Skip to main content

Home/ APHumanGeography/ Group items tagged are

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Mr. Reidy

Religion in American Culture -- Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life - 14 views

shared by Mr. Reidy on 02 Dec 13 - Cached
  • Based on interviews with more than 35,000 American adults, this extensive survey by the Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project details the religious makeup, religious beliefs and practices as well as social and political attitudes of the American public.
  •  
    Hello APHUG! I hope you all had relaxing breaks. Looking forward to our upcoming chapter on Religion. As will be mentioned on Tuesday, I would like you to 1) bookmark and annotate (either in comments box or post-it note or both!) at least one SPECIFIC part of this "Religious Landscape Survey" website that helps you understand the geographical perspective of religion the most.  2) Explain your choice. 3) Create an authentic, relevant and real-world project task for this religion chapter that would require students to use the "Religious Landscape Survey" website. 4) Comment on at least one other person's response.  Due on Diigo by Thursday 11:59 PM.
  • ...40 more comments...
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/maps, This is a map of the United States displaying the distribution of Evangelical Protestant Tradition. 2. I chose this map because Evangelical Protestant has one of the highest percentages for a denomination in the United States, meaning it is very popular. I thought it was very interesting how this tradition has a higher percentage in the Southeast regions of the United States, rather than the North or the West. This fits with many stereo-types about the South, which I also find interesting. 3. Analyze the map of Evangelical Protestant tradition in the United States and form a hypothesis explaining your results. Then explain whether or not this hypothesis applies to other dominant denominations in the United States and other places in the world, and why or why not. Is this specific to the United States? Maybe the students could even find research/surveys done on people's opinions of Southern people and how the data of their religion fits with these stereotypes.
  •  
    Excellent explanation and project idea!
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#, these charts show what people's affiliations are in terms of political party and important issues such as abortion and homosexuality. 2. I chose these charts because they really demonstrate the views people have based on their religion. Many religions have beliefs concerning different issues. Christians are normally don't support abortion because in the Bible it talks about a baby in the womb is already precious to God and thus it is a sin to kill the innocent baby. Christians are often times than not more conservative thus they are Republicans. Other religions are more liberal and thus they are affiliated with Democrats. 3. Pretend that you are trying to become the perfect president. What qualities and view points would you support or not support in order to please most of the population? (Yes it's not possible to please everyone, but how would you secure the majority of the population for voting you into office?) Think about issues such as abortion, homosexuality, size of the government and U.S. involvement in international affairs.
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/maps# a map of frequency of prayer accross the U.S 2. I chose this map because it displays how religious america is, as it shows high percentages of praying per day especially in the south, steriotypically the most religious area of the U.S. 3. Look at this map and explain what this map implys about this country and if that was what you expected
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/maps 2. I chose this map because it showed the frequency of attendance at religious services. I thought that was an interesting topic to examine because it shows how many people actually go to church, as opposed to people claiming they are a part of a certain religion, while not being active in the church. That is a powerful distinction. It showed that the Southern areas have higher attendance of religious services. 3. Look at the map about frequency of attendance at religious services and compare that to the different religions present in those areas. Is there a correlation between attendance and the type of religion practiced in a region?
  •  
    Allyson- I thought your project idea was a fantastic idea. It was very creative and well thought out. Nice work.
  •  
    1.http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons# 2. I found that age affects the population of certain religions to be fascinating. It was interesting to see the way age affiliated with religion. Younger people (18-29) tend to have equal numbers between all religions but when they become older (30-49) they tend to move towards Islam, Hinduism, and Catholic Christian. 3. Examine the data shown on the affiliation between religion and age and explain why each age differs in their religious practices.
  •  
    Nicole- Your project idea is great and I like the explanation you gave on the views of the political parties when discussing religion.
  •  
    Nathan- I like your task. It does a good job of using the map and another map to make connections and comparisons to figure of the why of where!
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons# (Make sure to click on the tab labeled "Income distribution of Religious Traditions) 2. I had chosen this particular topic because I wanted to debunk many of the stereotypical associations we as a society put on numerous religions. For example, I wanted to find proof that linked Jews with large fortunes or discover some statistic that linked people of color with poverty. To my surprise, the above statements held some truth. Over 46% of the people that practice Judaism hold a job that makes them over 100,000 dollars a year and about 47% percent of those who attend historically black churches make less then 30,000 dollars a year. 3. Explain the connection between a particular group's religious beliefs and how much money they make within a year. Make sure to include details about their lifestyle(Simple or Hectic), the value they put on education, and types of jobs each group holds (White or Blue Collar and examples).
  •  
    Nicole- I enjoyed your reasoning regarding the information you discovered detailing religious beliefs and their connection with political views. Also, I find your project very creative and rather challenging.
  •  
    1) http://religions.pewforum.org/maps : This is a map of the United States showing the where the Mormon tradition is most prominent. 2) I decided to look at Mormons because it is a religion that is not very popular, and I am interested in learning more about it. By the website, it says that it is a sect of christianity, though many would think otherwise. Also, my friends have been watching 'The Book of Mormon' on Broadway. The percentage of Mormon's in the US is around 2%. Most of the country remains relatively lacking in this religion...until you reach West. Salt Lake City, Utah is considered the hearth of the mormon faith in the US. Here the population is 51-100% Mormon. Around Utah, especially Westward, Mormonism becomes more popular, most likely spreading through relocation diffusion. 3) Explain the success of Mormonism in the West versus the East. What are some of the reasons that would make the East less open to the Mormon tradition. Explain why Mormonism has a stronghold in Utah
  •  
    Clay-I liked your project idea! Good job!
  •  
    1) http://religions.pewforum.org/maps This map portrays the importance of religion in one's life across the United States. 2) I chose this map because I found it interesting how religious importance varies across an area. The most dramatic difference in religious importance is between Mississippi and neighboring states, such as Florida and Georgia, for Mississippi views religion being involved in daily life as vitally important, believed by 81% of the residents. Viewing the United States as a whole, 56% see their religion as crucial in everyday life, while 26% see religion as somewhat important, 16% view religion as not very important, and 1% as refusing to practice a religion. This describes how various religions in diverse regions cause differing views on the importance of religion. 3) Explain the correlation between the predominate Protestant areas of Central and Southeast United States with the differentiating views of the importance of religion in one's life. Also, when told that Utah is inhabited by numerous Latter-day Saint members, but surrounding states, such as Nevada, are mostly Catholic, explain the relation of Utah encompassing a different value of the importance of religion from other Western states.
  •  
    Jared- I like how your task relates analyzing religious beliefs to income and style of living, such as a person's job or their value on education. I find this intriguing, but also challenging.
  •  
    1)http://religions.pewforum.org/maps 2) This is a map of frequency of prayer. I think that it is interesting that, even though most Americans believe in a God, the percent of those who pray (a way of practicing religion) goes down. Also the percent of those who pray vary on the area, for example in the South the percentage ranges from around 71-80% but in the New England area it ranges from around 41-50%. This has a lot to do with the way parents raise their children and how influenced from the outside world the children are. The reason the number in the south may be so high is because of isolation allowing traditional customs to continue on without influence from those who practice different religions. Barriers that restrict language in the past unit can also work to restrict religion. 3)Compare other areas of the United States and try to access why they practice their religion more so than other areas. Use geological features and factors that might hinder diffusion or allow it to occur at a faster rate.
  •  
    Jared- I liked your assessment and I thought it was clever that you chose something relatable to most Americans. Also I liked your task idea and how it will get people to think about religion and it relating to other aspects of life.
  •  
    1) http://religions.pewforum.org/maps 2)This is the map of the percentage of Mormons in Utah. I find this interesting for the fact that I do not know very much about the Mormon faith. I also chose Utah because I know that is the area that is suppose to have the highest amount of Mormons since their main temple is in Salt Lake city. Also my interest comes from the fact that many people consider Mormons a cult. In fact that does not to be true at all. Mormons have a significant amount of followers. This consists of 58% of the people in Utah and 2% of the entire United States. It is for this reason that I chose to look at the Mormons in Utah for the sole reason that it interests me to learn more about what I don't know about. 3) If I were to give an assignment to the class involving this data I would ask that the class look at the percentage of Mormons in Utah and then look at other states and look at their percentage of Mormons. Then I would have them record the highest and lowest three percents and form a thesis on why these areas have the amount of Mormons present as they do.
  •  
