Lecture 5 - A World of Resources

Question 1

What are the 3 Components of Resources?

Answer 1

-Natural Resources
-Human Resources
-Policy on Resources

Question 2

What defines the Natural Component of Resources?

Answer 2

-Variable resource cover over Earth’s surface and variable access/ ownership

Question 3

What defines the Human Component of Resources?

Answer 3

-Variable population levels/ densities and variable access/ ownership

Question 4

Describe Human Resources.

Answer 4

-May be applied indirectly by applying ingenuity, e.g. creating machines to do work for them
-May be applied directly, e.g. digging, building, fighting etc.
-Humans making others work for them (social/ class hierarchies, slavery)

Question 5

What defines the Policy Component of Resources?

Answer 5

-Variable decision-making about what resources to use, and how (ir)responsibly

Question 6

How are Resources Culturally and Socially Variable?

Answer 6

-Cultural values are attached to land and its features
-Not setting humans above/ against nature
-Indigenous peoples tend to have more attachment and respect for the natural world but historically have been subjected to colonial rule

Question 7

How do Indigenous Peoples view Resources?

Answer 7

-Material dependence on the land, but also very meaningful (spiritual) attachment to the land
-Common resource bases shared by all
-They are not focused on commodities