...Many economists have previously provided their own interpretation about the relationship between economic structure and levels of prosperity. One example was W.W Rostow, who proposed the model of stage development. While this model has become a commonly held view of economic development, it does not always hold true for underdeveloped nations. When taking into account the recent economic development of a country in the Global South, such as Colombia, it becomes clear that Rostow’s theory is linear, geographical, and pro-capitalist model. The first flawed aspect of the model is the fact that it is linear – it assumes that “all regions go through the same stages in a particular order towards high mass consumption” (Knox et al, 313). In contrast to these assumptions, the economic development of Colombia has been anything but linear, given its position as an underdeveloped nation. Rostow’s theory suggests that “in order for a country to move from a traditional society to a society that is ‘taking off’, it must first establish the preconditions for takeoff” (Knox et al, 314). At this stage, a country should “begin to heavily invest in developing a manufacturing sector” (Knox et al, 314) as it moves away from an agricultural based economy. While this may prove to be true for countries such as the United States and Canada, the same cannot be said for Colombia. In fact, it can be argued that Colombia simply skipped this second stage of Rostow’s model. Columbia is an economy that “currently...
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...Essay on impact of Globalisation: Has Globalisation brought about more benefits or ills to countries around the world? Explain your answer. I think Globalisation has brought about more ills than benefits, even through it has brought about many benefits to countries around the world. However, there are countries that have benefitted from Globalisation and we will examine this from the economic, social and environmental aspects. Firstly, the economic aspect of globalization has brought about an improved standard of living for many people. As countries participate in trade and open their doors to investments, more money is earned and thus this revenue is channeled to the development of facilities such as healthcare, education and infrastructure that benefit the people and thus increase their standard of living. Moreover, Singapore’s pro-Globalisation policy has lead to an increase in the average household income from $4940 in 2000 to $5400 in 2005, and this has allowed the people to improve their lifestyles. Furthermore, with free trade, there is a greater variety of goods available to the people and they benefit from the wide range of choices available. (+ ve) Globalisation also creates competition among countries in terms of investments and markets as they compete for Transnational Corporations (TNCs) to invest in their countries. This leads to countries developing themselves to be more attractive towards the investors and thus boost infrastructure and economic development...
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...Chapter 8 Outline -In 1997, the newly elected Labor party in London gave the Scots (and the Welsh) the opportunity to vote- not for independence, but for devolution. They both voted in favor, taking a major devolutionary step in one of Europe’s oldest and most stable unitary states. - Scotland’s new autonomous status has not necessarily fueled greater calls for independence. - At the heart of most devolutionary moments however, is a strong sense of ethnocultural or economic difference and when sense of difference coincide with conflicting senses of territory, the results can be explosive. - Devolutionary pressures often arise from a combination of sources. - Catalonia produces some 25% of all Spanish exports by value and 40% of its industrial exports. - Economic forces play an even more prominent role in Italy and France. - Italy faces serious devolutionary forces on its mainland peninsula as well one is the growing regional disparity between north and south. The wealthier north stands in sharp contrast to the poorer south. - The most recent of Italian politicians was the Northern League which raised the prospect of an independent state called Padania. The Northern League’s Efforts fell short. - Devolutionary events most often occur on the margins of states. - Distance, remoteness, and marginal location are allies of devolution. - The regions most likely to seek devolution are those far from the national capitol. Many are separated by water, desert, or mountains...
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...AP-Human Geography Essay Geography at the moment is not a prevalent subject within the American school system. Some professors believe this is in part at fault for American’s lack of awareness of the world around them. Many believe it is necessary to educate students on geography, so they are able to fully comprehend current events occurring around the globe. Is what we learn by studying geography important enough that we should consider including it more heavily in students curriculums? Geography is the study of the earth, ranging from the land itself and the people who inhabit it. It’s arguable that without knowledge of the geography one can’t fully understand the events of history. Earths geography largely influenced early human civilization in many ways including where humans settled and what people’s occupations were. It also played a large part on the outcome of early wars. Today basic knowledge of geography is necessary to understand many current events. International peace treaties are hard to understand if you don’t know the interest of the countries involved their neighbors, allies, and international ties. The impact that conflicts between countries have on their neighbors is hard to comprehend if you don’t know where these are located. Two articles written by Charles F. Gritzner, a professor of geography at South Dakota State University, emphasize the importance of geography. In both articles the professor discusses how uneducated most Americans are on the...
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...The Appalachian Mountains in the eastern part of the United States and the Nile River in northern Africa are both recognized as landforms. Now to many people, this is what they would describe as geography. People have a preconceived idea that geography only consists of the landforms that surround us, but geography plays an immense role in many aspects of our life. It is not only included in the structures aspect of the earth, but also in the way we have evolved through time. Geography is responsible for some of our physical adaptations that have helped us survive in rigid conditions as well as our cultures and religions, which have guided us in our lives. We, as humans, have a need to provide for ourselves and search for the necessities we need in order to survive. We migrate to different environments in search of these things and as time passes, we evolve. Over time, our bodies have evolved in ways that seem appropriate for the environment we live in. The San Bushmen have evolved with darker skin, which protects them from the harmful rays of the sun. However, certain people living farther from the equator have lighter skin, which helps them in acquiring the right amount...
