This series of maps shows the great leaps and bounds that were made during the 19th century in transportation technology in the United States. This impacted population settlement, economic interactions and functionally made the great distances seem smaller. This is what many call the time-space compression; the friction of distance is diminished as communication and transportation technologies improve.
Questions to Ponder: When someone says they live “10 minutes away,” what does that say about how we think about distance, transportation infrastructure and time? How is geography still relevant in a world where distance appears to becoming less of a factor?
“For 20 years The Economist has led calls for a rethink on drug prohibition. This film looks at new approaches to drugs policy, from Portugal to Colorado. ‘Drugs: War or Store?’ kicks off our new ‘Global Compass’ series, examining novel approaches to policy problems.”
The distribution of narcotics impacts virtually every country in the world; there are incredibly divergent strategies on how to mitigate these problems that are a result of sophisticated distribution networks. What is the best way to stop the flow of dangerous drugs and the illegal activities that accompany the drug trade? If you were in charge, what strategies would you recommend? Are some solutions a better fit for the political and cultural climates of diverse places?
The Syrian Civil War that stemmed out of the Arab Spring in 2012 morphed into a conflict unlike any of the other Arab Spring protests. In the years before the Arab Spring, Syria experienced an extended drought led to declining agricultural production and social discontent even before the spark of revolutionary change swept the region (see this link from TIME magazine for more information on climate change’s role in the conflict). The rise of ISIS in the power struggle has led to horrifying atrocities that leave ordinary citizens seeking the most basic of human needs: safety, shelter, food and water.
Here are some resources to get you started on teaching about this issue. I’ve realized though, that many students are unsure what to make of the situation because they don’t understand how we got here in the first place. This NPR article is organized to answer these basic questions:
What’s behind this crisis?
Why are they going to Europe?
How risky is the journey?
How are Europe and the international community responding?
Right now in the world there are more refugees than at any time since the end of World War II. There are several regional hot spots of political, ethnic and religious turmoil. This New York Times article is a good exploration into the global refugee crisis, region by region.
This is a good time to teach about the distinctions between the terms migrant, refugee and internally displaced person. All three have left their homes in search of better opportunities, but most migrants are not forced out of their homes; refugees and internally displaced peoples have no choice but to leave because of the incredibly harsh political, environmental or cultural situation back home. Staying is simply not an option for a refugee. Refugees have fled their home country (and crossed an international border into another); internally displaced people have left their homes, but still are in the same country. They are functionally refugees without the same access to international aid and often can be worse off than refugees.
Here are some guiding questions that can help lead a discussion about some of the issues at play without forcing on particular political perspective on your students.
What would you do if you lived in Syria? (This BBC interactive could help them understand the difficulties).
Should other countries take in these refugees? Whose responsibility is it?
What would you do if you were in charge of a European country? How would the local politics shape their international approach?
This video is a good primer to understand some of the factors behind this situation:
It’s become difficult to afford urban living in places like San Francisco, New York or even Portland, but there is an alternative. In Rust Belt cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Cincinnati, you can buy or rent for about 1/10th the price.
I’ve discussed Cincinnati’s gentrification several times here, but this video adds the personal touch where you can see into the mind, ethos and motives of those moving in to poorer neighborhoods with hopes to renovate a community where the logic of ‘disinvestment’ has prevailed for decades. Gentrification is often criticized for displacing the urban poor, but this shows how some are eager to tie themselves into the fabric of the neighborhood as the neighborhood is changing; they aren’t just wealthy people buying out the poor.
It is that time of the year again. I hear the scurry of my colleagues sorting through old folders, re-organizing class notes.Alas, for too many of my fellow geographers the start of the teaching season is greeted with groans. It means less time for research.
This is some great commentary about the importance of undergraduate teaching for geography professors and the health of the discipline from the AAG president in this newsletter.
What is in a flag? A flag is intended to represent a people and government while portraying a common heritage and a sense on timelessness. This may seem like a small decision, but symbols can be incredibly potent political and cultural forces; New Zealand better get this right.
I’ve recently shared some news articles about the global refugee crisis, especially as the so many are surging towards Europe. I’ve realized though, that many students are unsure what to make of the situation because they don’t understand how we got here in the first place. This article is organized to answer these basic questions:
What’s behind this crisis?
Why are they going to Europe?
How risky is the journey?
How are Europe and the international community responding?
This interactive map is a great way to show how the 3 questions of geography make statistical analysis become more meaningful (where, why there and why care?). There are plenty of reason to care about these spatial patterns and their far-reaching implications.
GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION 