This Document Contains Chapters 6 to 9 Religions 6 Thinking Geographically Questions 6.1: Only 3 percent of Hindus live in countries where their religion is in the minority, compared with 72 percent of Buddhists. What differences between these two religions account for this sharp difference in the percentage living as a minority? Answer: Buddhism is a universalizing religion, whereas Hinduism is an ethnic religion. Universalizing religions such as Buddhism see far greater numbers of migrants lending to religious diffusion, while ethnic religions remain near their hearths. 6.2: This image shows refugees from Myanmar being rescued by Indonesian fishermen. These refugees are part of a Muslim group known as Rohingya. Based on Figures 6-9, 6-10, and 6-11, what would be the position of Muslims in Myanmar compared with other religions, and why would the Rohingya seek to reach Indonesia? Answer: The majority of the population of Myanmar practices Buddhism, in contrast to the Muslim Rohingya. The Rohingya may seek refuge from religious and ethnic persecution in neighboring countries with predominantly Muslim populations, such as Indonesia. 6.3: The Roman Catholic Church created the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, in 1980, and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas, in 2004. What geographic patterns and processes might underlie those decisions? Answer: Emigrants from predominantly Roman Catholic regions to areas such as Mobile and Galveston-Houston may have played a role in the establishment of their respective Archdioceses. Relocation and contagious diffusion specifically may have had an impact on the decision in their formation in predominantly Protestant areas. 6.4: What are some similarities and differences in the reasons underlying construction of the West Bank separation barrier and the U.S.-Mexico border fence? Answer: Religious differences between Israelis and Palestinians influenced the construction of the West Bank separation barrier, while no such difference played a role in the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border fence. The construction of the West Bank separation barrier also plays a role in the division of territory between Israel and Palestine, whereas the border between the United States and Mexico is established and stable. However, security concerns of both the United States and Israel impacted the decision to construct each barrier. Pause and Reflect Questions 6.1.1: How should a child’s religion be classified if the two parents adhere to different religions? Answer: In a number of possibilities, the parents may come to a mutual agreement to have their household practice both religions simultaneously, while giving their children the option to choose their own religious identity. 6.1.2: In what ways is the distribution of religion and language families similar? Answer: In South America, for instance, the continent is dominated by both the Spanish and Portuguese languages and Roman Catholicism. In another example, England and the United States both predominantly speak English and have Protestant majorities in their populations. 6.1.3: Based on what you see in Table 6-1, what are some of the largest Christian denominations in the United States that do not have highly clustered distributions shown in Figure 6-7? Answer: Roman Catholicism and Mainline Protestantism both have large adherents and distributions that are generally not clustered. 6.1.4: What countries in Figure 6-10 appear to have large concentrations of both Sunni and Shiite Muslims? Answer: Yemen, Turkey, and Afghanistan appear to have large concentrations of both Sunni and Shiite Muslims. 6.1.5: What is the second-most-numerous religion in India? Answer: Islam is the second-most-numerous religion in India. 6.1.6: Most of the religions with at least 1 million adherents are clustered in which continent? Answer: Asia is the continent in which most of the religions with at least 1 million adherents are clustered. 6.2.1: The government of Saudi Arabia prefers to spell some place names differently than is common in English (such as Makkah instead of Mecca). Given your knowledge of the principal language used in predominantly Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, what might account for this preference? Answer: The spellings preferred by the government of Saudi Arabia may more closely reflect the original names in Arabic, rather than the rough translations and/or spellings provided by English translators when the place names were first translated. 6.2.2: Rank the origins of the three large universalizing religions from earliest to most recent. Answer: In ranked order, from earliest to most recent, the three large universalizing religions are Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. 6.2.3: Does the diffusion of Islam provide a good example of hierarchical diffusion, relocation diffusion, or both? Answer: The diffusion of Islam can be attributed more to relocation diffusion rather than hierarchical diffusion. 6.2.4: Based on religious preference, which two provinces of Canada appear to have the largest migrants from Québec? Answer: New Brunswick and Saskatchewan appear to have the largest share of migrants from Québec. 6.2.5: What country had the largest Jewish population in 1910? Answer: Russia had the largest Jewish population in 1910. 6.3.1: What differences appear in the images of a Hindu Temple and Christian churches? Answer: Hindu Temples are constructed with the intent for worship of multiple gods, while Christian churches are built for congregations to worship God. Christian churches can be easily identified by the religious imagery of the cross, while the polytheistic nature of Hinduism does not lend itself to a unified set of images. 6.3.2: What examples of religious toponyms can you find in your community? Answer: There are relatively few religious toponyms in my region (the Deep South of the United States). In the western United States, places such as San Francisco and Santa Cruz are examples of religious toponyms. 