Human Geography is interested in not just why places are different but also the variety of ways in which places are connected to other places. Discuss. Illustrate your answer with examples from one or more sections of the module.
Intro:
This essay will focus on the two key themes of globalisation and nationalism in demonstrating and discussing how places are both connected and different and the various ramifications of this.
This essay will argue that although places are becoming increasingly connected in various ways (globalisation, freer markets, the World Wide Web etc.) this is not always benefiting people, and people are increasingly seeing many manifestations of globalisation as a threat to their culture, their control (politically) over space and territory and their identity (on national, regional and local levels).
Ultimately, it will argue that globalisation is continuing to feed people’s insecurities about their national, regional and local identities demonstrating a significant link between globalisation and nationalist resurgences (and thus how although people and places are becoming increasingly connected they are, perhaps paradoxically, also becoming increasingly different).
The first section of this essay is dedicated to exploring the economic implications of globalisation, and how freer markets are reshaping people’s feelings of national, regional, and local identities.
The second section of this essay will deal with the way in which advances in communications technology such as the World Wide Web, affordable international airline travel, and an emergence of a so-called ‘global culture’ has effected
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brainstorm
Human Geography is interested in not just why places are different but also the variety of ways in which places are connected to other places. Discuss. Illustrate your answer with examples from one or more sections of the module.
What is the question really instructing in simple terms?
Topic: Human Geography.
Function: The way places are different and the variety of ways places are connected to other places.
Instruction: Discuss = Investigate/examine by argument; sift and debate; give reasons for and against; examine the implications.
So...
Human Geography is not only interested in why places are different but also (in the way) how they are connected. Investigate, debate and examine the implications of this statement using examples from sections of the module.
Intro:
***Re-write intro, focus more on globalisation.
Human Geography covers a vast array of different subject matters when investigating how and why places are both different and/or connected.
This is partly due to the world becoming increasingly ‘globalised’ (globalisation) which has lead to (too use just two examples out of many) the opening up of free market economies as well as exposure to a myriad of different cultures due to cheap air travel and communications such as the world wide web. In short, the world’s nations and people are becoming increasingly interconnected and also often interdependent on each other for development.
This essay will focus on demonstrating how places are both different and connected by analysing the economic and cultural geographies of places, specifically the ongoing investigation of a tension within Human Geography; The world may be said to be becoming more global (scholars often talk of an emerging ‘global culture’), but at the same time there are Nationalist Resurgences happening all over the world.
Thus, this essay will use this core tension, currently a topic of much debate within Human Geography, to both demonstrate and argue how nations may be becoming connected in one sense but are striving to maintain independence, identity and difference in the face of globalisation.
Globalisation has become a hugely significant topic of debate and investigation in Human Geography. This is because the impacts of Globalisation are felt on virtually every level of society in almost every nation on Earth as nations and people become increasingly connected and interdependent on each other.
This is not just in an economic or political sense. People and places are connected in far more subtle and unobvious ways. For example, we often hear scholars talk about an emerging ‘global culture’ (citation needed).
But at the same time, places and people do remain very different and more and more people seem to want to express their difference.
To demonstrate this this essay will focus on an ongoing debate within Human Geography; the world is becoming globalised and as such nations are becoming increasingly connected. But the resurgence of nationalism across the world is still leading people to express a desire to preserve culture and national or even ethnic identities in the face of global capitalism that they perceive as threat to these identities. This demonstrates that spaces and the people that inhabit them are still unique and different from each other despite the emergence of a so-called ‘global culture’.
The truth is, some people feel threatened by globalisation; people from developing countries often feel exploited by multi-national corporations and other perceived ‘western’ influences and culture.
Recently, Freetown in Papua New Guinea has experienced a series of murders of ‘western’ American miners by ‘native’ New Guineans (citation needed). This is because they feel both there natural homes and their rights are being invaded by foreign powers. They feel as though there way of life is being threatened, and along with it their history and culture.
For these New Guineans, talk of a ‘global culture’ means very little to them.
