OIB GEOGRAPHY SYLLABUS Summary of Themes
Theme 1) Different views and interpretations of world organisation through the study of maps focusing on issues of globalisation and development; to include a critical appreciation of data presentation (can be incorporated within the teaching of Themes 2 and 3). Using selected examples with reference to, the Americas, Africa, South and South-east Asia and East Asia a study of the following: 2) The Globalisation of Economic Activity 3) Patterns and Change a) Development issues b) Regional inequalities c) Urbanisation issues d) Population issues
Theme 1: Keys for understanding a complex world French Syllabus Learning Focus
10-11 hours Cambridge Specification Detailed Framework
Maps for understanding the world Understanding the complexity of the world by interpreting and evaluating geo-political, geoeconomic, geo-cultural and geoenvironmental data with a view to a critical appreciation of data presentation.
Different views and interpretations of world organisation with different types of maps, focusing on issues of globalisation and development.
General introduction to the course using maps, including development of the critical appreciation of data presentation through cartographic forms. Different views and interpretations of globalisation (Theme 2) and development issues (Theme 3), with reference to different types of maps and data, their strengths and weaknesses.
a) Theme 2 Globalisation issues: Global examples that might be considered: . Geo-economic: Maps of global participation and interaction, the top 500 TNCs, global spread of one or more TNCs, centres of financial and/or trade flows and FDI, and communication nodes and networks. . Geo-cultural/social: Maps of migration flows, tourism flows, ethnic groupings, global cities, global spread of a media or of “global foods” (e.g. hamburger, pizza, or sushi etc.), global languages and religions, and also alternative views (e.g. anti-globalisation). AIDS pandemic. . Geo-political: Maps of international organisations, G8/G20 membership, trade blocs and regional organisations, conflict and dispute. Maps of different world perspectives (seen from Europe, the North Pole, the USA, China etc.). Global spread of one or more NGOs. . Geo-environmental: Maps of water stress, carbon footprints, CO2 emissions and global warming, deforestation, desertification. b) Theme 3: - Development issues - Regional inequalities - Urbanisation issues - Population issues . Geo-economic: Maps showing North/South divide, GDP/head, poverty, dominating employment sectors, Gini coefficient/inequalities . Geo-cultural/social: Maps showing % natural increase/decrease of population, nutrition, health, diseases (e.g. AIDS), literacy rates, school enrolment, access to technology (ICTs), gender inequalities, percentage rural/urban populations, HDI, PQLI, HPI indexes. . Geo-political: Maps showing government corruption, conflicts (civil wars, refugees). . Geo-environmental: Maps showing water access, the value of biodiversity. .
Maps for understanding Russia, an Eurasiatic continent-
Understanding the complexities of Russia.
State in transition.
Understanding using maps the geo-political, geo-economic, geo-cultural and geo-environmental complexities of Russia, - Russia in its wider continental context (CIS & ex-USSR states and European Union) - Inequalities in population distribution, in ethnic & religious distribution - Inequalities in transport, in energy resources - Environmental issues (pollution).
Theme 2: The Dynamics of Globalisation 18-20 hours French Syllabus Learning Focus Link to map work in Theme 1
Cambridge Specification Detailed Framework Potential maps that could be relevant in Themes 1 and 2: -
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Geo-economic: Maps of global participation and interaction, of the top 500 TNCs, global spread of one or more TNCs, centres of financial and/or trade flows and FDI, and communication nodes and networks. Geo-cultural/social: Maps of migration flows, tourism flows, Chinese diaspora, global cities, global spread of a media or of “global foods” (e.g. hamburger, pizza, or sushi etc.), global languages and religions, and also alternative views (e.g. antiglobalisation). AIDS pandemic. Geo-political: Maps of international organisations, G8/G20 membership, trade blocs and regional organisations, conflict and dispute. Global spread of one or more NGOs. Strategic importance of maritime areas. Geo-environmental: Maps of water stress, carbon footprints, CO2 emissions and global warming, deforestation, desertification.
How globalisation works
Case study of a global product Processes and actors of
1) 1) Measuring global interactions and global participation: Identifying the level and rate of global interactions: A globalisation index: e.g. the AT Kearney index or the KOF index as a measure of global interaction.
Globalisation Flows and networks
The role of TNCs, states and regional organisations in global economic development.
The relationship between globalisation and deindustrialisation in MEDCs.
The extent of the revolution in transport and communication supporting globalisation.
