Current Issues
Study Guide & Review
Expanding Global
Communications
How have computers and the internet contributed to global
communication?
Space & Satellites
▪ The “space race” first created by competition
between the US and the Soviet Union eventually
allowed us to explore space together.
▪ This cooperation allowed us to build the
International Space Station, which has had many
astronaut visitors from different countries.
▪ Since the 1960s, artificial satellites launched into
orbit around the Earth have aided worldwide
communication.
▪ Satellite linkages for television made it possible
to have simultaneous television broadcasts
around the world.
Computers & the Internet
▪ Technology has enabled computers to get
smaller and smaller, which contributed to many
companies and individuals owning personal
computers.
▪ The internet began in the 1960s as a way for
scientists to exchange information about
research.
▪ Linkage among computers improved with the
introduction of the e-mail and the World Wide
Web.
▪ Smart phones now make almost instant
constant contact with the rest of the world
feasible (globalization).
Green Revolution
What is the Green Revolution? What are some of the positive and
negative effects of genetic engineering?
Green Revolution
▪ The Green Revolution was an
attempt to increase food
production worldwide, which
began in the 1960s.
▪ Scientists promoted the use of
fertilizers, pesticides, and highyield, disease-resistant strains of a
variety of crops.
▪ The Green Revolution helped avert
famine and increase crop yields in
many parts of the world.
Genetic Engineering
▪ However, the Green Revolution had a
negative side too.
▪ Fertilizers and pesticides often contain
dangerous chemicals that may cause
cancer or pollute the environment.
▪ Genetic engineering is now used by
scientists to introduce new genes into an
organism to give that organism new
traits.
▪ However, genetically modified foods are
controversial because of the concern with
nutrient loss and/or chemical exposure.
The World’s Economy
What is the difference between a developed nation and an emerging
(developing) nation? Name a few characteristics of each.
Developed Nations
▪ Industrialized nation (nations with the industrialization,
transportation, and business facilities for advanced
production of manufactured goods.)
▪ Has less manufacturing jobs, which have moved to
emerging nations.
▪ Has more need for service jobs and information
industries.
▪ There is a need for educated workers and wages are
higher, which creates a higher standard of living.
▪ Example: United States
Emerging (Developing) Nations
▪ A nation that is still developing industry.
▪ Manufacturing jobs have moved into many emerging
nations where wages are lower.
▪ Therefore, the standard of living is lower in emerging
nations.
▪ Example: India
Developed v. Developing Nations
Developed Nation
Emerging (Developing) Nation
▪ Industrialized nation (nations with
the industrialization, transportation,
and business facilities for advanced
production of manufactured goods.)
▪ A nation that is still developing
industry.
▪ Has less manufacturing jobs, which
have moved to emerging nations.
▪ Manufacturing jobs have moved
into many emerging nations
where wages are lower.
▪ Has more need for service jobs and
information industries.
▪ Therefore, the standard of living is
lower in emerging nations.
▪ There is a need for educated workers
and wages are higher, which creates a
higher standard of living.
▪ Example: India
▪ Example: United States
Economic Globalization
What is a multinational corporation? How do multinational
corporations encourage economic globalization?
Multinational Corporations
▪ Companies that operate in a number of
different countries are called multinational or
transnational corporations.
▪ For their manufacturing plants, they select
spots where the raw materials or labor are
cheapest. This enables them to produce
components of their products on different
continents.
▪ This level of economic integration allows such
companies to view the whole world as the
market for their goods. Goods or services are
distributed throughout the world as if there
were no national boundaries.
Global Economy
▪ The global economy includes all the financial
interactions—among people, businesses,
and governments—that cross international
borders.
▪ In recent decades, several factors hastened
the process of globalization.
▪ Huge cargo ships could inexpensively carry
enormous supplies of fuels and other goods
from one part of the world to another.
▪ Telephone and computer linkages made
global financial transactions quick and easy.
▪ In addition, multinational corporations
developed around the world.
Global Economy
What is a global economy? How has trade contributed to economic
globalization?
Global Economy
▪ A major goal of globalization is free trade, or
the elimination of trade barriers, such as
tariffs, among nations.
▪ The North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), put into effect in 1994, called for
the gradual elimination of tariffs and trade
restrictions among Canada, the United
States, and Mexico.
▪ Organizations in Asia, Africa, Latin America,
and the South Pacific have also created
regional trade policies (APEC).
▪ European Union (EU) was created in 1992.
Migration
What are push and pull factors that cause people to migrate?