So people are remaining defiant in the face of globalisation and want to express their independence often through acts and expressions of civic or even ethnic nationalism.
There are numerous examples of how people from all across the world, from developing and developed nations, are rebelling against what they perceive as a threat to their way of life, the essence of their culture.
It’s not just a phenomenon effecting developing countries. It’s happening here in the so-called ‘developed’ world, in the UK.
The rise of nationalist political parties is one such example. The BNP have recently had 2 members of the European Parliament elected by British citizens. The UKIP took a large percentage of the vote and came second overall, beating many of the mainstream parties. Both are against the open border policy and free immigration within the EU, albeit to varying degrees.
This signifies people’s discontent; because although within the EU we are reaping the benefits of freer trade and open borders, that is bringing nations and people together, we are also seeing a genuine resistance; People feel as if their identity is under threat, and are reacting with a return to patriotism and nationalistic pride (citation needed).
But this isn’t always confined to the far right-wing. Many of the UKIP policies are not particularly right-wing (socially speaking, not economically), and instead could be interpreted as free-market libertarian (citation needed). And left-wing political parties such as NO2EU are also providing resistance from the opposite side of the political spectrum. This is evidence that the resurgence in nationalism isn’t merely confined to people who are considered traditionally far-right of the political spectrum.
People from all walks of life, from all corners of the political compass, are resisting globalisation, an opening up of geographical borders and the spread of global capitalism.
How much of a role does language play?
The widespread use of English as an emerging international language, arguably even the business language, is perhaps a more subtle way in demonstrating how places are connected.
But there is resistance even here. Catalonia is one example (example). They have their own seats in the EU, yet are still a part of the Spanish nation. Yet they fiercely and passionately defend their own Catalonian language, distinctive from Spanish (citations needed for all of this). They are happy to open there borders, create trade links and encourage investment from the international community, but at the same time want to preserve their culture (there is a quote from a Catalonian politician somewhere which sums this up beautifully, possibly in ‘intro human geographies’ “nationalism” chapter).
This speaks volumes about how people feel about globalisation; Lassiez-faire Capitalism and open borders are welcomed for their potential to bring about economic and material prosperity, but can also threaten the automony of cultures and assimilation into this ‘global culture’.
It’s interesting to hear criticisms from certain elements within the political left (citation needed) who claim that the opening up of borders can only be a positive thing. But at the same time they seem to fail to realise that this can lead to ethnic minorities and cultures being engulfed in the ‘global culture’. As a result they lose at least some part of their unique identity that made them automonous to begin with.
And fashion?
No matter which country businessmen reside in, they always seem to wear the same style of clothing; the business suit. (*PX). Yet, at the same time, woman in many Asian countries will be wearing their traditional attire alongside them.
There is a definite paradox emerging; how can the world be said to be becoming more globalised and connected whilst at the same time people are resisting this and nations are becoming more nationalist, unique and different from one another?
People, probably rather obviously, want all the benefits that come with globalisation and increased interconnection between nations and cultures. Freer markets, despite all their problems, generally do increase the quality of life for the most number of people. Likewise, open (but well managed) borders do usually benefit economies and also benefit people as individuals, opening them up to exchanges that promote tolerance of other cultures, religions and ways of life.
But it is something of a double edged sword.
Although people are happy to reap the benefits of globalisation, just as many people see it as a threat to their culture, their identity, their way of life. Possibly even their freedom and their rights.
Multi-national corporations have abused and continue to abuse rights of ethnic minorities in developing countries (citation needed). No wonder people are in some cases turning to armed insurgencies to protect their way of life and their human rights, and no wonder they feel the need to express their identities, there difference, in the face of consumerism that tends to make this global culture rather bland and samey.
Germany makes for an interesting case study. It’s in a rather unique position because it demonstrates how people can still have values and attachments to a nation that no longer even exists.
Although Germany was reunified almost 20 years ago, the western and eastern regions still have large differences between them. This isn’t just in an economic sense (although the east has been attempting to catch up with the west ever since the collapse of the socialist system and the fall of the Berlin wall) but is more in a sense of civic nationalism to a place that no longer exists, i.e East Germany.
