1. Why are different places similar???

2. Scale: From local to global
Geographers see unique features at a local level;
And see broad patterns at a global level
Older phrase: “Think global, act local”
Modern phrase: “Think and act both global and local
Explain these phrases and explain the needed difference in the modern phrase

3. Globalization of economy
Globalization – a force or process that involves the entire world and results in making something worldwide in scope
> The scale of the world is shrinking
> Greater ability for people, objects, or ideas to
interact with ones in other places
World is more uniform, integrated, and interdependent
Led primarily by transnational corporations (TC)—conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where it headquarters and principal shareholders are located
What is a “shareholder”???

4. Global $ TRansfers Historically Modern Very difficult and cumbersome
$ could be “frozen” for long periods
Most countries prohibited the removal of large sums
Communist countries required government approval
NOT efficient!
Technology provides means to move money, as well as other assets, efficiently around the world
What are “assets”???
Electronic superhighways allow companies to organize economic activities globally

5. Global Economy
Each place specializes in a distinctive role based on its local assets
TCs assess the particular economic asset of each place
Economic differences among places has been heightened
2008 recession the first “Global Recession”

6. Globalization of culture
Increasingly uniform cultural preferences produce uniform “global” landscapes of material artifacts and of cultural values
Underlying the uniform global landscape is globalization of cultural beliefs and forms—especially religions and language
Local cultural beliefs, forms, and traits are threatened with extinction
Yet, cultural differences still exist and flourish in some places

7. Opposition to globalization
Groups have a strong determination to retain its local cultural traditions
Political disputes, unrest, and wars have erupted
Al-Qaeda terrorists attacked the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon—symbols of U.S. domination of globalization trends in culture, politics, and the economy

8. Space: Distribution of features
Geographers identify the location of important places and explain why human activities are located beside one another in space
Ask “Where” and “Why”
Organize materials spatially b/c an action at one point in space can result from something happening at another point
Geographers can study other spaces first hand

9. Distribution Distribution – the arrangement of a feature in space
Three main Properties:
Density – frequency with which something occurs in space
> Arithmetic Density – total # of objects in an
area  commonly used in population (Ex.
Belgium has 900 people per sq. mile)
- Population divided by land area
- High pop does not guarantee high
density  China is most populated, but
not highest density  Why???
> Physiological Density - # of persons per unit of
area suitable for agriculture  What does this tell us???
> Agricultural Density - # of farmers per unit area of
farmland  What about this???
> Housing Density - # of dwelling units per unit of area

10. Distribution 2) Concentration
Concentration – the extent of a feature’s spread over space > Objects close together are clustered > Objects relatively far apart are dispersed

11. Distribution
3) Pattern – the geometric arrangement of objects in space > Some features are organized in a geometric pattern—others irregularly > Grid pattern of streets in U.S. cities (blocks) * Land Ordinance of 1785

12. Gender and Ethnic diversity in space
Read this on pages 34-35

13. Connections between places
Space-Time Compression – the reduction in time it takes for something to reach another place > Promotes rapid change

14. Spatial Interaction
Historically, people had to physically move to other locations
> Advancements in transportation sped up the process over time
Now, networks have been developed between places
> Chains of communication that connect
people
When places are connected thru a network—there is spatial interaction
Typically, the further away one group is from another, the less likely they will interact
> Distance Decay

15. diffusion
Diffusion – the process by which characteristics spread across space from one place to another Hearth – the place from which an innovation originates Ex. Dominant cultural, political, and economic features of the U.S. traced primarily to hearths in Europe

16. Relocation diffusion
Spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another

17. Expansion diffusion
Spread of a feature from one place to another in a snowballing process
Three Processes…

18. 1) Hierarchical diffusion
Spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places
> Spread from political leaders, socially elite, or
other important members of in a community
> Innovations may originate in a place of power
Fashion from New York or Paris

19. 2) Contagious diffusion
Rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population
> Spreads like a wave among fans in a stadium
> No regard for hierarchy or need for
permanent relocation

20. 3) Stimulus diffusion
Spread of an underlying principle, even though characteristic itself apparently fails to diffuse
* IBM and Apple example on page 39
* Webster’s Dictionary: diffusion in which one
people receives a culture element from
another but gives it a new and unique form

21. Diffusion of culture and economy
Increasingly centered on three core hearth regions:
North America (New York)
Western Europe (London)
Japan (Tokyo)
Have large % of world’s advanced tech, capital, and wealth
Africa, Asia, and Latin America on periphery, outer edge, of global investment (3/4 of world’s pop)
Uneven Development – increasing gap in economic conditions between regions in the core and periphery that results from the globalization of the economy