Unit VI Assessment CG

SOC 2010, Cultural Geography 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Discuss key concepts in human geography. 1.1 Discuss key concepts in economic development. 1.2 Recognize key economic production and development terms. 1.3 Distinguish between different types of industries.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1.1

Unit Lesson Videos in Unit Lesson Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Unit VI Assessment

1.2

Unit Lesson Videos in Unit Lesson Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Unit VI Assessment

1.3

Unit Lesson Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Unit VI Assessment

Required Unit Resources Chapter 10: Changing Geographies of Industry and Services Chapter 11: Geographies of Development

Unit Lesson Development Indicators In previous units, we discussed culture and place, the relationship between man and nature, globalization, and urbanization. All of these concepts are highly impacted by economic development. Human geographers look at how geography is linked to trends and changes in economic development around the globe and how it impacts humans and the environment. What is development? Greiner (2018) defines development as “processes that bring about changes in economic prosperity and the quality of life” (p. 296). Those who study the rate and impact of development use economic, sociodemographic, and environmental indicators to compare and contrast development. Economic Indicators Some key economic indicators are gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI), purchasing power parity (PPP), and the poverty rate. The definitions of these terms can be found in the Chapter 11

UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE

Economic Geographies

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reading. Watch this short video segment explaining the differences between GDP and GNI. The segment argues GDP is more accurate than GNI (formally GNP) as an economic indicator. Annenberg Learner (Producer). (2012). Comparing economic indicators (Segment 8 of 11) [Video]. In

GDP/GNP—Economics U$A: 21st century edition. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=113435&loid=411405

A key component of the study of development is the study of poverty in society. The poverty rate gives you an understanding of how the citizens are doing economically and not just the country overall. Greiner (2018) states that the poverty level in the United States is 15%. Greiner (2018) notes that today there are 700 million people living in extreme poverty, a number which has decreased dramatically since 1990 when about two billion were living under the poverty line. The dramatic change is due to rapid economic development in Asia. This rapid development in Asia will have a social, economic, environmental, and political impact regionally and internationally. What impact have you noticed in the United States due to the growing economic development in places like China? Sociodemographic Indicators What are sociodemographic indicators of development? Sociodemographic indicators are characteristics of the population that impact the ability to engage in development. These include things like level of education, mortality rates, and malnourishment rates. There is an index combining many sociodemographic traits together in determining the level of development around the globe. This measure is called the human development index (HDI). Greiner (2018) notes “The HDI is based on per capita GNI, life expectancies, the average year of schooling for adults, and the expected years of schooling for children given present enrollment trends” (pp. 302-303). The HDI index was criticized for not accounting for inequality when it comes to access of things like education and health care. This led to the creation of the inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI). Besides access to education and health care, human geographers also look at how gender inequality is impacting development. Women in countries that do not have access to education, employment, or health care have lower economic and social mobility than women in countries with more gender equality. Watch this short video segment on how gender equality contributes to economic development. Falling Walls Foundation (Producer). (2015). How gender balance can transform the global economy (Custom

segment) [Video]. In Breaking the wall of gender inequality: How gender balance can transform the global economy. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=115437&loid=527694

Environmental Indicators In Unit IV, we discussed the impact industry has had on the environment. One environmental indicator we learned about in Unit IV was carbon footprint. Examples of other indicators include levels of pollutants in the water, loss of biodiversity, and occurrence of droughts and floods. These factors are important because they incorporate more than just economic gain and include the environmental cost to get the gains. Development and Income Inequality Researching and reporting on income inequality helps explain who is benefiting from economic development and who is not benefitting. It also helps show how these inequalities can exacerbate or create social problems. Income inequality can be compared across an area, nation, or the globe. Greiner (2018) stated individual factors, social factors, policy factors, and historical factors can all impact the level of income equality in and between nations. One of the key themes discussed in terms of income inequality is how big the unequal distribution of wealth is in the world. A small amount of people, companies, and nations control

Were you surprised by that number? Do you think that number is

accurate? Why, or why not?

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the world’s resources. What could be some concerns in a country or on a global level when a few people hold all the wealth? Greiner (2018) noted that, at the global level, we have seen some decrease and some increase in income inequality. The decreases are occurring in places like Brazil and China because of their growing middle class. The gap between the rich and poor in the United States continues to grow. CEO pay in the United States has risen from about 50 times to 300 times the average employee salary in the past thirty years (Bloomberg 2016). One percent of Americans earn 20% of the nation’s income, and within that small group .01% earn about 8% (TED, 2013). How big of a deal is the unequal distribution of wealth in the U.S.? Should it be more equal? If so how should it be made more equal? Freeland argues that globalization, loss of middle class income to outsourcing and technology, and political structures favoring the very rich with lower corporate taxes and deregulation has helped increase the divide (TED, 2013). Loss of good paying jobs, high cost of living, lack of affordable health care, lasting impact of the recession, and high education costs can also make it hard for lower-income and middle-class individuals and families to reach higher levels of wealth. The Great Recession (2007-2009) had a big impact on our economic geography.

