East Asia Quiz

1. China’s One Child Policy was put into effect in 1979 as an effort to help decrease the problem of overpopulation and other environmental issues. China created this policy or law that allowed families to only have one child. Many see this law as violating the human rights of people because of the strict governmental restrictions. This can sometimes include forced sterilizations and abortions to families who have already had one child. This can also affect the relationships between family members. They will have less opportunity to bond with other brothers, sisters, cousins etc. There is also much pressure to bear a son because they are thought to be valued higher in the Chinese society. Boys can be bigger and stronger and help out more with job tasks.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/11/1171

2. The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam in the world, which stands at 600 feet and 1.4 miles wide. It was designed to help control flooding, improve navigation on the Chang Jiang, and to generate electricity. This project has cost billions of dollars and has dramatically affected the surrounding environment and population. The dam has negatively disrupted the environment so much that some types of wildlife, such as the fish-sturgeon which may now go extinct. This project has also had a great impact on human life. It has forced over 1.9 million people who once lived where the dam now forms a reservoir to relocate into a different area.
Pulsipher, 2006, p.335-336

3. The connection between China and Sudan is a business relationship. The Chinese buy oil from Sudan, which in turn increases their profit for spending. China has previously supplied Sudan with millions of dollars worth of small arms. These weapons have been thought to be used in the genocide and North vs. South civil war. These events have killed many of innocent civilians of the Darfur region, which has caused people to abandon their homes and families.
http://www.stoparmstosudan.org/pages.asp?id=24

4. According to Pulsipher, Confucianism is closely related to China’s bureaucratic ruling tradition. The goals that Confucius had were to eliminate violence from the society and to help reform the government. The values and beliefs that he created affected the overall structure of families living within Eastern Asia. The model for Confucian philosophy was the patriarchy, which was determined further by gender and age. Confucian ideals were thought to maintain the power and position of emperors and their bureaucratic administrators at the expense of merchants.
Pulsipher, 2006, p. 338-339

5. There are many environmental problems that face China. Many of these issues stem from their over populated and developed country. Air pollution is one of the biggest problems for this region of the world. Pulsipher believes the air quality in China’s cities is among the worst in the world. The air pollution is thought to be caused by the burning of coal and also be the emissions from various vehicles. One direct consequence of this pollution is acid rain. Air pollution can have many lasting effects on the people living in these conditions. One is recurrent illnesses and increase in allergies. This can negatively impact many people’s lives. This can also affect the rest of the world by contributing to global warming by emitting CO2.
Pulsipher, 2006 p.336-337

6. An American’s daily life differs from a Japanese person’s daily life in many ways. The biggest difference between the two cultures is seen in the working world. First, the work days are much longer and businesses expect much more work/dedication to their company. They expect that employees are committed to their work and that they must work overtime. They also expect that leisure time is to be spent with business colleagues to help build and maintain relationships. People living within this culture take the emphasis off of spending time with family, but rather put important business opportunities first. Transportation is another big difference between these two cultures. The transportation systems that are used in Japan are used much often and are more efficient.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e625.html

7. Hong Kong-It is a part of China after the UK cut their ties with them in 1999. It is one of two special administrative regions (SAR) of China. Hong Kong has a special relationship with China because it does not have to participate in the Chinese socialist economic system. It more or less serves as China’s connection to the global economy. Hong Kong is special because it has a capitalists economy where it promotes its low taxes. This freedom allows many businesses to have success.
Macau-This is the second special administrative region (SAR) that is a part of China. Macau has the ability to control its own economics as well as customs, which allows it to have some freedom. Macau is protected by China and this power allows them to control the diplomatic relations. The freedom that is granted to both of these (Hong Kong and Macau) regions allow for a higher quality of life compared to the rest of China.
Taiwan-Today, the status of Taiwan is still unresolved between Taiwan and the Chinese government. There have been many people who have fled to Taiwan to evade and escape the government of China. Taiwan considers that they are independent from China because they have a less controlling government. Similar to the other regions, they offer more freedoms which helps to contribute to the greater quality of life seen in this region.
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country/4562d8cf2/MAC.html

8. The two countries on the Korean Peninsula are North and South Korea. They are separated because of many political differences. The WWII established a boundary (38th Parallel) that today separates the two countries. The U.S. views North Korea as a threat or danger because of their government. They have a communist government and are trying to develop nuclear weapons. These nuclear threats have created much tension between the U.S. and North Korea. The U.S. views South Korea as an ally because of its similar democratic system. They have been allies because of their similar thoughts and beliefs. This relationship is much stronger compared to the relationship between North Korea.
http://www.kedo.org/

