International Studies Compendium Project

Extract

Comment on this article   A recent survey about Americans’ knowledge of geography concluded that “most young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 demonstrate a limited understanding of the world beyond their country's borders, and they place insufficient importance on the basic geographic skills that might enhance their knowledge” ( Roper Public Affairs 2006 :6). Geographers and geography teachers in the United States and other countries have often pointed to results of surveys such as these as evidence supporting the need for increased emphasis on geography in educational programs at the elementary, secondary, and university levels. Calls for upgrading geographic education are often associated with arguments that more and better geographic training will not only increase students’ knowledge of geography, but also that such knowledge will promote international awareness and understanding. This argument implies that more and better geographic education will promote improved international relations. Can improved geographic education overcome geographic illiteracy? If students were educated better about world geography, would they have a better understanding of international relations, issues, problems, and crises? The purpose of this paper is to investigate this question from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. Historically, geographic education in the United States ... log in or subscribe to read full text