  in  a  cooperative  manner  with  other  students  7. Your  ability  to  function  in  Spanish,  if  any    8. Any  past  personal  or  academic  experiences  related  to  travelling  abroad  or  in  Latin  America,  if  any    Your  application  should  not  exceed  two  typed  pages.  Students  will  be  notified  of  the  results  of  the  application  process  by  January  13,  2014.  Selected  students  will  be  expected  to  purchase  their  air  ticket  as  a  sign  of  their  commitment  to  participating  in  the  course  by  February  10,  2014.        Supplementary  Costs  FASS  is  offering  some  support  to  offset  course  and  travel  related  supplementary  costs  for  Carleton  students,  such  as:  local  transit  in  Mexico  City,  authorized  taxis  to  and  from  the  Mexico  City  airport,  group  accommodation  in  a  youth  hostel  (includes  daily  breakfast),  classroom  space,  and  honoraria  for  guest  speakers.  Costs  not  covered  include:  tuition,  vaccinations,  passport  costs,  meals  other  than  daily  breakfasts  at  the  youth  hostel,  ground  transportation  to  and  from  the  Ottawa  airport,  and  other  personal  expenses  incurred  while  in  Mexico  City.      The  major  expense  for  students  will  be  the  purchase  of  their  return  airfare.      Key  Dates  • November  21,  2013  at  4  pm:  information  session  for  interested  students,  A220  Loeb  • December  4,  2013  at  4  pm:  information  session  for  interested  students,  A220  Loeb  • December  20,  2013:  application  deadline  for  GEOG  3030  • January  13,  2014:  students  will  be  notified  of  the  results  of  the  application  process  by  email  • January  2014  (details  to  be  confirmed):  group  meeting  #1  • February  10,  2014:  students  to  complete  purchase  of  airfare  as  a  sign  of  commitment  to  course  • February  2014  (details  to  be  confirmed):  group  meeting  #2  • March  2014  (details  to  be  confirmed):  group  meeting  #3  • April  2014:  final  syllabus  and  readings  distributed  • Early  May  2014  (details  to  be  confirmed):  group  preparation  workshops  • May  4,  2014:  students  must  be  in  Mexico  City  by  this  date    • May  5-­‐16,  2014:  course  dates  in  Mexico  City    The  Department  of  Geography  and  Environmental  Studies  (DGES)  at  Carleton  University  gratefully  acknowledges  the  support  of  the  Faculty  of  Arts  and  Social  Sciences  (FASS)  in  making  GEOG  3030  possible    Questions?  Need  more  information?  Attend  an  information  session  (see  above)  or  email  Jill.Wigle@carleton.ca