2) Globalisation actors and processes Actors: a) The role of TNCs - Factors affecting the growth and spatial structure of TNCs - Case study of one global TNC, e.g. Toyota - Shift of power from nation state to TNCs. b) The role of governmental organisations: - The states’ impact on national economic development, e.g. Export Processing Zones (EPZs) - The role of multi-governmental trade blocs, such as NAFTA, FTAA, and Mercosur c) The role of international organisations. - WTO, IMF, World Bank, UN. Processes: a) The globalisation of industrial activity - Case study of a global product, e.g. cars (Toyota) / Jeans - An analysis of global patterns of resources, production and markets - The connections between industrial growth in some LEDCs + in NICs/RICs and deindustrialisation in MEDCs (To include: foreign direct investment, the new international division of labour, sectoral shift, outsourcing/delocalisation, Clarke Fisher Model). b) Changing space - the shrinking world - Reduction in the friction of distance results in time-space convergence. - Relative changes in the speed and capacity of various transport types responsible for the flow of goods, materials and people. - Maritime routes, key global ports (container ports) and their role in global trade - ICTs in the transmission and flow of images, ideas, information and finance
c) Global v Glocalisation The effects of globalisation on economic interactions and flows.
3) Effects of globalisation: economic interactions and flows a) Financial flows - The importance of FDI in the transfer of capital between the developed core areas and the peripheries - Remittances. b) Trade flows - Global inequalities in trade flows - Factors affecting global trade (including resource endowment, comparative advantage, trade agreements, changes in the global market) c) Labour flows - The causes and effects of major labour flows
Areas of globalisation Case study of a global city Core and periphery areas of globalisation Maritime areas
The spatial impact of globalisation: patterns of global core and periphery.
4) The impact of globalisation: Global core & periphery Spatial pattern of global interactions through the mapping of core areas at the focus of interaction (network hubs/nodes), the peripheries and areas relatively unaffected by these interactions. a) Global city - Case study of a global city, e.g. London b) Global cores - Triad c) Global periphery - Marginalised areas e.g. Sahel Debate, anti-globalisation movements. Alternative views of the world. d) Global maritime - Case study of a core and geo-strategic maritime area, e.g. Singapore and Malacca Straits.
Theme 3: Patterns and changes on a continental scale (with reference to the Americas, Africa, South and South-east Asia and East Asia) 29-31 Hours
French Syllabus Learning Focus
Cambridge Specification Detailed Framework
Link to map work in Theme 1
Potential maps that could be relevant in Themes 1 and 3: . Geo-economic: maps showing North/South divide, GDP/head, poverty, dominating employment sectors, Gini coefficient/inequalities . Geo-cultural/social: maps showing % natural increase/decrease of population, nutrition, health, diseases (e.g. AIDS), literacy rates, school enrolment, access to technology (ICTs), gender inequalities. HDI, PQLI, HPI indexes. . Geo-political: maps showing government corruption, conflicts (civil wars, refugees). . Geo-environmental: Maps showing water access, the value of biodiversity.
The Americas : the North’s power and the South’s assertiveness - The Caribbean (case study) : American and global interface - American continent : tensions and integration - USA and Brazil : global role dynamic areas
Africa : Challenges of development
1) Development issues The causes of disparities in development.
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The extent to which global demand, development strategies and resource management influence development.
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The success of different strategies of development.
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Defining and measuring Development and sustainable development. The economic, demographic, social, political and cultural changes associated with development. Causes and consequences of underdevelopment. Evaluation of development strategies. (To include the impact of loans, debt repayment, development aid, remittances, fair trade). The role of globalisation.
(Examples and case studies can be taken from the 3 continental areas.)
- The Sahara (case study) : resources and conflicts - Africa : facing development and globalisation - South Africa : case study of an emerging country
South and South-east Asia and East Asia : issues of growth - Mumbai (case study) : modern city and inequalities - South and South east Asia : challenges of population and growth - Japan/China : competing regional powers with worldwide ambitions
Case Studies from African continent : - South Africa, a NIC. - Sustainable resource management, e.g. desertification in the Sahara/Sahel region.
A study of development strategies which can be used to reduce continental, regional and /or national inequalities.
The success of development strategies in reducing regional and/or national
2) Regional inequalities - Continental, regional and national inequalities in development, their connection with development strategies. (To include Myrdal/Friedmann core-periphery models). Case studies : - Comparison of one MEDC & one NIC with reference to regional development levels/strategies of global interaction. e.g. USA/Brazil, Japan/China, competing nations
inequalities.
A study of urbanisation as an asset or problem for development in LEDCs. The challenges facing megacities.
3) Urbanisation issues
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Urbanisation: characteristics, causes and effects. (Lee’s model) Challenges of urbanisation. Global pattern : megacities Case study of a megacity e.g. development and inequalities in Mumbai.
4) Population issues The influence of demographic change on development.
The success or otherwise of attempts to manage population change.
- Population indicators – (birth rate, death rate, fertility rate, infant mortality rate, life, expectancy, migration rate and population density) for countries at different stages of development. - Population change: The validity and applicability of the demographic transition model (5 stages) at different stages of development. - Population structures at different stages of the demographic transition. - Social, economic and political implications of population change. - The impact of migration on national population structure and development. - Attempts to manage population change (including migration) to achieve sustainable development - Suggested case studies :
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Approved for use for teaching from September 2012 CJS
Cambridge Inspector for History-Geography
06 June 2012
