The Power of Place

28/8/2012

50 Comments

Help each other and get help here.

50 Comments

Bingham

28/8/2012 04:24:57

Be sure to check out the comments in the archives for this forum. Last year's freshmen faced the same issues you will!

Bingham

2/9/2012 03:36:00

Well, all the activity on this forum is so encouraging...NOT! That''s not a good sign, people who do not take me seriously, and this class seriously, often end up unhappy with the outcome. But that's true of life too, right? Unfortunately, you don't yet know what you don't know, that is, that this level of reading and the kinds of questions you'll face on the exam, are far above what you've experienced before. *sigh* You should definitely review the files on the Geographic Destiny page.

Evelyn de Groot

4/9/2012 12:44:26

On the Study Guide for Chapter One I'm confused on question 23, why are the poorest of the poor countries contributing relatively few of the world's Mobals? What also is population explosion? Can you help me? Thank you!

Lillian Evans

4/9/2012 15:47:09

I believe that it because the people in the country are so, so poor, the people do not have enough money to get out, to take chances, and also to support thier family while they are doing it. Most people just have trouble finding a meal, so it is very hard for them to even get enough money to take a bus somewhere else.
Population explosion is a sudden increase in the size of a population.
Do you know if the answer to question one is in the preface like most of the other first questions?

Bingham

4/9/2012 15:53:37

Wow! Finally, some action on the forum! I think Lillian has a good answer.
As for the preface, you should notice that it is a summary of de Blij argument. As is chapter one in expanded form. As is the rest of the book. That's effective writing.

Sam Linda

6/9/2012 13:16:26

Since the outcome of the test was so poor and we are reviewing chapter one again, will there be another chapter one test?
Thanks.

Sam Linda

6/9/2012 13:18:18

OH, and is the chapter two test still the same date as it is currently scheduled on the calendar (because of the problem above)?

Sam Linda

7/9/2012 15:14:56

Sorry, stupid questions. Checked the calendar. Issue resolved.

Lillian Evans

8/9/2012 10:34:11

Mr. Bingham,
I have been looking for the study guide for the test on the website, but I cannot find it anymore after taking the test. I know that you said that you put it back on after the test, but I have not been able to find it. Would it be in the same spot as before on the website?

Lillian Evans

8/9/2012 10:34:23

Lillian Evans link

8/9/2012 10:34:51

Lillian Evans link

8/9/2012 10:35:03

Lillian Evans

8/9/2012 10:35:26

Bingham

8/9/2012 10:42:40

Lillian! Just click "post" once! Clicking multiple times doesn't make things happen faster! This will be a big problem for you when you start making credit card purchases on line.

Looks like the file failed to upload when I did it Friday. It's there now.

Lillian Evans

8/9/2012 10:50:12

thank you. Sorry every time I clicked it it said post failed

Maggie Wintz

9/9/2012 07:14:37

I'm still confused on whether globals and globalizers are the same thing. I've reread the first chapter several times and I'm still stumped. Does anyone have the answer to this?

Bingham

9/9/2012 08:11:27

Maggie,
I'm glad you are digging so deeply! Obviously global refers to the people, glabalizer implies people activity trying to move the world in a more interconnected direction. For our purposes, don't worry about the distinction. Ask yourself this, if I reworded each question, would you still find the answer in your head because you know the topics so well? Sounds like you are on the right track.

Ely Eastman

11/9/2012 11:37:44

Whats up guys. I am a sophomore who took Pre-AP geography with Bingham before. While Power of Place isn't my strength, once you start getting into thesis and essay writing I'm really happy to help you with that.
Please contact me when you get to that part of the course, or even right now if you need help with other study tips.
Call/Text: 713-715-8995
email: Eastman.ely@gmail.com

Robinh Nguyen

20/9/2012 11:00:29

Thank you Ely for offering to help us!
I'll be sure to contact you when the going gets rough.
Thank you again!

Bingham

16/9/2012 05:28:53

If you were planning to improve your understanding of Chapter one of the P.of P. and followed my advise in class to pull the concepts out of the two tests, you might have ended up with a list that looks like this (see, I do my homework!)

Topics/Concepts in Chapter One, The Power of Place
Note: These topics can be found in multiple places in chapter one. Recognizing them when you read is critical.
1. The “flat world” argument put forward by Thomas Friedman and other “flat worlders” including such ideas as outsourcing, offshoring, could drives, uploading, and all the trappings of high speed communication and jet travel.
2. De Blij’s idea that the world is actually, metaphorically, “rough terrain”. That the world is only flat for a few – the “globals”. There are “staggering” situational differences related to the power of place.
3. The differing circumstances between “Globals”, “Locals” and “Mobals” – and the role each plays in the current and potential future. Each lives in very different worlds and one blanket worldview does not describe them all, especially with regard to opportunity and destiny.
4. That in spite of a human tendency for exclusion, we are all, now more than ever, in a perilous place together on the planet.
5. A walling off of the global core from the expanding periphery and the need for governments in the core and the periphery to work together to successfully accommodate the movement of Mobals to the core.
6. The demographic cycle that included a population explosion in the 20th century changed the scale of these situational differences.
7. That the governments and international businesses of the core have a substantial and disproportionate impact on the world generally, including in the periphery. They (the state) sometimes subjugate Locals for their own economic, cultural and strategic reasons.
8. Mobals are the key to the world dynamic, they are the agents of change and the greatest source of both vitality and danger for a core that is both in need of them and fears them in a weaponized world.
9. That the problem for most Locals is that mobility and globalization are synonymous. That without the means to change location, the power of place holds them in circumstances that offer no choices.
10. The force that has the greatest impact on the human geography of the world today is urbanization.
11. Place and identity are closely linked. Regional norms are often barriers to the forces of choice and reasoning.
12. The physical, political and cultural partitioning (on many scales, from local, to national, to regional, to global) of the core from the periphery slows the leveling implied by flat world proponents and the forces of globalization.

