Unit VII Research Paper CG

SOC 2010, Cultural Geography 1

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

1. Discuss key concepts in human geography.

2. Discuss the impact of globalization on society. 2.1 Discuss the impact of globalization on Puerto Rico.

3. Evaluate sustainability as an approach to addressing global social problems.

6. Explain human geographic characteristics.

6.1 Describe how geography connects to the urban problems faced in Puerto Rico’s urban areas. 6.2 Discuss statehood versus no statehood for Puerto Rico.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

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Unit Lesson Videos in Unit Lesson Chapter 5 Chapter 7 Unit VII Research Paper

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Unit Lesson Videos in Unit Lesson Chapter 5 Chapter 7 Unit VII Research Paper

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6.1 Unit VII Research Paper

6.2 Unit VII Research Paper

Required Unit Resources Chapter 5: Geographies of Religion Chapter 7: Political Geographies

Unit Lesson Unit VII is about political and religious geographies. This unit will incorporate several concepts learned in previous units. It will discuss how place, globalization and/or culture impact religious geographies and political geographies like boundaries, state formation, and political relationships between states. Political geography is “the study of the spatial aspects of political affairs” (Greiner, 2018 p. 174). One key spatial aspect of politics is the development of states (countries). In order to be considered a state, a place needs clearly defined boundaries, a permanent population, recognition by other states as a state, and a functioning government (Greiner, 2018). The configuration of a state’s territory, its topography, the characteristics of its boundaries, and its relations with its neighbors are some of the key factors linked to geography that impact security, economics, and political relations for a state (Greiner, 2018). Two of the biggest factors that have shaped boundaries and development of today’s countries are imperialism and

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE

Political Geographies and Religious Geographies

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colonialism. The nations in Africa, for example, were greatly shaped by colonialism. Greiner (2018) noted that many of the African nation boundaries were decided upon by European political leaders at the Berlin Conference in the mid-1880s. At the conference, Africa was divided up by European leaders with only the thought of what benefits their own interests and not what was best for the African people. Even though colonialization faded and African nations won their independence, there are lasting scars from the nation- building in Africa by the Europeans. Watch this video segment discussing some of the lasting negative impacts colonialization has had on Sub-Saharan Africa. The transcript for the video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. TVE International (Producer). (2009). Sub-Saharan Africa (Segment 13 of 16) [Video]. In Slums and money: A

socioeconomic analysis. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=40604&loid=92013

Supranational Organizations While nations operate as sovereign entities, it is important to note that nations are often linked together for safety and commerce reasons. These official linkages are often through supranational organizations. “A supranational organization consists of multiple states that agree to work together for a common economic, military, cultural, or political purpose, or a combination of several of these” (Greiner, 2018, p. 188). Countries join supranational organizations for the benefits, but there are also costs. Being closely linked together for security and economics can weaken a nation’s sovereignty. One of the most recognizable examples of a supranational organization is the United Nations (UN). The UN was founded in 1945 with the goal of promoting peace and security around the world (Greiner, 2018). The UN has many different global initiatives to work toward these goals. Visit the UN webpage to view their key initiatives: http://www.un.org/en/index.html Another prominent supranational organization of today is the European Union (EU). The EU consists of European countries joined together to help generate greater economic prosperity for all within the organization. There are currently 28 countries in the EU, and it has a gross domestic product of more than 18 trillion, which makes it the largest economic power in the world (Greiner, 2018). EU nations share a currency called the Euro, and citizens can move freely between the countries for work. As discussed earlier, there are pros and cons to these supranational organizations. Some of the negatives came into the spotlight when Britain citizens voted to leave the EU. This phenomenon was called Brexit. Many British citizens were wary of losing too much of their sovereignty and did not like having open borders that would allow any citizens from EU member states to move in. British citizens felt like their jobs were being stolen by immigrants moving in from these EU member states. Geopolitics Geopolitics is the focus on how states gain and use power to benefit their country. Countries vary greatly in their ability to use their power to influence other countries. Their influence is based on their economic reach, alliances, and historical relationships. One prominent theory in geopolitics is the theory of the organic state created by German scholar Freidrich Ratzel in the late 1880s. The theory of organic state argues that a state’s growth is like any other organism in that it needs resources and room to grow (Greiner, 2018). This theory was utilized by the Nazis to support their expansion. This connection between Nazi Germany and the geopolitics of Ratzel in combination with the end of colonialization brought into question this geopolitical strategy (Greiner, 2018). Geopolitics has evolved rapidly in the past 75 years. After World War II, the United States became a world economic and political leader, and the Soviet Union also began to expand its political reach. A bi-polar world order was created during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States exerted its influence during that time to promote democracy, and the Soviet Union exerted its influence to encourage communism. After the Cold War ended in the 1990s, the United States retained a great deal of influence and still does today, but globalization and rapid growth in China, India, and the EU have created a world where many different nations exert their influence regionally and globally. Here is a short clip discussing how globalization has led to weaker nation states. The transcript for the video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database.

