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One of the most amazing landscapes I've ever seen ...  How can geography impact the diffusion of culture?

I believe geography plays a big role in the diffusion of culture of the Brenner Pass. This Pass has a unique history in which it was connected by two major dictators, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Due to the connection of these major dictators many cultures in this area are also connected. For example this Pass is located in Italy, but over 80% of its population claims Germany as its first language. In addition, because this Pass is located on the exterior of Italy it becomes a hotspot for cultural diffusion. The reason for this is because locals from Italy can travel to other nations and express their culture by using the Brenner Pass. Also, many foreigners from other nations, such as Austria or Germany, can travel into Italy, using the Brenner Pass, and express their culture as well. This expression of culture can be seen due to the names of the various stations, tunnels, and viaducts. The names of the stations, tunnels and, viaducts have German names which represent the diffusion of culture from Germany to Italy. By examining the Brenner Pass it is clear to see how its geography can impact its diffusion of culture.

Well done! Has anyone ever traveled on the Brenner Pass?

Americans spend around 5 hours per day watching television. What makes TV so special? How does it affect our culture as well as the culture of countries around the world? How does an American TV show become popular in Germany? Visit our website to find out!

I had no idea that there were so many international variations for just one show! Another example would be America's Got Talent has variations in 58 different countries. The videos also show how much other countries are willing to spend on their T.V. programs.

I really like how this website shows all the variations of the similar shows! It was interesting to see all the differences and how so many American shows are shown in other countries. Great job!

When you visit our site you can learn more about the diffusion of a popular sport (soccer) compared to a lesser known sport called croquet. Interact by watching videos and reading more about how sports differ across the world.

This is an interesting website! I never knew about croquet before, but now I feel well informed. I like the use of images as well.

I thought it was really interesting that croquet originated as popular culture, whereas soccer originated as folk culture. Today, in our society, soccer is considered more popular culture, whereas croquet is thought of being more of folk culture. I like how you included that soccer was banned and then legalized again because I remember reading about that in class.

How have some our favorite music genres evolved and what folk cultures did they originate from?

I like how your website views on the preferences of multiple people and then gives a brief history on how that music diffused into pop culture.

I liked how your website was very organized and easy to navigate. I also liked how you talked about how the music genres diffused from folk culture to popular culture.

What's one new idea you learned from this resource? How would the world be different if people weren't forced to migrate or people weren't restricted in their movement?  Post your comments, APHUG. Let's get a discussion going! 

One new idea that I learned from this resource is that, regarding population, "One of every six people on earth is an adolescent" and also that "Children and adolescents constitute some 50% of all refugees assisted by UNHCR." This idea shows that forced migration greatly influences young people because young people are a major group who make up the group of refugees that get help from the UNHCR. The world would be different if people weren't forced to migrate or if people weren't restricted in their movement by containing less safe environments because terrorists could come into a country more easily. If people weren't forced to migrate, more land areas might be more sparsely populated.

If people weren't forced to migrate, some cultures would thrive while others might not survive at all! In Europe today, there are many strict immigration laws that try to limit the amount of immigrants from many countries in Africa and Asia. One reason that these laws are so strict is to try to preserve the culture. So imagine what it would be like if there were no immigration restrictions at all! The culture in Europe would become mixed and intermingled with the cultures of countries all over the world. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it would just be different. Also, because of the idea of increasing globalization, the cost of migrating is decreasing (relatively), so the intervening obstacles are also decreasing. This makes it easier for more people to migrate if they are looking for economic opportunities. And when they do move, they will bring their culture with them. The land they leave behind, if enough people move, will then be deprived of the previous inhabitant's culture. So overall, many different cultures would be greatly affected if there was no restriction on immigration.

Review: Why is the cultural landscape important for human geographers?