Sam Linda

16/9/2012 08:06:54

I just had a conversation with my dad about a family issue, and it all led back to the inclusion/exclusion topic that we had discussed in class. I'll use the names Joe and Sue. Joe assumed that Sue felt a certain way about another family member, Jenny. But Sue's feelings were exactly the opposite. Joe called Sue to let her know that something was going on with Jenny, and he "knew" it would upset her. But it didn't. When Sue tried to explain herself, Joe shut her down telling her he was "done" with the issue and was not willing to discuss it. This angered Sue for two reasons. That Joe did not understand her opinion on the issue was one reason. But more importantly, Joe was not interested in hearing her side of things. Joe was not willing to INCLUDE Sue in a discussion of the issue. This is what caused the lasting problem.

I then realized that Eve from the video wasn't bothered about the things that the other kids did, it was just the fact that she wasn't included in the "in" group. This brought me to the quote, "Differences between us did not cause hatred; hatred caused differences between us." This all led me to apartheid.

The blacks in South Africa weren't discriminated against because they were different, at first. It was because the Afrikaners needed to somehow exclude a group of people to fix governmental problems within the Country. The blacks didn't rebel only because they wanted revenge, it was because they wanted to prove that they were worthy of being included in the elite group of people that the Afrikaners were members of. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that I now truly understand what De Blij meant when he said that apartheid was purely human, not racial.

Bingham

16/9/2012 11:37:41

Good thinking. The point is though that people just do that stuff, things like race show up later as a rationalization for the bad behavior.

Kathryn King

17/9/2012 04:44:35

In the second chapter one test, question 11(about the scale changing) is still confusing me. When you went through it in class, I didn't catch everything you said. Can you explain it one more time?

Bingham

17/9/2012 05:47:16

Sure! This ties in with the notion of an enduring human geography. He's saying here that the settlement patterns of humans on the planet have remained the same (with a couple of exceptions) since our species left Africa. The scale part refers to the huge increase in the sheer numbers of people. Same pattern - enduring as in it lasts, new scale - lots more people.
But there is more to the scale thing. De Blij talks about this timeless process in which the people with power subjugate, or control, other people for their own economic, cultural and strategic benefit. He uses South African apartheid as an example. The scale has changed in this regard as well. People have always controlled others, but now, there are a lot more people to control and more people doing the controlling. Scale.
Does that help?

Kathryn King

17/9/2012 06:58:29

Yes, Thank you!

Leina Betzer

18/9/2012 11:06:45

If a global decides to leave their country and start a business in another country because of new opportunities, are they still globals or do they become mobals?

Bingham

18/9/2012 11:25:30

That's a good question, because it means you're thinking clearly about these topics! But the answer is no, a Global has a more guaranteed outcome, as in the scenario you suggest. For a Mobal, the outcome is far less certain, remember, they're the "risk takers".

Leina Betzer

18/9/2012 11:50:58

Thank you!

Kayelee Ellis

18/9/2012 12:44:19

I understand the difference between the core and periphery. But is there a "periphery" in the core? Or are we all mobals and globals? Also, when immigrants that have nothing come to America, are they JUST mobals or, in a sense, locals and globals? I have thoroughly confused myself.

Bingham

18/9/2012 12:52:34

Ha ha! Well, I like that you're thinking deeply about this! But for our purposes now, just keep those categories in mind. Of course, you're right, nothing is ever that simple. Certainly there are Locals among us in the core, and Mobals can often become Locals in a new place. To become true Globals, Mobals have to be able to take advantage of new opportunities to break free of the power of place. Often this doesn't happen in one generation. This is certainly the American story, immigrants setting up a new life so that their children benefit.
Keep at it, you are on the right track!

Kayelee Ellis

19/9/2012 13:23:52

Thank you!

Sam Molina

18/9/2012 13:28:38

I believe that there isn't necessarily a periphery in the core, but there are cities and/or countries that could be classified as if they were part of the periphery. In The Power of Place, De Blij says that even though Southeast Asia isn't part of the core, Singapore is one of the major countries in the process of globalization, with a very succesful economy and a high quality-of-life index. This means that, even though it isn't, Singapore could be a part of the core. I believe the same within the core, that some countries could be part of the periphery. As for your other questions, we could be either mobals, locals, or globals, even in the core. It all depends on how our life turns out, whether we get a great job and make advances in technology or we don't have many opportunities in our home country and seek for more opportunites in better countries. And for whether immigrants are mobals, locals, or globals, I think that they are just mobals. They probably wouldn't be globals, since immigrants usually come for a better life in a better country, but at the same time wouldn't be locals, since one trait of theirs is that they are the least mobile and stay in or near their hometown for most of their lives.