Development Theory There are several different theories used to explain the development levels and trends in the world. They include the classical model, dependency theory, world-system theory, and the neoliberal model of development.

The classical model of development

The classical model of development was created in the 1960s by economic historian Walt Rostow, focusing on a five-stage process for countries to go from a traditional subsistence based agricultural society up to a modern, mass-consumption, service-based society like the United States. This model was criticized for being too Eurocentric and does not account for the different economic and social differences in nations that make it hard for their pattern of development to fit Rostow’s model (Greiner, 2018).

Dependency theory An alternative model to the classical model of development presented in late 1960s and early 1970s was dependency theory. Dependency theory explains the patterns of development in nations as a relationship between dominant and dependent states. Dependency theory has been criticized for not taking local political and social factors into consideration as having a big impact on development (Greiner, 2018).

The world-system theory

The world-system theory labels countries as periphery, semi-periphery, and core based on their level of development. A core country is a country with a strong military, established manufacturing, and a diversified economic base with highly skilled workers. The United States and the UK are examples of core countries. Semi-periphery countries like Mexico and China have some manufacturing and diversification in the labor force but not as much as the core. Below the semi-periphery is the periphery. Periphery countries have a less-skilled labor force and the lowest amounts of economic diversification and manufacturing (Greiner, 2018). Uganda and Haiti would be examples of peripheral countries.

Did the Great Recession have an impact on you, someone you know, or your local community? Do you think the

economy is currently strong and will remain strong? What indicators do you think point to the economy strengthening

or weakening in the coming years?

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The Neoliberal Model This model was established in the 1980s, contending that capitalism can spur development as long as free markets and competition are occurring (Greiner, 2018). Today, development experts focus on the fact that nations and their relationships with other nations are unique, dynamic, and interdependent. Advancing development has to be individualized and decentralized. Governments and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) need to evaluate the needs of each country and help create a plan to spur healthy development for their citizens. One result of the United Nations, NGOs, and government working together to address development issues was the creation of the millennium development goals (MDGs). The 15-year goals included promoting gender equality, ending extreme poverty, providing education for all, and reducing child mortality rates (Greiner, 2018). What role should governments play in helping solve social problems outside their own country? Do more developed countries have a moral obligation to help citizens in less developed countries?

Important Unit VI Assessment Information While the lesson in this unit only discussed Chapter 11, please note material from both Chapter 11 and Chapter 10 will be on the Unit VI assessment. The Chapter 10 PowerPoint that accompanies the textbook does a great job summarizing and explaining key industry terms and concepts. The PowerPoints from Chapters 10 and 11 will help prepare you for the assessment. Links to the Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 PowerPoints can be found in the Suggested Reading section of this unit.

References Bloomberg (Producer). (2016). For richer, for poorer: The dangers of inequality [Video]. Films on Demand.

https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=145030

Greiner, A. L. (2018). Visualizing human geography: At home in a diverse world (3rd ed.). Wiley. TED (Producer). (2013). TedTalks: Chrystia Freeland—The rise of the new global super-rich [Video]. Films on

Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=56616

Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. The transcript for each video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. Click here to access the Chapter 10 PowerPoint Presentation. (Click here to access a PDF version of the presentation.) Click here to access the Chapter 11 PowerPoint Presentation. (Click here to access a PDF version of the presentation.) Here is a segment discussing how American income inequality in the past was addressed. Bloomberg (Producer). (2016). Economic inequality (Custom segment) [Video]. In For richer, for poorer: The

dangers of inequality. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=145030&loid=527695

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This video segment discusses how economic and social indicators are used to evaluate economic divisions. Films for Humanities and Sciences (Producer). (2007). Measuring economic development (Segment 1 of 7)

[Video]. In Economic development: A global challenge. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=34994&loid=37205

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.

1. Answer the Concept Check questions for Chapter 10 on pages 270, 277, 284, and 289. Answer the Concept Check Questions for Chapter 11 on pages 307, 312, and 320.

2. Complete the Chapter 10 Self-Test on pages 292–294. Complete the Chapter 11 Self-Test on pages 323–324 (Answers to the Self-Test for Chapter 10 and 11 are on page 359).