45 percent think the U.S. should intervene, but only half can identify the country.
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Global news with a spatial perspective: Interesting, current supplemental materials for geography students and teachers. http://geographyeducation.org
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From the NY Times: "North Korea, which seemed to be running out of tubs to thump, found a new target for its ire in a propaganda video released Saturday on Uriminzokkiri, a government Web site.
To a soundtrack of fervent synthesizers and inspirational light rock, the video announces that North Korea will aim nuclear weapons (that it may, or may not, be able to launch) at Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Honolulu and… Colorado Springs, Co.
The unorthodox move — apparently an attempt to target the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or Norad, and the United States Air Force Academy — is compounded by the fact that Pyongyang does not quite know where the city is. The map shown in the video places it somewhere in Louisiana."
Seth Dixon's insight:
I wish this had sub-titles, but it is an incredibly awesome bit of North Korea's famous jingoistic propaganda from their media that essentially is the least free press in the world (maybe subtitles would ruin the unintentional comedy). I find this equal parts hilarious and unnerving, but totally mesmerizing.
Tags: North Korea, war, conflict.
Louis Culotta's curator insight,
April 22, 3:13 PM
After watching this video it makes it really hard to believe any of this is possible at all to anyone in the world watching it, other than making the people of North Korea believe it to keep up moral in the contry itself.
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"Another refugee camp opened today in Mrajeeb al-Fhood, Jordan, to accommodate the reported 1,500 to 2,000 Syrians fleeing to Jordan daily. Just over a year ago the Big Picture posted an entry of the growing number of people displaced due to the conflict that now has lasted over two years. The United Nations recently said a total of around 7,000 to 8,000 Syrians are leaving their country daily; there are 1.3 million Syrian refugees and almost 4 million more have been displaced inside Syria since the start of the conflict. Posted here is another glimpse of daily life for those displaced since the beginning of this year."
Seth Dixon's insight:
These 37 images are excellent, but I chose to share this particular one, because the combination of poverty and happiness embody the purpose behind refugee camps. While the living conditions are grim and far from ideal, they are better than the alternative for these refugees and the assistance that they are receiving from the international community can be a ray of hope for the future of these children. In this picture, Syrian refugee children play in Sidon, located in southern Lebanon.
Tags: Syria, migration, conflict, political, MiddleEast, war.
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Seth Dixon's insight:
The effects of war can be staggering and far-reaching. Often the costs are much higher than anticipated at the beginning. Read this press release for more details on the recent findings regarding the actual costs of the Iraq War, which are estimated to have cost over 190,000 lives and $2.2 trillion.
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The number of Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict and crossed the borders hasn't ceased to increase.
Seth Dixon's insight:
UNICEF workers have stated: "More than 600,000 have fled the conflict in Syria and registered as refugees. The number of Syrians who have left without registering is unknown but is likely to be hundreds of thousands. We do know, however, that children make up around half the number of refugees and that is certainly no way for any child to live their childhood."
Tags: Syria, conflict, political, MiddleEast, war.
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Eighteen months ago, central Mogadishu was like an African Stalingrad.
Seth Dixon's insight:
Somalia's political troubles are not over, but it is no longer the drought-ridden country overrun by Islamist extremist that it was two years ago. For years it held the dubious title of "the world's most failed state." Al Shabbab, the militant group linked to Al Qaeda, left the capital of Mogadishu in 2011 and in 2012 lost their last stronghold. Piracy still exists off the Somali coast, but it has lessened as a semblance of political order is being restored to the Horn of Africa.
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As Kurds Fight for Freedom in Syria, Fears Rise in Turkey of Following Suit
Seth Dixon's insight:
Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Kurds have been caught in other people's plans for what the states of the Middle East should look like and are the largest 'stateless nation' in the world. Divided between Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, the Kurds have not been able to politically mobilize support for Kurdistan as they have been violently oppressed in these countries. The Kurds in Iraq have been able to gain political autonomy with the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, and the Syrian Kurds are hoping to do the same if and when the Assad regime crumbles at the end of the civil war. This make Turkey concerned that the Kurds in the southeastern part of Turkey will make renewed efforts to push for sovereignty.
UPDATE: This PBS feature explains the historic timeline of the important political events for the Kurds in Iraq.This article from the Economist focuses on the key reason that outside forces won't leave the Kurds alone: oil.
Tags: Syria, ethnic, conflict, political, Turkey, culture, devolution.
Dawn Haas Tache's curator insight,
January 8, 1:15 PM
Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Kurds have been caught in other people's plans for what the states of the Middle East should look like and are the largest 'stateless nation' in the world. Divided between Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, the Kurds have not been able to politically mobilize support for Kurdistan as they have been violently oppressed in these countries. The Kurds in Iraq have been able to gain political autonomy with the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, and the Syrian Kurds are hoping to do the same if and when the Assad regime crumbles at the end of the civil war. This make Turkey concerned that the Kurds in the southeastern part of Turkey will make renewed efforts to push for sovereignty.
UPDATE: This PBS feature explains the historic timeline of the important political events for the Kurds in Iraq.This article from the Economist focuses on the key reason that outside forces won't leave the Kurds alone: oil.