9. There have been many conflicts between Tibet and China. Their relationship is seen as a hostile and unstable one. According to the BBC news they reported that the, “allegiances of many Tibetans lie with the exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, seen by his followers as a living god, but by China as a separatist threat" (BBC, 2008). Tibet has been trying to gain independence from China for many years. However, the Chinese government keeps restricting them because of their beliefs and many other issues. This has negatively impacted many people living in Tibet because they say they are losing their characteristics that make them unique.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7299221.stm

Photos courtesy from http://www.bing.com/

South Asia

A. Why does South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons? How do monsoons affect seasons? How have the monsoons affected life in South Asia? Specifically address life in Bangladesh.

-- South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons because of the winter and summer wind patterns. In the winter, there is cool and dry air that flows from South Asia out to the ocean. It is the opposite during the summer because the air with the moisture flows from the Indian Ocean in towards the countries located in South Asia. This brings heavy rains and it affects many different aspects of life. The monsoons can dictate the amount of precipitation a region has, which can affect things like agriculture. The amount of rainfall can either destroy or help crops grow. Monsoon season is especially tough on people who live in Bangladesh. This is because heavy rainfall is common characteristic of this country because of its location. It is located just south of the foothills of the Himalayas which are close to the intertropical convergence zone, which draws a lot of rain. This amount of precipitation makes it very difficult to maintain crops during very wet and very dry seasons.

B. Explain the environmental issues around the Ganges River and the impact this has had on the people of India.

--There are many problems that surround the pollution of the Ganges River. The Ganges River has been important to the people of India because it has served for many years as a resource for drinking, cooking and bathing. This river is now being over-polluted by the people within this country because of several of reasons. The old sewage system which was built by the British has exceeded its capacity. This system, because of its capacity, is now dumping raw sewage directly into the river which leads too much of the pollution. There is also a Hindu tradition in which people scatter their dead loved ones cremated body into the river. However, the process of the cremation is not fully successful and this problem also contributes to the pollution of the river. This pollution has affected the many people who rely on this river for their everyday life. The pollution of this river has caused various illnesses and it doesn’t allow people to use it for their needs. There are many solutions that are trying to be implemented to make this river cleaner to help the people and animals that use this river.

C. In what areas is the population density highest in South Asia and why? What are the reasons for the population growth in South Asia? What impact does the massive population have on South Asia?

--There are many areas within South Asia that have very high population densities. These regions consist of southern and northern India and Bangladesh. There are many factors that have contributed to this massive population growth in South Asia. One reason is because of the incentive to have large families so that the children can contribute to labor such as farming to help the family bring in a larger income. Another factor that is causing high population is because of the poor access to healthcare within these regions. This causes many babies and young children to die at an early age. This means that families will try to have multiple children to ensure that at least one will survive to adulthood. The impact of high population density contributes to many economical and environmental problems. There is not an equal distribution of resources to the people living within these highly populated regions.

D. How did the caste system develop and what affect has it had on the human geography of the region?

--The caste system is an ancient development that divided a society into hereditary hierarchical categories. A person is thought to be born into a given category and destined to live the life of those types of people. This traditional system has had many affects on human geography throughout the years. It has caused much discrimination between classes of high and low standing. Traditionally ones sub-caste would determine where one lived, what they ate, who they were associated with and what type of job and life they would have. Now India has began to try to eliminate the discrimination between the various categories of the caste system. They have begun to implement a affirmative action program that guarantees rights and jobs to those people who are thought to be in the lower classes.

E. What are at the roots of the conflict over the Punjab and Kashmir regions? What groups are involved with the conflict?

--Punjab is the home of the Sikh people. The state of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947. During this transition, the Sikh community chose to live in the Indian part of Punjab because they thought that their identity would be better protected by living within this region. However, they have felt alienated by the people of India. This has caused much violence between these two groups of people. There have been many deaths due to the violence of angry citizens. Kashmir is a region that has been dominated by Muslim influence. Some of the citizens living within this region believe that it should be turned over to Pakistan. However, the king of Kashmir who is a Hindu wants Kashmir to remain independent. There are many regional conflicts in which people dispute the territorial boundaries of land. These are two examples of regional conflicts of the citizens living within these territories. The conflicts are usually felt by local citizens who want to associate with a different country, but this association can be very troubling because there are many political reasons. Politics play an important factor in determining the regional conflicts.

