British Columbia in a Global Context

Written by: B.C. Open Textbook Project

The Geography Open Textbook Collective was an ambitious 2014 project to create an open British Columbia geography textbook. A group of five Geography faculty members from across British Columbia, a facilitator, librarian, researcher, illustrator, programmer and instructional designer created a full textbook in only 4 days. The contributing authors were Siobhan McPhee (University of British Columbia), Cristina Temenos (Simon Fraser University), Arthur Green (Okanagan College), Britta Ricker (Simon Fraser University) and Aviv Ettya (University of the Fraser Valley).

The book is intended for first-year geography students and applies a fundamental geographical approach to understanding our globally changing world by looking at local processes which are links to larger global processes and events. It is clearly a geography textbook geared for students in Canada or studying British Columbia Geography but I’ve included it here for students as a reference tool. It would make an excellent resource for a research paper.

This free online British Columbia geography textbook is available from the B.C. Open Textbook Project in the following formats: EPUB, PDF, PDF (version for printing), MOBI, XHTML, WXR, WXR (for printing) and ODT.

Table of Contents of British Columbia in a Global Context

1. Urban Settlement in British Columbia
Introduction
Urbanization in British Columbia
Case Study 1: The Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts
Vancouver: The Greenest City?
Case Study 2: Dockside Green, Victoria
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
2. Socio-Economics in British Columbia

Introduction
Quality-of-Life Measures
Homelessness and Poverty in the First World
Case Study 1: Victoria and Williams Lake
Case Study 2: Housing Affordability
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
3. Aboriginal Issues in British Columbia
Introduction
Territories, Natural Resources and First Treaties
Modern Treaties and Claims
Case Study 1: The Indian Residential School System
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
4. Resources in British Columbia
Introduction
What are Resources?
Mining in BC
Case Study 1: The Gold Rush
Case Study 2: Carrier Nation and the Endako Mine
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
5. Food Systems in British Columbia
Introduction
Food Systems in the Physical Landscape
Food Systems in British Columbia
Confronting the Frontiers
Case Study 1: The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR)
Case Study 2: Managing the BC Salmon Fishery
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
6. Forestry in British Columbia
Introduction
History of Commercial Logging
Pulp and Paper Mills
Forest Tree Tenures
Case Study 1: Mountain Pine Beetle
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
7. Health Geography in British Columbia
Introduction
Types of Health Geographies
Case Study 1: The “Golden Hour” and Access to Health Care
Case Study 2: Urban Heat Islands, Health and Spatial Technologies
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
8. Physical Geography of British Columbia
Introduction
Climate Change and Environment in BC
Geology
Hazards
Case Study 1: 1965 Hope Slide
Case Study 2: 1964 Port Alberni Tsunami
Case Study 3: 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire
Summary
Key Terms
Suggested Activities
References and Resources
Tools for Spatial Data Collection and Utilization
Geographic Information
Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography
Physical Geography Research Methods
How to Find Research Literature
About the Authors
Additional Credits
   

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British Columbia in a Global Context


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