Cultural Geography of the World (edX)

Cultural Geography of the World is one of the most popular undergraduate courses at Peking University. It is an inclusive, general introductory course, combining natural and cultural geography with history and art. Through the lens of humanism and independent thinking, learners will be encouraged to observe and analyze cultural phenomena from spatial and time perspectives. This course has 12 chapters: The basic research method of world cultural geography; The division of world culture areas; The world's population distribution and migration of population; Origin of agriculture; Diffusion and regional differences; The origin and spread of the city; Regional differences and characteristics of urban morphology; The spatial distribution of the major languages, religions, ethnicities in the world and their relationship; The great geographical discovery and the formation of the world colonial system; World geopolitics and the spatial structures of the world geography system; Global economic integration; Urbanization and its political, economic, social impacts. Using relevant domestic and foreign textbooks, publications, maps, photos, and charts to show the difference and the changing progress of spatial patterns of the cultures, learners will be asked to observe and analyze cultural phenomena with geographic and spatial vision and to consider the development and changing process of the cultural phenomena in light of time sequence. The course will include a midterm and final exam.

What you'll learn

• Changing process of cultures through geographical perspectives
• Analyze cultural phenomena from spatial and time perspectives
• Regional differences and characteristics of urban morphology