6.3.3: What are the different spatial units of administration of the Roman Catholic Church? Answer: The spatial units of administration of the Roman Catholic Church are archdioceses, dioceses, and parishes. 6.3.4: Based on the lives of the Buddha and the prophet Muhammad, what types of sites are likely to be goals of pilgrimages for the followers of a universalizing religion? Answer: The sites related to the life of the founder of a universalizing religion are likely to be goals of pilgrimages for followers of these religions. 6.3.5: What are some of the cultural or religious factors that influence methods of disposing of bodies other than burial? Answer: Hindus perform cremation for most adherents, seeing it as an act of purification. Ancient Zoroastrians traditionally exposed their dead to scavenging birds and animals in an effort to keep the bodies from contaminating the sacred elements of fire, earth, or water. 6.3.6: Why do some religions organize their annual calendars according to the lunar cycle? Answer: Islam organizes its calendar according to the lunar cycle as a means to resolve differences in competing calendars when the religion was being organized in the seventh century. 6.4.1: Why would the Chinese Communists feel it important to dismantle the religious institutions of a poor remote country? Answer: Following the Chinese conquest of Tibet in the mid-twentieth century, the government of the People’s Republic of China view the religious identity of a poor remote country such as Tibet as a threat to their total control of the cultural identity of China. They see the Dalai Lama as a competing political force that could possibly inspire ideas counter to those that the Chinese government wish to impart on its citizens. 6.4.2: Why did the Taliban destroy priceless artistic works from Afghanistan’s ancient past? Answer: The Taliban destroyed these monuments because they viewed them as “graven images,” in violation of Islam. 6.4.3: What is the difference in elevation between Hebron (the largest city in the West Bank) and Tel Aviv (the largest city in Israel)? Refer to Figure 6-56. Answer: Hebron is at a much higher elevation than Tel Aviv. 6.4.4: Why is the Western Wall important in Judaism, and why is the Dome of the Rock important in Islam? Answer: The Western Wall is important in Judaism because it is the last remnant of the Second Temple, constructed in 516 B.C. The Dome of the Rock is important in Islam because it is the site where Muhammad ascended to heaven. Explore Use Google Earth to explore Masjid al-Haram, Islam’s largest mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Makkah each ear and gather at Masjid al-Haram Mosque. Fly to: Masjid al-Haram Mosque, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Drag to: Enter Street View to the square in the middle of the mosque. Click to look around so that North is at the bottom. Click 3D buildings. Continue to look around to see the tall building with the clock tower immediately south of the Mosque. 1. What is in the tall building? Answer: A hotel is in the tall building. 2. Why would this building be located immediately next to the mosque? Answer: A hotel would be next to the mosque to accommodate people undertaking hajj. GeoVideo Questions 1. How has the number of Christians in Jerusalem’s Old City and Bethlehem changed in recent decades? How does the video explain this change? Answer: The number of Christians in Jerusalem’s Old city and Bethlehem has dramatically decreased over the past few decades. This change is attributed to Israeli policy, in conjunction with the friction between political Judaism and political Islam. 2. What does the video imply about the size of the Christian population of Nazareth, and what possible explanation are discussed? Answer: The video implies that the Christian population of Nazareth is small; the explanation for its size may be the Israeli Arab population, which is large in the city. Resources Adherents.com Detailed statistics on religious adherence, bibliographic materials, sections on “famous adherents,” and religions by geographic location. www.adherents.com Religious Tolerance This site gives a thorough treatment of world religions, controversies among and within religions, and discussions of moral philosophy regarding religion, tolerance, intolerance, and conflict. Particularly interesting to view is the section dedicated to e-mails the website authors have received over the years. www.religioustolerance.org World Religious History in 90 Seconds A basic, but useful, geography of religious influence in the Old World from 3,000 B.C. to the present day. www.mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html Connections between Chapters Back to Chapter 4 The relationship between universalizing and ethnic religions can be compared to the relationship between folk and popular cultures. Ethnic religions, like folk cultures, tend to be concentrated in one geographic region and generally do not diffuse outside the region. Universalizing religions, like popular culture, tends to be widespread. Back to Chapter 5 Chapter 5, Language, can be contrasted with religion after the world’s religions are studied. To recap, language presents a formidable barrier to cultural communication, just like religion. However, most religions require exclusive adherence, whereas multiple languages can be learned without affecting the first language. Forward to Chapter 7 Chapter 7 deals with another significant component of cultural identity (and also of competition for space): ethnicity. A couple differences between religion and ethnicity can help students understand both better: • Religion is often kept inviolate with migration, even over long distances. Ethnicity, however, can change dramatically over even a few generations. This is visible in the formation of new, “hyphenated” ethnicities in the United States and elsewhere. • Ethnic conflict can occur when groups observe different religions. However, ethnicity can serve as grounds for conflict even when both groups share a common religion. Ethnicities 7 Thinking Geographically Questions 7.1: What are examples of ethnic foods that are now regularly