    To Jared- I can see why you'd want to look at certain stereotypes involving certain faiths for it is an interesting topic that is a matter of debate and tension among religious groups. As for your project I think it would be very interesting to see how the characteristics of faiths could affect their financial standings. In other words I like it.
  •  
    Nick- I think that the correspondence between age and religion is very interesting as well. Great project idea!
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/maps# This is a map showing the amount of people that practice Hinudism in America. 2. I wanted to check out this specific part of the website because I was curious about the statistics of Hinduism in the US, if any. I wasn't surprised to find out that only 0.5% of the American population practices this religion because it's considered an ethnic religion and is therefore tied to one location, which is primarily India. This also means that it doesn't diffuse to other areas very often. 3. Examine the map that breaks down the different religions that are practiced in the US and explain why they do or don't make sense from a geographic standpoint as well as a cultural standpoint.
  •  
    Ally- Your project idea is so thorough and carefully thought out. Well done!
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/maps 2. This particular map drew my attention, because many believe in God, but not everyone carries out the duties of their religion. It was surprising to see that just 58% of people pray at least once a day. Knowing that Christianity is an extremely dominant religion in the US, the percentage should be higher. Prayer is an important part of any religion, and certainly Christianity. This stat shows America is not very devout. 3. Compare America's average amount of prayer with that of countries on multiple continents to study how closely certain religions are followed and practiced in different places in the world.
  •  
    Nathan- Your project was clever and it would be very interesting to view the results
  •  
    1) http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons# 2) This particular set of percentages really helped me to understand how religions are really spread throughout the US. I think that it is amazing how many people actually are Christians in the US. I feel like the percentage should be higher, compared with the video of the spreading religions we watched in class. There are many people who just don't worship a God, and I feel like that is a large part of our country's identification now. 3) Look at how the different denominations and branches of Christianity compare to the rest of the religions in the US, such as Islam, and Buddhism, and show how they relate to each other in many different ways.
  •  
    Isabella - I really liked your project idea and I thought that it was very well thought through. I also liked how you connected everything together with your paragraph.
  •  
    Nathan: Cool project Idea!! I love it! That would be a really interesting overlaying of maps. You could get a map of average times people spend per week on religions services or things to do with their denomination, and then overlay it with the churches of that region. That would be totally interesting. Good job!!
  •  
    Isabella~ I think it's interesting how faiths differ- both internally and when compared to other religions. A denomination like Catholicism seems to be so strict and almost confining, and adherence to the rules is of the highest importance, while other Christian denominations are more open to individual views and interpretation. In comparison to the Muslim faith, where one even has to change the way they dress in some circumstances, it feels like Christianity isn't strict at all! These factors concerning strictness of religions can be connected with how often followers pray and attend services.
  •  
    Hayley- Analyzing the reasons for the distribution of Mormons in the U.S. would be really interesting, especially why people in the west would be more willing to accept Mormon beliefs than in the east. In relation to that topic, you could also research whether there are Mormons outside the U.S., how many, and why and how the religion diffused there.
  •  
    Nicole your project idea is fantastic! I love how you described it and the whole idea in general. I believe that the project would be difficult enough for an AP class but you described it perfectly.
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons# 2) This is a chart of the income distribution between the different religions. I choose this chart because I think it is interesting to see the distribution of wealth between different religions. 3) The students would have to compare the differences in wealth between universalized and ethnic religions. Then the could research a religion with an abundance or wealth and one with poor wealth and find out what job(s) the majority hold.
  •  
    1. http://religions.pewforum.org/portraits The map shows that 52% of people attending evangelical churches are conservative which helps me see the relationships between evangelical churches and political views. 2. I chose this map because I practice Lutheran which can be closely tied to evangelical churches and sometimes are combined. It is interesting to learn what political views can be related with the Evangelical church 3. Using this website students could take a map of the US and the areas where different religions are found. Then compare this to a map of political views for those religions. The students will determine any patterns between religions and their political views and where they are located in the US.
  •  
    Olivia it is interesting to see what religions have more wealth and possibly where they are located. Also for your project it would be cool to compare the US Christianity and say Africa's Christianity and find the wealth for both. Obviously the US would have more wealth but it would be interesting to see if Chirstianity in the US has the highest wealth compared to other religions in the US and if the same things works for Christianity in Africa.
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/portraits 1) With a visual representation with a pie graph, this shows how specifically how Muslims live in the United States, for example, the different regions such as the Northwest, Midwest, South and West. Though the numbers of Muslims in the United States are small they still practice what they believe and the numbers are growing, with the biggest group being in the ages of 30-49. 2) I choose this religion primarily because it is a growing religion in the United States and it is interesting to see the demographics of the people who practice Islam. I choose this section also because I could compare the Islam to other religions such as Christianity, and what surprised me was how many Muslims there are in the Northeast. 3) Why is the religion of Islam growing in the United States? Use examples from the Demographic Transition Model and the Migration Transition Model to explain your answer. Explain where this religion is found outside of the United States and how it spread from its hearth to where it is today. Is political and social unrest common in regions with this religion? Explain why/ why not this may be the case.
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/maps and select, "Mormon Tradition" under the section of "Religious Groups". This map is the percentage of the U.S. adult population that is affiliated with the Mormon tradition. 2.) I chose this map because I was interested where the most concentrated area of Mormons in the U.S. was. I do not really know that much about the Mormon faith and was wondering if there was a large population located near us. I found this not to be the case because the state with the largest Mormon concentration is Utah. All the other states where the population of Mormons was larger than 4% were all found in the east of the U.S also. 3.) My project would be for students to first learn about the Mormon tradition compared to other dominant religions in the U.S. The students would then take the things they learned about Mormons and study this map of their distribution. The students would then be required to apply their knowledge of Mormons and explain why the largest percentage of the population affiliated with this tradition is located in the West compared to other regions in the U.S.
  •  
    Jared- Your project is very interesting and is a great idea! I really like how you want students to connect a group's religious beliefs to their lifestyle and how they value education, and the jobs they have. Great choice!
  •  
    Kelly- it is interesting that you chose Hinduism as religion to study and prove that it is not a common practiced religion in the United States. I enjoyed your project idea because it is a different point of view trying to find whether or not a religion makes sense in a certain region or not based on the distribution that occurred in the past.
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/maps - This is a map that shows the percent of each states population that believes in God. 2.) I chose this because I was interested in seeing where the most concentrated percentages of people that believe in God occur. The map showed that the south east region of the U.S except for Florida had the highest percent of people that strongly believed in God. It also showed that the west coast had the lowest percent. This is interesting because the south east is considered the bible belt and this area has a reputation for being predominantly Christian. 3.) For my project I would have students look at the different percentages of religious beliefs and practices in each state and compare it to the religion distribution in the states. Then the student would have to explain why or why not the percentages of religious beliefs and practices make sense or not compared to the main religions belief.
  •  
    Cameron- I think it was good that you connected this website back to the demographic transition model and the migration transition model. This is the kind of thinking the Mr. Reidy would be proud of.
  •  
    Nicole, I love your idea! Not only are you learning about a majority of faiths in America, but you get to attack certain issues head on! This certainly beats just writing a paragraph!
  •  
    http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons# This graph shows what political parties a certain religion is most affiliated to. 2. I chose this because the beliefs that a specific religion has affects which political party they affiliate with. They would choose a party with similar views as themselves. Most of the religions have a majority in the Democratic Party, but Jehovah's Witnesses have a majority in no proference/don't know. This group is the "odd man out" as it has relatively low percent of followers that are affiliated with the Democratic Party. 3. I would have students look at this data and a map of the U.S. of where each religion is mostly located and what political preference they have at election time, and determine if the data with the religions matches up with the data of the political parties of each state.
  •  
    Olivia- Interesting project idea. One would believe that universalizing religions would be tend to be wealthier, but then to find ethnic religions that are wealthy, or universalizing religions that are poor when researching. Also to find differences in wealth of the same religion, but in different areas of the world.
Jake Kurtz

