GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION

The country of Ukraine is both ethnically and linguistically divided and since the fall of the Soviet Union, the partisan politics have mirrored these divisions.  The northwestern portion of the country is primarily ethnic Ukrainian and with the majority speaking Ukrainian.  This section of the country that is hoping to strengthen economic and political ties with the EU and face Europe; those that aren’t as bullish on the EU here at least want to explore other options so they aren’t overpowered by Moscow’s shadow.  The southeastern portion of Ukraine primarily speaks Russian with sizeable ethnic Russian populations (although many ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian here); not surprisingly, this is the part of the country that  would rather join in a economic union with Russia and other former Soviet Republics, or at least not turn their backs on Moscow. 

Questions to Ponder: Why are language and ethnicity often tied to political orientation?  Why might trading with all economic partners not be as viable an option?

Part of me hates to bring up this issue since it is so disturbing, but silence itself is a part of the problem.  Just know that I don’t bring this up lightly and I wouldn’t share this with students of all ages.  Read more on in the this topic in the accompanying article here.  The filmmaker has explained why he was motivated to produce this, but not everyone thinks the message of the full documentary is fair and balanced.

Questions to Ponder (with a heavy heart): what cultural, political and demographic factors create the conditions where a situation like this can occur?  What should and can be done?

Tags: gender, development, India, China,

This is not that uncommon in India unfortunately.  As the articles states, a government commission was appointed in 2005 to investigate the degree to which Muslims were disadvantaged in social, economic and educational terms.  The commission concluded the socio-economic condition of most Muslims was as bad as that of the Dalits, who are at the bottom rung of the Hindu-caste hierarchy, also referred to as the “untouchables.” 

Tags: labor, industry, economic, poverty, India.

These time-lapse demographic charts help to visualize the impacts of the demographic transition principles on a society.  In the GIFs of the United States and Japan for example, you can clearly see the baby boomer generation and the ‘greying’ processes respectively. 

Tags: population, demographic transition model, declining population, population, demographics, models.

I found this image on social media from a great geography teacher (link to his site–looking for APHG group activities?  Try this).  This picture taken at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Memphis, TN shows an intrguing linguistic combination that I had never imagined before.  This is referred to as cultural syncretism, where two or more cultures or cultural traits combine together to make something new.  Globalization and migration are making more cultural combinations than we’ve ever seen before in this human mosaic we call home.

Many hoping to stop environmental degradation of Canada’s Tar Sands and the Dakotas “Kuwait on the Prairie” have opposed the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.  It’s been decades since crude oil has been shipped by rail in the United States but fracking technologies have opened up areas without oil pipelines to become major producers.  As demonstrated in this NPR podcast, the railroad industry has seized on this vacuum and since 2009 has been supplying the oil industry the means to get their product to the market.   

Tags:  transportation, industry, economic, energy, resources, environment, environment modify, ecology.