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MacNeil/Lehrer Productions (Producer). (2006). World without borders: Globalization weakens governments (Segment 13 of 19) [Video]. In Explaining globalization. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=37576&loid=53013

Globalization and Terrorism “Questions about where and why terrorist attacks occur are fundamentally geographical and geopolitical” (Greiner, 2018, p. 195). Terrorism can occur at the individual, group, and state level. State-level sponsorship of terrorism can include activities like providing weapons and other resources, training, providing refuge, intelligence sharing, or financing (Greiner, 2018). Terrorist groups use fear and justify violent acts to gain their own influence and to implement their own agendas. The deadliest terror groups are Boko Harma and ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). At the United States Department of State website, the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism provides information on the terror threats around the world and how the United States is countering these threats: https://www.state.gov/j/ct/

Electoral Geography Geography and place are deeply intertwined with politics. For this section, we will discuss how political geography applies to the United States’ political system. The United States uses a majority-plurality system. This means the representative that receives the majority of the votes represents all the voters in an electoral district. Our presidency is decided using the Electoral College system. A video explaining how the Electoral College system works can be found in the Suggested Reading. There are many criticisms and debates surrounding topics like gerrymandering, voter suppression, Russian interference, and using the Electoral College instead of popular vote to elect our president. Visit the Opposing Viewpoints Database in the CSU Online Library to learn more about the different views associated with these hot-topic political issues. Religion, Society, and Globalization Religion is very linked to place and space. Religion plays a valuable role in society because it offers a strong foundation for community and both group and individual identity (Greiner, 2018). Groups often form religious communities in geographic regions to be in a place that shares their faith. Governments can be formally or informally rooted in the community faith, and there can be one or a variety of faiths represented politically. A connection between geography and religion is the concept of sacred space. “Sacred space is space that has special religious meaning that makes it worthy of reverence or devotion” (Greiner, 2018, p. 125). Sacred space can take many different forms. It can be a prominent, holy location or building or a private space that you deem sacred because of its link to your spirituality. So why do cultural geographers study sacred space, and how does it relate to politics? There is often conflict over sacred spaces on who controls them or how they are to be treated.

As the world continues to rapidly globalize, how will that impact the power of the state? Will it be weakened? Can you envision a future with a global government that is an

umbrella over all the nations in the world?

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Oftentimes, both political policy and political relationships can become involved in protecting or disputing sacred space. The textbook provides an example of how a space can be deemed sacred to more than one group, which can cause serious conflict like in the case of Jerusalem and the West Bank. Rapid globalization in modern times has had an impact on all areas of life, including faith. Some argue that globalization and the sharing of ideas and technology are weakening the scope and influence of religion within society. What do you think? What impact has globalization had on the role or influence faith has in societies? While one could argue that faith is weakening due to consumerism and globalization, one could also argue that religion is offering communities support and guidance in this rapidly changing world. While faith, like every facet of society, changes, there are groups that fear changes to their traditions, and this fear can bolster what Greiner (2018) calls religious fundamentalism, which deeply infuses their faith into all public and private aspects of life. “Religious fundamentalism raises questions about the extent to which it permits religious pluralism, including respect for different religious traditions” (Greiner, 2018, p. 130). We can see how this could raise political questions. How much separation should there be between church and state? Unit VII Research Paper Assignment In this unit, you will be finishing the second half of your research paper about Puerto Rico. Do you see how some of this unit’s political geography topics might apply? What impact did colonialization have on Puerto Rico? How do configuration of the territory, location relative to neighboring states, and being an island impact Puerto Rico politically, economically, and socially? How has the political relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States impacted the people of Puerto Rico?

References Greiner, A. L. (2018). Visualizing human geography: At home in a diverse world (3rd ed.). Wiley. VanderWolfImages. (2011). Jerusalem Israel Wailing Wall (ID 97419819) [Image]. Dreamstime.

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-jerusalem-israel-wailing-wall-western-dome-rock-temple- mount-image97419819

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is considered sacred by both Jews and Muslims. (VanderWolfImages, 2011)

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Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resource, click the link below. The transcript for the video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database. The following video segment explains how the Electoral College works in the United States. Educational Video Group (Producer). (2012). Step 5: Electoral College (Segment 15 of 17) [Video]. In Electing

the president: Six steps to the summit. Films on Demand. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPla ylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=49122&loid=164713

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 5 on pages 121,125,133, and 137. Answer the Concept Check Questions for Chapter 7 on pages 181, 188, 191, 195, 199, and 201.

2. Complete the Chapter 5 Self-Test on pages 141 and 142 of the textbook. Complete the Chapter 7 Self-Test on pages 205 and 206. (Answers to the Self-Test for Chapter 5 and 7 are on page 359).