Tags: Syria, ethnic, conflict, political, Turkey, culture, devolution.
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I'll let Douglas Keeney's own words and this image speak for themselves: "The geography of human conflict as seen from space at night. The Strait of Hormuz as seen at night from the space station is a beautiful lesson in the geography of conflict. How much we learn by simply tracing the fingers of human populations as seen superimposed over the geography of Earth. Enjoy."
-From Lights of Mankind: Earth at Night From Space
What would a picture look like from a drone's perspective? Where are these places that are being targeted? This Instagram account is incredibly thought-provoking and informative.
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Israeli airstrikes began November 14, following months of Palestinian rocket fire into Israel.
"Monday, the top leader of Hamas dared Israel to launch a ground invasion of Gaza and dismissed diplomatic efforts to broker a cease-fire in the six-day-old conflict, as the Israeli military conducted a new wave of deadly airstrikes which included a second hit on a 15-story building that houses media outlets." This photo essay shows 34 powerful images that are emerging from this deadly conflict. If students need some background to understand who are the major players in this conflict, this glossary should be helpful.
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Seventeen years after she stared out from the cover of National Geographic, a former Afghan refugee comes face-to-face with the world once more.
The original cover is one of the more famous National Geographic photos of all time, and yet the woman in the photograph has not lived a life as though millions of people could recognize her eyes. This is her story.
Sam Capron's curator insight,
March 27, 9:34 PM
While this article was very informative, I think it is the image that really speaks volumes, just as it did in 1985 when the picture was first taken. The women in the picture does not appear to be 28-30, rather she looks much older. Clearly she has led a tough life, and the evidence of that is written on her face a mere 15 years after the original was taken.
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Britain has invaded all but 22 countries in the world in its long and colourful history, new research has found.
This is a great map to show the historical impact of colonialism on the world map. The map is based on the work in the new book All the Countries We've Ever Invaded: And the Few We Never Got Round To.
Tags: book reviews, colonialism, war, historical, UK.
Don Brown Jr's comment,
November 5, 2012 1:22 PM
Military conflict is often at times overlooked at as a source of language diffusion however the information displayed in this article can help explain how English has become one of the most popular languages in the world today.
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The remarkable pictures show scenes from France today with atmospheric photographs taken in the same place during the war superimposed on top.
In this fastinating set of images, Dutch artist and historian Jo Teeuwisse merges her passions literally by superimposing World War II photographs on to modern pictures of the where the photos were originally taken. This serves as a reminder that places are rich with history; to understand the geography of a place, one must also know it's history (and vice versa).
Matt A.'s comment,
April 16, 9:16 AM
These photos are incredibly interesting. It takes you back in time but shows you the present. It gives you perspective of what the battles looked like. You not be familiar with something when you see a picture of it from 70 years ago, but when it is combined to today it gives you a different perspective. It relates to geography because it gives us a sense of where these places are. How they were different then from today. It shows why things may be different. Why there may be monuments or plaques of rememberence.
Meg Conheeny's comment,
April 25, 4:43 PM
These photos really can open your eyes. You could be at a place that looks and feels normal but 50 years ago it was a bloody battlefield. So many places around the United States are filled with stories of history and culture. By standing in an area that was once a battlefield one can sense the presence of the men that once fought there. We can feel their strength and what they went through to give us freedom. Even though the environment and the landscape of a place can change overtime, the history and culture along with the individuals involved will always be engraved in that particular place.
Magnus Gustafsson's comment,
April 26, 3:53 PM
Yeah, this is interesting and give us possibilities to understand history is real.
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"An earlier GeoCurrents post on Chechnya mentioned that the Chechens were deported from their homeland in the North Caucasus to Central Asia in February 1944. However, the Chechen nation was not the only one to suffer such a fate under Stalin’s regime."
Seth Dixon's insight:
This is a painful page in world history, but it needs retelling. The Soviet era profoundly reshaped the cultural, political and economic geographies of the region.
Tags: Russia, migration, Central Asia, historical, war, ethnicity, political, gerrymandering.
Francisco Javier 's curator insight,
May 17, 6:41 PM
Stalin’s Ethnic Deportations—and the Gerrymandered Ethnic Map | @scoopit via @APHumanGeog http://sco.lt/...
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North Korea turned up the temperature yet another degree on its neighbors Monday, warning that it would not give any advance notice before attacking South Korea.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This CNN video briefly highlights why many pundits think "this time is different" --the rhetoric and threatens have gone far beyond what North Korea has done in the past. You might also enjoy the Plaid Avenger's always irreverant analysis in this 'plaidcast.'
Tags: North Korea, war, conflict.
Bryan knesel's curator insight,
April 16, 7:44 PM
great article in my openion i think the we should just bomb them and end all of this. and i found it wired that they are breaking the armisist from south korea .
Dakota Swank's comment,
April 18, 11:03 AM
yea knesel. Weird huh? Well the armisist treaty involves the US so, lets be honest, nothing is going to happen there because all this is is little Kim Jong Un in his big boy britches, they're just empty threats. So why waste the nuke? it will just be devistating and tragic for the whole world, you can't just wipe out an entire population like that. It's not human.
