Human geography case studies Flashcards
Cold War
USSR and USA bipolar world. Opposing ideology capitalism vs communism
Mercantile phase
1600-1850
Small colonies are conquered on coastal fringes and island e.g. New England and defended by coastal forts. The forts and navy protect trade in raw materials and slaves. The economic interests of private trading companies such as East India Company are defended by British armed forces
Imperial phase
1850-1945
Coastal colonies extend inland with the conquest of vast territories. Religion and language are introduced to colonies. Government institutions with British colonial administrators are set up to rule the colonial population. Complex trade develops including the export of UK manufactured goods to new colonial markets. Settlers from Britain set up farms and plantations in colonies. Technology such as railway and telegraph is used to connect distant parts of the empire.
BRIC
Brazil Russia India and China were identified as a group of emerging powers in 2001. South Africa is sometimes included. These five countries set up a formal association in 2009
G20 major economies
Group formed in 1999 and meets annually. It is made up of 19 counties plus the EU and includes some potential emerging powers such as Mexico Indonesia South Korea Saudi Arabia and Turkey
Japan emerging power
In the 1980s seemed destined to superpower. Per capita GDP was higher than UK and USA it was a leader of exporting electronics. Economy barely grown since 1995: property value collapse, encouraged saving not spending, ageing population, Asian tigers.
Military alliances
Since 1980 the USA has increasingly acted with its NATO allies rather than through the UN. Military alliances are a key element of superpower status.
Iran nuclear programme
West concerned about them developing a nuclear weapons programme. Destabilise the Middle East. USA applied restrictions in 1995. UN sanctions began in 2006. EU sanctions began in 2007. Sanctions on Iran’s crucial oil exports in 2012.
Bosnian War 1992-1995
Resulted from the post-colonial war break up of Yugoslavia. Mix of ethnic religious and nationalist divisions led to a war that involved genocide mass
rape and war crimes. UN resolution no-fly zone. Peacekeepers established. Dayton Accord which ended war
Haiti earthquake humanitarian relief effort 2010
Devastating magnitude 7.0. US Air Force restored air traffic control to Port-au-Prince airport. 1600 US marines arrived by to provide humanitarian and technical help
The Ebola epidemic 2014-2016
Outbreak of Ebola in west Africa in 2013. USA France and UK led response in Liberia Guinea and Sierra Leone respectively. UK committed £430 million 1500 troops and 150 NHS personnel
China’s consumerism
1 billion cars
1350 million tonnes of cereal consumed each year
180 million tonnes of meat consumed
Coal consumption in China would exceed global consumption in 2015
Arctic oil and gas
US geological survey 30% worlds undiscovered gas and 13% oil resources in the Arctic. 90-100 million barrels of oil worth billions. 2007 Russia put flag on North Pole. Both Russia and Canada have created dedicated Arctic Forces
Russia western boarder
Russia considers this areas its sphere of influence. Following the 1991 collapse of communism and independence of former Soviet republican. EU and US economic sanctions following 2014 Ukraine/Crimea crisis have isolated Russia economically. Open conflict in Crimea and eastern Ukraine and Georgia led to the forced displacement of tens of thousands
South and East China seas
China pursuing a policy of controlling the ocean from its coast to the First Island China. The largest naval presence in the area at the moment in the USA due to its close allies Japan South Korea and the Philippines
US hegemony unipolar
US dominance and economic and military alliance continue in a unipolar world. China faces an economic crisis similar to Japans in the early 1990s and ceases to grow rapidly
Regional mosaic multi-polar
Emerging powers continue to grow while the EU and USA decline in relative terms creating a multi-polar world of broadly equal powers with regional but not global influence
New Cold War bipolar
China rises to become equal in power to the USA and many nations align themselves with one or other ideology creating a bipolar world similar to the 1945-1990 Cold War period
Asian century unipolar
Economic social and political problems reduce the power of the EU and USA economic and political power shift to the emerging powers in Asia led by China
Sharia law
Law of Islam a legal system topics from public and private beliefs. Sharia law is perhaps the most intrusive and strict especially with regard to women. Doesn’t rest easily with the UDHR. Danger that Sharia law operates as a parallel legal system.
Bolivia under Morales
Won third term in Bolivia 2014. Bolivia’s first indigenous president who had remarkable rise. He’s anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist. Popularity based on exploitation of domestic natural gas and mineral resources and sharing the derived wealth among the people
UNESCO
United nation’s educational scientific and cultural organisation. Done much to ensure access to education for all. Much to raise levels of literacy.
