GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION

In James Howard Kunstler’s view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about.

Source: www.ted.com

Kunstler passionately argues that American architecture and urban planning are not creating public places that encourage interaction and communal engagement.  We should create more distinct places that foster a sense of place that is ‘worth fighting for,’ as opposed to suburbia which he sees as emblematic of these problems. 

Question to Ponder: How should we design cities to create a strong sense of place?  What elements are necessary?  Warning: He uses some strong language.  

Tags: urban, planning,  architecture, suburbs, TED, video.

“In the United States, there is a long tradition of trying to draw sharp lines between ethnic groups, but our ancestry is a fluid and complex matter. In recent years geneticists have been uncovering new evidence about our shared heritage, and last week a team of scientists published the biggest genetic profile of the United States to date, based on a study of 160,000 people.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Race is a cultural construct; even though it is incredibly problematic, it is a powerful way in which we think of who we are and how others think of who we are.    

Questions to Ponder:  What are some problems with putting too much stock in race?  Why does the idea of race still matter so much in the United States? 

Tags: race, historical, the South, USA, map.

More complex international borders in this follow up to part 1. 
In this video I look at even more enclaves and exclaves.”

Source: www.youtube.com

This video (like part 1) shows some great examples of how the political organization of space and administration of borders can get complicated.  Here are the examples (and time in the video when they are covered in the video) on these complex borders:

• Armenia and Azerbaijan (Start)
  
• Uzbekistan–Tajikistan–Kyrgyzstan (2:00)
  
• Exclaves of Germany within Belgium (3:00)
• Disputed border between India, Pakistan, and China (4:05)
• Croatia issues with Serbia and Slovenia (6:41).
• border irregularity between Sweden and Finland (8:26).

Tags: borders, political, territoriality, sovereignty, video.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

“The position [that belief in God is essential to morality] is highly prevalent, if not universal, in Africa and the Middle East. At least three-quarters in all six countries surveyed in Africa say that faith in God is essential to morality.   People in richer nations tend to place less emphasis on the need to believe in God to have good values than people in poorer countries do.”

Source: www.pewglobal.org

An important part of the geography of religion is how the non-religious are treated and perceived around the world.  More secular countries tend to be more developed, affluent and wealthy; generally speaking these are the countries that do not believe that morality and a belief in God have to be linked together.  What do you think?  What cultural perspectives shape your thinking?   

Tags: secular, culture, religion, worldwide, perspective.

“Windows on Earth is an educational project that features photographs taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.  Astronauts take hundreds of photos each day, for science research, education and public outreach.  The photos are often dramatic, and help us all appreciate home planet Earth.  These images  help astronauts share their experience, and help you see Earth from a global perspective.”

Tags: images, art, space, remote sensing, geospatial.

Source: www.windowsonearth.org

As a British expat who has lived and worked in the U.S. for over five years, I remain very much in favor of embracing the various wonderful nuances this country has to offer. However, there was one aspect of my move that—during the initial settling-in period—I secretly feared: the gradual Americanization of my vocabulary.

Source: www.bbcamerica.com

While this list was created for English speakers in the UK, I will invert the list to show some terms that Americans rarely use, even if we understand their meaning: rubbish, mobile, motorway, petrol, car park, you lot, maths, pavement, football and fizzy drink.  If this interests you so will this list of 10 British insults that American don’t understand. 

Tags: language, culture, English, UK.

Geographers or anyone with a history of geography education or practice have special skills that can enhance their resumes across nearly all career options. From GIS skills to graphic design to multiculturalism, here are eight ways to market your geography experience as viable job skills.

Source: www.geolounge.com