Global Issues Exam II Vocabulary

Question 1

coalition

Answer 1

an alliance for combined action, joining forces for a common cause.
Examples: NATO, Allies in WWII

Question 2

Anthropocene

Answer 2

current geological age, viewed as a period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate change and the environment.

Question 3

NATO

Answer 3

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; military alliance between European and North American democracies founded after WWII, aimed to strengthen international ties and counter balance the Soviet Union.

Question 4

Black Swan

Answer 4

an unpredictable and unforeseen event that has extreme consequences, and leaves an impact on the global level.
Ex: Ebola

Question 5

Nuclear proliferation

Answer 5

the spread of nuclear weapons, specifically to nations that are not recognized as “Nuclear Weapon States” under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NTP).
Ex: Iran’s attempt to obtain nuclear weapons

Question 6

Demographic dividend

Answer 6

accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a country’s mortality. Invest in public services, especially prenatal health care, and see the beneficial results later.

Question 7

Water Security

Answer 7

Capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate amounts of clean, potable water. void of waterborne diseases and toxins. Necessary for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development.

Question 8

Multilateralism

Answer 8

refers to the cooperation among several nations.

Examples include NATO, the United Nations, and the World Bank.

Question 9

Genocide

Answer 9

the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those a particular ethnic group or nation.
Examples: Mass killing of Native Americans during the colonization of the “New World” by European settlers.
Holocaust of Nazi Germany

Question 10

Child Mortality

Answer 10

number of deaths under the age of 5 for every 1000 births

Question 11

Fracking

Answer 11

process of injecting liquid at high pressure into the ground to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas. Although this method is cheap and decreases dependency on foreign oil, it can result in increased water pollution and causes negative impacts on the environment.
The environmental costs are externalized in an attempt to find a profitable way to extract oil.

Question 12

Humanitarian Law

Answer 12

set of rules to limit the effect of armed conflict, restricts the means and methods of warfare

Question 13

Millennium Developmental Goals

Answer 13

the worlds quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/ AIDs, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.

Question 14

climate change

Answer 14

a change in global climate patterns, attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. Marked by increased temperature, droughts, melting of ice sheets, increased sea levels, and the death of ocean life.

Question 15

GDP

Answer 15

gross domestic product; total value of goods produced and services provided in a country in one year

Question 16

Shale Revolution

Answer 16

advances in oil and natural gas production technology, such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking

Question 17

developing countries

Answer 17

poor country that is seeking to develop its resources by industrialization
Ex: Guatemala, Mexico, China, Pakistan

Question 18

Commodity boom

Answer 18

the rise and fall (cycle) of many physical commodity prices. Example: rising demand from emerging economies (BRICS) increased product availability and this decreased prices in the early 2000s.

Question 19

Cyberthreats

Answer 19

an attempt to damage or disrupt a computer network or system, can occur on both an individual and a governmental level.
Ex: Malware, and attacks on U.S. banks