Lecture 1

We have completed a smooth introduction to human geography today. Not easy to remember everybody's names at once but I guess I'll be calling you with your names soon. I'm working on it! As indicated in the lecture, Thursday the 2nd of February we'll have a walking tour in Middelburg. Last term I had the theme of 'medieval cities' and we walked within the boundaries of the medieval Middelburg, which was surprisingly small at the time. For that walk I've used the fantastic book of Peter Sijneke and Tobias van Gent (De geschiedenis van Middelburg). This term I want to do it differently and focus more on 'reading the city' concept. I've realised that students of RA do not necessarily have a spatial understanding (i.e. map reading, orienting, using geographical terminology etc). But cities are not only spatial entities. As we discussed in the class today geographers look around with a special lens to 'un-layer' social, cultural, economic, political or simply spatial dynamics. When we look around we do not see physical entities only but we see relations, processes and dynamics that resulted in these physical entities. So on Thursday the 2nd of February we'll walk together in Middelburg and I will show you how I look around! This will be very helpful in the upcoming field trips. And in case you will continue doing a graduate study in geography, planning or urban studies, or will simply take SSC 244 next term, you will make use of this knowledge. See you on Thursday! Dr. Tuna Tasan-Kok