Migration
▪ Push
▪ Pull
▪ Unemployment
▪ Potential for employment
▪ Poor Safety & Security
▪ A safer atmosphere
▪ Crime
▪ Low crime rates
▪ Drought
▪ Good food suppliers
▪ Flooding
▪ Less risk of natural hazards
▪ Political or Religious oppression
▪ Political or Religious freedom
▪ Poverty
▪ Greater wealth or affluence
▪ War
▪ Political security
Terrorism
What are some motives and methods used by terrorists?
Terrorism
▪ Terrorism, the use of violence against
people or property to force changes in
societies or governments, strikes fear in
the hearts of people everywhere.
▪ Recently, terrorist incidents have
increased dramatically around the world.
▪ Because terrorists often cross national
borders to commit their acts or to escape
to countries friendly to their cause, most
people consider terrorism an
international problem.
Terrorists’ Motives
▪ Gaining independence, expelling foreigners,
changing society
▪ These groups use violence to force concessions
from their enemies, usually the governments in
power.
▪ But other kinds of terrorists, driven by radical
religious and cultural motives began to emerge in
the late 20th century.
▪ The goal of these terrorists is the destruction of
what they consider the forces of evil. This evil
might be located in their own countries or in other
parts of the world. These terrorists are ready to
use any kind of weapon to kill their enemies. They
are even willing to die to ensure the success of
their attacks.
Terrorists’ Methods
▪ Terrorist acts involve violence.
▪ The weapons most frequently used by terrorists are
the bomb and the bullet.
▪ The targets of terrorist attacks often are crowded
places where people normally feel safe—subway
stations, bus stops, restaurants, or shopping malls,
for example.
▪ Or terrorists might target something that
symbolizes what they are against, such as a
government building or a religious site.
▪ Such targets are carefully chosen in order to gain
the most attention and to achieve the highest level
of intimidation.
Cyber Terrorism
▪ This involves politically motivated attacks on
information systems, such as hacking into
computer networks or spreading computer
viruses.
▪ Experts suggest that as more governments and
businesses switch to computers to store data
and run operations, the threat of
cyberterrorism will increase.
▪ Cyberterrorism targets include major
corporations and private sector companies,
especially those having to do with
infrastructure.
U.S. Response to Terrorism
▪ September 11 had a devastating impact
on the way Americans looked at life.
Many reported feeling that everything
had changed— that life would never be
the same.
▪ The Department of Homeland Security
was created in 2002 to coordinate
national efforts against terrorism.
▪ Antiterrorism measures included a search
for terrorists in the United States and the
passage of antiterrorism laws, such as the
Patriot Act.
Patriot Act
The law, known as the USA Patriot Act, allowed the government to:
▪ detain foreigners suspected of terrorism for seven days without
charging them with a crime
▪ tap all phones used by suspects and monitor their
▪ e-mail and Internet use
▪ make search warrants valid across states
▪ order U.S. banks to investigate sources of large
▪ foreign accounts
▪ prosecute terrorist crimes without any time restrictions or limitations
A criticism of the Patriot Act is that it allows the government to infringe
upon people’s civil rights.
Cultural Exchange
What is popular culture and how has the media impacted the way
people live?
Popular Culture
▪ Popular culture or pop culture is cultural elements that reflect a group’s
common background and changing interests.
▪ Examples of pop culture include music, sports, movies, clothing fashions,
foods, hobbies, and leisure activities.
▪ Technologies that contribute to pop
culture, including television, movies, and
other mass media have been the most
powerful.
▪ Technology has helped to create a shared
experience of current worldwide events.
▪ Baseball, the World Cup, and music are
examples of international pop culture.
Global Security
What is the role of the United Nations? How do they carry out their
role?
United Nations (UN)
▪ The United Nations, formed after World War II,
works in a variety of ways toward increasing
collective global security and reducing the threat
of war.
▪ One of the major aims of the UN is to promote
world peace.
▪ The UN provides a public forum and skilled
mediators to help nations try to resolve conflicts
at any stage.
▪ The UN also provides peacekeeping forces made
up of soldiers from different nations.
▪ They work to carry out peace agreements,
monitor cease-fires, or to put an end to fighting
to allow peace negotiations to go forward.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
▪ The UN issued the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights in 1948, which set the human rights
standards for all nations.
▪ It declared: “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights. Everyone has the right
to life, liberty, and security of person.”
▪ The declaration is nonbinding but the sentiments
in this document has inspired many people around
the world.
▪ Protecting human rights from atrocities such as
genocide and improving the status of women are
two concerns of the UN with respect to human
rights.