Unit 1 Guiding Questions.docx

Unit 1 Guiding Questions: Why is it important to look at a variety of indicators from different categories in order to make a balanced assessment of conditions in a certain country or region? How might a grouping change if a different statistical variable were used as the basis for comparison? I...

Unit 1 Guiding Questions: Why is it important to look at a variety of indicators from different categories in order to make a balanced assessment of conditions in a certain country or region? How might a grouping change if a different statistical variable were used as the basis for comparison? Is it important to note how and where the data were obtained and who interpreted them? Why do we find it useful to use certain kinds of data or certain characteristics as ways of categorizing countries? What does an indicator like GDP per capita or fertility rate tell us about a country?  What doesn't it tell us? How can the use of such indicators cause us to make misleading generalizations about a country or to stereotype its people? Why is it no longer appropriate to describe the world primarily on the basis of economic indicators? Why is the Human-Development-Index (HDI) one of the most frequently cited methods for grouping countries? Do you think it is the most accurate? What problems might be associated with the use of this index? How useful is it to classify countries according to their political structure or their government expenditure as a percentage of GDP? How might applying the Human Development Index specifically to indigenous peoples give us a different sense of the quality of life for subgroups within a developed country? What, in your opinion, are the three most important global issues today? What indicators would you select to help you analyse the regional significance and implications of these issues?