AP Human Geography Education

Shaped like a giant pistol sitting on its butt end, Wisconsin's new 22nd state Senate District is Exhibit A in the case against partisan redistricting.

The redistricting process is far from neutral; to be far we should remember that gerrymandering is has happened on all ends of the political spectum.  Which map to you think is the best way to divide these districts?  What is the fairest way to divide them?

As upscale, high-rise condos and hipster bars opened nearby, longtime customers joked: Is this really still “the ’hood”? Not anymore.

In a gentrifying neighborhood in Washington D.C. that was historically African-American, Fish in the ’Hood was an iconic restaurant that captured the feel of the area.  Just this May, the storefront restaurant was renamed Fish in the Neighborhood.

Questions to Ponder: Why?  Does it matter?  What does it mean?

Ever since my first visit to to Disneyland, I was intrigued by the  the ride 'It's a Small World After All."  As a youngster, it was an opportunity to get in cool boat ride that I always regretted half way into the ride once the song was firmly chiseled into my mind.  This blog post explores the curious and fascinating geographical imaginations, the visions of folk cultures and global harmony behind this Disneyland ride.  This fabulous map charts that vision. 

Language barriers prevent us for completely connecting. But what if the language barrier didn't exist?

DB: Presently we are living in a rapidly changing world where the spread of ideas and items are occurring at a rate unprecedented in history. In this globalized and increasingly interconnected world, the variation of languages spoken is drastically decreasing. As some of the most genuine characteristics of a culture are intertwined within its langue, a reduction in spoken languages and increased interaction is threating the duration of some traditional ways of living. Likewise since economics is one of the thriving factors behind globalization, the ability to communicate with your market has become paramount. However technological innovation is currently in the process of making up for the shortage of qualified linguists around the globe. Although possessing a universal portable translation device is currently beyond our capacity, it is likely that such a device similar to what was once believed possible only in science fiction may be readily available within our lifetime. Whether it becomes a public utility or a commensal asset as well as who has access to it remains to be decided. Yet this also brings up an important question of how culture will be affected if the language barrier is overcome through technology? Can geographic cultural diffusion continue to function if everyone can easily understand each other? What happens when worlds lose their cultural significance for the sake of convenience?

Zoom from the edge of the universe to the quantum foam of spacetime and learn about everything in between.

Click "Start," and then use the slider across the bottom, or the wheel on your mouse, to zoom in -- and in and in and in... or out and out and out... It will take you from the very smallest features postulated by scientists (the strings in string theory) to the very largest (the observable universe). This really is a fabulous visual demonstration of scale at micro and macro levels. This is an excellent way to bring spatial thinking into the math curriculum as well.

Tags: Scale, perspective, space, spatial, Unit 1 GeoPrinciples.

The United Nations General Assembly approved an upgraded U.N. status for the Palestinian Authority, despite U.S. and Israeli opposition.

While this may be primarily symbolic, it is still a highly significant move on the part of the United Nations.  65 years ago, the United Nations called for a two-state system.  This map of the vote that I found on Facebook (can't find another source as of yet) is quite intriguing. 

Questions to Ponder: Why might a country choose to abstain?  Can you think of a specific reason why a particular country abstained?  With this new geopolitical fact, how will Israel and Palestine move forward?   

New rules announced last week to allow interceptions of ships in the South China Sea are raising concerns in the region, and in Washington, that simmering disputes with Southeast Asian countries over the waters will escalate.

According to this new announcement, Chinese ships would be allowed to search and repel foreign ships if they were engaged in illegal activities (but that is open to interpretation) if the ships were within the 12-nautical-mile zone surrounding islands that China claims. This makes the disputed territorial claims of China all the more at the center of this geopolitical maneuverings.  Much of the South China Sea would then be under Chinese control if this announcement becomes the new reality. 

Questions to Ponder: Why is China making this announcement?  Is China within their rights to make this declaration?  Who might oppose this? 

New data from Zillow shows fewer homeowners underwater, but the pattern varies widely by geography.

The Sunbelt (especially California and Florida) have the highest percentage of homeowners that are 'underwater' and owe more than the home is worth.  Also hit hard are declining metro areas area of the rust belt. 

Question to ponder: Why would these places be hit the hardest?  

Evolutionary biologists say the first speakers of what would become the Indo-European languages were probably farmers in what is now Turkey — a conclusion that differs by hundreds of miles and thousands of years from a longstanding linguistic theory.

This research potentially can explain much about the geography of languages and the distribution of cultural groups in Eurasia. 

Being a woman can be much more difficult, based on where you live. 

Landesa partners with governments and local NGOs to ensure the world's poorest families have secure land rights, which develops sustainable economic growth and improves education, nutrition, and conservation...

Globally speaking, women are the primary agricultural workers yet rarely own land. 

Canadian artist Jon Rafman is an unusual photographer - he explores Google Street Views and takes screenshots of the most incredible sights here.

 For more, see: http://9-eyes.com

Report by an Israeli non-governmental organisation says 2011 was a record year for Palestinian displacement.

This infographic comes from the group Visualizing Palestine. This corresponds with the UN's recent statement that Gaza 'will not be liveable by 2020' given Israeli policies.

The University of Wisconsin-Superior is in one of the least ethnically diverse regions of the United States and the university is partnering with other local organizations across that region aimed at highlighting structural advantages within society for Caucasians.  This campaign to make 'white privilege' visible has not surprisingly generated controversy and has made race and its impact of society an issue quite visible, to the discomfort of many.   The author of the book, "Colorblind," speaks about this issue on PBS as he argues that the United States is not in a post-racial society. 

Questions to Ponder:  In what tangible ways can you see 'white privilege' in our society?  Is this ad campaign a good idea?  What does the term normativity mean and how does it relate to this topic? 

Tags: race, racism, culture, unit 3 culture, book review and ethnicity.

This blogpost answers the (often unasked) question:  What would the world be like if the land masses were spread out the same way as now - only rotated by an angle of 90 degrees? While purely hypothetical, this is an exercise in applying real geographic thinking to different situations.  Anything that you would correct? 

Tags: weather climate, geography, GeographyEducation, unit 1 GeoPrinciples, physical.