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...What is Geography? Geography focuses on the physical features of the Earth. The physical features including mountains and rivers make up the Physical category of Geography. Geography focuses on the people or civilizations on the Earth. The civilizations and the way they live make up the Human category of Geography. Geography focuses on how the people interact with the environment around them. Geography can be defined by the physical features of the earth, the people or civilizations on the earth, and how the people interact with their environment. First, Geography is the physical features of the earth. “Geography is the study of where things are located on Earth’s surface and the reasons for the location.” (Rubenstein, James). Geographers...
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...trait from another place. relocation diffusion- sequential diffusion process in which the items being diffused are transmitted by their carrier agents as they evacuate the old areas and relocate to new ones. The most common form of relocation diffusion involves the spreading of innovations by a migrating population geographic concept- ways of seeing the world spatialy that are used by geographers in answering research questions. environmental determination- the view that the natural environment has a controlling influence over various aspects of human life, including cultural development, also referred to as envrionmentalism. Isotherm- line on map connecting points of equal temperature values possibilism- geographic viewpoint- a response to determinism- that holds that human decesion making, not the environment. nonetheless, possibilists view the envrionment as providing a set of broad constraints that limits the possibilites of human choice cultural ecology- the multiple interactions and relationships between a culture and the natural environment. political ecology- an approach to studying nature-society relations that is concerned with the ways in which environmental issues both reflect, and are the result of, the political and socioeconomic contexts in which they are situated. ...
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... 1. Explain the concept of development. Identify the two categories used to describe a country’s level of development. How are these categories helpful in understanding the global state of development? Also, what are the major shortcomings of this categorization scheme? Rubinstein explains development as the process of improving the material conditions of people through the diffusion of knowledge and technology. Development can take many forms: economic, agricultural, human, educational, ecological, structural, political and others. The principal goal is to move a state or society to another, more advanced stage and enabling better living conditions including health and longevity. Two fundamental categories used in identifying states are LDC (less developed countries) and MDC (more developed countries). The designations are useful in providing a basic indicator of the conditions of a state in relation to the world as a whole. Most often the designations points to aspects of the state’s economy, human development, politics and demographic transition. During the Cold War the LDC’s were known as Third World countries. It was a handy reference to use in determining a number or relevant issues related to economics and security. As a broad designation the categories do not go far enough into details of particular areas of concern, and do not necessarily indicate what goods or services are accessible within the state or at what level or quality. The designation doesn’t indicate...
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...In general, Chapter 11 is about coasts, beaches and shores i.e. the land that meets ocean waters. The difference between a shore and a coast is that the coast is a larger zone than a shore. A sandy beach is a shore, however, the coast includes marshes, sand dunes and cliffs inland of the beach. Coasts also have sandbars and troughs right of the shore. Coast, shores and beaches are active zones that are eroded by waves, winds and tectonic plate movement. Coasts are active places and the location of a coast depends on global tectonic activity and the volume of water in the ocean. The shape of a coast is developed by many processes such as uplift and subsidence, the wearing down of land by erosion, and the redistribution of material by sediment transport and deposition. Another reason is a long-term change in the sea level. There are five factors that cause sea level to change and three of those factors are responsible of eustatic change which is the measure in variation of global sea levels. Eustatic change can vary due to ice ages when sea water becomes solid the sea level tends to decrease. Second eustatic change can be associated with seafloor speeding when oceanic ridges expand and thereby sediments shed by the continents during periods of rapid erosion can also decrease the volume of ocean basins and raise sea level. Third eustatic change factor is global warming when glaciers melt and therefore causing sea level to rise. Two other changes in sea level are local changes. First...
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...Dr Mariusz Czepczyński Katedra Geografii Ekonomicznej Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego Economic Geography Department Human Geography Research methodologies in human geography Discursive studies Discursive approaches – a social framework of intelligibility within which all practices are communicated, negotiated or challenged (Michel Foucault, 1926-1984) In social sciences - an institutionalised way of thinking, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic Power relations are immanent to discourses, the discourse is conceived as the ideological superstructure. ‘Polymorphic tactics’ of discourses: specific discourses are not tied to the subject, rather the subject is a social construction of the discourse. Search for objectivity/ legitimating Plato’s and Socrates debates: what is real and how do we know what we infer about the real is true? Empirical evidence based upon observations and experimentation in the physical world is conducive to the verification of scientific judgments, and adherence to the rules of deduction and the process of inductive reasoning implements the determination of the validity and soundness of scientific arguments and conclusions. Whether independent propositions exist as do the objects of objectivism, or as the timeless truths concerning an object once it has become the intended object of a mental act, their reason for being would appear to be essential only to the process of discovery. Taking an objective...