People do remember East Germany and life under the socialist system with nostalgia; Unemployment rose (>50% unemployment at one stage. Citation/evidence needed) and times became very hard in many parts of eastern Germany after reunification and thus many people believed they were better off under socialism in the old East Germany. Indeed some people still believe this today and can’t help but look back and glorify those days. The political Left Party in Germany still have a loud voice in German politics and are something of a mouthpiece for those in eastern Germany who saw little of the benefits in reunification with their western neighbours. The Left Party represents these people’s attachment to old social values, socialist tenants, such as support for a social welfare system, free universal healthcare and free education.
This demonstrates that although a country can be united and connected under one geographical border, under one political system, one currency and one nation, the people (despite having a shared ethnicity) can still have a set of very different values. And (in the case of eastern Germany) even an attachment to a country that no longer exists in the ‘real’ world.
It may only exist in the imaginary geography of these people, but it is a powerful imaginary that creates division, unique senses of identity, and difference within a country that is otherwise connected in every other way (language, currency, political power etc.)
Breaking the above themes into 3 or 4 major themes to be discussed within the essay:
- Globalisation;
- ‘Global Culture’ (English as an international language, fashion)
- Nationalism (especially regional).
What is being argued?
That although the nations of the world are becoming increasingly connected in various ways (globalisation; world wide web, freer markets, open borders, a ‘global culture’), these factors do not always benefit people, and people are increasingly see this as a threat to their culture, their control (politically) over space and territory and their identity (on all three national, regional and local levels).
This essay does not claim to demonstrate a direct link between globalisation and nationalist resurgences. But it does argue that globalisation is continuing to feed people’s insecurities about their national, regional and local identities demonstrating an indirect but highly significant link between the two.
How does relate to the question title?
Using globalisation to show how places, nations and people are becoming increasingly connected and interdependent.
Using nationalism, especially regional nationalism, to show how places still remain different from each other.
But these are merely descriptive. It isn’t arguing anything.
How will the essay engage with and argue using the above themes of nationalism and globalisation?
Exploring the reasons why a nationalist resurgence is taking place;
- Reaction to the negative aspects of Globalisation;
a.) Negative effects of opening up of markets; Corporations coming in to nations and causing environmental damage (mining, oil pipelines) and displacing native people. Often resulting in extreme reactions such as violence against international workers and regional nationalist movements. Case Study: Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the so-called ‘Coconut Revolution’ in Papua New Guinea. Causes rooted in destruction of land, environment and homes by foreign ‘invaders’ (Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ)). Although it’s true that there were nationalist tendancies before RTZ arrived, the devastating destruction of the environment caused by RTZ mining operations and the forced eviction of Bougainville villagers coupled with the killing of villagers by both Papua New Guninean (with aid from the Australian military) was undoubtedly the main cause.
b.) Access to and advancement of information technologies in communications (the World Wide Web) and cheap and quick air travel between nations continues to create the impression the world is becoming a ‘smaller’ place (due to information sharing). This has powerful psychological effects of our perceptions of spatiality; ‘a reconfiguration of geography, so that social space is no longer wholly mapped in terms of territorial places, territorial distances and territorial borders’ [Scholte: 2000].
This also influences the political sphere; people feel threatened by some of the changes brought about by globalisation; An emergence of a ‘global culture’ that they perceive will threaten their own culture and thus their own identity.
But also the creation and building of political-economic blocks such as the EU; although the EU brings greater economic benefits through greater freedom of movement of goods and labour across national borders, people feel threatened that they are losing both their national identity and control over their local territorial spaces. In short, a deep sense of insecurity.
This has lead to the formation of anti-EU political parties on both sides of the political spectrum; it is not just a far right phenomenon, there is also opposition from the political left, although the far-right parties like the BNP are manipulatively attempting to bring ethnic nationalism into the debate by playing on people’s feelings of insecurity.
Economics; Open borders, the EU, free market liberalism.
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