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Africa may have achieved independence, but the old colonial ties are still important as France’s decision to send troops to Mali to fight Islamist extremists shows.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This is a very intriguing infographic (download high-resolution image here). How are old colonial patterns a thing of the past? How do old colonial patterns continue to affect the African continent?
Tags: Africa, states, language, infographic, historical, colonialism.
Magnus Gustafsson's comment,
April 18, 4:25 PM
This is a useful information for history studies. Let the students discuss the colonial era.
Jennifer Kopf's comment,
April 19, 9:48 AM
Also interesting--airline flight routes. Alitalia goes to Ethiopia and Libya, Air France to West African countries, etc.
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If Pyongyang is as bent on war as it wants us to believe, why is it keeping the inter-Korean Kaesong industrial complex open?
Seth Dixon's insight:
News reports coming out of North Korea are grim and threatening right now. However, this Washington Post article argues that it might be all for show. The Kaesong Industrial Complex was opened in 2002 as a gesture of peace. Located just across the northern side of the border, it is staffed by South and North Koreans (South Korea get super cheap labor, North Korea gets an infusion of currency, both get positive PR). The Kaesong Industrial Complex continues to operate with the permission of the North Korean government. Were that to ever change and North Korea shut down this joint venture, THEN we'll know that they are serious. Watch this short video for an overview of the geopolitical situation on the Korean peninsula as of March 2013.
Tags: North Korea, war, labor, industry, economic, conflict, unit 6 industry.
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-Introduction (1 minute) -Sign up for a free Prezi account and give your students background with the Syria the Basics PREZI . (5 minutes) - Follow up with another PREZI about Youth...
Seth Dixon's insight:
Have you wanted to teach about current events in Syria but weren't sure where to start? This resource suggested by the Arizona Geographic Alliance has lesson plans, materials and resources for all grades.
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Balancing the interests of stakeholders in the Malian polity will be difficult, however some key steps should be taken.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This is a great article for give to students to provide them with the geo-political context to understand the situation in Mali. It also give a great reminder for observers and the involved parties to not lump all Tuareg civilians in the north with the Islamists groups that are in control. "This failure to consistently distinguish between different groups in the North by multiple stakeholders...portends longer term trouble." For additional reading, see this Geography in the News article on Mali, tailor-made for classroom.
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France is ready to stop Islamist militants who control northern Mali, the French president says, following a plea for help by his Malian counterpart.
Seth Dixon's insight:
In April 2012, Islamist rebels seized power in Northern Mali and have declared independence, proclaiming this region The Islamic State of Azawad. Recently they have begun to amass armies on the southern limits of their territory and presumably are seeking to topple all of Mali. The former colonizer, France is being called upon to assist as is the United Nations. This area is part of a region known as the Sahel, the transition from a dry North Africa to tropical Sub-Saharan Africa, from a Muslim/Arab north to a Christian/Animist/Black region of Africa. The human and physical geographic divisions in this region plays a major role in this conflict.
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The extent of the campaign is shocking.
Seth Dixon's insight:
This map is just overwhelming when you consider that each data point represents a bomb dropped on the city.
Elizabeth Allen's curator insight,
December 12, 2012 12:29 AM
Amazing how this image can have such an impact. Seeing pics like this add the element of realness. Reading about history in books, gives the reader an understanding, but a map such as this is more telling. During the 8 months of bombing, London lost over 40,000 people, this map has a way of getting the message across Elizabeth Allen
Sam Capron's curator insight,
February 28, 1:32 AM
This map is unreal! From the right distant the red dots representing the bomb sites block out the entire map, however it is interesting that all of the bombs fell in a very concentrated area, most assuredly where the populations are located.
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With a simple class hashtag (e.g.-#geog400ric) you can create a backchannel for student to collaborate outside the classroom walls.
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This map shows each verified incident of violence in Gaza and Israel since last week's assassination of Hamas leader Ahmed al-Jabari. Geospatial technologies combined with social media are changing how we learn about (and wage) wars.
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Brown University's Choices Program has many excellent resources for social studies teachers including "Teaching with the News." Many teachers are seeing the importance of Syria, but might lack the regional expertise to put it in context or to the time to link it with the curriculum. If that is the case (and even if it is not), this is the perfect place to find lesson plans on the ongoing Syrian conflict.
Tags: political, MiddleEast, conflict, war.
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The story of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan is a heartbreaking and inspiring tale of youth caught in cultural and geopolitical conflicts and fored to leave their homes. The film God Grew Tired of Us tells a moving story of young people overcoming incredible challenges and struggling to improve their own lives and those of family and friends left behind." Linked here is a lsson plan from National Geographic "to teach students about concepts of migration, cultural mosaics, sense of place, and forces of cooperation and conflict among communities" using this 90 minute documentary. The film can be viewed online on HULU as well as other media outlets.
Tags: culture, Africa, political, conflict, war, migration, development, APHG.
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