consumed by people of other ethnicities? Answer: In the United States, Mexican restaurants are regularly patronized by white Americans. Many rural communities even have at least one Mexican restaurant, solidifying them as a common feature of the American cultural landscape. Other ethnic restaurants, such as Indian and Vietnamese restaurants, are increasingly becoming more common across the United States, as well. 7.2: South Africa is one of the world’s leading producers of wine. Despite the end of apartheid, very few wineries and vineyards are owned by blacks. Why might this be the case? Answer: Even though apartheid laws were abolished in South Africa in the 1990s, the legacy of their impact on cultural interactions is still felt across the country. Programs may not be in place to help those black South Africans that continue to be systematically discriminated against in many aspects of life, such as education and economic opportunities. 7.3: The Kurds claim to be the world’s largest ethnic group not in control of a country. Based on Figure 7-37, what other ethnic groups might have a strong claim to reorganize territorial boundaries so that they could become the majority? Answer: It appears as if the Pashtun, Punjabi, Sindhi, Hazara, and Baluchi ethnicities could all carve out territory to constitute a country with majorities of each respective ethnicity from the existing countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. These new nations would radically change the map of South and Central Asia. 7.4: The Mostar bridge, pictured in Figures 7-43 and 7-45, was rebuilt to look almost precisely like the original bridge. Why do you think it was important to Bosniaks to replicate the original bridge? Answer: As the bridge was previously a key part of the local landscape, Bosniaks may have wanted to reconstruct the bridge to exactly resemble its previous form to emphasize their rightful place in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tying their cultural identity to the physical landscape may help the Bosniaks create an enduring connection to their homeland. 7.5: Professional divers jump off bridges as part of competitions. Why might the bridge be an important place to hold professional diving competitions? Answer: Diving competitions at the bridge have been an integral recreational activity for hundreds of years, with the first recorded diving event taking place in 1664. Since 1968, professional diving competitions have been held at the bridge. The historical importance of these competitions has influenced the citizens of Mostar to continue to hold these events. Also, by holding these competitions at the bridge, they are helping to reclaim part of the history that was attempted to be taken away by the Serbs and Croats in their ethnic cleansing of the Bosniaks in the late twentieth century. Pause and Reflect Questions 7.1.1: President Obama has self-identified his ethnicity as African American. Based on his parents’ ethnicities, what other way might his ethnicity be identified? Answer: Ethnicity is generally left up to individuals themselves to decide. However, based on my knowledge of his parents, he could identify as mixed-race, or identify his ethnicity with the country of origin of his father (Kenyan or American Kenyan). 7.1.2: What might be benefits and challenges of changing the census questions about ethnicity and race from multiple choice to short answer format? Answer: It would be beneficial for change the format of census ethnicity questions from multiple choice to short answer format to let people decide on their own how they choose to self-identify. This may lead to more accurate demographic information in the country. However, this format change would likely require increases in census staff to process forms, and the effort would be hampered by budgetary concerns. 7.1.3: What region of the United States has low concentrations of all four of the ethnicities? Answer: Maine and some areas of the northern states in the U.S. West, such as Montana and the Dakotas, have relatively low concentrations of all four of the ethnicities. 7.1.4: Can you give an example of an ethnoburb in or near your community? Answer: I live in a relatively rural area, so there are no examples of ethnoburbs in or near my community. However, the closest thing resembling an ethnoburb in my community would be a large trailer park outside of town that is predominantly occupied by Hispanic Americans. 7.1.5: If you had to fill out Brazil’s census, what race would you select for yourself? Why? Answer: I would check the “branco” box, as I self-identify as a white person. 7.2.1: Which area of Africa appears to have been the place of origin for most slaves send to the North American colonies? Answer: The upper coastal region of West Africa (Senegambia) appears to have sent the most slaves to North America according to Figure 7-20. 7.2.2: Which has changed the most in Detroit, the number of African Americans or the number of whites? Answer: The number of whites has changed most dramatically in Detroit, with sharp declines occurring from 1950 to the present. 7.2.3: Why might schools in cities like Baltimore and Detroit still be racially segregated (refer to Figures 7-24 and 7-25)? Answer: Schools may still be segregated in Detroit and Baltimore due to enduring systemic racial discrimination that has maintained the landscape feature known as the ghetto. As school districts are drawn to draw children from certain neighborhoods, segregation can be seen in the present-day United States. Many whites have left urban areas over the past decades (“white flight”), segregating students within cities and their suburbs. 7.3.3: How do the ethnic complexities in Southwest and Central Asia make it difficult to set up stable democracies? Answer: Many ethnicities may be included in the ethnic composition of a single country. Disagreements between these ethnicities, such as how to treat religious monuments, may lead to deep rifts in the relationships between these groups. Historical atrocities, such as ethnic cleansing perpetrated against minorities in certain countries, may complicate matters further. Without base cooperation, the formation and maintenance of a stable democracy is difficult. 