Life expectancy variations in the UK
Life expectancy for men is lower than women though the gap is narrowing. Differences between the north and south and differences between ethnicity and social class
Life expectancy within Brazil
In 2013 - men 70.4 years and women 77.6 years. Highest life expectancies in southeast Brazil. Surprisingly low life expectancy in Brazil due to many favelas. The relatively low values in the northern part of the country particularly in Amazon lowlands which may reflect its remoteness and relatively undeveloped nature
Aboriginal life expectancy in Australia
Indigenous population 3% of population. Aboriginal men life expectancy 10.6 years less than non indigenous and 9.5 years lower for. Over last 5 years aboriginal life expectancy has increased. There’s genetic reasons for this but also factors: poor housing dispossession of their traditional lands low education level high unemployment
Word bank
Originated as a facilitator of post-War reconstruction and development. Now committed to the alleviation of poverty. It is vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world
World trade organisation founded 1995
Succeeded the general agreement on tariffs and trade set up in 1948 and is the only global organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements negotiated and signed by the bulk of the worlds trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is help producers of goods and services exporters and importers to conduct their business
International Monetary Fund founded 1948
Aims to foster monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty around the world. It seeks to improve the economies of member countries through data collection and analysis monitoring economic performance and where necessary recommending self-correcting policies
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation founded 1945
It’s purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education science and culture to further universal respect for justice the rule of law and human rights along with fundamental freedom as proclaimed in the UN Charter. It also promotes cultural diversity and aims to secure the worlds cultural and natural heritage.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD founded 1960
Promotes policies that will improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world. It provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. It works with governments to understand what drives economic social and environmental change. It recommends policies designed to improve the quality of people’s lives
Millennium development goals 2000 to reduce development gap
Eradicate extreme poverty Universal primary education Promote gender equality Reduce child mortality Improve maternal health Combat HIV/AIDS malaria etc Ensure environmental sustainability Develop a global partnership for development
Sustainable development goals
No poverty Zero hunger Good health and wellbeing Quality education Gender equality Clean water and sanitation Affordable and clean energy Decent work and economic growth Industry innovation infrastructure Reduce inequality Sustainable cities and communities Responsible consumption production Climate action Life below water Life on land Peace justice strong institutions Partnerships for the goals
Universal declaration of human rights UDHR
Sets out 30 universal rights vital as constituting human development. Adopted by UN general assembly. Currently 193 members. Declaration but not legally binding and articles are unenforceable. However bound to recognise articles of declaration.
Geneva convention
Four treaties applied at times of armed conflict to protect people not taking part in the conflict. Current convention (1949) has been ratified by 196 countries but not all agreed to subsequent protocols
European convention on human rights ECHR
Enforced in 1953 in response to violations of human rights during WW2 and the post-war spread of communism. Violation of this go before court of human rights
UK human rights act 1998
Incorporated into UK law the rights contained the ECHR. It means that any breach of the conventions rights can be heard in the UK courts and need not go to the European court of human rights. However appeals related to the verdicts of UK courts in such cases can be sent to and possibly overturned by the European court. This has led some to believe that the UK has lost some of its sovereignty
The two koreas
Split of countries in 1948 which have diametrically opposed ideologies. GDP per capita ranks South Korea: 40 and North Korea: 195. North Korea had barely made a move towards real democracy and most corrupt country in the world
Emerging superpower China
Founded as a communist country with a one-part government following WW2. Socialist market economy and
economic success. Human rights widely criticised; re-education through labour, suppression of the internet and media, unfair trials, torture, workers rights and death penalty. Government highly authoritarian.
Emerging powers India
Democratic republic with parliamentary system of government. Union of 29 states and seven territories. Human rights issues; incidents of violence against religious minorities, caste-based discrimination, neglect of tribal communities and sexual abuse against women and children
Case of corruption Myanmar
Political violence and systematic repression of democratic oppression. Country’s political and economic environment has continued to deteriorate. 2015 first reasonably fair general election for over 50 years. Aung San Suu Kyi debarred from becoming president as her children had a foreign father
Corruption Zimbabwe
British colony 1880-1980. It had prosperity due to manufacturing and industrial sectors. Robert Mugabe came into powers thanks to questionable elections. Misrule and corruption has brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy. 23rd poorest country
Rwanda
Deep rooted tribal divisions. Became German colony in 1884. Since 1962 independence Hutu have struggled for supremacy. 1994 Hutu tried to eliminate Tutsi who fled to neighbouring countries. Within 100 days 800,000 were massacred
Indigenous populations of the Americas
Estimated 370million indigenous people living in more than 70 countries. Around 46million in Americas. Rich diversity of culture religion tradition and language. Their environments are increasingly under threat and they are driven off their homelands.
The place of women in Afghanistan
Immense changes over 40years. During that time it has occupied by Soviet troops and by USA. Ruled by various militant groups. Women’s rights have fluctuated. 1919 women got the vote. 1950s gender separation was abolished. 1980/90s under taliban rule these rights were taken away
Mixed picture in Bolivia
Population of 9 million and 35 different ethnic groups. 60% of population is classified as indigenous. Since early 1990s there’s been a strong move to recognise indigenous identity but little has changed economically for them. Many continue to live in extreme poverty. Bolivia poorest country in South America. More gender violence deaths of women than with cancer.
