Section C - Migration, Identity, and Sovereignty

Question 1

What is assimilation?

Answer 1

Assimilation is the gradual integration of an immigrant group into the lifestyle and culture of the host country, sometimes at the expense of their own distinctiveness - this happens over time as migrants become more mobile, have mixed marriages, and adjust to a host nation’s way of life

Question 2

Reasons why the rate of assimilation varies between countries? - Time

Answer 2

The amount of time migrants are resident in the host nation can have an impact on assimilation - EG in 2011 70% of those living in the UK for 30 or more years reported having a UK identity compared to only 10% for recent arrivals

Question 3

Reasons why the rate of assimilation varies between countries? - Ethnicity

Answer 3

EG in the UK language proficiency was 89% among non-UK born residents, but only 70% among Bangladesh born residents and 62% among Chinese born residents

Question 4

Reasons why the rate of assimilation varies between countries? - State support

Answer 4

Where govs fund translation services for gov websites, recent migrants can better access information about their host country - the same is true for state-funded language training for recent migrants or state-funded language education

Question 5

Relationship between % of a country’s foreign born population and their GDP per capita

Answer 5

Qatar and the World Cup - since Qatar was chosen to host the world cup the population has risen by 40% - this is due to 2.1 million migrant workers moving to Qatar to work to build stadiums for the world cup - this is an estimated 95% of their work force - Qatar’s GDP per capita is ranked 5th in the world and this can’t be a coincidence

Question 6

Reasons why national borders are contested 1

Answer 6

Historical issues - Colonialism - the drawing up of foreign borders by colonial powers throughout history - the race for Africa which began with the 1884 Berlin conference - led to countries such as UK France and Spain drawing borders to mark their territory with little regard for the land or people these affected - this has led to consequences today - EG the border between South Sudan and Ethiopia - groups living on both sides of this border are of the same ethnicity, but live divided by a border that was imposed on them by the colonists - therefore are today inaccurately seen as two different groups.

Question 7

Reasons why national borders are contested 2

Answer 7

Another is the non-recognition of nations and borders - EG Taiwan and China - when the communists forced the nationalists out of China and to Taiwan in 1949, this saw the creation of a new country being Taiwan - China has never officially recognised Taiwan’s independence - since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, China has considered Taiwan to be a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland - officially the UN view Taiwan as a territory largely due to China’s significant influence within the organisation - this shows how national borders can be contested

Question 8

Effectiveness of global organisations in managing global economic & environmental issues - Intro

Answer 8

Trade blocs, Jamaica and SAPs, Antarctic Treaty, and the UN SDGs

Question 9

Effectiveness of global organisations in managing global economic & environmental issues - Para 1

Answer 9

• Economic good
• Trading blocs
• Almost all nations have signed up to IMF, WB, or WTO, but trading blocks such as the EU have added regional trade agreements
• EG USMCA which was signed by the three North-American countries in 2018
• This saw tariff-free trade on specific products and includes protection for US and CA car workers from low-wage production in MX - 40-45% of a car has to be made by workers earning at least $16 per hour
• Shows effectiveness of IGOs in establishing trade

Question 10

Effectiveness of global organisations in managing global economic & environmental issues - Para 2

Answer 10

• Economic bad
• Jamaica and SAPs
• In the 1970s built up debt paying for social programmes and in the 1980s inflation soared
• IMF and World Bank imposed Structural Adjustment programmes in return for loans to stabilise the Jamaican economy
• However SAPs failed to achieve their goal of economic development for Jamaica and by the end of the 1980s Jamaica’s debt had risen to 180% of GDP whereas it was only 61% of GDP in 1979
• Shows ineffectiveness of IGOs such as the IMF and World Bank

Question 11

Effectiveness of global organisations in managing global economic & environmental issues - Para 3 (Antarctic Treaty)

Answer 11

• Environmental good
• The Antarctic Treaty of 1959
• By the 1950s Antractica was being surveyed by 12 different nations and 50 scientific bases had been established
• In 1959 the Antractic Treaty was signed by the 12 nations to block all military activity in the area and encourage scientific cooperation
• This has been a success as since then the number of signatories has increased to 53 and there have been no territory disputes or military activity

Question 12

Effectiveness of global organisations in managing global economic & environmental issues - Para 4

Answer 12

• Environmental bad
• Could be argued that IGOs haven’t done enough to protect the environment
• The SDGs implemented by the UN in 2015 have been criticised for not going far enough with environmental issues
• The SDGs in the regard have been criticised for being too soft and not effectively implemented or on track to reach
• Shows ineffectiveness of IGOs in managing environmental issues