Unit VIII: The Contemporary World 1991-Present

Warm-Up  Think about your world today and the past 10 years….create a quick list of global issues that we are facing

Developed vs. Developing Nations  Characterized by different levels of economic development, population, and social conditions

Contrasts between Developed and Developing Nations 1. Geographic locations of countries 2. Economic conditions 3. Social conditions (literacy, access to healthcare) 4. Population size and rate of growth

Global Literacy Rates

Challenges/Opportunities of Developed and Developing Nations 1. Migrations 2. Ethnic/Religious conflict 3. New technologies How could each of these represent both a challenge and an opportunity?

Migrations  Refugees- flee own country for fear of persecution/because of internal conflict  Lost Boys of Sudan Lost Boys of Sudan Lost Boys of Sudan  “Guest Workers”- Foreign workers come to Europe to meet labor shortages, not expected to stay forever

Religious and Ethnic Conflict  Middle East Arab-Israeli Conflict Arab-Israeli ConflictArab-Israeli Conflict  Northern Ireland  Balkans  Africa- resources MNCs MNCs  Asia- S/N Korea

New Technologies  Widespread but unequal access to computers and instantaneous communications  How does this influence society/culture?  Genetic engineering and bioethics

Brainstorm  environmental or social issues facing the world today  With a partner, brainstorm some environmental or social issues facing the world today  Decide: Is this issue a global challenge or opportunity…how is it affecting people? Environment? Politics?

Environmental and Social Challenges  5/18 Homework: find a recent article (past 5 years) that highlights an environmental or social issue facing the world today.  Type a 1 paragraph summary of the article and  Explain in 1 paragraph if this issue is a global challenge or opportunity…how is it affecting people? Environment? Politics?

Wednesday, May 19 th : Environmental and Social Issues  Briefly describe your issue  Explain why this issue is a challenge or an opportunity from a global perspective

Environmental Challenges  Pollution  Loss of habitat  Ozone Depletion

Social Challenges  Poverty  Poor health  Illiteracy  Famine  Migration

Economy—political freedom  Free market economy increases standard of living, expands middle class  Result: growing demand for political freedoms and individual rights

Globalization Expansion of global linkages, organization of social life on global scale, and growth of global consciousness, hence consolidation of world society. Expansion of global linkages, organization of social life on global scale, and growth of global consciousness, hence consolidation of world society. How did we get to this point? What are some pros and cons? cons

Economic Interdependence  Multinational corporations (MNCs)- a company with divisions in more than two countries  Changing role of international boundaries  Regional integration (European Union)  Trade Agreements—North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), World Trade Organization (WTO)  International Organizations—UN, International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Terrorism  Munich Olympics  Munich Olympics 1972  Palestinian Terrorists take11 Israeli athletes hostage—all killed  Re-examine anti-terrorism policies  9/11 and Osama Bin Laden (extremism)  Car bombings  Suicide bombings  Airline hijackers

Taliban, Al Qaeda…who are they?  Taliban  ‘ultraconservative’ Afghan refugees  Ruled Afghanistan  Gained power through chaos in country  Fundamental interpretation of Islam  Fostered dvlpmt. of terrorist groups (Al Qaeda)  Very few nations recognized them as gov’t  Human rights abuses, esp. against women  Carried out 9/11  Ousted after 9/11 by series of raids  Transitional gov’t est.-Karzai new leader  Continued factional differences in country

al Qaeda  Roots from Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (“stronghold”)  Formed 1990s  Global network of terrorists  Carry out holy war against non-Islamic nations  WAS led by Osama Bin Laden (wealthy Saudi…got funding from around the world)  Goal: Reinstate Caliphate (unified Muslim nation)  Next in line: Ayman al Zawahiri

Known Major Attacks by al Qaeda  1998:  Bomb US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania  killed 258, injured 5,000  2001:  Attack on World Trade Centers, Pentagon, plane down in PA  Killed 3,000

May, 2011: Bin Laden Killed  US Navy Seals, Team 6  Operation in Pakistan (Pakistani gov’t was not informed of the mission)  Been watching for months  Successful secret invasion of compound  Killed bin Laden, took body, buried at sea  Bin Laden = #1 leader…hope this leads to crumbling of al Qaeda  Terrorist threats will continue to exist

Government Response to Terrorism  Surveillance and privacy rights  Security at ports and airports  ID badges and photos

Something to think about… Although we are all so interconnected and interdependent today…why are there still vast differences between developed and developing countries? If globalization continues, what will your future look like?