Students and Faculty Study Human and Urban Geography in Italy and France
Dr. Paul McDaniel and students traveled to Italy and France to study human and urban geography in summer 2023
KENNESAW, Ga. (Aug 31, 2023) — Throughout the year, Kennesaw State University students participate in education abroad programs to enhance their studies and gather perspective from many countries around the world. Faculty from the Department of Geography and Anthropology routinely offer study abroad opportunities to a variety of destinations.
In Summer 2023, Dr. Paul McDaniel, Associate Professor of Geography, and students from a variety of majors, along with several faculty and students from other colleges and universities around Georgia, participated in two summer study abroad programs: Session 1 of the KSU in Italy Summer Study Abroad program based in Montepulciano, from May 18 to June 22; and the USG Goes Global Paris summer study abroad program based in Paris, France, from June 29 to July 31. In both programs, Dr. McDaniel offered Introduction to Human Geography, a social science general education course, and Urban Geography, an upper-division course.
We live in a dynamic world. Geography and maps are fundamental for understanding our world. Geography asks the big questions—Where? How? Why? What if? Studying geography while being immersed in a different landscape, culture, and society presented an exciting experiential learning and high-impact practice opportunity for students participating in both programs, contributing to their student success and engagement. In the Introduction to Human Geography course in both programs, students explored global geographic patterns of population, cultural, economic, political, and urban systems and their local level impacts by focusing on globalization trends that transcend borders and how these patterns affect local places. In essence, how do global patterns shape local lives, near and far? While abroad in both programs in Italy and France, students in either program had the opportunity to observe global concepts as they occur on the local landscape to make comparisons and contrasts among these patterns with their home culture, economy, and environment.
Cities are dynamic landscapes and most of humanity now lives in urban environments. In the Urban Geography course in both programs, students explored the origins and development of cities, uncovered the excitement and diversity of cities, and examined urban challenges and opportunities. While in either program in Italy and France, students had the opportunity to observe urban landscapes through the lenses of physical and historical geography, economic geography, cultural and social geography, political geography, and urban planning. The classes witnessed examples of global urban dynamics and local level impacts. They experienced how urban concepts occur on historical and contemporary urban landscapes, allowing for comparisons and contrasts with their own familiar cities, towns, and metropolitan regions back home.
The KSU in Italy program is based in the hill town of Montepulciano, in the Siena province of the southern Tuscany region of Italy. Classes are held in the historic Fortezza in the highest point of the town. After arriving in May, Session 1 classes were held two days each week, with field trips occurring two other days each week. Dr. McDaniel and students, along with other faculty and students in other courses, visited many places in and around Tuscany and north-central Italy. These included field trips to Orvieto, Pisa, Lucca, Rome, Siena, Florence, and the region surrounding Montepulciano. Students also had weekends free to travel and explore more broadly around Italy and beyond. KSU in Italy is Kennesaw State University’s premier international educational site based in the ancient Tuscan hill town of Montepulciano. With more than 20 years of programs, KSU Italy offers students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live and study in Italy while earning degree credit. In Montepulciano, students have access to state-of-the-art classroom facilities in the Medieval Fortezza (fortress), where faculty provide their expertise on a variety of academic disciplines.
The USG Goes Global Paris summer study abroad program was based at Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. Classes were held on Mondays and Tuesdays at Institut Protestant de Theologie. Field trips to various locations in and around Paris were held on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Students also had weekends free to travel and explore more broadly around France and beyond. While in Paris, Dr. McDaniel’s geography classes visited many historic sites, museums, neighborhoods, and explored other examples of human and urban geography in Paris, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Musee de l’Homme, Musee des Plans-Reliefs, Musee des Egouts de Paris (Paris Sewer Museum), Institute du Monde Arabe, Pavillon de l’Arsenal (urban planning museum), Musee Carnavalet (Paris History Museum), Musee National de l’Histoire de l’Immigration, Sacre Coeur and Montmartre, an exhibit about cities and architecture at the Pompidou Center. With each field trip, they also explored the human and urban geography of various Paris neighborhoods.
Geography classes are an essential component of a study abroad program, offering students a unique opportunity to learn about the world from a different perspective. Taking a geography class in a study abroad program is an excellent opportunity for students to enhance their cultural awareness, improve their understanding of global issues, develop new skills, enhance their career opportunities, and create lasting memories.
All photos are by Paul McDaniel.
