Lecture 2 - Global Context (Week of Sept 16, 2024) PDF

Geog 1200 – Society & Space The Changing Global Context Week of Sept. 16, 2024 1  Class Outline: Geography of the Pre-Modern World 1. Agriculture and Domestication 2. Early Empires and Colonization 3. Core, Periphery, Semi-Peripher...

Geog 1200 – Society & Space The Changing Global Context Week of Sept. 16, 2024 1  Class Outline: Geography of the Pre-Modern World 1. Agriculture and Domestication 2. Early Empires and Colonization 3. Core, Periphery, Semi-Periphery 4. Neo-Colonization 2 A long term, big picture look at changing geographies over time emphasize the evolving interdependence among places and regions around the world. Understanding the Current Global Context Important trends that human geography can help us to understand: Globalization Urbanization Human-induced environmental change Social inequality 4 Before Agriculture hunting, gathering and fishing nomadic movement  Agriculture and Domestication Proximity to urban centers Agriculture replaces hunting and gathering.  1st Agricultural Revolution (10 000-5 000 BC) the domestication of plants and animals planned cultivation of seed crops  1st Agricultural Revolution (10 000-5 000 BC) Proximity to urban centers gave rise to a sedentary human civilization (vs. nomadic) 1st Agricultural Revolution (10 000-5 000 BC) permanent dwellings specialization in crop types intense physical labour dependency on harvest times increased vulnerability to the weather Subsistence Farming Proximity to urban centers Subsistence Farming is the self sufficient farming where producing food is meant for local consumption as opposed to trade. 1st Agricultural Revolution (10 000-5 000 BC) Minisystem= a reciprocal social economy in which each individual specializes in particular tasks and shares any access with others The Fertile Crescent Proximity to urban centers The majority of scholars believe that developments that marked the 1st agricultural revolution took place in what is called the Fertile Crescent.  Ancient Agricultural Hearths Proximity to urban centers ‘New World’ Hearths ‘Old World’ Hearths Mesoamerica Fertile crescent in the Middle East along the western slopes of the South Asia along the Indus and Ganges Andes in South America. river valleys China along the yellow river Early Empires World empires were a political system that encompassed and brought together mini- systems. growing populations specialization trade  Urbanization Centers of: administration; tax collection military defense transportation religion Infrastructure: paved streets piped water sewage systems Cultural and Technology monuments public buildings baths aqueducts Athens, Greece  The Pre- Capitalist World: The Silk Road Age of European Discovery  Colonialism and the Capitalist Economy Colonialism: the establishment and maintenance of political and legal domination of one state or territory by another state or territory Colonization: the physical settlement of people from in the new territory form the colonizing territory territory” (p. 48) Colonial powers: Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Britain, France  Colonialism and the Capitalist Economy Resources were extracted from the new territory and shipped back to the colonizing territory.  Colonialism and the Capitalist Economy Colonization played a significant role in the development and spread of capitalism. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/colonial-trade/  The Industrial Revolution The industrial revolution was a period in history defined as a process of change from an agrarian to industrial economy. Europe, 1750-1850  The Industrial Revolution The industrial revolution began with a series of inventions and machines that brought new uses to known sources of energy (like coal) and increased efficiencies in production. Europe, 1750-1850 The Industrial Revolution Steam Engine Locomotive and Railroads Capital Flows into Europe, 1775 (Colonial Era)  Lasting Impacts of Colonization inequality on a global basis concentration of affluence and power underdevelopment and dependence of the global south on the global north  Lasting Impacts of Colonization An Interdependent World Geography Core Regions (Colonizers) dominate trade high productivity Peripheral Regions (Colonized) dependent & disadvantageous trade undeveloped economy Semi-peripheral Regions exploitative & exploited  Political Economy A stream of through that sees uneven development as a product of capitalism. World Systems Theory (Wallerstein, 1970s): An approach to understanding uneven geographical development that has emerged with capitalism in the world economy. States in the world economy are interconnected and in order to understand the economic development of Immanuel Wallerstein one state, we need to understand that state’s 1930 – 2019 relationship to the world economy.  World Systems Theory (Wallerstein) The world economy has a three tiered structure: Core = higher levels of education, higher salaries, more technologies and high productivity, diversified economies generates more wealth, dominate trade Periphery = lower levels of education, lower salaries, less technology, lower productivity levels, generates less wealth, dependent and disadvantaged Semi-Periphery = both core a periphery processes occur; are exploited by the core, but in turn, they exploit the periphery  World Systems Theory (Wallerstein) Hierarchical Relationship: In a world systems approach, states are organized in a hierarchical relationship, meaning that some states gain more benefits through their position in the global economy over others.  World Systems Theory (Wallerstein) Not all places are equally wealthy in the capitalist world economy = uneven geographical development.  Uneven Economic Development GDP per Capita, by Countries, 2012 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_map_GDP_per_capita.svg  Colonization of Africa “Scramble for Africa” (1880-1914) In 1880, less than 10% of the continent had been claimed. By 1914, over 90% of the continent was claimed. Colonization of Africa  De-Colonization of Africa Decolonization: Is a process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country is when colonies become politically independent states.  De-Colonization of Africa Decolonization (1945-1960) Country borders imposed by Europeans are not ideal: ethnic groups are forced together and others are separated. http://www.earthlymission.com/map-of-africa-with-ethnic-boundaries/  Neo-Colonialism Decolonization set up a system of politically independent states but maintained an interdependent global economy. Development is tied to colonial and neo-colonial relationships.  Neo-Colonialism Neo-colonialism: “economic and political strategies by which powerful states in core economies indirectly maintain or extend their influence over other areas or people.” Neo-colonialism might be in the form of institutional development (formation of governments), debt, trade, military involvement and even culture.  Neo-Colonialism Neo-colonial Relationships: Foreign Debt In the 1980s and 1990s, structural adjustment loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) were lent to newly independent states for development projects.  Neo-Colonialism Neo-colonial Relationships: Foreign Debt Strings attached: economic reform; privatization, opening borders to foreign trade, reducing tariffs, encouraging foreign investment The cost of repaying the debt (with interest) exceeds country revenues. Uneven Development Disparities in global economic development have largely resulted from historically derived power- relations that have become entrenched in the global economic system.  Contemporary Interconnections A few key points on globalization: a high degree of connectivity between different parts of the world. people, capital, goods, services and information circulate globally increased mobility Contemporary globalization has an increased intensity of interconnections and expanded geographic reach. Next Week Population & Migration 45