Development Studies Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is one way to measure wealth in terms of development?

GDP per capita

Income inequality index

Employment rate

GNI per capita (correct)

How do we define development in a broader sense?

By considering health and education alongside economic measures (correct)

Only by economic prosperity

By the number of industries in a country

Through GDP growth only

Which of the following describes the 'Less Developed World'?

A large group characterized by low standards of living (correct)

Countries with high social well-being

Nations primarily in North America

Countries with extensive industrial development

What is typically the primary focus when thinking about levels of development?

Economic conditions Signup and view all the answers

How is the continuum of development typically conceptualized?

Between developed and undeveloped countries Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided by OECD member countries?

To enhance economic development and welfare Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following roles does the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the OECD NOT pursue?

Facilitating military interventions Signup and view all the answers

In 2020, what percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) did the contributions from OECD donor countries represent?

0.3% Signup and view all the answers

What kind of support can humanitarian aid NOT include?

Government military funding Signup and view all the answers

Which organization is an example of a private charitable or philanthropic entity mentioned?

Live Aid Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes an internally displaced person (IDP) from a refugee?

IDPs are forced to flee but remain within their home country. Signup and view all the answers

Which region experienced a large influx of ethnic refugees following genocides in the 1990s?

Sub-Saharan Africa Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for most refugee crises today?

Civil war and political unrest Signup and view all the answers

How many people were reported to be of concern to the UNHCR in 2024?

120 million Signup and view all the answers

What is a typical choice that refugees make when fleeing their home country?

To make a short-term local move or a long-distance permanent move. Signup and view all the answers

What crisis is cited as a major source of refugees from Venezuela?

Political instability and severe economic issues Signup and view all the answers

Which of these destinations has NOT been a common refuge for Venezuelan refugees?

Mexico Signup and view all the answers

Which issue regarding refugee crises is highlighted in relation to neighboring countries’ capacities to assist?

Low development and resources of host countries. Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended minimum caloric intake for a healthy life according to the Food and Agriculture Organization?

2100 calories per day Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary definition of undernutrition?

Consuming insufficient calories to sustain a healthy life Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors does NOT affect caloric requirements?

Eyewear prescription Signup and view all the answers

What proportion of the world's population is reported to be undernourished?

8-9% Signup and view all the answers

Which region is noted to have the highest number of undernourished individuals?

Sub-Saharan Africa Signup and view all the answers

What does malnutrition encompass?

Under and over nutrition as well as imbalanced diets Signup and view all the answers

What is the average world caloric consumption?

2780 calories Signup and view all the answers

Which demographic factor is NOT mentioned as influencing caloric needs?

Frequency of exercise Signup and view all the answers

What role do core countries play in the context of globalization?

They depend on peripheral and semi-peripheral countries for cheap labor. Signup and view all the answers

How is development often measured in economic terms?

Through the analysis of gross domestic product (GDP) and gross national income (GNI). Signup and view all the answers

What is a major criticism of using GNI per capita as a measure of development?

It ignores both formal and informal economic activities. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of peripheral countries in the global economy?

They rely on core countries for employment and financial assistance. Signup and view all the answers

What does GDP stand for and what does it measure?

Gross Domestic Product; measures market value of all goods and services produced. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes global income distribution?

Core countries hold a significant proportion of global wealth while peripheral countries experience high levels of poverty. Signup and view all the answers

What are proxy measures used for in measuring development?

They provide indirect indicators of economic prosperity. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'neo-colonialism' imply in the context of globalization?

A modern form of colonialism where core countries exploit peripheral countries through economic means. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative launched in 1996?

To ensure that no poor country faces a debt burden it cannot manage Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant drawback of humanitarian aid according to anti-aid critics?

It creates a reliance on foreign assistance in developing countries. Signup and view all the answers

In what way did remittances play a role in the economy of developing countries like Bangladesh?

They account for a significant redistribution of money from abroad. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the reasons provided for why developing countries often face challenges in utilizing aid effectively?

Aid is often too focused on immediate crises rather than long-term solutions. Signup and view all the answers

How much debt relief was made possible by the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) in 2005?