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...Chapter 1 Who were the first known humans and which time periods/territories did they cover? The earliest human-like creatures were known as hominids and lived in Africa about three or four million years ago. They were known as “southern ape-men”, having flourished in eastern and southern Africa. The Australopithecines were the first hominids that made simple stone tools to hunt or defend themselves, existing about two to four million years ago. These early human-like creatures were bipedal, meaning they walked upright on two legs, enabling them to make journeys on foot. In 1959, a new form of hominid was discovered in Africa labeled the Homo habilis or “handy human”. These hominids were believed to have a brain fifty percent larger than that of the Australopithecines. This allowed them to become more sophisticated in finding food and hunting in Africa. The emergence of the Homo Erectus began about 1.5 million years ago. The Homo Erectus were the first hominid to migrate to Europe and Asia from Africa. Describe the...
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...Humans began to domesticate plants/animals for their own consumption or use. An example of these domestications is corn. Corn was the most successful plant in history, used in many early societies. Humans began to collect these wild grains, and slowly, began selecting kernels that would stay on the corn husks. In doing this, corn began to lose the ability to fall off the husks. Therefore, becoming completely dependent on humans for survival. As agriculture began to thrive and food supplies became dependable, societies grew. Hunter-gatherers could finally settle into permanent communities without worrying food would move away. They began to domesticate animals and plant crops in their newly founded societies. In doing so, societies began to become more established and complex over time. Complex societies only became more and more complex over time. In terms of agriculture, communities began to need more food and supplies for the large population. So,...
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...One Child Policy in China The one-child policy in China, is a regulation created by the People’s Republic of China to control population. The policy limits couples to have only one child and is enforced through fines that are levied based on family income and other financial factors. The policy was created in 1979 by the Chinese government to lessen social, economic, and environmental problems in China. From 1980 to 2000 it was found that over 250 million births were prevented resulting from the policy. Although the policy has prevented over population, it has caused a significant amount of controversy within and outside of China. Citizens living in rural areas and minorities living in China are not subject to the law. Although the rule is still being used today, it has been associated with many negative effects in society. Although these issues occur, it has been reported that 76% of the Chinese population support the policy. In 2008 it was stated by China’s National Population and Family Planning Commissions that the policy will remain in place for at least another decade, but under the new government, there is a possibility that the policy will be more relaxed in upcoming years. This relaxation may results in the government allowing couples to have a second child. The one-child policy has significantly reshaped China’s population and has resulted in many positive effects. Family’s that obey the policy are able to obtain “One-Child Glory Certificates” which entitles...
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...Distance Still Matters Notes • By focusing on national GDP, levels of consumer wealth and people’s propensity to consume, CPA (Country Portfolio Analysis) places all the emphasis on potential sales. It ignores the costs and risks of doing business in a new market. o Most of those costs and risks result from barriers created by distance • Distance: Not just geographic separation, but also has cultural, administrative and political and economic dimensions that can make foreign markets considerably more or less attractive. • Example: The amount of trade that takes place between countries 5000 miles apart is only 20% of the amount that would be predicted to take place if the same countries were 1000 miles apart. Cultural and Administrative distance produces even larger effects. A company is likely to trade ten times as much with a country that is a former colony, for instance, than with a country to which it has no such ties o Geographic distance, for instance, affects the costs of transportation and communications, so it is of particular importance to companies that deal with heavy or bulky products, or whose operations require a high degree of coordination among highly dispersed people or activities • Cultural Distance: A country’s cultural attributes determine how people interact with one another and with companies and institutions. Differences in religious beliefs, race, social norms and language are all capable of creating distance between two countries. o Some cultural...
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...United States of America 1. US population hit 100 million in 1915, 200 million in 1967, and 300 million in 2006. 2. The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world based on both population and land area. 3. Even though English is the most commonly spoken language used in the United States and is the language used in government, the country does not have an official language. Mexico 1. Mexico City is the oldest capital city in the Americas 2. Mexico City has the highest elevation and is the oldest city located in North America. It is also one of the largest cities in the entire world. 3. Spanish is the national language of Mexico. Mexico is the most populated Spanish-speaking country in the world. Canada 1. Canada is the world's second largest country area wise. 2. Half of Canada is covered with forests, considering one-tenth of the world's forests are there. 3. Canada has two official languages: English and French. 59% of Canadians use English as their official language. Only 23% use French as their official language and 18% have more than one official language. Colombia 1. Colombia is the third-most populous country in Latin America. 2. Colombia is a free market economy with major commercial and investment ties to the United States of America. 3. Colombia has four major industrial centers--Bogota, Medellin, Cali and Barranquilla. Brazil 1. Brazil is the largest country located in South America...
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