The Study of Geography Why it Matters??

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The Study of GeographyWhy it Matters??
Geography Defined earth writing, study of the
earth, why of where

• Globalization
• The increasing interdependence and
  interconnectedness of places globally.

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Implications of Globalization

• The stretching of global connections, relations
  and networks
• Making them faster and more intense.
• Increasing awareness about the world.

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Interdependence of Places

• Place have become increasingly interdependent.
• Caused by a set of interrelated forces or
  processes that we call globalization.
• Globalization helps to extend and deepen linkages
  between sets of places (and peoples)

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Why Geography Still Matters

• Questions of POWER Global flows are managed in
  particular place(s)
• Global flows generate uneven spatial impacts.
• Human Geography has become more rather than less
  important.

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World-system

• CORE - Industrialized, market-oriented countries
• Western Europe, North America, Japan, Australia.
• PERIPHERY - Poor, ex-colonial nations
• Kenya, Bolivia, Pakistan, etc.
• SEMI-PERIPHERY - Partially industrialized
• ex-colonial nations (both exploited and
  exploiter)
• South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea,
  etc.

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Not regional geography approach

• Country-by-country, or region-by-region
• Examines internal geography of each world region.
• Does not adequately show connections between
  regions (basis of globalization)

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Systematic geography approach

• Through human geographic lenses
• Population geography
• Cultural geography
• Economic geography
• Urban geography
• Political geography
• Some environmental geography

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Population geography

• Growth in Periphery
• Graying in Core
• Resulting changes in migration patterns
• Causes and consequences of forced migration.

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Cultural geography

• Relationship between place cultural identity.
• Cultural homogenization (Americanization) from
  globalization?
• Yet cultural differences across places are
  becoming significant?

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Economic geography

• Rising economic interdependence among places.
• Local responses in turn affect globalization.
• Glocalization a better term than globalization?

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Political geography

• Economics supposedly eroding significance of
  borders.
• Ethnic minorities feel they deserve states of
  their own.
• States under attack from above (global economics)
  and from below (ethnic communities).
• Yet states are still powerful, and can respond.

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Urban geography

• Different types of cities in core and periphery.
• How globalization affects cities. Are they still
  needed in the information age ?
• Strong reasons for cities to still exist.

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Watershed momentin human history

• Dramatic changes in social, cultural, political,
  economic relations at the
• Global scale
• State (national) scale
• Regional scale
• Local scale
• Scales interrelate, affect each other

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Changes since 1990

• Collapse of Soviet Union, end of Cold War.
• Rise of local ethnic/religious nationalism.
• New forms and locations of warfare.
• Communications revolution (Internet).
• Massive increase in economic globalization.

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Collapse of Soviet bloc

• Changes in former Soviet Union and allies.
• Changes in the developing world.
• Changes in the U.S., now without a powerful
  enemy.

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Rise of ethnic nationalism

• Soviet, Yugoslav breakups.
• Minority ethnic groups looking to end majority
  oppression.
• Increased local/ethnic identity as reaction to
  impersonal globalization.
• Increased ability to survive as smaller country.

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Communications revolution

• Only 50 websites in 1992 2.5 billion today.
• Internet makes world more connected, yet in more
  specialized niches.
• Can be used for globalization from
• above, or from below.

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New forms andlocations of warfare

• Smaller, more brutal wars.
• Military technologies more efficient, usually not
  made by combatants.
• Freelancers can wage war
• Physical distance or borders no longer protected
• Terrorist groups/Extremists creating havoc
  worldwide

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Economic Globalization
From above (elites)
From below
Country 1
Country 2
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Globalization from above

• Globalization from the top down
• Increasing power of corporations through
  internationalizing of production and marketing.
• Financial markets transcend national boundaries.
• Telecommunications spreads ideas, cultures

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Players in globalizationfrom above

• Governments and elites in every country
• Multinational corporations
• International agencies (UN)
• Global trade/finance agencies
• World Bank,IMF, WTO

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Globalization from below

• Globalization from the bottom up.
• Greater economic interdependence eroding
  governments?
• Increasing influence of local scale to affect
  global policies Think Globally, Act Locally.
• Easier communications among those at the bottom?

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Players in globalizationfrom below

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
  Greenpeace, Amnesty Intl, etc.
• Alliances of communities with a common concern,
  linked through Internet.
• Seattle WTO protests, 1999
• Some international agencies