7.4.1: What is another example of a country that is inhabited primarily by ethnic Slavs? Answer: Bulgaria is a country that is inhabited primarily by people of Slavic ethnicity. 7.4.2: In which regions within Bosnia & Herzegovina did Serbs gain most of their territory? Answer: The eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina is where the Serbs gained most of their territory. 7.4.3: Which two countries carved out of former Yugoslavia have not been mentioned in these two sections on ethnic cleansing? Why might they not have suffered from ethnic cleansing? Answer: Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia were not discussed in the two sections on ethnic cleansing. They may not have suffered from ethnic cleansing because the ethnic composition of both countries may be more homogenous. 7.4.4: Why might the areas of individual ethnicities be much larger in northern Africa than in the rest of the continent? Refer to Figure 1-47 on page 34 and Figure 2-4 on p. 48. Answer: Areas of individual ethnicities might be larger in northern Africa due to the low population density. Not many people live here as a result of the harsh desert climate. 7.4.5: Why might the European colonial powers have preferred to place in leadership positions members of the minority Tutsis rather than members of the majority Hutus? Answer: By placing a minority in leadership positions, European colonizers may have wished to engender social strife based on ethnicity in order to maintain power in the country. Explore Use Google Earth to see evidence of ethnic diversity in the heart of Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. Fly to Gazi mosque, Sarajevo, Bosnia. Click 3D buildings. Under Primary Database, click Places. 1. What other religions are represented by religious symbols in the vicinity of the Gazi mosque? Answer: A Jewish temple and Old Orthodox church are both present in the vicinity of the Gazi mosque. GeoVideo Questions What was the relationship between Turks and Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the time of World War I? Explain. Answer: Prior to World War I, Armenian Christians played a major role in Ottoman society, holding positions of power in finance, education, and commerce. However, during the events of World War I, the Ottoman government decided to deport the Armenians. What evidence supports claims that the killing of Armenians during 1915 constituted genocide? What position does the government of Turkey take with regard to these claims? Answer: The Deir ez-Zor camps in Syria are stark pieces of evidence that the claims of genocide are factual. The Turkish government acknowledges the deportation of Armenians; however, they claim that the massacre of Armenians were collateral damage of the deportations, and that they cannot be held accountable for them. Why have efforts to obtain official U.S. government recognition of the Armenian genocide been controversial? Answer: These efforts have been controversial because the U.S. and Turkish governments are strategic partners – for Turkey, the U.S. provides monetary and military aid, while the Turkish government acts as a broker to the Muslim world for U.S. military and diplomatic actions. As a NATO member, Turkey allows the U.S. military to use their military facilities to carry out operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Resources Japanese Internment The internment of American citizens of Japanese American ethnicity during World War II is an excellent example of when ethnicity and nationality were contested. Discussions may also include racism and racist constructions of the Japanese during the war. Some resources can be found at the National Park Service website: Manzanar National Historic Site (National Park Service): www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm African Americans in the United States The Library of Congress hosts an excellent collection of primary documents online with descriptions and context at: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/ Kosovo The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo maintains a website at www.unmikonline.org/. This site features news reports as well as updates on Kosovo’s legal status and future. Human Rights Watch A website monitors the abuse of human rights around the world and frequently identifies ethnic conflicts: www.hrw.org/ Darfur The U.N. News Centre maintains current information regarding Sudan and South Sudan: http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88 See also on: https://unmis.unmissions.org/, the homepage of the United Nations Mission in Sudan. Connections between Chapters Back to Chapter 6 Ethnicity and religion are cited as two of the most common reasons for conflict, so differentiating between the two can be difficult. Students may be asked to decide whether religion or ethnic identity is a stronger component of culture, or if the comparison can even be made. Forward to Chapter 8 The groundwork for students’ understanding of political geography is laid in Chapter 7’s discussion of nationality, nation-states, and multinational versus multiethnic states. Political Geography 8 Thinking Geographically Questions 8.1: Why might China, Japan, and Taiwan all wish to control the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, despite their extremely small size? Answer: The territory at sea afforded by control of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands is the reason Japan, Taiwan, and China are contesting the sovereignty of the islands. Rich natural resource deposits, such as oil and natural gas, are thought to be within the boundaries of their territorial waters, driving this conflict. 