A newly constructed bridge in northern Ontario has heaved apart, indefinitely closing the Trans-Canada highway — the only road connecting Eastern and Western Canada. At least one town has declared a state of emergency.
Source: www.cbc.ca
One bridge going down isn’t noteworthy, but when that functionally separates Canada in two…that IS noteworthy. A detour into the U.S. and around some Great Lakes is one heckuva detour.
Tags: transportation, Canada.
In a time where interfaith and cultural and religious diversity are scrutinized and need support, Raheel Raza is a force to be reckoned with. Her outspoken and strong opinions on Muslim society and Islamic beliefs have been groundbreaking and inspiring; however others consider them to be a source of criticism and condemnation. Yet Raza remains undeterred in her fight against gender prejudices and her mission to improve the female position in Islamic society continues.
Source: www.youtube.com
Islamophobia is a real problem today and I teach to reduce geographic ignorance and fears about an unknown ‘other.’ That has also created an environment where many–myself included–are hesitant to shine the light on issues of gender equity and other cultural problems in the Muslim world for fear of it entrenching students with bigoted viewpoints to cling to them all the more firmly. Also, many are worried that critiques will also be perceived as Islamophobia. Recently the Swedish foreign minister called out Saudi Arabia’s legal restraints on women–some called this Islamophobic, Saudi Arabia removed its Swedish ambassador and stop issuing visas to relative silence from the global media and no support from the international community.
We cannot lay the blame on an entire society/religion based on the actions of a few, but it would be disingenuous to pretend there were no problems. As Raheel Raza says, “culture is no excuse for abuse.” The linked videos are one Muslim woman’s critique on some cultural aspects within some Muslim societies. This is not to say that these problems are only in the Muslim world, nor does it means that the all Muslims live in or want to create oppressive societies–far from it. There is great, rich diversity of thought, opinions, and interpretations among Muslims.
New Zealanders finally completed voting in their flag referendum, but the results may be disappointing. PRI’s vexillology expert looks at what’s right — and mostly what’s wrong — about this proposal.
Source: www.pri.org
Vexillogist: someone nerdy enough about flags to know that vexillogy is the study of flags. As national symbols, they matter and changing a national icon is no small matter.
Tags: Flags, New Zealand.
“Sometimes when a conflict involves Muslims, Islam may not be the best category for understanding it. Omid Safi with a reflection on the current crisis between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and why framing it as religion is not the most helpful framework.”
In the last few days, virtually every news outlet has featured a series of stories on the rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The conflict by now is well-known: Saudi Arabia executed 47 people, including Shi‘i cleric Nimr al-Nimr. While both Iran and Saudi Arabia are among the worst global executioners of dissidents, the sheer size of these executions was rare even by their gruesome standards. Iran retaliated through bombastic rhetoric, stating, “God’s hand of retaliation will grip the neck of Saudi politicians.” The two countries have broken off diplomatic relations, a tension that has rippled across the region.
Tags: Saudi Arabia, political, conflict, Iran, Middle East.
Source: www.onbeing.org
This is a good reminder that the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran is not just a Persian/Arab, Sunni/Shiite issue. This isn’t just some resurgence of an ancient battle but there are many modern geopolitical issues including oil and regional rivalries.
Residents can’t feel most of them, but there have been a lot of earthquakes in Puget Sound lately.
Tags: disasters, physical, tectonics.
Source: www.weather.com
Look Here! is a site-specific, outdoor, public history exhibition on the streets of Over-the-Rhine.
Source: www.cincinnati.com
This article is to announce (and explain) the new public art project in Cincinnati’s gentrifying neighborhood, Over the Rhine. The exhibition will “include historic photographs of Over-the-Rhine ranging in time from the late nineteenth century through the 1940s. The exhibit will turn Over-the-Rhine into a museum of the streets that will provide an historic and cultural experience for all comers, any time, day or night. The exhibition will run from November 2015 to March 2016.”
Tags: neighborhood, landscape, gentrification, urban, place, APHG, Cincinnati.
With Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shiite cleric inflaming tensions in the Middle East, here is a primer on the differences between the two branches of Islam.
Source: www.nytimes.com
Knowing the geography of the Sunni-Shiite division is incredibly important for a good understanding of world regional geography as well as modern geopolitics (see a detailed map of the spatial distribution here). This 5 minute video (as well as this NPR podcast) examine the historical and religious aspects of this split to then analyze the political and cultural implications in the Middle East today. Additionally this Pew Research article highlights the 5 countries where the the majority of Muslims are Shiite, with some good demographic data to add to the analysis. Take this quiz to test your knowledge on the differences between the two major branches of Islam.
Tags: MiddleEast, Islam, religion, historical, culture.
Mandatory helmet laws and glow-in-the-dark spray paint just show who really owns the roads.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
This op-ed is good discussion fodder to discuss the urban planning preferences embedded within our transportation choices.
Tags: op-ed, urban, transportation, planning.
Tags: borders, political, territoriality, sovereignty, CGP Grey.
Discuss this episode: https://www.reddit.com/r/cgpgrey
Source: www.youtube.com
If there is one thing that the modern political order can’t stand it is letting unclaimed land remain unclaimed…even if it covered in frozen ice.
Tags: borders, Antarctica, political, territoriality, CGP Grey.
GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION 