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Scooped by Seth Dixon onto Geography Education |
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Roads? Religion? Accent? Food? Which factor dictates where the North ends?
This is a great intellectual expercise to help student think about regions and how we define them. The article can help also inform some of their thinking since one of the main problems for students in drawing regional boundaries is a lack of place-based knowledge.
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New homes dominate the market across the Sunbelt, but you can also find older homes with historical features and distinct architectural styles in most major metros -- from stained glass windows in homes built before the 1900s to snail showers found in homes from the 2000s.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This interactive feature shows some intriguing historical insight into the United States metropolitan housing markets and this article associated with the interactive analyzes the growth trends in particular cities.
Questions to Ponder: how is this real estate interactive a portal into the historical economic geography of U.S. cities? What explains the regional patterns? New England? Texas? Tags: housing, urban, unit 7 cities. 
Meridith Hembree Berry's curator insight,
May 7, 10:41 AM
This interactive map is quite fascinating to view the settlement patterns. Drop in the rivers. Consider the movement to the Sunbelt. This would make for a really interesting essay to speculate (and support) the reasons people move to specific areas. Delete the scoop?
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Chiwa - Mchinji, Malawi Shot over a period of 18 months, Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti's project Toy Stories compiles photos of children from around the world with their prized possesions—their toys.
Seth Dixon's insight:
How are the lives of these children different from those in your neighborhood? How are their lives the same? 
Ignacio Conejo Moreno's curator insight,
March 19, 5:57 AM
La imagen de portada engaña, no es éste un mensaje sobre la pobreza en el mundo, sino sobre los hábitos de apegos de los niños de todo el mundo, en función de su raza, estrato social, continente de residencia. Es realmente muy tierno, vale la pena verlo. Además es muy visual, lo que lo hace todavía mas impactante y enternecedor. 
Louis Culotta's comment,
March 19, 12:49 PM
it makes you think about how lucky we live where we live in the world.
John Slifko's curator insight,
March 23, 1:53 AM
geography and history were two of Dewey's most important tools in pedagogy in strengthening the imagination of the child Delete the scoop?
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A new study finds that urban minds don't pay as much attention to their surroundings unless they're highly engaging.
Seth Dixon's insight:
It's often noted that people from smaller towns prefer a slower pace of life and people from large cities enjoy the hustle and bustle more. So does the urban environment change how we handle the vast quantity of information in major metropolitan areas? This article points to data that says it does. Tags: rural, housing, urban, planning, density, urbanism, unit 7 cities. Delete the scoop?
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DB: The aesthetics of architecture within a society not only reveal the communities interpretation of what is considered beautiful or pleasing in appearance but also differentiates between what is considered sacred or important. The symbolic significance of aesthetics in colors, designs and a place of residence can be indicative of socioeconomic standing is within society and what the community values. Jodhpur, India is well known for the beautiful wave of blue houses that dominate the landscape of a rather dry region. However, it is believed that these blue houses originally were the result of ancient caste traditions. Brahmins (who were at the very top of the caste system) housed themselves in these “Brahmin Blue” homes to distinguish themselves from the members of other castes. Now that the Indian government officially prohibits the caste system, the use of the color blue has become more widespread. Yet Jodhpur is one of the only cities in India that stands steadfast to its widespread aesthetics obsession with the color blue which is making it increasingly unique, creating a new sense of communal solidarity among its residence.
Questions to Consider: How has color influenced the cultural geography of this area? How are the aesthetics of this community symbolic of India’s traditional past, present and possible future? Tags: South Asia, culture, housing, landscape, unit 3 culture. Delete the scoop?
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Report by an Israeli non-governmental organisation says 2011 was a record year for Palestinian displacement.
This infographic comes from the group Visualizing Palestine. This corresponds with the UN's recent statement that Gaza 'will not be liveable by 2020' given Israeli policies. 
Nic Hardisty's comment,
September 4, 2012 12:16 PM
What a powerful infographic. To think that the international community (in large part) has idly watched 160,000 Palestinians become homeless, with little more than a few harsh words, is staggering. While these displacement policies are not exclusive to Israel, Israel does stand as the most public modern example of this. This problem transcends race, ethnicity, culture, or religion- it is simply one group dominating and subjugating another, and these actions should be recognized and condemned by global community.