100% relief on eligible debts held by specific organizations Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is considered a substantial cause of low economic and social development in many countries?

Weak political governance and leadership Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of high-interest loans for developing countries?

They limit funding for essential services like education and health. Signup and view all the answers

Which country is a significant investor in Africa, filling gaps left by western investment decline?

China Signup and view all the answers

What was one criticism made by Peter Bauer regarding international aid?

A significant portion goes to corrupt individuals in recipient countries. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Giving while Living' refer to in philanthropy?

Giving away wealth during one's lifetime. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Week 1: Introduction and Key Concepts

Environment & Society: the study of the complex relationship between people and their natural, built, and socioeconomic environments
Geography: the study of patterns and processes on the Earth's surface, derived from Greek 'geo' (Earth) and 'graphe' (to write about).
Two Branches of Geography:
- Physical Geography: the study of patterns and processes of the natural world (landforms, climate, hydrology, geology, ecology, etc).
- Human Geography: the study of patterns and processes of the human world (socio-economic and built environments, economies, cultures, politics, settlements and human interactions with the natural environment).
- Spatial distribution (patterns) of people, their cultures, economies, settlements, political/social structures, and behaviour.

Week 2: Key Concepts Part 1

Space: the areal extent of something.
- Absolute Space: measurable and objective, with definite boundaries. E.g., city limits, McMaster Campus
- Relative Space: subjective and perceptual, varying over time. E.g., an apartment feels cozy or cramped.
Location: a particular position in space.
- Absolute Location: defined using latitude and longitude.
- Relative Location: subject to interpretation. E.g., "Location A is a short drive from Downtown"
Place: a location that has acquired particular meaning or significance, both individually and collectively. E.g., childhood home, Church.

Week 2: Key Concepts Part 2

Spatial Distribution: the spatial arrangement of geographic phenomena.
- Density: The relationship between the number of phenomena and space; expressed as a ratio. E.g., people per sq km.
- Concentration: the spread of phenomena over a given area (clustered, dispersed).
- Pattern: the geometric or random spatial arrangement of phenomena in an area. E.g., linear (street grid).
Diffusion: the process of geographic phenomena spreading over space and time.
Types of Diffusion: Relocation (physical movement) and Expansion (additive).
Spatial Interaction: relationships between locations; the extent of interaction related to distances and connections.

Week 3: Uneven Development

Spatial Variations in terms of material well-being: the "haves" and "have nots".
Spatial scales: global, regional, national etc.
Variations exist in material well-being.
Most people live in places between the extremes of unequal levels of development (levels 1-4).
Uneven Development: the concept that the world is not equally developed economically; a continuum between more and less developed worlds.

Week 4: Uneven Development - World Hunger and Aid

Spatial variations in global wealth and standard of living.
Why does uneven development lead to food shortages?
Current food crises and the role of governance in food security.
Can we feed the world's population? The Green Revolution, and factors contributing to increasing food production (fertilizers, mechanization).
Nutritional quality of life considerations: calorie requirements, undernutrition, malnutrition.

Week 5: Population and Migration

Demography/Population Health Geography are the study of the spatial dimensions of populations
Current/Global Population
Distribution of populations (physical and human factors).
Population distribution - factors. (climate, suitability to live in, topography, history of settlement).
Population Density (arithmetic, physiological) - Measures of population size and concentration.
Population Growth Rate/Doubling Time - calculation of population increase and factors influencing the doubling time.
Consequences of Population Growth - Impacts on access to resources, health, and environment.

Week 6: Population Migration and Refugees

Population Migration: the long-term or permanent relocation of an individual or group across a country, state/region, and internationally. Types of migration and causes (economic, political, environmental, social).
Different spatial contexts of migration.
Types of migration (voluntary/free, forced, impelled, illegal).
International/Local migration
Refugees: an individual forced to flee their home country due to persecution. (religious, ethnic, political & other dangers)
Internally Displaced Person (IDP) - an individual who is displaced within their country.

