Because of our course’s thematic nature, many of us can rearrange the units in any order we choose. I have done this when I need to beat the snow for an outdoor field trip.

For new teachers of AP Human Geography, the sequence in which units are taught can significantly impact students’ understanding and perceptions of the course. A popular switch-a-roo for some teachers is to open their course with Unit 7: Industrial and Economic Development Patterns and Processes, because the remainder of units “make more sense to students” after talking about levels of development. And we might think this because we also understand the world easier this way. However, for those considering this, a case can be made for why cultural patterns and processes should come first. 

Here is why introducing culture before economic development is essential for comprehensively understanding human geography. Hear me out.

#1. The Foundations of Human Geography: Human Values and Spatial Outcomes

Sure, economic development is another social construct, but for the sake of human development, values and beliefs arguably came first. If there are any anthropologists out there, feel free to chime in. Culture is intrinsically linked to human values and behaviors essential for understanding geographic outcomes. The APHG framework emphasizes the importance of cultural landscapes and the diffusion of cultural traits. Teaching cultural patterns and processes provides students with the necessary context to understand how human societies develop and interact with their environments. In the course description, Cultural Patterns and Processes covers key topics, including cultural landscapes, the different types of diffusion, and their impacts. These concepts help students grasp how human societies are shaped by their cultural environments.

#2. Avoiding a Deterministic Viewpoint

Starting with economic development risks framing the entire course through a purely economic lens, leading students to view global disparities in terms of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots.’ This can promote a determinist perspective, where economic outcomes are seen as the primary driving force behind societal development. Leading with culture encourages students to appreciate the complexity of human societies beyond economic metrics. Contrary to how many of us were schooled in the US (the lens of a free-market economy), leading with the cultural unit helps students understand how identity, values, beliefs, and practices influence development, governance, and daily life – not vice versa.

#3. Global Awareness and Multicultural Competence

You might disagree here, depending on where you lie on the political spectrum. But, teaching culture first equips students with the tools to understand and respect global diversity. As students are introduced to cultural practices, languages, religions, and social norms, students become more globally aware and develop multicultural competence. In a globalizing world, this cultural awareness is critical for bridging gaps and showing them how to foster cooperation. And let’s place this on the student scale – it helps them understand why their friend might need to go home and pray before they can go to Lululemon. Putting culture first prepares students to engage with global issues with greater empathy and allows them to recognize the cultural aspects of economic and political patterns and processes.

In Conclusion

By prioritizing culture, teachers can introduce a new lens to students. Perhaps leading with culture provides students with a more balanced and empathetic understanding of our world’s diverse societies instead of one driven through the lens of a free market. By understanding cultural patterns, students can better analyze and interpret the spatial organization of societies, the impact of cultural interactions, and the evolution of cultural identities over time. This cultural perspective paves the way for later discussions on economic development, allowing students to see the gives and takes between cultural and globalizing economic factors. 

I will always remain a proponent of the teachers using their personal strengths to do what they do best. If your field trip to the stock exchange necessitates a September field trip, perhaps development is best for your students first 🙂

Your ally in teaching,

H.I.