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The film industry is trying to bring the dangers of advancing terror groups into light. Groups like ISIS are spreading fear and influence across regions like the Middle East, but they are also spreading their influence to places all around the world. Social media outlets have made this spread of ideas possible and able to thrive. Globalization or the interconnection between all of us in this day and age has given us the ability to spread and receive ideas like these with ease. Anyway, important people that run the film industry may realize the importance of this danger and decide that they should spread it to get the audience to realize it as well. It's a case of hierarchical diffusion and I believe that their goal is eventually expansion diffusion. It's all about spreading ideas to where they're not necessarily regarded as widely. I know for a fact that the war on terror isn't as prevalent in our minds as it is in the people that are collateral damage from it. Filmmakers are trying to change that with themes that act like metaphors to the situations going on right now in war-torn areas. These producers and creators of films take advantage of the popularity of the medium to display their ideas and spread them. However, will these messages make their way through to the public? Will they see that the war on terror is sometimes as bad as the films' problems? Will the medium have any effect on the progress we make with ridding the world of these groups of terror?

You got it. The film industry has certainly been a vehicle for globalization. We tend to trust ideas from those we admire and respect or from mediums such as Youtube that are easily accessible. Invisible Children came out with a Youtube video a few years ago about the African war lord, Joseph Kony. https://youtu.be/Y4MnpzG5Sqc How might something similar be created about ISIS?

Yes, I remember this video. I had watched it when it had caught so much traction. I think a huge difference between Kony and ISIS is that I feel like not many people really knew about Kony while the news has basically insured that everybody knows about ISIS. When it's a new topic, people may be more interested in finding out more about it, like with Kony. But I feel like if a Youtube video like that was created for ISIS, it might not gain the same traction because it has been covered heavily for the past year. That's why I'm so intrigued with the hidden themes in movies because I feel that subtlety is the best way to bring forth new ideas without being overbearing.

Was this man sent from ISIS or was he only claiming to be associated with ISIS? It does not make sense that ISIS would stretch itself so thin after rising up and beginning its conquest.

This article links to religious conflicts as it shows the anger towards ISIS, an extremist sect of Islam, from other Muslims in the area and other Arabs who are atheist. Why does ISIS feel the need to have such a tight and violent grasp on the community they inhabit?

I would also ask the same question on why the extremists are so violent towards others, and another important question is why are they violent to other Muslims.

With a large number of reports regarding the extreme brutality of ISIS is it amazing that people from other countries would try to join this group.

Excellent observation, Lauren. I'm curious how ISIS has affected regional population, either by forced or voluntary migration.

Sunni extremists, who are supporting ISIS, have launched attacks against Shia Muslims in Australia to bring religious conflict from the Middle East. Why are they launching attacks on groups within the same religion as them? Why do Sunni extremists feel the need to get Australia involved in the religious conflicts from the Middle East after they've managed to avoid conflict for a long time?

The Shiites and Sunnis have been fighting ever since the death of Mohommad over who would be Mohommad's sucessor.

I think that Sunni extremists and Shia Muslims, even though they are both Islamic, have different beliefs, and they each believe that they are correct. The Sunni extremists, are exactly what they say they are...extremists; AKA people who will go to extreme measures to fight for what they believe. If something the Shia Muslims are saying or doing is counteracting what the Sunni extremists believe, they will quickly result to violent action to try to put an end to it. Also, if they can "take over" Australia and make it Islamic, more specifically Sunni, then they will have more money and power...which is the reason this is such a large territorial conflict.

In this case mobility and globalization are working hand-in-hand to make Twitter's job harder. The ISIS, a terrorist group, has been posting inappropriate material on Twitter. Because Twitter is an international social site, ideas and news can spread like wild fire. This causes disturbing images, posted by the ISIS, to have a larger sphere of influence. Twitter's job is to stop and suspend accounts related to ISIS. This leads us to the question many have been asking; Is Twitter a tech company or a news service?