Week 7: Population Health & Urban Living

Medical Geography: the spatial context of disease and health.
Health Geography: the spatial context of health and well-being (traditional and modern conceptions of 'health' considered)
Demographic transition theory: changes in birth and death rates over time linked to economic development and their impacts on total population.
Population Dynamics - Fertility, Mortality, and Migration (B-D)+(I-E).
Influences factors on fertility and mortality.
Distribution: the spatial arrangement of health or disease within an area (E.g., obesity in the U.S.)

Week 8: Urban Land Use

Urban growth: an increase in the absolute measure of the size of an urban area.
Urbanization: an increase in the percentage of the population living in urban areas.
Urban Theory explained through examples of urban zones.
Demographic criteria, and economic criteria used for identifying and classifying urban areas.
Suburbanization: occurs when land on the periphery of an urban area becomes urbanized and develops.
Land use in urban areas (residential, industrial, commercial etc.).
Central places theory of urban organization and land use.
Gentrification: occurs when existing urban-areas are subject to change due to an influx of wealthier/middle class populations causing change (positive/negative considerations).
Filtering, and residential mobility
Housing and Stratification: the division of urban populations based on socioeconomic variables.

Week 9: Urban Issues: Urban Stratification and Gentrification

Urban Stratification: the division of urban populations based on socioeconomic variables.
Gentrification: process where areas seen as historically deprived attract higher-income populations, causing social change.
Cities as centres of production and consumption.

Week 10: Globalization

Globalization: the increasing interconnectedness of people and places across the world as a result of numerous processes.
The concept of globalization: commodity chain, through trade. Economic, political, cultural, and environmental considerations.
Key dimensions of globalization.
Processes through which the world is becoming a single world society.
Production of goods and services throughout the world, using both natural and human resources (global village).
World trade: the exchange of goods and services globally (e.g., Amazon, Alibaba).
Key transformations of Global economic activity (reducing the friction of distance; breaking down barriers, corporations).

Week 11: Primary Economic Activities

Primary activities: the identification and extraction of raw materials from the environment.
- Agricultural (farming), fishing, forestry and mining.
Economic Activities (Sectors) - Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Quaternary, and Quinary.
Agriculture Systems - Traditional (Subsistence) & Commercial (Industrial).

Week 12: Secondary Economic Activities

Manufacturing and Industry - manufacturing, processing, and construction activities (materials => products.)
Traditional and Newly Industrializing Areas (NICs) - Manufacturing activity patterns and trends over time and space.
The Industrial Revolution- processes of transformation and shifts in manufacturing activity.
Global geography of manufacturing.
Considerations in the Newly Industrializing World - aspects that contribute to industrial development in developing economies.

Week 13: Population Health and Urban Living

Global Geography of service activities and levels of economic development
The importance of examining the spatial patterns and processes of disease, health, and well-being in different parts of the world. (consider factors like access to healthcare, environmental conditions, economic stability)
Measuring Global health - Epidemiology/Epidemiological transition, and population dynamics (fertility, mortality, and migration).
The relationship between industrial and economic development, and population growth.
Spatial variation in health and diseases and how it varies globally.

Week 14: The Emergence of Urban Living

Urban areas are fundamental institutions, locations of innovation (social, economic, and political life).
Urbanization/Deurbanization - growth and decline of cities and the proportion of population living in urban areas.
How cities function and why do large urban/metropolitan areas emerge? (Factors - agricultural surplus theory)

Week 15: Urban Land Use

Urban growth and Urbanization are increases in the absolute size of an urban area and the percentage of population inhabiting these urban areas.
Processes, theories, and case studies that illustrate urban/rural population differences, including demographic variables.
The urban land-use patterns, including residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional land structures, as well as public spaces (parks).

Week 16: Urban Structures & Land Use

Classification/categorization of urban settlements (primate cities, megacities).
Urban systems, hierarchical, and rank-size.
The Central Place Theory- an explanation of the spatial organization of cities in an urban system.
Global cities and their roles in the global economy.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the concepts of development, wealth measurement, and humanitarian aid. This quiz covers various aspects of global development, including the roles of organizations and the differences between refugees and internally displaced persons. Challenge yourself to understand the complexities of the less developed world and international assistance.