Earlier this week an unnamed space rocket, launched by SpaceX exploded just minutes after the launch. The purpose for this rocket, named Dragon, was to conduct a resupply mission for the International Space Station. Dragon's cargo included 2 tons of goods, including 1,500 pounds of food and provisions for the crew. It was not clear what caused this rocket to fail after launch but an investigation will be conducted very soon. This event relates to two major themes in Human Geography. The first theme is Globalization. Globalization represents the modern technological age, in which improved worldwide transport and communication allowing for the instantaneous diffusion of ideas and innovations as seen on page fourteen in the Themes Of Human Geography Textbook. By launching the rocket into space, SpaceX is improving communication between other nations that are using the International Space Station. Also, this rocket would have accelerated the technological age by providing influential information and hardware. In addition, this current event relates to the theme of Cultural Landscape. Cultural Landscape explains what a region or area actually looks like in relation to its physical features. Even though space is a foreign place to us humans it has its own Cultural Landscape, such as stars and galaxies. Thus this small rocket, loaded with supplies, can aid researchers in the Space Station acquire more information of the Cultural Landscape in space. In conclusion, Dragon's crash has been a very popular current event and relates to two various themes of Human Geography, including Globalization and Cultural Landscape.

Excellent analysis. Thank you! Here is an interesting resource from NASA about their attempt to map Mars (http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/10/nasa-mars-trek/).

Tune into NEXT TOP CHEF with Lauren Labell and Sadhana Marikunte! See the finalists in action. Lauren will be making a traditional dish from Spain and Sadhana will be making a traditional dish from Qatar. Who will win?

I enjoyed your website very much! I like how you incorporated background information into your video as well as your website. It was great to see how well these folk foods relate to what we learn in class. For example, Lauren's food dish has no known origin. This is one of the characteristics of folk culture. Great job over all!

I loved the concept of "The Next Top Chef"! The organization of the website is great and I liked how you provided background information. It was also interesting to see the characteristics of culture embedded in the food. Overall, great job!

Excellent resource on folk cultures from UNESCO.

Explore new culture through everyone's favorite thing in the whole wide world; food! Delicious recipes can be found here and a video clip showing how these foods are made. Join Ellie Cahill and Sibgha Amin as they venture through the history of foods form other cultures around the world!

I liked how you showed the history of the food you displayed, such as the Austrailian biscuits and how they originated in World War 1. It was well organized and your ideas were well thought out. Good job!

I liked that you wrote on the whiteboard it was very creative. It was interesting to see that the German dish has not diffused further that it did.

This is really interesting. I wonder if any of the women at least suspected that something was going on. The whole idea seems kind of ridiculous, but I don't really see why so many people were extremely offended by it!

Jes, your article was fascinating. It is baffling how far people will go to "fit in." You made a tremendous point about Dove's advertisement. TV commercials are sources of globalization since they connect different people from around the world.

What does this video suggest about the electronic diffusion of popular culture?

The Environmental Protection Agency has recently disclosed plans to lower the amount of methane emissions from gas and oil by 40 to 45 percent by the year 2025. The proposed plans would require emissions to be stopped at new natural gas wells, and repair all known leaks at these wells. The goal of the EPA is to reduce the amount of total pollution as it affects climate change and public health. The proposed regulations aren't being received very well by Republican lawmakers and energy groups, who argue that methane emissions have actually been falling in recent years. They believe that taking these plans into action will threaten security and economic growth, as they will increase the cost of energy for Americans. The EPA has also looked to set regulations on carbon pollution from planes, as well as trucks and vans. The theme of nature culture can be observed here, as many people of various political standpoints are fighting for their opinions on how nature should be protected, and the extent of human manipulation in nature. Through this we can see how the emission of gases is extremely difficult to reduce, and that the fight for nature preservation will be ongoing, as it has been for years and years.

Excellent application of the nature-culture theme. What's the relationship between a nation's development and their ability to help the environment?

One of the most prominent current events at this point in time is the legalization of gay marriage nationwide. This ruling has caused both celebration and controversy, as several individuals view homosexuality and traditions quite differently. This plays into the geographical theme of cultural landscapes, as the main opposition of this new law consists of conservatives (in the article, it is noted that the more liberal justices were the ones in strongest support). The conservative view is due to the idea of a traditional family. As the textbook reading says on page 23, the ideal lifestyle-- or the typical suburban middle-class American family-- was to consist of a mother, a father, and children. Some think this should be upheld, whether it be for the sake of religion, homophobia, or tradition. Therefore, this new legalization is closely associated with the idea of a cultural landscape. However, how does the fourteenth amendment exactly relate to this issue? The amendment was created for former slaves, and while it applies to everyone, how does it specifically affect marriage when it addresses most directly citizenship rights and basic equality? The basic benefits marriage will hold for these couples are a good thing, yes, but will they no longer be discriminated against? In fact, will this worsen prejudice of those who were very strongly against the idea?