Photos are courtesy of http://openanthcoop.ning.com/groups/group/show?groupUrl=southasiananthropology&xg_source=activity
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww63o4qpzGeCSkCto0haMOZ5hquBiHsiiViS4Tj2DaANsn9hvNVZ4Pblf9yWBdIelGq9gZ8oO__4RxpuKuoCj-apYIYzpsVCPkYWBwJFmL2VSfNzALMDF1hf9SR6rkgYZbgFdnuTvwgI/s1600/monsoon-trivandrum-392870-sw_Kl52GbrmvsSE.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/3088633058_b995fe54ea.jpg

Guns, Germs and Steel

In the movie Guns, Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond tries to explain the reasons behind the many problems surrounding Africa and its natives. Diamond believes that it began with the European settlers who came to Africa many years ago. This group of people took over native land from the Africans. This displaced many of the natives forcing them to move away from their home land. The European settlers were able to accomplish this because of their developed lifestyle. They had important resources like large animals, developed technology and sophisticated medicine. These factors all contributed to the decline in African power. Once the Europeans had taken over southern Africa they started pushing towards the interior of Africa to gain more land and resources. However, with this conquest the Europeans experienced more problems. They faced more resistance from larger African tribes, which they had not seen before. The Europeans combated this by advancing their steel technology. The industrial revolution led the Europeans to the creation of more advanced guns (the multi-shot and continuous gun). This invention helped the Europeans to take over more land and travel farther toward the interior of Africa. However, this movement to the interior parts of Africa posed greater problems for the Europeans. Their initial settlements were in southern Africa, which were equally the same distance from the equator as they were in Europe. This helped to produce similar climates and conditions that they were accustomed too. When the Europeans moved more towards the interior they moved into a more tropical climate. They were subjected to a new environment that they and their animals had never experienced. The land was very different and this affected their farming and agriculture because their crops would not successfully grow. The new climate also brought new illnesses and diseases that they had never seen. They didn’t have the proper medicine to combat these various problems. This caused the Europeans to eventually leave this land, but after they left the damage upon Africa and their natives was already done. The colonization that the Europeans had enforced on the Africans was one factor that has contributed to their problems and still exists today. Africans used to live in different regions that were very spread out, but now they live in high density locations. This has increased the rate of infection of different illnesses and diseases. It is easier to pass and contract an illness when living in close proximity of more individuals. This has also affected their medicine because the more medicine the doctors give out the more likely the strains of disease can mutate and combat the effect of the medicine. This has caused medicine in Africa to become less effective causing more sickness and more deaths. Before the Europeans arrived in Africa, African culture was very diverse with many tribes. Each tribe had their own culture made up of a different set of beliefs and values. They also had their own unique language. Since different tribes of Africans were forced to live in close proximity, many problems have cropped up amongst the different tribes. Besides having to live in close proximity to each other, other factors that have contributed to this rise in conflict are the language and cultural barriers between different groups of Africans. Understanding the impact the European Settlers had when they came to Africa and colonized helps to understand how the tension started among the Africans and why conflict still exists today.

Photos courtesy of http://www.travelnotes.org/Africa/images/africa2.gif and https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWv_qh9DSM6NWWPGbh5FahMjxqKx_wC9f3WfOIHOUKjkUuFxzQt8WPi39L4vuXM2WzqUiAK7XunVS7dZxmKyLSG2OrBWdjDW0w_GMkfdvt0In_wYOqshIhvJ-Ws3oliUOhiPWi94_gnSo/s400/boer-guerrilla-commandos-boerwar_400.jpg