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While touring Kevin Babola's art studio yesterday, I found this thought-provoking piece entitled ‘Political Landscapes.’ I greatly enjoyed my conversation with the artist about the political, economic and urban visions that went into this painting. The conceptual idea behind this painting started when the artist was exploring the neighborhoods of New Bedford, MA and noticed how a sense of place can change very quickly. I dare say most cities have areas similar to the one portrayed here where the socioeconomic character changes very abruptly. While physically it might be very easy to cross from the side of the street with tenements to the neighborhood with single family homes, making that transition permanent is incredibly difficult.
Questions to ponder: what leads to cities having abrupt changes in the urban fabric? What might this chasm represent to people on either side of the divide? How does this impact the neighborhood institutions (schools, local government, etc.)? Please visit the artist's webpage at: http://www.kbolaillustration.com 
's comment, September 4, 2012 11:58 AM
This is something I've noticed about some of the streets in my neighborhood for several years now. It's very interesting how one side of the street can be single family homes while the other side can have multifamily homes or tenements. This shift in culture greatly impacts schools and local government because there are now more children going to school which creates the need for more books, supplies, and desks. An increase in taxes could be inevitable depending on the financial status of the neighborhood.
Diana Rivera's curator insight,
February 25, 11:46 PM
Polotical Landscape paintings are great because they are a vision of what the world is becoming, what it used to be, and what it could be. Delete the scoop?
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"Residential segregation by income has increased during the past three decades across the United States and in 27 of the nation’s 30 largest major metropolitan area, according to a new analysis of census tract and household income data by the Pew Research Center. The analysis finds that 28% of lower-income households in 2010 were located in a majority lower-income census tract, up from 23% in 1980, and that 18% of upper- income households were located in a majority upper-income census tract, up from 9% in 1980." This interactive map allows the user to explore the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. Read the article associated with this map. Delete the scoop?
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An estimated 600,000 Americans are homeless, but the spread isn't uniform. Some cities have been hit harder than others.
When I teach cultural geography, I discuss the idea that some thing are "in place" and others are "out of place" based on the cultural norms that change from place to place. Homelessness is almost always "out of place." What parts of the built environment in your city are purposefully uninviting to the homeless? What is the connection between the city (and urbanization) and homelessness? What could (or should) be done in major metropolitan areas with high rates of homelessness? What is the spatial patterns evident in the geography of homelessness? What accounts for these patterns? What surprises are in the data from the article? Delete the scoop?
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An unfinished skyscraper occupied by squatters is a symbol of Venezuela’s financial crisis in the 1990s, state control of the economy and a housing shortage.
This skyscraper that was once a symbol of wealth, in an incredible paradigm shift, has now become is occupied by squatters. The lack of a vibrant formal economy and more formal housing leads to a lack of suitable options for many urban residents--especially with problems in the rural countryside. A complex web of geographic factors needs to be explained to understand this most fascinating situation. The video link "Squatters on the Skyline" embedded in the article is a must see. 
Matt Mallinson's comment,
September 26, 2012 12:10 PM
It's safe to say that Venezuela needs to build homes for these people, or they will use whatever they can use to survive. I would do the same thing.
Michelle Carvajal's comment,
September 27, 2012 4:11 PM
It's sad but at the same time a harsh reality. Even in the US we see places where there are many people living in abandoned buildings or buildings that have been condemned due to pesticide issues. The main question here is whether or not the government will continue to allow these people to live in this location.
Derek Ethier's comment,
September 30, 2012 6:46 PM
It is amazing how people band together in times of need. Although it is unfortunate that they have to live in dangerous and sometimes unsanitary conditions, it is better than living on the streets. In some cases, they even have indoor plumbing and other luxuries. I believe that it could be worse for them.
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View Homes across the world seen from up high pictures on Yahoo!. See Homes across the world seen from up high photos and find more pictures in our photo galleries.
