GEOGRAPHY 308 FINAL STUDY GUIDE
10 matching, 10 multiple choice, 10 true/false, 15 Essay I, 15 Essay II = 60 points total
(it will be 200 points toward your final grade). The sources for studying are the Goldman and
Turnock readings, the Economy308.ppt lecture and Dr. Mikhaylova’s guest lecture, and your
powerpoints in the W Drive, now posted at www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/GEOG308countries.html
Essays (you will have a choice of 2 out of 3). Studying for each essay question will help you in
the non-essay sections. Answer each question embedded within the essay directions.
You will have 1 hour and 50 minutes. Be specific and detailed with examples; don’t be vague!
1. Irredentism. Compare and contrast examples of nationalist irredentism in our region.
Compare the armed conflicts in Bosnia (Serbs & Croats in Muslim republic), in Karabakh
(Armenians in Azerbaijan), and in Transnistria (Russians in Moldova). How did history
earlier in the 20th century contribute to these wars, what were their direct causes, and what is
their current status? Why have some other potential irredentist conflicts (focusing on
Russians in Latvia, Croats in Slovenia, and Hungarians in Slovakia) not erupted into war?
2. National identity & minorities. National identities and the treatment of ethnic minorities
has been a major theme in the post-Socialist transition and the recognition of new states. How
did ethnic issues affect the recognition of Macedonia’s independence, and the potential
recognition of an independent Kosovo? Discuss how admission to the European Union
affects human rights issues in a country. How have the human rights of ethnic minorities
figured in the discourse over the EU admission of the Czech Republic, and the potential
admission of Croatia?
3. Economic stability. For many countries, economic stability has been a key problem in the
post-Socialist transition. First, discuss the origins of economic instability in Albania and
Slovakia, and what it has meant for the people’s livelihood. Second, explore the
environmental origins of resource degradation in Siberia and Mongolia, and what it has
meant to the people and land. Finally, examine the role of key seaports in Poland and Estonia,
and what they have meant for the nation’s economy in the historic or current periods.
4. Human rights & uprisings. Contrary to many predictions when the USSR dissolved,
human rights issues have become a greater concern in ex-Soviet republics through the course
of the 1990s-2000s. First, focus on the conflict between Russia and its breakaway Muslim
region of Chechnya. How have human rights of Chechens and Russians been specifically
impacted by the war? Make a case that the violence on either or both sides has been
responsive/defensive. Second, examine the recent contested elections and protests/uprisings
in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Discuss the role of Russia and the U.S., and the role if internal
geographical divisions, in the election and its aftermath. How have these election disputes
been resolved?
5. Energy & environment. The availability of energy supplies has been a major issue in the
environmental and economic well-being of ex-Soviet republics, and in their geopolitical
conflicts. First, explore the environmental effects of the oil industry and pipelines in the
Caspian Basin (including Kazakhstan and Georgia). Which of the different routes for
strategic oil pipelines have been backed by the U.S., Russia, and Iran? How have the pipeline
routes affected specific local wars and ethnic conflicts in the Caucasus region? Second,
discuss the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster next door in Belarus, and how it affected the
nuclear industry in Lithuania. What other energy options is Lithuania exploring?
6. Environmental practices. Poor environmental practices in one country can often affect
nearby countries, either via pollution of the degradation of natural resources. First, explain
the disaster in Romania that affected rivers downstream in Hungary, as well as the sources of
other water pollution problems facing the Danube River within Romania itself. Second,
discuss how agricultural practices and water diversions in both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
have separately affected the Aral Sea.
7. Russian economic changes. Russia went through economic “shock therapy” in its 1990s
transition from Soviet rule. What has socially changed and what has not changed? How has
decentralization changed the economic geography of Russia, and what types and examples of
regions have economically “won” or “lost” in the transition? How has this economic
transformation affected the relationship between classes, even within families? How has it
affected alcoholism and male health care? What similar or different trends can be found in the
readings about former Soviet Central Asian states?