Global Geography and Development Practice Questions

Short Answer Questions

1. Where did organizing the world into 1^st and 3^rd Worlds come from, and what are some of the strengths and weaknesses of this model? Briefly, what might a better model look like? [Unit 1]
2. Evaluate this statement: The country of Africa is suffering from widespread poverty, famine, and disease. [Unit 4]
3. Describe the pre-colonial cultures that existed prior to European colonization. [Unit 4]
4. Where did the modern discourse of “wilderness” come from? Also, outline its movement to Sub-Saharan Africa. [Unit 5]
5. Why did the West Sahel Famine happen? [Unit 5]
6. Explain what “reparations” means and how the concept relates to the development of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. [Unit 6]
7. Evaluate this statement: China is involved in a new Scramble for Africa. [Unit 6]
8. What is “Orientalism”? Describe its impact on the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. [Unit 7]
9. How have modern borders and bordering processes affected Kurdistan? [Unit 7]
10. What do we mean by hydro-politics? How does the concept shed light on water in an arid MENA? [Unit 8]
11. Use two examples to explain how oil has been a central factor that has contributed to conflict in the Middle East, both within and between states. [Unit 8]
12. What is a “World-Systems” analysis or perspective, and what does it say about today’s world? [Unit 9]
13. Explain the importance of innovation in shipbuilding and navigation to the reorientation of Europe’s geography during the period of mercantile imperialism. [Unit 9, 4, 11]
14. How has the European Union changed Europe’s borders? Draw on specific examples that have to do with both internal and external borders. [Unit 10]
15. How has migration reformed Europe since the Second World War? [Unit 10]
16. What does it mean to say that climate change is an existential threat to indigenous communities in Arctic regions? [Unit 3]
17. How does a focus on the Arctic and oceans challenge traditional ways of thinking about world regional geography? What is one benefit of including these areas in our study of world regions? [Units 1 and 3]
18. What are flags of convenience (FOC), and why are they a problem? [Unit 11]
19. Are hurricanes “caused” by climate change? Explain the relationship between climate change and hurricanes. [Unit 11]
20. Explain the concept of the Anthropocene with at least one example. [Unit 11]
21. Give one way that tourism may benefit low-income countries, and then explain why tourism may not provide this benefit, but rather, its opposite. Be specific (examples are an acceptable way to answer). [Unit 2]
22. How does the possible impact of climate change on “Small Island Developing States” (SIDS) raise new questions about how we think about states and citizenship? [Unit 12]