8.2: Why might some states in Europe split in the future into multiple states, as occurred in the 1990s in Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union? Answer: Ethnic differences may drive some states to split into multiple states in the future. For instance, in Spain, many people living in the region of Catalonia support forming an independent state, based on their distinctive ethnic identity and cultural characteristics (such as speaking distinct language from Spanish). However, states may break up for purely political reasons, as many in Scotland wish to hold a second referendum on Independence following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (known as the “Brexit”). 8.3: What factors might be promoting the decline of autocracies? Answer: The diffusion of democratic government structures and ideals formulated in Europe and North America to other regions has helped in promoting the decline of autocracies across the world. These democratic ideals may be diffused through the medium of advancing communication technologies, such as mobile phones and social media. 8.4: In what ways might be diffusion of personal electronic devices and social media help promote prodemocratic forces, and in what ways might they provide assistance to terrorists? Answer: If the people living in an oppressive society have their traditional media censored, the diffusion of personal electronic devices and social media may help circumvent the unjust filtering of ideas and information. They may also assist in organizational efforts, allowing protestors to plan coordinated demonstrations. These technologies may help terrorists recruit potential members in countries that they otherwise would not be able to reach. Pause and Reflect Questions 8.1.1: With virtually all of Earth’s land now allocated to states, how might the number of states increase in the future? Answer: The number of states might increase in the future if current states split into multiple separate states. 8.1.2: Other than military action, how might the sovereignty of these disputed territories be settled? Answer: Diplomatic efforts might be undertaken to solve the sovereignty of disputed territories. Sometimes, a third party acting as a mediator might help efforts to settle disputes. 8.2.1: What is the importance of the Fertile Crescent in the development of religions, as discussed in Chapter 6? How might the development of ancient states and religions in the region be related? Answer: Organized religion was born in the Fertile Crescent, with the Babylonian civilization forming the first organized religion. Ancient states, in the form of Empires, adopted religions and diffused these beliefs in their realms of influence, creating national identities thousands of years ago. 8.2.2: Are Africa’s principal areas of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Africa among the most ethnically diverse? What might account for similarities or differences? Answer: The areas of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Africa are among the most ethnically diverse in the region, as can be seen in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Sudan. The differences in ethnic composition in these regions can be attributed to the legacy of colonization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Africa. National boundaries were drawn by colonizing powers with little regard to the ethnic composition of regions in Africa. 8.2.3: Why is most of Russia classified as sparsely settled? Compare the map of Russia’s ethnicities (Figure 8-18) with the maps of world climate (Figure 1-47) and of population concentrations (Figure 2-4). Answer: Most of Russia is classified as sparsely settled, as the harsh climatic conditions (brutally cold winters) have caused large stretches of the country to have low population density. These conditions hinder agricultural activity that would allow more settlement. 8.2.4: If Abkhazia, Artsakh, and South Ossetia were widely recognized independent states, how would they compare in size to the microstates described earlier in this chapter? Answer: South Ossetia has a land area of approximately 1,500 square miles, Abkhazia has a land area of roughly 3,300 square miles, and Artsakh has a land area of about 4,400 square miles. If widely recognized, these states would have relatively larger land areas than microstates. For instance, the land area of the microstate Lichtenstein is 61 square miles, and the land area of Andorra is about 180 square miles. 8.2.5: What would need to change for Puerto Rico to no longer be classified as a colony of the United States? Answer: Puerto Rico would need to either become the 51st state of the United States or become a completely independent country. 8.3.1: Referring to Chapters 5 and 6, what other cultural boundaries run through the middle of other states in Europe? Answer: Cultural boundaries can be seen in the country of Spain. In the border areas between Spain and France, the provinces of Catalonia, Álava, Biscay, and Gipuzkoa display distinct linguistic difference from the rest of the country. Independence efforts have been underway in the region for years, and momentum is particularly gaining in Catalonia. 8.3.2: Where is the U.S.-Canada boundary not based on geometry? Answer: The maritime border between Canada and the United States in the Great Lakes is not based on geometry. 8.3.3: What examples have you seen thus far in this chapter of physical features that have not served as peaceful boundaries? Answer: Historically, the boundary between Argentina and Chile in the Andes Mountains was contested between the two countries until a mediated agreement settled the dispute. Both countries nearly went to war over the issue before it was settled. 8.3.4: Name a state outside of Africa that is landlocked. Answer: Andorra, a microstate located between France and Spain, is landlocked. 8.3.5: What region of the world appears to have the greatest concentration of autocratic regimes? Answer: West, Central, and East Asia appear to have high concentrations of autocratic regimes. 8.3.6: How do the congressional districts in Iowa compare with the three forms of gerrymandering? Answer: Iowa does not have gerrymandered congressional districts. Wasted vote-, excess vote-, and stacked votetypes of gerrymandering have been prevented by districts being drawn by a nonpartisan commission. 