FAST-US-1 Intro to American English Reference File - 5 views

    • Jake Kurtz
       
      Different languages (dialects) arise from the mixing of languages. If a language isnt present in a given area, it wont mix with the current language in that area.
    • Jake Kurtz
       
      Prestige can cause separate languages because people of certain class interact with those of the same class, therefore it allows for certain dialects to form in different areas. 
  •  
    CH. 5, KI#3: Highlight and annotate at least two major ideas in this article that seem meaningful in understanding why individual languages vary among places, such as in the US. (Do this by 11/21 for 1 extra credit point. :-))
  • ...6 more comments...
  •  
    "Generally, the southern dialects of American English carry a lower prestige, at least among northerners who will assume that a person speaking a southern dialect is less intelligent and less educated than they are. Some educated southerners even feel this way and will "correct" their speech to meet northern standards. The New York City dialect carries the lowest prestige of all." Similar to what Jake said, dialects can be considered favorable or unfavorable. Southern accents and New York accents are both of low prestige, and deemed improper. Teachers discourage the use of phrases derived from these dialects in formal writing. A language may evolve to eradicate dialects or promote dialects. Either way, the individual language will inevitably vary because of past, present, and future influences of both the indigenous inhabitants of a given region, and the ongoing flow of migrating persons.
  •  
    "Compared with the Eastern United States, the Western regions were settled too recently for very distinctive dialects to have time to develop or to be studied in detail. Many words originally came from Spanish, cowboy jargon, and even some from the languages of the Native Americans: adobe, beer bust, belly up, boneyard, bronco, buckaroo, bunkhouse, cahoots, corral, greenhorn, hightail, hoosegow, lasso, mustang, maverick, roundup, wingding." This quote identifies a key factor in deciphering the cause for variations in individual languages: time and indigenous peoples. After a language has diffused from an area, the new locations that are influenced begin to develop their own unique twist on the language. This doesn't happen overnight. Because the Midwest was settled recently in historical terms, the dialects are not distinct. Perhaps in the future, an accent may develop. In addition, when a homeland of an indigenous group of people is influenced by a new language, the two languages intermix. Because of the large populations of Native Americans living in the Midwest, the pioneers adopted terms they learned from the Indians. This will cause the language to vary from a region with few Native Americans. In effect, both time and indigenous peoples impact a language and inspire regional differences.
  •  
    "Mutual understandability in theory determines what is a "dialect" and what is a "language," but in reality there are also social and political issues. The government of a country might declare that all the languages spoken in that country are actually dialects of one language in order to create the illusion of political unity, while the government of another country might declare that the dialect spoken by its people is actually a unique language from other countries that speak dialects of the same language in order to create a sense of national pride." This quote is meaningful to identify why individual languages vary among places because it talks about how the government plays into the development of languages. This is relevant to the U.S, because when Webster's dictionary was made, he changed the spellings of words to break free from being dependent of England and to create a sense of national pride. This is just one example of how languages change over time.
  •  
    "The modern development of communications technology may possibly retard the evolution of dialects and languages. For the first time in history, a single dialect (sometimes called Network Standard) can be broadcast over an entire country, so few people actually still live in geographic isolation. However, the existence of racism, poverty, and class distinctions may cause some groups to remain socially isolated from the cultural mainstream, giving rise to social dialects like Black English (Ebonics), which is spoken by some urban African-Americans. " This quote plays on the idea that new communication methods are stopping the evolution of dialects. This would mean that less people are living in isolation and therefore it is harder for a dialect to stay strong. This also means that geographic locations that are in isolation have an easier time developing their own dialect and/or language.
  •  
    "Three things are needed for a new dialect to develop: a group of people living in close proximity to each other; this group living in isolation (either geographically or socially) from other groups; and the passage of time. Given enough time, a dialect may evolve to the point that it becomes a different language from the one it started as." This quote describes the factors needed for dialect and even new language to develop and vary among places. It is saying that first of all, there needs to be a group of people for this new language to develop in, which is common sense. However, it also says that this group needs to be living in isolation. For example, when British colonists moved to America, they became isolated from Britain by the Atlantic ocean, this isolation caused them to be unable to hear people talk from their homeland, as they only communicated through letters and writing. This slowly began to morph their language as they fed off each other's new pronunciations. This slow process is also displayed in the quote, when it says there is a need for time, a new dialect must slowly form as people speaking the same language being to get a little bit sloppy with pronunciation, spelling, etc. As the quote states, "given enough time, a dialect may evolve into a language."
  •  
    "For the first time in history, a single dialect (sometimes called Network Standard) can be broadcast over an entire country, so few people actually still live in geographic isolation. However, the existence of racism, poverty, and class distinctions may cause some groups to remain socially isolated from the cultural mainstream, giving rise to social dialects like Black English (Ebonics), which is spoken by some urban African-Americans." This quote also displays how languages can diffuse, and vary among places. Or how they cant. It talks about modern technology's effect of the spread of language, so that people are able to experience ebonics or dialects they have never come in contact with. This could cause less variation, as people want to become like those they see on TV or hear on the radio. However, it could also have the opposite effect; increasing variation. Racism, poverty, and social class seen as "undesirable" by the public, could effect language by isolating it, causing more dialects of these languages to spring up. Technology can have a huge effect of language variation.
  •  
    "Contrary to what your teachers may have tried to tell you, there is no such thing as "correct English." Any manner of speaking that follows the rules of a dialect is equally "correct." Words like ain't are "real" words in some dialects and perfectly acceptable to use." This quote shows how languages and their rules are arbitrary. The main point of language is just to communicate ideas, so as long as the message is spread then the rules don't matter as much.
  •  
    "Pennsylvania Dutch, a dialect of German spoken by people in this area (in this context, 'Dutch' is actually a mispronunciation of the German word, 'Deutsch,' which means 'German')." PA Dutch is an example of a creole language because the German migrators' language fused with the indigineous residents' language which formed PA Dutch.
jbasom

