Geography Higher Level
Lesson 1
Topic 1 Measuring Global Interactions
Introduction to Globalization
See flipchart of glossary words.
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In pairs discuss what you think is meant by all the glossary terms on the flipchart. (15 mins)
Hand out Global Interactions syllabus detail. Look at glossary and go over terms
What is globalization? (see 2nd and 3rd pages of flipchart)
Your task is to write a definition for globalization.
In a pair - read p42 and 45 of the article ' The rise and rise of globalisation' Use it to help you try and
come and with a definition. Keep it as short as you can.
Each pair read out definition and compare to:
“..to make world-wide in scope or application”
“The spread of economic, social and cultural ideas across the world and the growing
uniformity between different places.”
“The spread of common culture as well as economic practise”
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Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies and
governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and
aided by information technology.
Globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of
consciousness of the world as a whole.
A social process in which the constraints of geography on economic, social and cultural
arrangements recede, in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding and in
which people act accordingly.
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This ugly word is shorthand for how our lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with those
of distant people and places around the world economically, politically and culturally. These
links are not always new, but they are more pervasive than ever before.
Choose 1 (1st one?) to write out in addition to own
Discuss difficulties of defining
Hwk: Stress importance of current affairs in Geog.
Bring in a recent article which has something to do with globalization.
Lesson 2
Review different globalization articles. Each person briefly summarise their article and explain what
aspects of globalization it highlights and why you chose it.
As key issues arise, summarise the main points on the board and use as discussion points. Students
should make notes of the main issues discussed.
Eg effects and implications of globalization.
Positive/negative thing?
Affects culture (language, food, religion etc)
economy (work, aid, trade orgs etc)
environment (infl of development, MNCs)
politics (polit pressure, ideologies)
Why/who protests?
Spatial implications? (changing maps, devpt patterns)
Hand out advantages and disadvantages sheet and give students 5 minutes to add any additional adv .
disadv they can think of.
If time use the second page of last week’s handout ‘ the rise and rise of globalization’ to identify more
adv / disadv.
Classify each advantage or disadvantage as Social Economic, Political or Environmental
Lesson 3
How is globalization measured?
Students to come up with own suggestions of how to measure globalization – 5 mins
Syllabus reference
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Global participation
Describe and evaluate one of the following two globalization indices:
the AT Kearney index or the KOF index, as a measure of global interaction. Describe how the
globalization index may be represented spatially.
The AT Kearney Foreign Policy index measures twelve variables, which are sub divided into four
“baskets”: economic integration, personal contact, technological connectivity and political engagement.
Nations are ranked according to a calculated globalization index.
The KOF index measures three main dimensions of globalization: economic, political and social, and
nations are ranked accordingly. It is designed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology on a yearly
basis.
The link below shows an animated map of how the KOF index has changed since 1970.
http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/static/maps/index_animation.gif
Discuss how globalization has changed since 1972
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Overall increase
USA not the most globalized
Data for Russia after the break up of Soviet Union
Why there is no data for some countries
Lack of globalization in Africa / other areas
Give out KOF Index of Globalization handout and go through.
Country Rankings
Use the KOF website to find out the top 10 most globalised countries and the 10 least globalised countries. (Look
at the most recent press release on the right of the screen)
http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/
Syllabus Ref:
Global Core & Periphery
Discuss the spatial pattern of global interactions through the mapping of core areas at the focus
of interaction (network hubs / nodes), the peripheries and areas relatively unaffected by these
interactions
On a copy of a world map, shade in the 15 most globalised and the 15 least globalised countries,
Introduce the idea of core and periphery.
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‘The concept of a developed core surrounded by an undeveloped periphery. The concept can be
applied at various scales.’
Homework
Explain the viewpoints of hyperglobalists and global sceptics. Whose viewpoint to you most agree with
and why? (no more than ½ side) p554 PG
Hyperglobalists viewpoint: There is a single world market. The global market is becoming so
integrated that the nation state is becoming obsolete.
Globalsceptics viewpoint: dispute that a single world market exists – argue that the growing
internationalization of trade is really the growth of regional economic blocs like the EU.
Lesson 4
Look back at your world map from last lesson.
Add these countries to your world map, using a different colour.
Core: USA, Britain, France, Germany, Japan
Annotate your map and give reasons why you think they did not appear on the top 15 KOF index. (use
file paper if you run out of space)
Use another colour to add:
Semi periphery: China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Poland
Add more annotation to explain the significance of these countries? Why are they grouped together?
Periphery: LEDCs
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Explain where the periphery is on your world map
Use your world map and the maps in your textbook to identify and explain the spatial
distribution of network hubs and nodes. (ie core areas)
‘Globalization looks very different when it is seen, not from the capitals of the West, but from the cities
and villages of the South, where most of Humanity lives.’ George Walker (former IB director general)
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Read p 559 – 561 in PG. Pay special attention to the maps and to figure 12.8
Give out handout – copy of the maps from p559-560
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Have a go at qu 1 & 2 on p561
Hand in your answers next lesson
Extension: look at
http://www.geographyalltheway.com/ib_geography/ib_development/patterns_in_development.htm
For google earth pics of levels of development and info on the Brandt Line.
Draw the Brandt line onto your copy of the map. Is this a good way of identifying core and periphery?