8.3.7: How was the city of Las Vegas treated in the two maps drawn by the political parties compared with the final map drawn by the court? Answer: The Democratic plan made Democrats more numerous than Republicans in three of the four districts. By clustering a large share of the state’s registered Democrats in District 4, the Republican plan gave Republicans the majority of registered voters in two of the four districts. The map drawn by the court created regularly shaped districts that minimized gerrymandering. 8.4.1: Why have only a small handful of states joined the U.N. since 2000? Answer: Only a small handful of states have joined the U.N. since 2000 due to two reasons. First, few widely recognized new states have been formed in the twenty-first century. Second, newly-sovereign states may only be recognized by a few fellow states, making it difficult for admittance to the U.N. to occur. 8.4.2: What might be the benefits and disadvantages for additional countries to join the European Union? What might be the benefits and disadvantages for the European Union to let in new members? Answer: States would benefit by joining the E.U. by being better positioned to have stronger economies. Integration into the Eurozone provides many economic advantages, such as the safety net of being bailed out if an economic crisis occurs. Disadvantages for states may include giving up independence in making political and economic decisions that directly impact their populations. The E.U. would benefit by admitting new members by further bolstering their unified, stable economy. The E.U. may face disadvantages by being compelled to assist member states that experience economic downturns. For instance, Germany has singlehandedly loaned out large sums of money to help maintain the solvency of the Greek economy. 8.4.3: How has travel in the United States been affected by the 9/11 attacks? Answer: Traveling across the United States/Canada border and the United States/Mexico border has become much more difficult. The waiting time to get across the border has increased substantially. Airline tickets have gone up because of the increased TSA fees added to ticket prices. Air travel has become much more of a hassle because of all the security screening that takes place at the airports. 8.4.4: Translate “je suis Charlie.” Why might people in Paris carry signs saying this? Answer: “Je suis Charlie” is French for “I am Charlie.” People might carry signs saying this in Paris and across the world to show solidarity with those affected by the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. 8.4.5: What events have occurred in Iran since this book was published? Answer: A deal between the P5+1 and Iran was struck, limiting the country’s nuclear program for a defined amount of time in return for lifting of some economic sanctions. Explore Use Google Earth to see Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Fly to Osama bin Laden’s compound. Set the imagery date to 5/8/2010. Zoom in to eye alt 4,500 ft. Click 3D buildings to see the extent of bin Laden’s compound. Deselect 3D buildings and move the imagery date to 3/22/2001. Then move the imagery date to 6/14/2005. 1. What changed inside the compound boundaries between 3/22/2001 and 6/14/2005? Did bin Laden’s World Trade Center attack take place before, between, or after these dates? Answer: The compound was constructed between these dates. The World Trade Center attack took place between these dates, on 9/11/2001. Move the imagery date to 4/7/2013. 2. How has the compound changed since 6/14/2005? What happened to bin Laden between 2005 and 2013? Answer: The compound was razed between 6/14/2005 and 4/7/2013. Osama bin Laden was captured and killed by American forces on 5/2/2011. GeoVideo Questions 1. Before World War I, there were no linear boundaries in the Middle East. Explain why. Answer: Before World War I, there were no linear boundaries in Arabia because animal nomadism was the predominant way of life – people transmigrated across the territory such that their livelihoods could be supported depending on environmental and climatic conditions. 2. After World War I, what were the two proposals for creating borders for the new state of Iraq? Describe each. Answer: Ibn Saud and Percy Cox were two men that met at a conference in 1922 to decide the boundaries of the new state of Iraq. Ibn Saud wanted to preserve the nomadic lifestyle of his people, and proposed that the boundaries remain fluid. Percy Cox, on the other hand, believed that rigid borders were the only solution. Cox believed that this notion of fluid boundaries was an affront to the British colonial paradigm, and thusly decided to unilaterally determine the borders. 3. The video implies that some of the problems facing Iraq today can be traced back to the decisions about its borders made in 1922. Do you agree? Why or why not? Answer: I very much agree with the assessment that the problems facing Iraq today can be traced back to the decisions regarding its borders made in the early twentieth century. The determination of rigid borders precluded the animal nomadic economic structure of Arabic life, which had cascading effects on intertribal cooperation and trust. Tribes were divided by an arbitrary line, creating tensions that can still be felt today. Resources Country Name Quiz For those who consider place name geography important the “Test your Geography Knowledge” game is a great tool for helping the memorization of state locations. It’s online at http://lizardpoint.com/geography/world-countries-magnifier-quiz.php?qid=1806 Good Kurds, Bad Kurds Though a bit dated, this 2001 documentary by Kevin McKiernan provides an excellent example of the relativism of U.S. foreign policy. In this case, the film investigates human rights abuses of Kurds in Turkey, a valuable U.S. ally, at the same time (late 1990s) that the United States was objecting to the oppression of Kurds in Iraq. Connections between Chapters Back to Chapter 7 As ethnicity and nationality are often intertwined, so are ethnicity and political geography. Remind your class that states can represent the physical embodiment of nationalities, and therefore it should not surprise us when conflicts arise between states. Forward to Chapter 9 The transition between these two chapters represents a natural break of sorts, as the next chapter concentrates predominately on the study of economic geography. However, point out that development is often measured at the country level (despite the obvious concerns this raises with respect to uneven development) and that government structures are often looked to for explanation of development status. Food and Agriculture 9 Thinking Geographically Questions 9.1: Several large sculptures honoring the horse are erected in the center of Kazakhstan’s capital Astana. Why might the horse be specifically honored there? Answer: The horse may have played an integral role in the Kazakhstani people’s heritage of pastoral nomadism, allowing them to traverse large distances to obtain food supplies. 