Ethnic minorities under-represented and under-paid | Scoop News - 3 views

  • Public servants from ethnic minorities continue to be under-represented in the senior management of government departments and they continue to be paid significantly below the average public service salary according to Multicultural New Zealand.
  • But Maori, Pacific and Asian public servants are mainly clustered in lower paid occupations and thus suffer from an “ethnic pay gap”.
  • But Maori, Pacific and Asian public servants are mainly clustered in lower paid occupations and thus suffer from an “ethnic pay gap”
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • “While one might not expect the ethnic pay gap to reduce substantially from one year to the next, the almost total lack of progress (and actual regression) over five years is disappointing to say the least” said Multicultural New Zealand.
  •  
    In this article, ethnic groups, such as the Maori, which are found in New Zealand, are getting paid lower wages and they are not considered equal to the other non-ethnic groups. Even though this has not escalated to a full out war (yet), what would happen if the Maori stopped putting up with being "inferior" to the other groups? Would a territorial conflict arise? I think the answers to these questions are obvious because land equals money, which equals power. So, for these Maori people to get the equality they deserve, maybe all they need is a territorial war to gain back power?
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    But is it a good idea to start a war? The Muslims and Jews have been fighting for 2,000 years which proves that maybe that's not the best idea. If they want the power back so bad, I feel like there has to be another way to go, especially since wars can go on for long periods of time.
  •  
    Jocy and Catherine- I think that something definitely has to be done to try to fix this problem, but I also don't think that a war would be the best idea in resolving this issue. There does have to be some other way to solve this, but at the same time, a peaceful agreement most likely won't be effective either. Neither several territorial wars or a peaceful agreement worked for the Arab-Israeli conflict over territory, so what makes you think a territorial war would work for them?
  •  
    I agree that a war for territory isn't a good idea, but at the same time, they don't have the rights they deserve. Right now there isn't a war going on, so a "peace agreement" isn't really possible, because there is nothing upsetting the peace. I think the Maori people are taking baby steps to getting the privileges they deserve but they aren't making the progress that they want to, yet.
  •  
    I don't think war is a good idea, it seems that if the people want equal pay, they have to do something about it. As seen in the Arab-Israeli conflict, it may not be the best idea to go to war, but perhaps the people need to do something else.
  •  
    I agree with Brooke. Despite the fact that land equals money and money equals power, does a war guarantee that the minority group will gain land and thereby power to be paid the same amount? In addition, a war requires political power and money in order to gain access to resources. If the minority group has little power to begin with, how are they to obtain the resources necessary to win a war? There must be a better solution to this issue than to go to war.
Kelly Gallick

American-Made Clothing Companies Find Ways To Survive As Others Chase Cheap Labor Abroad - 5 views

    • Kelly Gallick
       
      Most of the apparel that we wear is made in another country, and very rarely do I see something made in the US, which makes sense because the foreign-made clothing is much cheaper.
    • Kelly Gallick
       
      The topic of outsourcing is linked to globalization because industries aren't just located in one area, but have some branches in other countries that have cheaper labor or products, which is connecting the world.
    • Kelly Gallick
       
      In the industrial sector, you learn that in countries that have a surplus of workers, the wages tend to be very low. Large industries use this as an advantage and send some of their products to these countries to save money and to make more.
  • ...17 more annotations...
    • Kelly Gallick
       
      New technologies are cutting down on production prices and therefore cutting down on the amount of outsourcing that industries do, but are the prices of the technologies cheaper than the prices of the cheap labor overseas?
    • Kelly Gallick
       
      http://www.epi.org/publication/bp336-us-china-auto-parts-industry/ This additional current event talks about the auto industry and how many are based in the US, but most of the small parts that go into making the cars are make in developing countries, like China. This is becoming a problem because some American workers are out of jobs due to the workers in China that do the same amount of work for less pay. Outsourcing of the apparel industry and the auto industry are very similar in this regard.
  • d .
  • said
  • Henry has been in the apparel business for three decades, enough to see nearly all of his competitors disband or head overseas in search of workers who will do the job for lower wages. Henry has taken the opposite route, shrinking the geographic scope of his supply chain and making that a marketing feature.
  • Workers at TS Designs in North Carolina are paid an average of $15 an hour,
  • estimated .
  • His “most sustainable” T-shirt, which uses certified organic cotton, a transparent supply chain, with a patented environmentally-friendly print and dye system, costs around $14 wholesale. The same type of shirt would cost about $8 to make overseas, he estimated
  • The average factory worker in Bangladesh makes $0.21 an hour,
  • bargains on store shelves in Los Angeles and Philadelphia may come at the expense of people toiling in unsafe conditions in Dhaka and Guatemala City.
  • quality of raw materials
  • His shirts are made in America, and not on the other side of the world, in a poor country in which workers may be mistreated.
  • If you take production overseas, the labor cost would be less than $1. The fabric and design cost doesn’t change much, he said, especially for a simple piece of apparel like a T-shirt.
  • “This industry is so mobile that it gets fixed in one place and then pops up somewhere else,” Rivoli said.
  • But American apparel manufacturing may eventually see a resurgence, some experts said. The garment industry is undergoing the kind of technological change reshaping many industries:
  • Machines are increasingly attending to tasks once performed by humans. That undercuts the overall cost advantages of going overseas in search of cheaper labor.
  • As automation emerges as a greater force in the apparel trade, that could send investment back to the United States, where mastery of machinery remains a core strength.
  •  
    Kelly! I find your annotations and article to be very interesting, as myself often wonder how American-made clothing companies survive, with foreign-made clothes being so much cheaper!! I also totally agree with you that countries with a surplus of people who need jobs in that field have very cheap labor wages. For example, the maquiladoras in Mexico. I think American clothing companies DO have an advantage in the fact that many people respect American-made brands as they are seen as higher quality and more durable. Thanks for sharing!
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    What's up Gallick. You had a lot of annotations that were very helpful in understanding your article. It's unfortunate and shocking that the workers in Bangladesh only make 21 cents an hour, I find that hard to believe, although I know it's true.
  •  
    Kelly, I find it very interesting how this article incorporates both the desire to reestablish manufacturing in the U.S. and the outweighing factors, such as labor costs, that attract businesses to LDCs. In addition, the article describes the evident connection between labor cost and working conditions. For example, workers in Bangladesh are only paid $0.21 and hour, while recently there was a factory collapse that killed many workers. This portrays that with low labor cost also comes poor working conditions.
  •  
    Kelly G, great article! This article proved my hunch that American made clothing is better quality than ones made in foreign countries though more expensive. I found this very interesting and reminds me of some of the Made in America things that I have seen on TV. I believe that if American companies put more stress on the quality of clothing they are making that outsourcing competitors may start having troubles.
  •  
    Companies have now started to transition to finding the cheapest cost for the production of their products instead of quality. What paths will companies have to take if countries like Bangladesh start to develop more and price of labor rises globally? I assume that greed has taken over in today's world that we look for the cheap way to make products instead of making a great quality one.
  •  
    I found this article very interesting, mainly because of the difference in cost of apparel made in the United States versus in a lower wage country, such as Bangladesh. I find it very hard to believe that they only get paid 21 cents an hour! Overall, I think that our country needs to look at clothing not by how cheap it is, but how it was made and what certain people had to go through to make it.
Padraic Manning

