The Study of GeographyWhy it Matters??

Globalization:Globalization:

• The increasing interdependence The increasing interdependence and interconnectedness of and interconnectedness of placesplaces globally.globally.

Geography Defined: “earth writing,” study of the earth, “why of where”

Implications of Globalization

• The stretching of global connections, relations and networks

• Making them faster and more intense.

• Increasing awareness about the world.

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)

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.

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.

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)

Systematic geography approach

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

Population geography

• Growth in Periphery

• “Graying” in Core

• Resulting changes in migration patterns

• Causes and consequences of forced migration.

Cultural geography

• Relationship between place & cultural identity.

• Cultural homogenization (Americanization) from globalization?

• Yet cultural differences across places are becoming significant?

Economic geography

• Rising economic interdependence among places.

• Local responses in turn affect globalization.

• “Glocalization” a better term than globalization?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Economic Globalization

Country 1 Country 2

From above (elites)

Frombelow

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

Players in globalizationfrom above

• Governments and elites in every country

• Multinational corporations

• International agencies (UN)

• Global trade/finance agencies– World Bank,IMF, WTO

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?

Players in globalizationfrom below

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) —Greenpeace, Amnesty Int’l, etc.

• Alliances of communities with a common concern, linked through Internet.– Seattle WTO protests, 1999

• Some international agencies