This aerial photography gallery shows distinct types of urbanism and is a good portal to introduce a class to suburban landscapes. Delete the scoop?
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One person's trash is another person’s building material...or so it would seem. In the village of Sabon Yelwa the Developmental Association for Renewable Energies (DARE) has instigated an ingenious scheme to transform the region’s litter problem into a positive future for the community through the construction of new residences. Via Lauren Moss 
Lisa Fonseca's comment,
November 15, 2011 10:19 PM
This is amazing!! It is wonderful to see people living in poverty coming up with these wonderful inventions. This s not only helping people live in the poor society but also recycling and saving the environment. I think if everyone begins to keep this trend going that many people living in poverty will soon have a better living environment. This is a great way of communities helping one another to become better.
Sinclair Tucker's comment,
January 30, 2012 3:10 PM
whats really interesting about this is the twenty times strenth then bricks building which are normally the buildings built in Nigeria and most of Africa. Another interesting fact is the resistance to earthquake which is very important.
Fabián Salazar Bazúa's curator insight,
March 11, 7:09 PM
Otro ejemplo de lo que la creatividad e imaginación puede hacer con las construcciones. Delete the scoop?
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It's going to take more than wishful thinking to convince Americans to move back to the urban core.
While some urban pundits have been projecting a decline of suburbia, the numbers haven't born that out. How come? What will that mean for society? How does urban planning account for cultural and economic preferences? Delete the scoop?
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The Beginning of the End for Suburban America...
A provocative title, but are our cities and urban settlement patterns shifting? Is sprawl going to be curtailed by cultural, environmental and economic forces? 
Seth Dixon's comment,
September 15, 2011 1:18 PM
Thanks for "re-scooping." I think that while cities will continue to expand, the size of homes cannot continue to expand indefinitely.
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What if you put all 7 billion humans into one city, a city as dense as New York, with its towers and skyscrapers? How big would that 7 billion-sized city be? As big as New Jersey? Texas? Bigger? Are cities protecting wild spaces on the planet?
Seth Dixon's insight:
This NPR article pulls together some great images of dense urban housing as well is some stellar infographics to show the importance of cities to a growing global population. Tags: density, sustainability, housing, urban, planning, unit 7 cities. 
John Peterson's comment,
April 30, 10:36 AM
This article brings up very interesting point on the benefits of densely populated cities. While these cities can be very far from ideal living circumstances, they provide numerous opportunities and benefits to their populous. Because of the introduction of cities in our society, we have been able to reach the enormously high population numbers that we see today. Without these crammed together spaces, the world would not be able to sustain such large numbers. This can also be seen as detrimental to our society because with the increased strain on the surrounding areas to support these cities, we are harming the earth and the resources these cities so desperately need. Although the article points out that we could use some densely populated cities as models to condense earth’s population, it does also state how this would still not be fully beneficial to the planet. This is because although only a small area will be directly populated; there will still be large strains on the surrounding environments for resources. This argument shows how it is not a matter of condensing the population in order to save the earth, but to rather change our living habits, and maybe having fewer children as well.
Kevin Cournoyer's comment,
May 1, 12:50 AM
Overcrowding and overpopulation have become of increasingly greater concern over the last decade or two. We as human beings want more things and more space, but there is only so much space in the world in which we live. Cities have proved a viable, if still malignant solution because they allow for people to live in close quarters and still carry on normal, productive lives.
Some cities are more densely populated than others, and this leads to the issue of how much space they take up. This article was interesting because it showed how much room the world’s population would take up if they lived as densely populated as people in six different cities do. In terms of physical space, there were of course large differences between the six. Maybe more interesting was the infographic that showed how much of the earth the world’s population would need to live like the people of nine different countries. Here we can see the correlation between economic prosperity, standards of living and geographic impact. Those with less money and a resulting lower standard of living have adjusted to live with less and therefore physically take up less room than those in more developed countries. If everyone lived like those in more developed countries, we would literally need several more earths for everyone to live within their means constantly. 
Magnus Gustafsson's comment,
May 2, 2:59 AM
Yes. Keviin. I think the infograph about developed countries are most interesting and useful for my students.
