Essay Questions

Essay Questions cover Modules 6-11 + Extra Credit Essay Option

Please choose one question to answer from each module. In a word document, indicate which question you are answering and type out your response in complete sentences.

Module 6: Ethnicity
Option One: The United Kingdom was formed through the union of independent nations. In your answer,
• identify the four prominent national groups included in the United Kingdom.
• state why you think these groups are permitted to compete in international sports tournaments as rival teams, and
• discuss what reasons might any one of these groups have for routing against England in these matches.

Option Two: Refer to the map below to answer the questions.
Map of Central Africa.png
Ethnicity is the source of conflict in many parts of Africa, including the genocide and ethnic cleansing that took place in the 1990s. Based on your knowledge of the history and geography of Rwanda and Burundi,
• explain the source of tension that can be traced to the end of the colonial era;
• describe the events that led to the ethnic cleansing and genocide in 1994 and;
• discuss how the patterns of refugee migration out of Rwanda might be contributing to violence in nearby Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Module 7: Political Geography
Option One: Option One: In the United States, only one-tenth of the congressional seats are considered competitive and the current incumbents are frequently re-elected. Identify the practice that has created this situation, explain how gerrymandering operates, and identify what can be done to remedy the situation.
Option Two: Scientists are observing a rapid decrease in polar ice due to global warming. How might a warming climate affect national claims to land and resources in Antarctic and Arctic areas? How might the states of the world best address those changing claims?

Module 8: Development
Option One: India is a country that provides an example of the two approaches to development.
• Compare and contrast the conditions of development in India under the self-sufficiency and the international trade models.
• Explain which path has led to India’s development and why.
Option Two: In terms of development, the world has been viewed as having a core and a periphery.
• What is the World-systems Theory and how does its describe the world spatially?
• List 2 countries in the core and 2 countries in the periphery and describe their locations.
• Indicate how the potential for a periphery nation to develop is tied to the core nations.
• Explain how these traditional concepts are being challenged.

Module 9: Food & Agriculture
Option One: Identify geographical differences in food consumption in developed and developing countries. Explain why sources and quantities of food vary by region.
Option Two: The cultural foundations of pastoral nomadism conflict with capitalism and the idea of private property.
• How might changing climate, demographics, and market conditions affect this way of life? and
• What proposals might you offer to preserve this culture?

Module 10: Industry & Manufacturing

Option One: Henry Ford was famous for paying his workers higher wages than other manufacturers of his time so they could buy the products they were making at higher prices. Compare Ford’s strategy to the wage-lowering strategies of car manufacturers in the U.S. today. Which approach would you favor, and why?
Option Two: Identify and explain factors that could disrupt just-in-time delivery. HINT: You may want to include relevant current examples.

Module 11: Urban Patterns
Option One: Describe the benefits and costs of reliance on motor vehicles and compare them with the benefits and cost of public transportation. Provide examples of each at an individual level and at an urban scale.
Option Two: Describe similarities and differences in the central business districts of cities in the United States and Europe.