A2 Geography
Development & Globalisation
Name: Tutor group:
Syllabus content:
Development – economic, demographic, social,
political and cultural changes associated with
development; the development continuum.
Globalisation – factors and dimensions: flows
of capital, labour, products and services; global
marketing; patterns of production, distribution and
consumption.
Patterns and processes
Newly industrialised countries (NICs): their initial
growth, with particular reference to the ‘Asian Tiger’
economies.
Further growth of NICs, with particular reference to China.
Globalisation of services, with particular reference to
India.
Growth in the 21st century – the impact of new
markets and new technologies (for example in Brazil,
Russia and oil-producing countries).
Countries at very low levels of economic
Development
Characteristics and issues – quality of life, debt, social
problems.
Global social and economic groupings
The concept of the North/South divide, and its
relationship to the development continuum.
Reasons for the social and economic groupings of
nations, with particular reference to the European
Union.
The consequences of the groupings of nations.
Aspects of globalisation
Transnational corporations (TNCs): characteristics
and spatial organisation.
Reasons for the growth and the spatial organisation
of transnational corporations (TNCs).
Case study of one TNC should be undertaken.
Social, economic and environmental impacts of TNCs
on their host countries, and their countries of origin.
Development issues within the world (each to be
studied with reference to contrasting areas of
the world)
‘Trade versus aid’.
‘Economic sustainability versus environmental
sustainability’.
‘Sustainable tourism, myth or reality’.
From: http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2030-W-SP-10.PDF
What is meant by development and globalisation?
Objective:
· Know what is meant by development and globalisation.
· Understand that countries are at different points on a development continuum
Lesson 1:
Starter: Look at copies of newspapers. Which articles are related to development issues? How are they related? Cut out key pictures, headlines and paragraphs to make a ‘What is development?’ collage.
Task1 : Use your textbook to help you to define the terms listed below -
Economic Development –
Demographic development –
Social development –
Political development –
Cultural development –
Development gap –
Sustainable development –
Task 2: Discuss the questions below (also referring to textbook), taking notes in the spaces below.
· How can development be measured?
· How was the world divided into ‘First’, ‘Second’ and ‘Third’?
· Why is this classification no longer used?
· How is the world classified today?
· How are GDP and GNP used to measure development?
· What are the benefits of using the HDI to measure development?
Reflection: You will be given a set of images. Put them in order from the ‘least developed’ to the ‘most developed.’ How easy is it to do this? What issues arise?
Lesson 2:
Starter: Look at different definitions of globalisation (on ppt). Which do you agree with? Why? Why do different people have such different views?
Task 1: Use your text book to define the key terms listed below:
Globalisation –
Newly industrialised countries (NICs) –
Transnational corporations (TNCs) –
Economic globalisation –
Cultural globalisation –
Political globalisation –
Free market –
Labour market –
Trade bloc –
World bank –
Task 2: The following extract is the first draft of an introduction to globalisation from a new book for teachers of GCSE geography. Critique this introduction – what are its strengths? Which areas need development? How could it be improved?
‘Globalisation can be seen as a positive, negative or even marginal process… regardless of whether it works for good or ill, globalisation's exact meaning will continue to be the subject of debate among those who oppose, support or simply observe it.
A recent report in the Press Gazette, the trade magazine for journalists, dealt with attempts by a BBC focus group to throw some light on how far television audiences understand news reports.
In one clip, economics editor Evan Davies referred to "globalisation - whatever that means". A panellist replied: "Well if he doesn't what it means, how the hell are we supposed to?" ‘
From: ‘What is Globalisation’, Simon Jeffery, The Guardian 21/10/02
So how can we teach about globalisation if a respected economic journalist is unsure what it means? We can start by looking at the different ways people define globalisation and unpicking why they perceive globalisation in these ways. We can consider the different lenses through which people view globalisation; lenses which are shaped by their own contexts and experiences. It is important that our students realise that whether people are pro-globalisation or anti-globalisation their views are valid. It is also important that we all, and especially our students, have an opinion about globalisation; ambivalence towards an issue of this magnitude is potentially dangerous.
The concept of globalisation becomes even more complicated and contentious when subdivided into economic and cultural globalisation. Much of the attention of the media is focussed on economic globalisation – for a range of articles about this topic see the BBC special report into Globalisation at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2007/globalisation/default.stm and the Guardian globalisation links at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/globalisation.
Cultural globalisation is in some ways even more fascinating. Almost everywhere you go in the world you can buy Coca Cola – but is this a good thing or a bad thing? This photograph was taken in Kibera, a shanty town in Kenya. Does the sale of Coca Cola just mean a wider range of drinks for local people to enjoy, or is it corrupting local culture. Is this a sign of neo-colonialism? This is a contentious issue; Kenya was once a British colony, is it now ceding its power to transnational corporations? The concept of globalisation as neo colonialism is explored in http://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=4363. However, others argue that globalisation can actually strengthen cultures at a local level, a point developed in relation to the film industry in http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=9655.
These concepts seem daunting to discuss with our students, but if we as teachers start at the level of their personal experiences they will quickly widen the scope and depth of their thinking to understand and be better able to contribute to issues at a local, national and global level. Are students aware of where their clothes are made? A simple survey of labels will show them how they are linked to a range of countries around the world. This leads them to the global division of labour, with different countries involved in the different stages of production. The global shift of industry is explored in relation to the Bangladesh garment industry in http://www.cdrb.org/journal/2004/1/3.pdf.
At the heart of any discussion of globalisation lie issues of power; are transnational corporations in control, or are national governments? What power do local people have; can we make a difference? An organisation that plays a vital role in globalisation is the World Trade Organisation (WTO), dealing with the rules of trade between states – see http://www.wto.org/. However, this organisation is often criticised as being biased toward the views of large corporations rather than the views of individual people – see http://www.globalissues.org/article/42/the-wto-and-free-trade for examples of such criticisms.
