Tag Archives: poverty

Mar 22 2012

Guns, Germs and Steel

Via Scoop.it – Geography Education

This video (like the book of the same title) explores the course of human history to find the geographic factors that can help to explain the global inequalities between societies. Jared Diamond’s answer lies in the military strength (guns), superior pathogens (germs) and industrial production (steel) that agricultural societies were able to develop as the critical advantages over hunter/gatherer societies. The raw materials at the disposal of the societies inhabiting particular environments partially explain the economic possibilities before them.

Diamond hypothesizes that the orientations of the continents play a critical role in the relative advantages among agricultural societies (East-West orientations allow for greater diffusion of agricultural technologies than North-South orientations since the growing seasons and ecology are more compatible), giving Eurasia an advantage over Africa and the Americas. The Fertile Crescent had native plant and animal species ideal for domestication, which then diffused to Europe. Societies that have more developed animal husbandry develop a resistance to more powerful germs. Consequently, when two societies come in contact those with the best resistance to the worse diseases are more successful. Similarly, industrial production depends on an agricultural surplus since specialization requires that some workers not needing to produce their own food to work on technological innovations. Societies that had agricultural advantages were able to invest in technologies (primarily steel) that would enhance their advantages over other societies, as seen during colonization. Societies that had the best environments had access to large plant eating mammals suitable for domestication and the most productive grains would be poised to produce more dangerous guns, germs and steel—the key resources for economic dominion resulting in global inequalities.

Diamond’s critics argue that the ‘geography hypothesis’ is environmental determinism that does not properly value human choices into the equation. Still, the core of this book is the search for connections between the themes of Geography with a spatial framework and the video is available via Netflix, public libraries and many other outlets.

Via www.pbs.org

Mar 16 2012

America’s Real Homeless Hotspots

Via Scoop.it – Geography Education

“An estimated 600,000 Americans are homeless, but the spread isn’t uniform. Some cities have been hit harder than others.”

When I teach cultural geography, I discuss the idea that some thing are “in place” and others are “out of place” based on the cultural norms that change from place to place.  Homelessness is almost always “out of place.”   What parts of the built environment in your city are purposefully uninviting to the homeless?  What is the connection between the city (and urbanization) and homelessness?  What could (or should) be done in major metropolitan areas with high rates of homelessness?  What is the spatial patterns evident in the geography of homelessness?  What accounts for these patterns?  What surprises are in the data from the article?

Via www.theatlanticcities.com

Mar 6 2012

MDG drinking water target being met is cause for celebration

Via Scoop.it – Geography Education
Sanjay Wijesekera: This achievement shows that where there is a will, it is possible to truly transform the lives of hundreds of millions of people for the better.  

The MDG (Millennial Development Goal) to cut the global population that does not have access to clean drinking water was cut in half, and five years ahead of schedule. The World Health Organization and the United Nations are very pleased with this achievement, but it is a timely reminder of the developmental problems of poverty and access that still exist. For example, 783 million people still do not have access to clean drinking water.  3,000 children die each day from diarrheal diseases (usually from bad drinking water and poor sanitation). Although some success should be celebrated, the world, in the currently constituted social, economic and political framework, still does not provide the most basic of requirements for a sizable portion of humanity.
Via www.guardian.co.uk