Religious Affiliations and Percentage Practiced In the United States - 3 views

    • Bronte Lebo
       
      2) This map is very interesting because it shows what the majority of Americans in different reasons believe about their religion. The unique thing about this map is that it represents all religions, not just one. I looked in particular at the map of how strongly people view their religion as the one true faith. A relatively low number of people agree with this, which is probably why there aren't many huge religious conflicts in the United States. 3) For a project, I would ask students to look at this map and identify the states with the highest percentage of people who believe that their religion is the one true faith. Then I would have them research religious conflicts in these areas. We would then compare this research with data about states that had the lowest percentage of people who agreed with the statement. This would show if there is a correlation between religious conflict and the belief that a certain religion is the only right way. 
    • Bronte Lebo
       
      Elina: your observations make sense because the South East is the Bible belt, so there are probably a lot more people there who believe in God. It's interesting that Colorado is so much lower than all of the states around it too.
    • Mr. Reidy
       
      Good observation, Bronte. Why does Colorado seem to be not as "mainstream religious" as other states?
  •  
    1) This map depicts the various religions, denominations, and sects within the United States. It shows how these faiths are distributed across the nation and how dense they are in their respective locations. This map is invaluabe in describing what Americans believe and where they do so. 2)I chose this map because of how helpful and powerful it is. It does a fantastic job at being straigh forward in showing the geographer where different faiths reside. From this information, the human geographer can make powerful inferences on why things are the way they are regarding religion. 3) Using the "Religious Landscape Survey" website, the students should write a well-thought-out response answering the prompt "How are different faiths distributed across America?"
  • ...6 more comments...
  •  
    I agree with you, Liam. The map does an excellent job of showing the distribution of the different religions across the United States. The maps themselves would help others to preform your project idea. It would involve what we have learned in the past about migration, but would also tie in what we have learned about religion so far.
  •  
    1.) The map on this webpage displays the distribution of certain religions within the US. For example, it shows that Protestantism and Catholicism are the two most dominant religions within the US. 2.) I chose this part of the survey because it provided me with a visual aid of the distribution of religions within the US. Also, it shows the distribution of specific religions within certain states. 3.) Create a visual representation of the distribution of a religion of your choice within the US, and provide some insight learned from this unit (and others) in order to explain the cause of the religion's distribution.
  •  
    Liam, I agree that the map has power in the way it displays the distribution of different faiths. The visual representation is helpful in understanding a religion's distribution.
  •  
    Very impressive, APHUG! It's a pleasure reading all of your online text transactions. I'm recording these excellent task ideas, too. See you all Friday.
  •  
    This map portrays the percentage of each state in which citizens answer whether religion is "very important" in their life or not. 2. Not only can we learn the number of citizens who truly value their religion in either a widespread or specific area, but also come to some conclusions on what possible dominant religion that area is ruled by. For example, the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana all have very high percentage rates in which the citizens say their religion is very important in their life. From prior knowledge we know this is around the "Bible Belt" area, and can assume that these states are predominately Protestant. In state such as California and Nevada, the percentage rates of the citizens who feel that religion is important to their life is relatively low. Especially on the West Coast, religion isn't well known. 3. A project I feel that would be beneficial and "real world" like would be to survey students at our own High School, asking the same question; whether religion is "very important" in their life. Of course you can't force students to take the survey, but it would be interesting to examine the results gathered from responses of fellow classmates.
  •  
    Nathan V- I really like the creativity of your project. There are definitely a few important correlations between amount of attendance at services and the predominant religion in the area. Great connection.
  •  
    1. This map shows all the religions practiced in the United States and exactly what percentage of people practice each religion. You can also click a link that shows us how many people actively practice their religion. 2. I chose this because it is interesting to see exactly what religions are being practiced and if people are actually practicing their religion. 3. I think an interesting project idea would be to first, take a survey of the people in your neighborhood of what religion they practice. Secondly, take a survey of how many actively practice their religion. Then look up the same statistics for 2000 and compare the results to see how it has changed. After make a presentation/power point showing these results seeing whether more people practice their religions or not now a days as opposed to 13 years ago.
  •  
    Brendan- I love your project idea. I think it would be more beneficial than just writing or creating a visual representation because it would be more like you're doing real field work and it would be more real life than writing about the map.
bbaker2

Sectarian tensions high, say Australian Muslim leaders - CNN.com - 0 views

  • Muslim community leaders in Australia say sectarian tensions are soaring, as radicalized Sunni youth, inspired by ISIS, seek to import the religious conflicts wracking the Middle East.
  • a 47-year old Shia leader was shot in the shoulder early Monday morning, as worshipers observed the Shia ritual of Ashura.
  • Shia community focused around the Islamic center in Greenacre, south-west Sydney
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • "Anyone who speaks against the fighting in Syria and advocating the government to take action against people in Iraq and Syria -- they are threatened and attacked."
  • brutal Syrian conflict, and the appeal of ISIS to radicalized Sunni youth in Australia.
  • Sunni extremist group, which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
  • Sectarian tensions were a new phenomenon for Australia's Muslim community
  •  
    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.
Mr. Reidy

Tianjin blasts: Another of China's 'profound lessons' - 2 views

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/17/asia/china-tianjin-industrial-accidents/index.html In the article, more Chinese factory workers are being killed because the lack of safety. In Tianjin regulati...

Industry Nature Region

adukkipati

To Quell Unrest, Beijing Moves to Scatter Uighurs Across China - NYTimes.com - 3 views

  • As a winter chill settled across China’s far northwest, 489 people boarded a chartered train in the city of Urumqi for the 50-hour ride to the country’s opposite corner, in semitropical Guangdong Province, to take up new factory jobs.
  • With violence upending the social order in sections of Xinjiang, where resistance to Beijing’s rule has been growing among ethnic Uighurs, officials there and elsewhere in China are pushing new measures — like chartering entire trains — to bring Uighurs and members of other ethnic minorities to parts of the country where the Han, the nation’s ruling ethnicity, are the majority.
  • Assimilation is only one element of the party’s strategy to quell ethnic unrest in Xinjiang. Security forces there have arrested large numbers of Uighurs, saying some are terrorists, and courts have issued death sentences.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • “people have a bias against Xinjiang people,” Mr. Cheng said. “We need to establish a new image.”
  • “The gap between the Han and Uighur communities has widened significantly since 2009,” he said, “and it’s hard to imagine these sort of state-orchestrated cohesion-building projects narrowing it.”
  •  
    Since the Communist takeover of the region in 1949, the Uyghurs, a Muslim minority in China, have gotten a lot of religious and cultural persecution by Han Chinese. Similar to convicted communists during The Red Scare, Uyghurs have been prosecuted under false circumstances for separatist activities. While this isn't necessarily a dispute over territory, it's certainly an ethnic conflict and because of these hostilities, Uyghurs have a hard time finding migrant work within China. How does this relate to other ethnic conflicts like in Russia or Palestine?
  • ...3 more comments...
  •  
    It is interesting how all of the people of China are viewed as being Chinese by outsiders, but are viewed much differently by the Chinese themselves. China seems to encompass more than what we believe is Chinese, including smaller ethnic groups like the Uyghurs. This seems to be reminiscent of the view of Native Americans in the United States today, who also have trouble finding work and live in relative poverty.
  •  
    I never knew this was happening in China. Like Alex said, I did not know China had smaller ethnic groups. I thought the culture was relatively homogeneous. In the documentary we watched in class, I did not see any discrimination to different ethnic groups, either. It is interesting that the events taking place are very similar to The Red Scare in the United States. I wonder how China is going to resolve this conflict?
  •  
    This is similar to the conflict in Palestine because of the persecution of a group of people resulting in hostilities such as protests, riots, etc. It is sad yet interesting that there are so many instances of such similar conflicts happening all over the world. It seems like if one was to be solved, the rest would be able to find similar solutions.
  •  
    I agree with Alexander about the similarity to Native Americans. Not only is China helping these people with jobs, but they are also making them go through the training programs which includes learning Mandarin, to the point where the minorities are in fear of losing their own identities. The Native Americans were forced to go through similar programs in order to "help them".
  •  
    One of the cities that we will be traveling to in China is Xian. This city has a large Muslim minority. Do ethnic groups form enclaves as a refuge?
Nicole Weenink