Saudi Arabia

Before I watched the program about Saudi Arabia I had many preconceived notions about this country and their people. First, I knew that the majority of this country was desert. The film stated that 95% of the country was actually made up of desert. I thought that it was awesome that the Saudi Arabians had off-road vehicles that they used to tear up the desert. I would love the opportunity to cruise the desert in one of those types of vehicles. I also believed the people of Saudi Arabia to be very reserved and quite. I thought this because I knew that there were many strict religious rules and codes in which they had to follow. I also thought that the majority of the population was either rich or poor because of the significance of oil production with very little middle class. It was fascinating to find out that the cost of a gallon of gas was under $1 in Saudi Arabia. It seemed that there was also a middle class present throughout the filming of this show. I was expecting to see a large presence of wealth and materialistic people in the program, but this class was not represented or shown in the program. It was interesting to see that they also had a huge shopping mall for people to go shopping. I was also aware of the dress code in which women are forced to follow. It was interesting to find out that the reason the women covered up in public was to protect female beauty. However, I did not realize that they could wear whatever they wanted in their own home. It was nice to know that females had some freedom when it came to dressing in clothes! It would not be very fun to be limited to a certain dress code everywhere you went! I thought it was so bizarre and fascinating that women had to follow the dress code even while underwater! It was interesting to see that the outfit the men wore actually was very light weight and helped to keep them cool in the hot temperatures. I learned that vendors and practically the rest of the city shuts down during the time of prayer. I also learned that Saudi Arabia is a very family oriented country. Families get preferential treatment when it comes to certain things within the community. I was shocked at how similar Saudi Arabians act compared to people from the United States. It seemed that everyone was very nice and polite to the American host. I also saw many friendly and proud Arabs who were honored to serve their guests. Hospitality was also an important aspect when it came to the culture of the Saudi Arabians. It was also interesting to see the wide variety of food selection that they had. I didn’t know that camel meat was actually a part of their diet. It was also interesting to see that the majority of people ate with their fingers. They would share a main course and just rip their food right off with their fingers. This is a different concept compared to American culture. Overall I thought that the country of Saudi Arabia was very different from what I expected. I would someday love the opportunity to travel to this place!

Photos courtesy of http://www.wordtravels.com/images/map/Saudi_Arabia_map.jpg and http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2307716-Bedoins_In_Saudi_Arabia-Saudi_Arabia.jpg

Soviet Terms

Glasnost- A specific Soviet government policy that allowed for open discussion of social and political issues within the country. It was also known as a historical time period (around the 1980s) when there was less censorship by the government.

http://www.historyorb.com/russia/glasnost.shtml

Karl Marx- A German socialist thinker whose ideas and beliefs created the foundations of communism. His ideology eventually led to the movement of Marxism. This system of beliefs have influenced many people and has specifically impacted the people of Russia.

http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/marx.html

http://www.pointofresistance.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/karl-marx0.jpg

Vladimir Lenin- A Russian politician and revolutionary thinker who led the Russian Revolution of 1917. He was known as a communist who was the first Head of State during the initial years of the USSR.

http://www.essortment.com/all/biographyvladim_myd.htm

http://www.isfp.co.uk/images/vladimir_lenin.jpg

Perestroika- Was the policy of governmental and economic reform. This was established by Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. The creation of this policy took place during the mid 1980s.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perestroika

Russian Revolution of 1917- A combination of events which led to the creation of the Soviet state. It became known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the USSR.

http://www.emayzine.com/lectures/russianrev.html

KGB- A Russian abbreviation for the name of the national security agency of the Soviet Union. It was known for being a very effective intelligence agency.

http://www.fas.org/irp/world/russia/kgb/su0520.htm

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c72e153ef01156ff8732f970c-800wi

Chechnya- A region that is located in the Northern Caucasus mountains. Over time, there have been many disputes over its independence from Russia.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/100/crisis-in-chechnya

http://www.flashpoints.info/countries-conflicts/Chechnya-web/Chechnya-map3.bmp

Tsar Nickolas II- The last Emperor to rule Russia. He ruled from 1894 until 1917 and was abolished shortly following the Revolution of 1917.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/nicholasii.htm

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Tsar_Nicholas_II_-1898.JPG

Trans-Siberian railroad- The longest railroad system to exist in Russia. The system was constructed under the control of Tsar Alexander III and began in 1891. This railroad system runs from Moscow to Vladivostok and stretches over 5,700 miles.

http://www.geographia.com/russia/trasib01.htm

http://www.travelhistory.org/siberia/travelers/bholmes/intromatter/transibbig.jpg

Kremlin- Is a complex consisting of multiple palaces, armories and churches. It also serves as the official residence of the President of Russia.

http://www.geographia.com/russia/moscow02.htm

http://rocketrussian.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/kremlin.jpg

Red Square- A location in Moscow that is known as a city square. This square is surrounded by some of Moscow’s famous tourist attractions such as Lenin’s tomb and St. Basil’s cathedral. It is also located adjacent to the Kremlin.

http://www.geographia.com/RUSSIA/moscow03.htm

Bolshevik- A member of the extremist wing of the Russian Democratic party. The Bolsheviks came to power during the Russian Revolution of 1917 and eventually founded the Soviet Union.

http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/easteurope/octrev.html

Joseph Stalin- A Russian political figure who became the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Vladimir Lenin.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RUSstalin.htm

http://images.google.com/images?q=Joseph%20Stalin&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

Yuri Gagarin- A Soviet cosmonaut, who became the first person in outer space. While in space he was able to successfully orbit the Earth.