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Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Seven million people living in 423 square miles (1,096 sq km).
Seth Dixon's insight:
These apartments are so small that they can only be photographed from the ceiling. Massive urbanization with limited space means that real estate is at a premium and many laborers will not be able to afford large living spaces. Hong Kong is an extreme example of this and it brings new meaning to the term "high-density housing." Tags: housing, urban, planning, density, urbanism, unit 7 cities.
Kevin Cournoyer's comment,
May 1, 12:52 AM
Apartments that are so small, they can only be photographed from the ceiling. That’s pretty ridiculous. I think that most Americans, in fact, most Westerners, could not imagine such cramped and seemingly uncomfortable living conditions. As people who live in a Western culture, we value the idea of space because of the freedom it affords us and also just for basic safety reasons.
The fact that these apartments are in Hong Kong is, to me, very telling. It indicates a cultural difference between East and West. Asian cities tend to be very densely populated, and so anything that can be done to make more room for people is being done. This may have something to do with a lower standard of living in China that makes its people less picky about the environments in which they’re living because they are used to making do with what they have. 
Thomas D's comment,
May 2, 11:53 AM
This article of how people are living in Hong Kong is absolutely incredible. You can tell just by these pictures how densely populated Hong Kong is. These people have almost their entire home packed into a closet space. They eat and sleep in the same exact spot which is incredible to me. That these people’s entire lives are bunched into a closet space. When you hear that these people pay almost 30 percent more than the price of a person living in Manhattan pays is astounding. I couldn’t imagine living in such a small space like this, even from these pictures it’s hard to tell the actual square footage of the area but I’m confident in saying that my dorm room is probably bigger. It’s really hard to understand how much 7 million people living in Hong Kong really is until you see pictures like this.
Jess Pitrone's comment,
May 5, 5:34 PM
I’m getting claustrophobic just looking at these photographs. Surely, Hong Kong can’t be such an amazing city that people are willing to live like this just to be a part of it? New York City is mentioned in the article as having famously high rents, but not nearly as high as in Hong Kong. New York is also famous for tiny living spaces, but I’m sure none of them are as squished and compact as these. This seems to be almost inhumane, as people are slotted into these tiny apartments that resemble cages at a slaughter house. I think that the best way for Hong Kong to solve this problem is to build up and out, instead of dividing what they’ve already got. Like most cities in the world, when room becomes tight the buildings get higher and farther out of the city limits. Let’s look at New York again; the rents and the spaces in Manhattan became too pricey and too small, so people began to move out of the city limits to places like Brooklyn, and now Brooklyn is one of the hippest, most sought after areas in New York. I think that Hong Kong city planners need to take a step back and see what other people are doing so that they can rebuild and customize their city to make room for their bustling population.
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See the big picture of how suburban developments are changing the country's landscape, with aerial photos and ideas for the future
Seth Dixon's insight:
There are many types of housing development patterns throughout the world. This article provides a summary of approximately 20 different housing patterns common in the United States with a visual example demonstrate the impact on the urban footprint (Pictured above is an example of new urbanism in Boulder, CO). Each neighborhood has distinct cultural amenities and attracts particular socioeconomic market segments. Questions to Ponder: What housing patterns are you drawn to? How come? What are the advantages for the residents to live in that type of community? What are the impacts that the housing pattern has on the physical environment and the urban system? What systems are most profitable for developers? How does the layout of the neighborhood alter the sense of place?
Tags: housing, urban, planning, density, urbanism, unit 7 cities. 
Scarpaci Human Geography's curator insight,
January 30, 8:01 AM
Questions to Ponder: What housing patterns are you drawn to? How come? What are the advantages for the residents to live in that type of community? What are the impacts that the housing pattern has on the physical environment and the urban system? What systems are most profitable for developers? How does the layout of the neighborhood alter the sense of place? 
Courtney Holbert's curator insight,
February 3, 10:16 PM
Planned Developments and their effects on geography 
chris tobin's curator insight,
February 3, 10:25 PM
My favorite is the one with wide roads for your own airplane to get home. Delete the scoop?