Current Events #9- Maquiladoras - 1 views

  • The anthropologist said that women are also organizing unions and becoming labor activists to improve working conditions in both the border-town maquiladoras and in Sinaloa's shrimp fisheries
  • research on the relationship between adequate fishing resources and food security in northwestern Mexico – where she has discovered that women in particular play a critical role.
    • Nicole Weenink
       
      I found it interesting that Maria Cruz was able to switch from beaming a doctor to become person who studied the environment and the effect it has on people. Also it was cool that she was able to use what she learned in medical school and apply it to her new course of study. 
  • ...5 more annotations...
    • Nicole Weenink
       
      This relates to what we are studying in class because the maquiladoras are working for very low incomes. This is not very much but it is a site factor for the United States. They would rather transport materials across the border and have cheap labor. The problem is that the people that work in the factories are in very bad conditions and have to ban to gather to form unions to get better labor conditions. 
    • Mr. Reidy
       
      What are some cons to unions?
    • Nicole Weenink
       
      This relates to cultural landscape because the humans are modifying the landscape with the shrimp. There is pollution which modifies the environment and people are working to overcome this pollution and keep their families safe.
    • Nicole Weenink
       
      What kind of things are the women doing in order to try to get better wages and working conditions?
    • Nicole Weenink
       
      http://allafrica.com/stories/201403290105.html Relates to the article because it says that women make up the majority of maquiladoras. 
  • The anthropologist said that women are also organizing unions and becoming labor activists to improve working conditions in both the border-town maquiladoras and in Sinaloa's shrimp fisheries.
    • Mr. Reidy
       
      Veronica - great connection to point-source pollution ... I agree, seafood from the Gulf could be contaminated.
  •  
    I found it interesting how the article referred to the point-source water pollution from the shrimp industry. The chemical pollution in the water comes from industrial and agricultural sources related to shrimp. While the shrimp industry is important to Mexico's economy, it also has downsides, including health issues coming from the pollution of water that may go untreated.
Matt Juliana

State Proportion of the Cuban-Born in the United States - 0 views

  •  
    The reason why so many Cubans are located in Florida and especially in Miami is because it is only a short distance between Cuba and Florida, allowing for easy access. The other areas are major cities and metropolitan areas that will provide many job opportunities.
  •  
    I think that you are right in the fact that many of the immigrants would be going toward the cities in search of different jobs. They would probably want to get a higher paying job so maybe send money to family back home.
  •  
    Most native Cubans that live in America are found in similar latitudes and climates as Cuba itself. Most live in states that are farther south, like Florida, Texas, Nevada, and California. The exceptions are New Jersey and New York, where many immigrants come through, and there are many jobs. This suggests that immigrants often try to live in a climate that may be similar to the one that they are used to.
Veronica Werner

MPI | Data Hub | Maps of the Foreign Born in the US - 0 views

  • and concentration of various immigrant populations in the United States in 2010 and 2000.
  • Use our maps to learn about the settlement patterns and concentration of various immigrant populations in the United States in 2010 and 2000.
    • Veronica Werner
       
      These maps, individually, are useful for recognizing total immigration patterns in the U.S.: where immigrants are distributed and where they are most likely to be concentrated.  However, a new level of understanding can come from comparing the maps to each other.  For example, comparing where immigrants from Mexico are distributed to the overall distribution of immigrants shows specific characteristics of those immigrants.  It is interesting to see what countries are included on the maps; they seem to be mostly from either Latin America or Asia.
    • Nick Miller
       
      You are right, this is a extremely useful tool to have at your disposal.
  •  
    These maps show interesting patterns of immigration in the U.S. and where immigrants are most likely to go.
Nathan Saphore

The U.S. should encourage more manufacturing here at home: New Balance CEO | Daily Tick... - 1 views

  • The United States today has fewer people working in manufacturing than it had in 1941 before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the rush to produce weapons. But not all U.S. manufacturers are shadows of their former selves
  • Rising labor costs in foreign markets
  • incentives to make things closer to consumption
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • Investment and innovation
  • global economy
  • U.S. manufacturing is expanding
    • Nathan Saphore
       
      It's surprising to me that 25% of New Balance's shoes are made in the U.S. and that 1300 employees are working in the U.S.
    • Nathan Saphore
       
      This connects to the theme of Mobility because New Balance has to determine what would be the best way for them to transport their goods to the markets and consumers, at the lowest costs.
    • Nathan Saphore
       
      This relates to industry because it shows that the labor costs are increasing in foreign countries, like China that is known for cheap labor, and it will cost less for the company to make their products in the U.S. and have them closer to markets. This is a situation factor because of transportation costs.
    • Nathan Saphore
       
      Will domestic product of goods increase and how would this affect countries that are currently "hubs" for cheap labor? How will those countries react?
    • Nathan Saphore
       
      http://businesstheory.com/136-increase-chinas-minimum-wage-compete-global-manufacturing/ The article above relates to this article because it talks about how higher wages in China will push factories to other places with cheaper labor, like Vietnam. The gap between U.S. and Chinese labor costs are shrinking, which helps explain why companies like New Balance are able to have industries in the U.S. instead of foreign countries.
  •  
    This directly relates to how the tertiary sector is growing, because other sectors, like manufacturing is in, are declining.
Matt Juliana

Report on Thai fishing finds 'slaves at sea' - CNN.com - 0 views

  • The report found that one in six working on long-haul fishing boats did not decide to do so willingly, but acknowledged that the vast majority of workers in the sector are Thai and work voluntarily. 
  • To Tay's horror he was taken onto a fishing boat, despite no experience of fishing, and for the next six months was forced to work without pay.
  • According to a 2013 U.S. State Department report, the Thai marine department and navy inspected 608 fishing vessels in 2012 but found no cases of trafficked workers, suggesting corruption and inadequate financial and human resources were allowing the continued exploitation of workers. 
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Fishing boats have to make longer trips for less catch, making an already tough job harder and less attractive to domestic workers, as well as threatening profit margins for all involved in the industry.
  • A group of 14 men from Myanmar rescued from boats last year told the EJF of 20 hour work days with little or no pay and beatings at the hands of Thai crew members. According to reports from the EJF some even witnessed murder, with bodies being thrown overboard as causally as unwanted catch.
    • Matt Juliana
       