Transnational corporations and national governments are dominant powers in globalisation but the anti-globalisation movement has developed as a response, bringing individuals from diverse backgrounds together to resist what they perceive as the negative aspects of globalisation. The interests of anti-globalisation protesters are varied, encompassing issues such as environmentalism, making poverty history, child labour, anti-capitalism and anarchism. Anti-globalisation protests often take place on May Day – see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7378305.stm for photographs of different protests around the world.
Globalisation is not a new process; it has been with us since the rise of capitalism and is several hundred years old. What makes it particularly relevant in the 21st century is the fact that the rapid pace of the process has never been witnessed before; also it is truly global now in that there is hardly anyone anywhere who is not affected in some way. This is not to say that its results are evenly distributed across the globe.
Whether we are pro-globalisation, anti-globalisation, or can see the merit of different aspects of each, what is important is that our students have an awareness of what is going on in our world. The Interdependence of different countries, economies and cultures means that actions taken in one place can have major repercussions around the world. We need to know and to understand our place in the globalised world.’
From first draft of ‘Going Global?’ by C Owen
Strengths?
Areas for development?
How could this be improved?
(If you are able to get a copy of the published book to look at you could compare the final version to this first draft and see if your ideas have been implemented.)
Reflection: Would you…
…buy a rose that had been imported from Kenya?
…choose to drink coca-cola or a local drink if you were in a bar in Argentina?
…be disappointed if you went to see a Masaai village and found most of the people wearing jeans and t-shirts?
…go to London to join a march to protest about poor conditions for workers in China?
…spend a little more money to buy a fair trade t-shirt rather than the cheapest on offer?
Homework: Start a globalisation and development scrapbook. Start producing revision cards for this topic. These projects should be ongoing this term.
What role are newly industrialising countries (NICs) playing in globalisation?
Objectives:
· Understand why the economies of NICs have grown.
· Apply concepts to 21st century examples
Lesson 1:
Starter: Watch the Malaysia clip from the World 2000 DVD. What has changed since this DVD was made?
Task: You must design a research activity to answer the key question – ‘What role are NICs playing in globalisation?’
Use Bloom’s taxonomy mats to help pose your research questions. Decide on the outcome you work will lead to – will it be a report, a presentation, an essay or something else?
Divide the following case studies between you:
· China
· India
· Brazil
· Dubai
Review the information on this topic in your text book, then start using other sources for your research.
Note your research questions here:
Reflection: How easy was it to design this activity? Is it a good idea to give students choice like this?
Lesson 2:
Starter: Review your aim & required outcome for you research task. What are your priorities for today’s lesson?
Task: Carry out your research.
Reflection – How is your research progressing? What do you need to do for homework?
Homework – Produce research outcome for next lesson.
Lesson 3:
Starter: Share the outcomes of your research. What issues have been raised?
Main activity: Answer the key question in the form of a 10 mark exam question.
What role are newly industrialising countries (NICs) playing in globalisation?
Reflection: Read each other’s answers – assess with two stars and a wish.
What are you good at doing? What do you need to work on? Does you group have similar needs?
What impact do very low levels of economic development have on people?
Objectives:
· Know the characteristics of the least economically developed countries.
· Understand the impact of development on the lives of people in these countries.
Lesson 1:
Starter – Look at statistics about Malawi at the back of the atlas. Are these statistics as you expected? What is surprising? Why?
Task 1: – Add notes to the following diagram using pages 196-201 in your textbook.
Task 2: Look at the Malawi case study on pages 201- 203 in your text book
Then consider the impact of poverty on the quality of life of Malawians – look at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6167846 (text shown below).
‘Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with more than half of its population living on less than $1 a day. But the people of Malawi may have reason to celebrate. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have announced that 90 percent of the country's debt will be forgiven.
In spite of that good news, it will still be some time before Malawian families, like the Phiris, can relax their strict budgets. In Central Malawi, the Phiri family begins its day at 4:30 a.m. -- without breakfast.
In a maize field, a 20-minute walk from their house in Lifidzi, they use a handmade hoe to till the overworked soil. The soil is eroded so the Phiri family spent $15 on a bag of fertilizer that they hope will last them the year. Friends and family helped the Phiris purchase the fertilizer. Such generosity is not uncommon among Malawians. For example, even if it means going without food, neighbors will buy each other medicine for common diseases such as AIDS and malaria.
Running out of food is common in Malawi. Crops often fail when rains don’t come. A few months earlier, the Philis had nothing to eat but unripe mangoes, which made the family feel sick. Every year for the past three years, starving people in Malawi's dry season have resorted to eating water lily tubers and even poisonous plant roots.
The Phiris have aspirations beyond scrimping and surviving, especially the daughter, Martha. She wants to be a reporter, or newsreader as they're called in Malawi. But Martha knows that her family will probably never have the money to send her for the training to be a reporter, let alone anything else.
In the evening, the family splurges 35 cents on a fish dinner to honor a guest. They spent a total $1.25 on this day. But the day's income was only 94 cents, including the 63 cents they received from relatives to help them out.’
Now look at reasons for poverty in Malawi by visiting the following website - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/06/09132146/21474 . Why is Malawi so poor?
Reflection – What does it feel like to study poverty in Malawi when we are so rich?
Homework – ‘What are the characteristics of the countries which make up the group known as least developed countries (countries at a low level of economic development).’ 8 marks. By ______
Lesson 2:
Starter: Mark your answers to homework question using the mark scheme:
Level 1 Straightforward statements, very much a list of characteristics, e.g. low GNP, low literacy, low life expectancy, low levels of calorie intake, etc. (1–4 marks)