Why Geography Matters More Than Ever By Harm De Blij

Harm de Blij’s book, Why Geography Matters poses a central theme, which I have heard discussed multiple times. Blij argues that the American public is the most geographically illiterate society in the world. Blij blames this decline with the poorly formulated curricula in the American school systems, which ultimately originates from Washington D.C. and the people that run this country. If I had never seen this central theme in action in a classroom I would have been dumbfounded.

As time passes by, with everything seeming in place, we push aside real life. Activities we like to pretend are not occurring are put on the bottom of the list. War, deadly tsunamis, earthquakes, terrorism, economic crisis, all real life changes which have occurred and are occurring now. People are becoming less knowledgeable than ever when it comes to geography. “Given the accelerating pace of change on our increasingly crowded planet, this may not be surprising- even if it is disturbing,” states Harm de Blij in his book “Why Geography Matters: More Than Ever.” While De Blij tells us how illiterate we have become to geography, he also explains to readers how American people could benefit from the knowledge of Geography in specific situations.

“Why Geography Matters More Than Ever,” was written by Harm De Blij. It was published August 17th 2012 by Oxford University Press, USA with 354 pages in it.

“Why Geography Matters” is a 282 page book, including the epilogue, written by Harm de Blij. It was published in New york, New York in 2005. Over the Summer I read and finished this book. This book is full of amazing facts and knowledge that pertain to , what geography is, how it effected past societies, how it will affect future societies, and how geography is a crucial part in our society. In the following summarization of “Why Geography Matters”, i will explain three main points that embody what this book is about, and what it tries to teach.

Conflict between nations over territories raises red flags in maps, as maps can “tell a lie”. Maps are sometimes made in a way to make the viewer believe in something else, a side of a story rather than the accurate exhibition of the true state of territories. There are many disputed grounds between nations. China had claimed some of India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan’s territories in its 2012 passports which displayed a map of the country. But, maps like those are usually made with intention of showing what a country wants or what it believes it rightfully possesses. In doing this, there is a way to secure the physical implications that a country’s government governs farther out, therefore fabricating its reach of power farther outwards. Although, when the intention is to show possible future implications of near conflict, things change.

Our world, in the 21st century is more interconnected than ever before. The world is pacing faster than ever before. Take a look at biggest events of the 21st century: extreme climate change escorted by important weather ends; death-causing tsunamis caused by huge earthquakes; unique terrorist attacks across the globe; costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan;a terrible and unnoticed crisis in Center Africa costing millions of lives; an economic crisis threatening the stability of the international system. And many, many more. The answer lies in Why Geography Matters More than Ever; geography. Harm De Blij, author of the book explains that Americans statistically are the number one geographically illiterate country and De Blij also demonstrates

Geography is rarely a subject regarded with much esteem; even at the collegiate level, geography seems to slip through the cracks as an important subject. Many people don’t consider geography to be important in their fields, and therefore don’t give it much thought—but this is a misconception, a grave error oft repeated that would detract from anyone’s education. What isn’t taken into account is that human geography is not merely cartography—it is the study of the earth, and that includes so much more than landmasses and boundaries, facts and figures. Geography is relevant in numerous and assorted settings, from economics to religion.

Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography explains how location influences world decisions. Ten chapters cover the impact of rivers, mountains, ports, demographics, resources, arable land, and other factors on countries’ interactions with one another. These chapters cover three states and seven regions with breadth and depth of both topography and politics. He gives numerous examples of nations’ motivations to acquire various areas for economic, security, or political reasons. Marshall additionally reasons that the lottery of geography is what makes countries such as the United States successful.

“Why geography matters more than ever” p265-292 The author Harm de Blij states in the Russian chapter that Russia is currently facing many problems from different perspectives. These problems might become serious threats for the country. Personally, Russia must handle those problems well in order to its international respects and strength.

The Global Warming theory has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Citizens of the world are being encouraged to be more environmentally conscious by others including politicians, celebrities, and world organizations. The problem with the theory lies in the fact that it has become more and more controversial as it gains publicity and attention. The basic concept behind this theory is that the earth was made with a balance of “greenhouse gasses”. These gasses are naturally occurring within the atmosphere and they essentially make the planet habitable by keeping it warm.

Physical Geography has been a vital variable since the beginning. Spencer Wells’ Journey

In recent years, the controversial subject of global warming has been more predominantly brought to our attention. Is the threat of global warming real? Is it man-made or is this just a natural cycle of earth? Does it really affect earth’s inhabitants? Should action be taken against it? If so, what kind and to what extent? It cannot be only a coincidence that the alarmingly rapid climate change coincides perfectly with the increased amount of pollutants that humans release into the environment. The once stable climate has in recent years begun to skyrocket, thus altering the delicate structure of earthly life. This proves to be hazardous to the future of the planet; some people worry that many of the resources the environment provides that

Much of my passion for Geography is derived from the fact that it depicts relevance to all aspects of society. It is dynamic in a sense that my perception and understanding is constantly evolving with the growth in understanding and perception. What intrigues my further pursuit of geography is how Geography unlike other subjects has direct links to both human and physical attributes. By further pursuing geography at a higher education level, I wish to enrich my understanding of the wider significance of issues being faced and how it affects society on a local and global level. It is important to identify and understand the interconnecting aspects of the world around us and apply such knowledge towards a more sustainable future. Geography

Thesis Statement: Global warming is a growing concern of scientists and researchers who believe that it is a serious problem for our planet. The concerns and research have also been questioned and have even been called myths. Millions of people find themselves affected by these weather pattern changes and are concerned for their futures. Activists on both sides of the argument are very passionate and not afraid to attack each other in every way they can. There are many questions that are still not answered, however, we continue to see drastic weather changes to Earth. We must go beyond the arguments and learn as much as we can to stop what could possibly lead to the destruction of our planet, our way of life and our future.

When one encounters the concept and idea of global warming, we inquire a wide range of opinions, facts, assumptions, and philosophies. As the general population of the world, the idea