Thank you for your intuitive analysis, Reagan. You're accurate in suggesting that the cultural landscape theme connects to the recent Supreme Court ruling. What individuals in society care for and what they take care of translates into how they organize the space around them. Which regions in the county, state, and nation would you most likely find those strongly against the recent Court ruling? Are some areas of the state or nation more conservative than others?

As seen before, the effects of war can be physically and mentally gruesome as spontaneous acts of violence unravel extreme havoc to numerous civilians. In fact, recent violence has caused insurmountable refugees (mostly Syrians, Afghans, and Eritreans) to leave their homes and embark on a journey to Europe for their safety. This portrays the example of mobility as large amounts of people are leaving their homes in hopes of a better future. This is an example of relocation diffusion. As stated on page 11 of the textbook reading, relocation diffusion brings the ideas and practices of the migrant(s) to a new region. Furthermore, this mimics the events of Ishmael (the protagonist) in the memoir, A Long Way Gone, as he leaves his nation of Sierra Leone to live a safer life in New York City. Along with mobility, the geographical theme of globalization is also represented in the article. As the number of refugees crossing the Mediterranean increased, the European Union decided to distribute the thousands of refugees across its 28 nations. As a result, the European Union itself is an example of globalization as they communicate and connect with its members. All 28 countries are connected with one another, and they communicate to solve problems regarding peace, human rights, and economic development in Europe. Moreover, nations with a greater access to technology and communication (such as the members of the European Union) have a much better chance of establishing global connections because of the resources they have. Thus, this sudden rise of refugees migrating into European nations is correspondent to the themes of mobility and globalization. However, how does the increase of migrations affect the European nations bordering the Mediterranean? What economic problems will arrive with the increase of labor and population? How will the core-periphery pattern of formal regions, in regards to Syrian culture, change as many of its civilians depart?

Nicely done, Sam. Good job weaving the current event into themes from your book. The current migration flows n the Mediterranean region have tremendous political, economic, and social implications. How do you think the cultural landscape of European countries such as Norway or Germany might change as a result of recent migration flows?

I believe as the number of cultural groups migrate, they will bring their cultural characteristics to the new region. One of them, most likely, is religion. This might affect the landscape because religious shrines or temples will now be incorporated in European nations. In turn, it will definitely diversify the architectural styles seen in the new region.

Do you enjoy tasty food created in Spain? Is learning about folk food one of your hobbies? If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, "Cooking with Style" is for you. On this website you can learn the history and recipe for the delicious empanada.

Awesome job with the video, very informative and entertaining. Overall good content and interesting view on the food taboos. Great quote at 1:34 "Like my mom always told me, if you cut your finger off, it's gonna bleed"

I enjoyed watching your video which was well done and looked delicious! I also found the liver and onion dish as a taboo to be interesting because of how it is accepted in some regions and not others. It seems it is more widely accepted in areas that are influenced by folk culture rather than popular culture, which is funny because many things are eaten in a popular cultural society that are worse for you and contain more chemicals than the natural liver of a cow.

How is the political geography of Israel and the Palestinian territories reflected in their cultural landscapes? Could Israel's "Iron Dome" be part of the cultural landscape of the region? See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome for more information. 

When viewing our website about a variety of unique folk clothing items, you will be pulled into our "journey"around the world as we travel to Africa, the Arctic, the Middle East, and South America in search of folk fashion.

I liked how well organized and informative your website is. In addition to the hijab, I know that women in the Middle East also wear burkas (which were in the top picture) as well as chadors.

I enjoyed this website a lot! I thought it was very interesting to see how different the dress is in places all over the world, as well as the impact that the environment has on style of clothing. Your website is organized and overall very well done! Great job!

Music has become a part of everyday culture for people throughout the world, so where did it come from? Find out through maps, as well as pictures, and hear some of the unique music that can be found throughout the world!

This site is fantastic and very informative! It's great at showing how different genres can develop in different places at the same time and how popular culture can spread all over the world.

Your site is really well organized. I like all the information about the different genres. My favorite thing was the maps that showed how music moved through time.

In your article is says "About 80 of those local companies will be featured among the 200 exhibitors at the Mother Earth News Fair, a massive natural products trade show..." It's very exciting to see these small scale, local businesses thriving. In a country dominated by commercial manufacturing, it is good to see these true home grown enterprises succeeding.