2008 Woodie Awards
Geographic knowledge not emphasized in schools, professor says
Committee tries to require geography as part of an associate degree plan.
By Regis L. Roberts
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
Originally published: 11/1/07 at 1:53 PM CSTLast update: 11/1/07 at 5:18 PM CST
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If a country is to be successful, it must know more than just the political, economic and military issues of the world.
This is why a committee has been established, chaired by political science Professor Asslan Khaligh, to consider making geography courses required for an associate degree in political science.
Khaligh said the idea to make geography required came to him when he spoke to one of his classes about the importance of understanding the politics of Mexico City, instead of a border city like Laredo, to understand what is happening in Mexico because the capital is the center of power.
When Khaligh asked his class what the capital of Canada was, to be able to elaborate on his point, nobody knew that the capital is Ottawa, he said.
He said America is more isolated, being separated from much of the world by oceans, thus more ignorant about geography than Europe, for example.
Political science Chair Paul Wilson said this is unfortunate because the world is more connected as a result of globalization.
"Every action our government takes ripples across the globe," Wilson said.
This is not a sustainable way to live, he said. "Isolationism's completely dead."
Aside from isolation, Khaligh said there is a perception in America that it is the world and other countries do not matter, so there is no need to study geography.
Geography Professor Dean Lambert said a major problem with geographic knowledge is that it is not emphasized in schools.
He keeps a fifth grade geography textbook from Mexico in his office that he said was more advanced than what one would find in America and included discussions on commerce, politics and climate.
He said adding geography as a requirement for political science is a logical move because the two fields compliment each other.
Khaligh said understanding geography is imperative to generating good policy.
Osama bin Laden, for example, is using geography to his benefit, Khaligh said. Occupying the mountainous border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, known as Waziristan, which is hard for American troops to navigate and penetrate.
This is why a committee has been established, chaired by political science Professor Asslan Khaligh, to consider making geography courses required for an associate degree in political science.
Khaligh said the idea to make geography required came to him when he spoke to one of his classes about the importance of understanding the politics of Mexico City, instead of a border city like Laredo, to understand what is happening in Mexico because the capital is the center of power.
When Khaligh asked his class what the capital of Canada was, to be able to elaborate on his point, nobody knew that the capital is Ottawa, he said.
He said America is more isolated, being separated from much of the world by oceans, thus more ignorant about geography than Europe, for example.
Political science Chair Paul Wilson said this is unfortunate because the world is more connected as a result of globalization.
"Every action our government takes ripples across the globe," Wilson said.
This is not a sustainable way to live, he said. "Isolationism's completely dead."
Aside from isolation, Khaligh said there is a perception in America that it is the world and other countries do not matter, so there is no need to study geography.
Geography Professor Dean Lambert said a major problem with geographic knowledge is that it is not emphasized in schools.
He keeps a fifth grade geography textbook from Mexico in his office that he said was more advanced than what one would find in America and included discussions on commerce, politics and climate.
He said adding geography as a requirement for political science is a logical move because the two fields compliment each other.
Khaligh said understanding geography is imperative to generating good policy.
Osama bin Laden, for example, is using geography to his benefit, Khaligh said. Occupying the mountainous border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, known as Waziristan, which is hard for American troops to navigate and penetrate.
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