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A professor criticizes the "culture of quantification," (in the journal cultural geographies) arguing that we don't do enough with the data we collect. If all we do is count (or attempt to count the homeless), does that help them in any way or change the realities that lead to homelessness? Are we counting them just to give us the numbers to receive credit that may help other programs but not help the homeless? Is data for data's sake of any value? UPDATE: Another geographer noted some other issues of homelessness on the website facebook page, specifically in regard to this map of homelessness: "A problem associated with this map is that while the numbers get smaller, it raises the question: where did they go? (answer: Hollywood, after an emphasis on policing pushed them out)...this could be tied in to a discussion about map scale." Tags: statistics, class, census, socioeconomic, housing, poverty. Via Allison Anthony Delete the scoop?
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New data from Zillow shows fewer homeowners underwater, but the pattern varies widely by geography.
The Sunbelt (especially California and Florida) have the highest percentage of homeowners that are 'underwater' and owe more than the home is worth. Also hit hard are declining metro areas area of the rust belt. Question to ponder: Why would these places be hit the hardest? Delete the scoop?
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Looking for an affordable home? Here are 5 cities that are good bets, and 5 cities where owning is tough.
This is an intriguing set of lists. What geographic factors explain why some cities are on either of these lists? In related news on housing in the United States, many of the so-called "McMansions" of the 1990s and 2000s were virtually unsellable during height of the recession. They are now being sold, but for around half of what they were selling for at their peak. For more on McMansions, see this CNN article. Delete the scoop?
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Channel 5 - Behind closed Doors Series on Container City at Trinity Buoy Wharf...
On my daily commute, I drive by a colorful container building in Providence, RI. In terms of it's spatial configuration and aesthetic statement within the urban landscape, I found it fascinating. After doing some more research, I began to appreciate this as a form of sustainable housing that 1) costs less than traditional structures, 2) can be built MUCH quicker that standard buildings and 3) has the potential to be an effective recycling method. For more on 'Container Cities,' see: http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/kaidbenfield/40875/shipping-container-cities-bring-creative-funky-approach-green-construction Delete the scoop?
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This is an excellent interactive map that allows the user to explore the various neighborhoods of New York City and analyze the housing market for a particular income bracket. I've discovered that trying to purchase a home or rent an apartment can be one of the best hands-on lessons in urban social geography. I envision a dynamic project that could be designed around this resource where several members of a group are given different demographic characteristics (for example: single income, 2 married adults, 3 children under 10 years of age) and income levels and a fixed workplace. Where would you live? What determines your choices? What would your personal geographies look like? Delete the scoop?
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Innovative architecture from recycled plastic bags (filled on-site with local materials, stabilized and then plastered). How can this be a part of a sustainability plan? A development plan? This image is actually from Rochester, NY, complete with building permits and plans to export the idea to Haiti with projects already in Argentina, Mexico, Philippines and many other places. Delete the scoop?
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The following is a post from David Schalliol, the Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Sciences at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
This is photoessay focuses on urban decay in a deindustrializing cities in the United States. The goal is not to strictly bemoan the urban blight and see these ares as 'victims of decline,' but to also acknowledge the community that has emerged despite the economic hardships. Delete the scoop?
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This is modern cosmopolitan Bangkok, the second most expensive Southeast Asian city after Singapore. Along with explosive city growth, the demand for urban housing has increased substantially. Due to a lack of sufficient and affordable housing, communities have settled into the cracks, eliciting a diagnosed social and institutional ‘pocket-urbanism’ that forms barriers of interaction among communities, and certainly between communities and authority figures... Via Lauren Moss Delete the scoop?
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Business correspondent Paul Solman reports from Cleveland on the economically troubled Ohio city's efforts to tear down thousands of empty foreclosed homes in hopes of putting eyesore and dangerous properties back to productive use -- perhaps as...
Urban decay and the economic downturn has made demolition and destruction a more fiscally sound plan than revitalizing and refurbishing. Why? What economic advantage is to tearing down homes? In what region(s) do you think this type of strategy makes the most sense? Delete the scoop?
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