Could there be a connection between ISIS taking control of a dam and geography?

-Violence arose between the Shiites and the Sunnis in Iraq because ISIS was murdering anyone who wasn't a Sunni. A while back the Shiites drove the Sunni's out of their houses but now it's the opposite.  -Why can' t these two groups get along since they are part of the same religion?

As ISIS moves throughout different regions in the Middle East which regions will be the ones that fight back because of certain religions in each region? Can the threat of ISIS be stopped by the PKK or other groups in surrounding regions?

A recent emergency regarding terrorism has surfaced in Tunisia, an African country located along the Mediterranean Sea, after two spontaneous attacks by Islamic extremists, and the effects embody several themes of human geography. To start off, the functional region of Tunisia itself is showcased due to its state emergency declaration, digging of a trench to stop unlawful trade, and implementation of additional law enforcement for protection. Each of these actions illustrate how Tunisia operates within its political boundaries to sustain the well-being of the nation. For mobility, relocation diffusion will decrease as the absorbing barrier of the trench halts people, ideas, and supplies from moving across Libya's border, but Tunisia will benefit from more security and safety. Fewer vacationers coming to Tunisia also impedes the spread of ideas. On the other hand, people emigrating from Tunisia, as mentioned in the article, have increased relocation diffusion by taking their knowledge to new locations, and expansion diffusion has escalated as people rapidly spread news of the attacks. Since the Group of 7 industrialized nations met to discuss the Islamic terror threat, globalization is taking place because multiple countries are interconnected by a foreign problem and are seeking a solution; this resembles the mission of UNICEF in "A Long Way Gone", as do the people fleeing danger like Ishmael did. It is interesting to note that the countries participating in the interactions are industrialized, for they have the technology to provide fast communication and effective actions. Tunisia even asked Western countries specifically for help due to their high development. I believe the gruesome acts were unnecessary and require the proper counteraction, so I am glad these nations are gathering. What will nearby nations do to accommodate refugees socially, politically, and economically? Why might the cultural landscape change to prevent events of this nature?

Excellent analysis. Great work connecting the themes to your selected current event and book. Terrorism is an enormous threat to every country, including industrialized core nations like the Group of 7. Does anyone know why terrorists, and specifically, Islamic extremists such as those associated with ISIS or Al Qaeda, even commit acts of terror on citizens?

Just recently, Istanbul has released a bomb warning in crowded areas. Some of the areas most at risk are Taksim, Osmanbey, Yenikapi, and Haciosman. The Istanbul Police Department has sent out in pen and paper the threats. But why are they threatening these bombs? On July 20th a bomb went off in Suruç, Turkey that killed 32 and injured hundreds. More are suspected to come. These bombs and bomb warnings relate to the region theme of geography. In Istanbul, a culture has been created of violence. The hub, or government of Istanbul is trying in many ways to keep the land safe and secure. So, will another deadly bomb explode? How will the government protect their citizens?

Thank you for the debriefing, Blaire. Good example for the region theme as well. When we hear about the Middle East region, these are the types of events we unfortunately associate with that place. It is interesting how societies are shaped due to external and internal terrorist threats. Perhaps many of you notice the presence of security as you travel around this summer. Security checkpoints at airports or landmarks reminds me of the cultural landscape theme.

The Pope signed a declaration that unified the once refuting religions, Christianity and Easter Orthodox. Will this unity set a precedent for other refuting religions? 

This article also shows that where there are boarders between countries there is usually fighting. ISIS is an Islamic group and because they have control over Syria and Iraq Christians have been forced to leave. This is similar with what happened with al Qaeda in those areas in the past. I hope that the unity will set a precedent for other religions.

When the Pope made this agreement with the Eastern Orthodox churches it would have assisted in ending religious conflict. Unlike some other religions that face conflict, these two religions are pretty similar, so this probably helped with ending their problems. In addition, the article I posted on the 19th was also about the Orthodox church, so it must be a prominent religion in Europe.