9.2: Review what you have eaten today. How conscious were you of where the food was grown or raised? Answer: I am conscious (or conscious to the best of my abilities) of the source and ethical treatment of the food I ate today, as I am vegan and have a limited diet. 9.3: Why or why are you not paying attention to the origin of your food? Answer: I pay attention to the origin of my food because I am concerned about the ethical treatment and well-being of animals. 9.4: Do you have access to a farmers’ market or an organic grocery store? If so, do you go to it? Why or why not? Answer: I live in semi-rural Alabama, so I do not have access to an organic grocery store. However, there is a weekly farmers’ market during the summer months, and I do shop there every few weeks. I shop there whenever I can afford it. 9.5: Although one of the world’s wealthiest countries, Japan is shown in Figure 9-13 as specializing intensive subsistence farming with wet rice dominant. The rice farming is done primarily by elderly people. Why might Japan be retaining traditional rice production despite its wealthy status? Answer: Rice production is maintained in Japan due to the outsize political influence of farmers in the country. The government also views rice production as a means to contribute to food security, if something were to happen to the global food supply chain. 9.6: The food services at a number of schools and universities now offer some healthy, local, and organic food choices. If yours does, why do you or don’t you select these healthy and local choices? If yours does not, have you asked your school to provide healthier choices? Why have you or have you not asked? Answer: My school does not provide a healthful, local, organic food option at their vendors, aside from grabbing a salad (although this is not organically- or locally-sourced food). I have not asked my school to provide a healthier choice, as I know these options would be prohibitively expensive for my budget, and eating at home is much cheaper. Pause and Reflect Questions 9.1.1: Which crops appear to have reached the present-day United States first, according to Figure 9-2? Answer: The crops that appear to have entered the United States first are squash, pepper, cassava, cotton, lima bean, maize, potato, and sweet potato. 9.1.2: What other electronics, in addition to GPS devices, might help a farmer on a very large farm? Answer: Satellite imagery, provided at no cost by the USGS on the Internet, may help farmers measure crop progress. Yield monitors attached to combines allow farmers to determine the precise number of bushels being harvested. 9.2.1: Many restaurants now tell you how many Calories (kilocalories) are in their meals. Does this information influence your choice of meal? Why or why not? Answer: The calorie counts provided by restaurants do influence my choice of meal, as I want to eat the most healthful option possible. 9.2.2: What is your main source of protein? Answer: My main source of protein are beans. 9.3.1: In Figures 9-13 and 9-14, do the agricultural regions match the climate regions more closely in the developed regions of North America and Europe or in the developing regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia? Answer: The agricultural regions match the climate regions more closely in the developing regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. 9.3.3: How would rapid population growth make it difficult to practice shifting cultivation? Answer: Rapid population growth would put pressure on people to utilize fields left abandoned (fallow) for periods as long as 20 years. The practice of moving from one field to another every few years requires more land per person than do other types of agriculture. 9.3.4: What challenges might farmers in East and South Asia face if they wish to adopt farming practices that are less labor intensive than growing wet rice? Answer: Features of the physical landscape and climate may prevent the adoption of less labor intensive farming practices. Limited areas of arable land may also preclude farmers from adopting these alternative farming practices. 9.3.5: The average resident in a developed country consumes around 6 ounces (170 grams) of fish per week. Why might your consumption be higher or lower than the average? Answer: My consumption is lower than the average due to dietary restrictions. 9.3.6: Why might wheat be easier to export than produce from truck farming? Answer: Wheat may be easier to export than produce from truck farming as wheat is not as perishable as produce from truck farming. 9.3.7: If the price of wheat dropped to $200 per ton, what would be the maximum distance that the wheat could be profitably shipped? Answer: If wheat dropped to $200 per ton it could only be shipped 8,000 kilometers from farm to market and still be profitable. 9.3.8: What are the two most important ranches animals, according to Figure 9-38? Answer: Cattle and sheep are the two most important ranched animals. 9.4.1: Have you seen loss of farmland near where you live? For what new purpose is the land used? Answer: I have witnessed the loss of farmland near where I live, with the land now being used for residential purposes. 