      Are all of the voluntary workers okay with enslaving and killing the migrants? How on earth can they get away with murder when other people can clearly see it?
  • According to Tay, some of the girls in his group were sent to work in seafood processing factories, while the prettier ones were sent to brothels.
  • the Thai fishing and seafood industry, worth $7 billion annually, involves considerable exploitation of trafficked migrant workers, most from neighboring Myanmar and Cambodia.
  • smuggled across the border by labor brokers with the promise of a safe and stable job at the end of the journey.
  • he and 12 others who made the journey with him were sold for around $430 each into jobs that made them virtual slaves.
    • Matt Juliana
       
      This definitely relates to the theme of mobility, because of the amount of resources and motion that go into smuggling illegal migrants into Thailand. Smuggling these people and lying to them about where they will go has almost become another industry of itself, due to the attraction of the profit of selling these people into slavery.
  • "We have documented evidence of marked police cars transporting trafficked victims who are then sold onto boats as slaves,"
    • Matt Juliana
       
      Thailand's pathetic investigation into all of this is so clearly and disgustingly corrupt. Even the law enforcement are profiting by moving slaves. If all of these civilians can see what's going on, higher up government officials must purposely ignoring it.
  • and will drop to Tier 3 -- the lowest classification this year -- if it does not improve, something the EJF is calling for. The results could be the withdrawal of international financial aid.
    • Matt Juliana
       
      http://time.com/12628/human-trafficking-rife-in-thai-fishing-industry/ This link leads to an article that talks more about the cruelty and abuse in this industry that the captains of fishing vessels do to the migrants.
  • critical of Thai attempts to clampdown on human trafficking in the country citing widespread corruption among law enforcement officials.
  • The rise in forced labor on board Thai fishing boats is tied to growing global demand for cheap seafood and diminishing fish stocks, say the EJF.  
    • Matt Juliana
       
      The fishing businesses in Thailand have started to use these migrants as slave labor to keep profits in the fishing industry high. By needing to supply more fish and having dwindling resources, they're combating lost profits by using slaves as free labor, and working them to death.
  •  
    Fishing industries in Thailand are abusing migrant workers.
  • ...2 more comments...
  •  
    I wonder why the Thai government finally took action against the slavery type conditions that the fishers were put in, even after so many years?
  •  
    It's unbelievable how corrupt the Thai government is and how far they have let the human trafficking go. Will this continue on its own or do you think that other, more developed countries will intervene?
  •  
    I've never heard of a fishing industry helping in human trafficking. It just shows how much people don't know about the messed up industrial world that we live in. It is also crazy to hear about all the different situations people live in around the world. Globalization is happening, but places around the world still are drastically different.
  •  
    I didnt even know that Thailand had such a prominant fishing industry, let alone the fact that they are basically using slaves instead of at least paying some sort of wage.
Nathan Vrabel

Dying for fashion - 101 East - Al Jazeera English - 1 views

    • Nathan Vrabel
       
      I'm not surprised that these workers go on so many strikes, considering the poor working conditions they are put in.
    • Nathan Vrabel
       
      This is an example of globalization because these brands are getting involved in an issue that is outside of their borders. Companies like Adidas are not stationed in Cambodia, but are becoming increasingly involved in the issues. This breaking down of the barriers is an example of globalization
    • Nathan Vrabel
       
      This portion is related to the industry sector. The clothing industry is one of the major industries in the world and the most important industry in Cambodia.
    • Mr. Reidy
       
      Nathan - Al Jazeera is a very unique media site. I like how it offers a different perspective other than an American one.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Low wages and an abundant workforce, powered mainly by the country's rural population, have drawn major clothing brand names like GAP, H&M, Nike and Puma to Cambodia. Today, the industry is a $5bn-a-year business with almost 550 factories, mostly owned by Taiwanese, Korean, Chinese, Hong Kong and Singaporean companies.
    • Nathan Vrabel
       
      What are the other companies that set up shop in Cambodia?
    • Nathan Vrabel
       
      http://www.thezimbabwean.co/news/zimbabwe/71077/designer-calls-for-revival-in.html This separate current event connects with the importance of the clothing industry. The clothing industry is an important industry in the continent of Africa, a separate region from Cambodia. This goes to show how important the clothing industry is across the globe.
  •  
    The inhumane conditions in the factories caused the workers to strike, and this caused great damage to the apparel industry. This is an example that shows why factories in the U.S. are more likely to locate in states with right-to-work laws. These states have lower chances that unions will organize and even strike, meaning that productivity will most likely remain at a high level. The striking workers in Cambodia will probably also demand higher wages, which lowers profits for manufacturing companies.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    I found it interesting that there were quite a few fires throughout the factories in Cambodia. The government and factory owners don't seem too concerned about it, which makes me wonder if these factories have laws about safety in the work place or not.
  •  
    It's crazy that it took until now for us to start seeing strikes in developing countries where wages are incredibly low. I wonder what the internet censorship laws are like that prohibited them from discovering what the rest of the world was earning.
  •  
    Nathan, I found this article to be very interesting and how large this industry is, even in a developing country such as Cambodia. I am surprised to see that in one year this is a 5 billion dollar industry. I also was surprised to find out how many well-known companies outsourced to Cambodia, such as GAP, H&M, Nike and Puma.
kharlacher

BBC News - The Russians fighting a 'holy war' in Ukraine - 1 views

  • Even when the morning sun catches the gold domes of its Orthodox churches, the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, stronghold of the pro-Russian rebels, doesn't look much like Jerusalem.
  • And the defenceless, for him, are the citizens of eastern Ukraine, mainly Russian-speaking, who are under attack, as he sees it, by a ruthless Ukrainian government intent on wiping them out culturally, or even physically.
  • Why do I say Donetsk is Jerusalem? Because what's happening here is a holy war of the Russian people for its own future, for its own ideals, for its children and its great country that 25 years ago was divided into pieces," Pavel says.
  •  
    This article is an example of territorial conflicts and religion, because the Russians believe the reason they are fighting is for religious purposes, and that their war in Ukraine is a holy war. How do the Ukrainians view the conflict and it's involvement in religion?
  • ...2 more comments...
  •  
    The Orthodox population of Ukraine is fighting for their churches and religion. These people are fighting against the Ukrainian government which is looking to overtake any religious land in order to wipe out the culture of eastern Ukrainians. The people of Ukraine are comparing their fight to the Crusades, so will they manage to take over their holy land like the Christians did?
  •  
    I really liked the way that Katie described the crusades and how they are really involved in the conflicts in Ukraine and Russia. Why do Ukraine and Russia have bad history together?
  •  
    Ukraine has been part of Russia several times and has fought for their freedom from Russia in several wars. Currently, they have only been independent since 1991.
  •  
    Adam brings up a good point, the history of the Ukraine and Russian conflict must be deeply rooted in historical conflict over the centuries. It would be neat to dig into the history, particularly how the ethnicity differs between the two countries.
jonahsteiner