Kate Ham

18/9/2012 13:36:21

Mr. Bingham
I know you've already explained this, but I still don't fully understand why globals fear mobals. I think it's because of social changes, but that doesn't seem like a good enough answer. If the only issue is cultural differences, then why does the state create a big hype, spending a lot of money on barriers? Please explain; thanks.

Bingham

18/9/2012 13:48:58

."States " are usually responding to percieved economic issues ; drain on national resources, jobs taken within their borders. These are ofte responses to the fears of their citizens. And don't underestimate the power of cultural changes, people who are living fairly comfortable lives are threatened by issues around religion, language and traditions. People take that stuff personally. To maintain authority, governments have to be percieved as addressing these" threats ".

Sam Linda

18/9/2012 13:56:50

I'm still pretty confused on what De Blij means about apartheid's "essentially geographic framework." Is it just how specific and "no exceptions" that the government was about the republic system? If you could help me please, thanks!

Adrian JImenez

20/9/2012 11:49:51

Hello! Just wanted to know if you will be posting the powerpoint on imperialism from today any time soon. That would be great.

Leina Betzer

20/9/2012 12:47:00

I remember you describing the tone of we and they with a specific word, but I forgot what the word was so could you please tell me?

Ely Eastman

22/9/2012 10:21:21

Just throwing this out there again:

Whats up guys. I am a sophomore who took Pre-AP geography with Bingham before. While Power of Place isn't my strength, once you start getting into thesis and essay writing I'm really happy to help you with that.
Please contact me when you get to that part of the course, or even right now if you need help with other reading/studying tips.
Call/Text: 713-715-8995
email: Eastman.ely@gmail.com

Conny

25/9/2012 12:10:41

I don't know how I posted last time, im not even sure that it worked, so I'm sorry if this is the second time that you get this, but I was wondering how you would access the powerpoint on imperialism?

Bingham

25/9/2012 12:22:44

You got my email reply, right?? Unit Info to identity. And membership, scroll down.

Conny

25/9/2012 14:17:02

Thanks so much!

Giovanni Youssef

3/10/2012 12:50:38

Hey guys like Ely I'm a Sophmore that had Bingham last year and I have him this year. I know like 5 people are already doing this but I figured the more the merrier! If you need help with anything Bingham related, power of place, thesis, how to avoid getting hit in the head with a tennis ball thrown by Bingham, I'd be more than happy to help! I did pretty well last year once I got the hang of it and would love to help all of you with what I've learned. So feel contact me via email: giovanniyoussef@gmail.com text: 713-517-8062

Daryn Jones

4/10/2012 13:06:15

Hi Mr. Bingham. i can't seem to find the "Western Wall" in ch. 1 of the book. Do you think you could help me?

Bingham

4/10/2012 13:38:48

Well, I don't have my book with me, but what you need to know is that it separates the core from the perifary.

Ely Eastman

14/10/2012 02:37:58

AGAIN:
since yall dont know how to accept a good offer and i have way too much free time
Whats up guys. I am a sophomore who took Pre-AP geography with Bingham before. While Power of Place isn't my strength, once you start getting into thesis and essay writing I'm really happy to help you with that.
Please contact me when you get to that part of the course, or even right now if you need help with other study tips.
Call/Text: 713-715-8995
email: Eastman.ely@gmail.com

Bingham

14/10/2012 05:18:55

Thanks Ely, again! I can't understand why the geography people aren't taking you up on this offer. They are about to tackle chapter five of POP, and I'm sure many could use your help. Unfortunately, they will likely follow the old pattern of skimming the reading, then act dumbfounded that they didn't pass the test. It's as though the game isn't to learn, but to do the minimum required to get by. What a sad waste!

Lillian Evans

15/10/2012 14:09:44

Thanks Ely, I'll be sure to talk to you once we start writing.

Anna White

21/10/2012 07:56:49

Im reading Chapter five and I got confused at one part, de Blij says later in the chapter that although natural forces can affect anyplace in the world, but the natural disasters tend to occur more often in the periphery and in higher severity. Did the "core" develope in places without as many natural disasters because there weren't as many severe natural disasters or was de Blij referring to the fact that because the periphery doesn't have the necessary warning systems or resources to combat natural disasters and have denser populations they are affected more drastically by the natural disasters? Please clarify if possible.
Thank you

Bingham

21/10/2012 08:13:04

HI Anna! First, you're on the wrong forum, there is a new on for chapter 5.
The short answer to your question is the latter. The distribution of danger in random, but in terms of population and technology, the core will cope better than the periphery.
I like the depth of your thinking, keep it up.

Emily Soice

3/11/2012 08:25:12

So what chaper's next?

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