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/gagarin.html

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Science/Images/yuri-gagarin-in-space.jpg

Mikhail Gorbachev- A Soviet official who served as President, but resigned once the Soviet Union started to fall apart.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/238982/Mikhail-Gorbachev

http://www.topnews.in/files/Mikhail.Gorbachev.jpg

Grigori Rasputin- A man who was considered to have been a “faith healer” who influenced many lives. Interestingly, there is a brand of vodka that is made in Germany that is named after Rasputin and even includes his face in a hologram on the bottle.

http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Rasputin_Grigori.html

http://signaveritae.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/rasputin-pd.jpg

Grand Dutchess Anastasia- The youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II who was supposedly executed with her family by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Some people say that her body was missing and question her whereabouts.

http://www.answers.com/topic/anastasia

Red Terror- Is known as a campaign led by the Bolsheviks, which included many executions and arrests. This campaign targeted against counterrevolutionaries in Russia.

http://encyclopedia.stateuniversity.com/pages/18369/Red-Terror.html

Lake Baykal- Is the world’s deepest lake in the world, which reaches depths of 1285 m below sea level. It is believed that this lake contains 20% of the total freshwater on the entire earth.

http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/asi/asi-27.html

http://www.baikaler.com/map/gifs/olkhontotal.gif

All of these terms are connected in various ways, but all contribute to the history and geography of Russia.

Jared Diamond

According to Jared Diamond, his research has shown that it is geographic luck that determines whether or not a civilization grows prosperous. He believes that there is a direct correlation between animal and plant domestication and the ability of a culture to advance. Great civilizations have been known for greater advancements in technology and larger population growth. He discovered that it was because of animal and plant domestication that led to these great civilizations. However, these two variables depended greatly on the geography of the land. This factor was determined to be all luck. Civilizations that had to hunt and gather their food took more time and energy than civilizations who could farm and easily produce their food. The environment was a crucial factor in determining specific local foods. Some regions of the world could only grow certain produce that wasn’t nutritious. This food lacked necessary nutritious value, which didn’t allow civilizations to grow in the number of people. Farming was another key aspect that led to larger civilizations. Farms that could grow nutritious and beneficial food would have the opportunity to provide healthier food to their people. Farming could also provide a larger quantity of food allowing more people to be fed and therefore growing the population within a given civilization. The domestication of animals also allowed for such goods as milk (high in protein), skin and fur for warmth, leather and hide. Large animals could also be used for different things such as farming. Therefore, regions with larger animals had the opportunity to use these animals to their advantage. In conclusion, geographic places with fertile land, the right plant domestication and animals made it easier for civilizations to grow. These factors seemed to hugely contribute to and impacted whether or not a civilization would grow and prosper in size. When a civilization became larger in size they would then continue to prosper and have greater advancements in technology.

Speaker on Afghanistan

The presentation that I attended was about life in Afghanistan. Roy Glover was the key note speaker who spoke about his time as a public diplomacy officer in Afghanistan. He began his presentation talking about his life and how different events affected his career path. He also explained the detailed process of how he became a public diplomat. His duties as a public diplomacy officer were to work with the people of Afghanistan and to inform them of certain U.S. policies. Mr. Glover also worked with the news media to try and promote U.S. interests with the people of Afghanistan. Another part of his job was informing Washington about what people thought about different U.S. policies. Roy Glover worked in a couple different countries before being sent to Afghanistan. He talked about the extensive bidding process that people go through to apply to work in different countries. He was granted access to work in the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. While he was in Afghanistan he spoke about how life there was very secluded and protected. In his PowerPoint, he showed many pictures of where he lived. His living corridors were very small, similar to that of a freshman dorm room. Mr. Glover was there during the war and spoke about how that influenced his work and lifestyle. He talked about how much security was there and the many different precautions they took. He lived inside a community surrounded by large cement walls with guard posts protecting 24 hours, 7 days a week. Mr. Glover didn’t have many opportunities to go out and experience the culture of Afghanistan because of the many limitations due to security. Even though he was limited in his ability to really explore Afghanistan he was still able to share with us what life was like to live in Afghanistan during the war. It was also interesting to hear about how his duties as a public diplomacy officer shifted day-to-day depending on what was going on in the world. It seemed like a very interesting job because every day he woke up not knowing what was going to happen next. It was interesting to hear personal stories from someone who was exposed to the war and how it affected his life and job.

Images courtesy of: http://www.apakistannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/kabul-map.gif and http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200709/r176882_674459.jpg