Migrants caught in bottleneck at Greece-Macedonia border - CNN.com - 1 views

  •  
    This article talks about the issue of the build-up of people waiting at the Greece-Macedonia border to gain access into Macedonia. Most of these people are fleeing from Syria, trying to avoid being caught in the middle of the civil-war in their country. The migrants are stuck at this border because the Macedonian police are denying passage into the country. They are having trouble processing all of the people attempting to come in and keeping everything organized. Macedonia simply does not have a place for all of the refugees trying to gain their access into the country. Coming with these migrants is also their problems, which brings me to my theme which is mobility. Macedonia does not want the problems of the war or problems of the people to overwhelm their country, and that being said, they are not allowing everyone to come in. These migrants are very poor as well, having little to no food or money with them. Where are the migrants going, or what will they do if they do not receive access to Macedonia? How will they obtain basic materials to meet their needs of survival?
Mr. Reidy

EU migration is essential for a healthy economy, says CBI's John Cridland - Telegraph - 2 views

  • Our hospitals and care homes couldn’t function without overseas workers; building sites that we need to deliver more homes and big infrastructure projects, such as the roll-out of broadband, would also stall.
  • Of course, there are concerns around immigration. Here are the most common. One – most immigrants to the UK are from Eastern Europe. While this may have been the case a decade ago, recent figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest many are from countries such as France, Germany and Italy.
  • Two – EU migrants are unskilled. In fact, many are well-educated and plug shortages in sectors such as IT and engineering.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Five – migrants do not come here to work, but for our benefits system. Data from the Office for National Statistics show two thirds of EU citizens in the year to 2013 migrated for work, and a fifth for study
  •  
    This article is a perfect example of the migration that we have been discussing in and out of class. The author talks about the pros and cons of the current European migration patterns, and how if they are not adjusted, Europe could face serious issues in years to come. Will Europe do anything about it?
  •  
    Thank you for sharing this interesting article, Eena. 
sophiefreeman7

BBC News - Who are Australia's radicalised Muslims? - 0 views

  • On 15 December, self-styled Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis held several people hostage in the Lindt Chocolat Cafe at Sydney's Martin Place. The 16-hour stand-off ended with police commandos storming the cafe. Two hostages and Monis died
  • But the incident follows months of concern over the effect on Australia's domestic security of those who fight for, or sympathise with, militant Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria.
  • Authorities are concerned about a minority of Australia's small Muslim community
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Terrorism expert Clive Williams of the Australian National University says Australian jihadists are Sunni Muslims, the branch of Islam which the Islamic State (IS) follows
  • Man Haron Monis, the gunman responsible for the 15 December Sydney cafe siege, was born in Iran and sought asylum in Australia in 1996, later styling himself as a Muslim cleric and "spiritual healer".
  •  
    This article discusses an event that took place this Sunday in Sydney, Australia in a coffee house where Man Haron Monis held people hostage of which two had been killed.  This relates to our unit of religion as this conflict most likely relates to religion as there have been many concerns the Muslim community in Australia as they are a minority. Because of this, Muslims are trying to gain more territory as that is the goal for most universalizing religions in hopes to get more followers and spread the religion.  In relation to AP Human Geography, what might have caused Muslims to migrate to Australia even though it is not located near the hearth of where the religion was born?
willowyorlets

Jerusalem: Don't call it a religious conflict - Opinion - Al Jazeera English - 0 views

  • Those who insist on stressing the religious dimension are bolstered by the reaction from Hamas to this attack, as the Islamist group has, with bleak predictability, praised and celebrated it.
  • For some months now, this hard right coalition government has not just tolerated but actively supported a movement agitating for "Jewish prayer rights" at Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif - a sacred site to both Muslims and Jews.
  • This movement goes against a long-established status quo agreement, whereby non-Muslims can visit, but not worship at this holy site housing both the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. 
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • the issue is political, not religious
  • But pushing this conflict into the religious realm, defining it as a "religious war", serves a clear political purpose. It means the Israeli government can bind its cause with the "war on terror", claiming that Palestinians are just like ISIL in their motivation - a hyper-violent, hyper-fundamentalist jihadi mission rather than a quest for self-determination. It deprives Palestinians of cause or motivation, save for just one factor: religious hatred.
  • religious-hate
  • with religion so rampantly abused to weaponise increasingly brutal wars in the Middle East, the worst thing we could do is to frame the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as religious. Now more
  •  
    These territorial conflicts are coming to be due to the fact that Islamic and Jewish Holy Lands are build right on top of each other and these two groups have to fight for control. Why can't Jerusalem just become a non governed state? Why do any of the conflicting religions need control?
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    My article relates similarly to your article. Religions have different beliefs and outlooks on certain things and it gets in the way and causes problems. All over the world there are tons of religious issues, but I think this is one of the most important since it has been continuing for many decades. What will they do to resolve the issue? How will they solve it?
  •  
    I think its cool that your article, Lexi, connected to willows! This whole issue is fascinating and scary! Great article!
  •  
    Eena - Why is this issue fascinating and scary to you?
pekeefer

Taliban Suicide Bombers Strike at Bank in Southern Afghanistan - NYTimes.com - 3 views

  • Suicide bombers attacked a bank in a provincial capital in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 10 people, officials said
  • The last attacker’s suicide vest did not explode, and he was shot dead.Given the number of staff members and customers present on the second floor, the police said that the number of dead would have been far higher had the attackers succeeded in getting there.
  • A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, said that the group claimed responsibility for the attack and that the targets were government officials who were at the bank collecting their wages.
  •  
    The Taliban attack on this local bank has to do with religious values because they are willing to go to extreme measures,much like suicide bombings, as they are considered extremists. One question I have is why would a spokesman for the Taliban admit to the attack?
  • ...4 more comments...
  •  
    The Taliban attack on this local bank has to do with religious values because they are willing to go to extreme measures,much like suicide bombings, as they are considered extremists. One question I have is why would a spokesman for the Taliban admit to the attack?
  •  
    I think your question was very good and sensible, because who would do something like that. He's risking so much! This article was very interesting and related strongly to class. Great job!
  •  
    I have the same question! Why would they admit to the attack and put a target back on themselves? If they want to go kill people and people gave their lives to the attack, why would their organization admit to it? It was a waste of the bombers' lives.
  •  
    I agree with all of you! Why would they admit to the attack? That just seems stupid on their part. It's just going to hurt them more. I like what Kyra said about how it's a waist of bombers lives and I totally agree. Great article, it really related to religious conflicts!
  •  
    This article connects to the APHUG vocabulary term of monotheistic/monotheism, because the Taliban practices the Islamic religion, which worships one God, Allah, and a monotheistic religion is one that believes in only one God. This article could also connect with a past world event, regarding religious conflict, when the Crusades occurred, and Christians tried to conform others to Christianity.
  •  
    Pretty sure they admitted to the attack because the Taliban is all about terror and it will actually help their organization not hurt it. They do this to let people know the extremes they'll go to to get their way. So any one, or thing, they don't agree with, they feel that the only solution is to blow them up, because of course that is the solution that gets the most results since they don't have the power of a large group of people. Everybody knows they are terrorists so it's not like anything has changed in peoples viewpoint of the Taliban. Meaning not much has changed in the military or political actions against them.
1 - 20 of 256 Next › Last »
Showing 20 items per page