9.4.2: What would be the impact on the green revolution of a decline in energy prices? Answer: A drop in energy prices would allow for the increased operation of farming equipment, as fuel prices would decrease. 9.4.3: According to Figure 9-13, what is the predominant form of agriculture in California? Answer: Mediterranean is the predominant form of agriculture in California. 9.4.4: Does your family avoid foods made with GMO seeds? Why or why not? Answer: I do not avoid foods made with GMO seeds. I believe they serve a valuable place in the global agricultural system, and do not believe they pose health risks. 9.4.5: Why does most consumption of cocaine and heroin occur in developed countries? Answer: Developed countries have more affluence. Many people in affluent countries have disposable income to spend on things that are not necessities. 9.4.6: Why does China appear as a leader in undernourishment in Figure 9-56 but not in Figures 9-57 and 9-58? Answer: China appears as a leader in undernourishment in Figure 9-56 but not in Figures 9-57 and 9-58 because China is the most populous country in the world, and has a high number of undernourished people. Proportionally, they relatively do not have as high a share of undernourished people, but it is still high. 9.4.7: Does your family go out of its way to get local or organic food? Why or why not? Answer: I do go out of my way to buy organic food, as I believe leading a healthful lifestyle (of which a balanced, healthful diet is a part of) is important. Explore Use Google Earth to see rice growing outside a village in Asia. Fly to Banaue, Philippines. Drag to Street View on the balloon marking the location of the village of Banaue. 1. Describe the landscape around the village. Answer: The village is situated in a valley, surrounded by intermittent wooded areas and agricultural fields. 2. According to Figure 9-17, what is the principal form of agriculture in the Philippines? Answer: According to Figure 9-13, the principal form of agriculture in the Philippines is intensive subsistence, wet rice dominant. Exit ground level view. Zoom in immediately to the north of balloon marking the village. A series of parallel strips can be seen immediately north of the village. 3. Why would the villagers have created these terraces? Answer: The villagers have created these terraces to maximize the amount of land used for rice cultivation. GeoVideo Questions 1. What were some of the things the farmer needed to do to convert the farm to organic? Answer: The farmer had to return to some practices that his father had used in his day of farming – the use of clover and manure for fertilizer, along with the nonuse of pesticides and other chemicals. 2. What are some of the environmental and economic benefits of organic farming? Answer: Environmentally, chemicals used in conventional pesticides and fertilizers may cause reverberating deleterious effects on the local area (e.g. runoff that could then pollute a water source). The eschewing of these chemicals may help keep local ecosystems sustainable for long term use. Economically, the products of organic farming net much higher prices at market than conventional goods, increasing profit margins for organic farmers (despite the high cost of entry to the practice). 3. What are some of the challenges in converting to organic farming? Answer: It is an expensive process to undertake – one might lose money for several years before they are able to turn a profit. It is also much more labor-intensive, as weeds and other pests cannot be taken care of by use of pesticide. Resources Aquaculture Covered in the text on page 360, aquaculture is a growing and sometimes controversial source of the world’s protein. NOAA’s Fisheries Service hosts an informative site on aquaculture in the United States. The media site is at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/index.html. United States Department of Agriculture The USDA has extensive resources online, from environmental issues to rural development. Their main portal is at www.usda.gov/. Farm Subsidy Database The Environmental Working Group’s Farm Subsidy Database, online at https://farm.ewg.org/, provides resources and references to farm subsidies in every U.S. state as well as summary statistics. It provides a revealing look at how much U.S. taxpayers pay indirectly for their food to be inexpensive in the supermarket. Office of the United States Trade Representative The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative serves as a bulldog for American trade policy. The website promotes U.S. trade policy, defending everything from the North American Free Trade Agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership at www.ustr.gov/. This site is also relevant to Chapters 10–12. Connections between Chapters Back to Chapters 4 A number of food items that are consumed in popular culture (Chapter 4) are produced in plantations. This is fertile grounds for a discussion on the role of popular fads, development, and the agricultural sector in relation to international trade. For example, consider coffee, bananas, shrimp, or out-of-season asparagus, and apples—all are imported to North America. Chapter 9 introduces the concept of measuring development by measuring the percentage of people working in each sector of the economy. Review this concept upon finishing Chapter 10. Forward to Chapters 10 and 11 Chapter 10 introduces the concept of measuring development by measuring the percentage of people working in each sector of the economy. Review this concept upon finishing Chapter 10. The connections between Chapters 9–12 are more obvious as they involve the three sectors of the economy. Agribusiness represents clear connections between agriculture, industry, and services. In fact, subsistence farmers are not connected with the rest of the economy is a critical component of development for LDCs. Solution Manual for The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography James M. Rubenstein 9780321831583, 9780321956712, 9780321831576, 9780132435734
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