Global Issues

Global IssuesGlobal AIS: Unit 21The United NationsThe United Nations ComponentsUnited Nations: an international organization aimed at keeping peace in the world and provided assistance to nations in needGeneral Assembly: has representatives from all member nationsDiscusses issues, recommends actions

Components ContdSecurity Council: 15 member nations, 5 of which are permanentPermanent members (WWII allies): US, Russia, Britain, France, ChinaAuthorizes actions to settle disputesRole as PeacekeepersHas taken actions throughout the world to maintain peaceIraq (1990): sent in UN troops to free KuwaitBosnia (1990s): peacekeeping troops have spent time there stopping racial minority killingsPeacekeepers ContdSocial and Economic ProblemsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): document stating the basic human rights all human beings on the PLANET should be entitled toDisaster ReliefUN brings aid to areas of natural or social disastersFood to Somalia for famine reliefRwanda: assistance to provide relief from ethnic cleansingGlobal MigrationTraditional vs. ModernizationTraditional: having to do with the old ways of doing things. Many areas have difficulty keeping traditional ways in the face of modern issues

Modernization: having to do with current trends and issuesnew technologies seem to bring modernization at an alarming rate to some culturesTraditional vs. Modernization ExamplesJapan: values the pastthe older generations values often come in conflict with the younger generations western styleMiddle East: modern (western) values often come in conflict with Islamic traditions, especially concerning womenWhat are some negative impacts of modernization on developing nations?Some cultures do not welcome modern (especially western) ideasIt is difficult to keep up with the technological aspects of modernization in unskilled communitiesGlobal MigrationPeople around the world now have the ability to move to other placesReasons Why People MigrateEconomic opportunity: Latin America to the US; Eastern Europe to Western EuropeCivil Unrest: Haiti to the US; Rwanda to neighboring nationsPolitical Oppression: Cuba to the US; North Korea to South Korea; Afghanistan to PakistanGlobal Migration QuestionsWhy would people migrate from:Eastern Europe to Western Europe?Western Europe is more industrialized and has less harsh governmentsRwanda to neighboring nations?To escape the genocideCuba to the US?To get away from Fidel Castros Communist ruleNorth Korea to South Korea?To escape the Communist governmentThe Status of Women and ChildrenWomen: in many places, women are still treated unequally with menTraditional societies: women in many traditional cultures are often treated as inferior to menMuslim societies: women in many Muslim cultures are often restricted in their actionsThe Status of Women and Children ContdChildrenLabor issues: many children are forced to work in terrible working conditions as nations begin to industrializeInfanticide: killing of children at birth or a very early ageusually to save in some economic wayEx. One less mouth to feedScience and TechnologyGreen Revolution: changing the way traditional communities farmintroduction of modern agricultural technologies (more food!)

Information Age: computers and the Internet now provide volumes of information very quickly

Science and Technology ContdSpace Age: much space technology has been used in the commercial worldsatellites help predict weather and speed up communicationMedical Technology: we can live longer lives nowBetter prevention of sicknessBetter cures for those who get sickWhat impact has the scientific and technological advances of recent years had on the following:Life expectancy: medicines and education are allowing people to live much longer livesWar: new weapons are often more destructivebut much more accuratelessening the numbers of total lives lost, especially for innocent people Peace: the destructive power of nuclear weapons seemed to ensure peace for a few yearsNow their possible use by terrorist organizations makes them more threateningGlobal ProblemsProblemDescriptionEx. PlaceCauseEffectTerrorismThreatening, hurting or killing of innocent peopleIsraelPeople wanting attention for a causeInnocent people get killedNuclear ProliferationSpreading of nuclear weaponsIranSuppliers make money selling nuclear weaponsThreat of using nuclear weapons increasesNuclear SafetyKeeping nuclear energy plants safeRussiaPoor laws and safety regulations (trying to save money)Thousands of people die from a nuclear accidentAcid RainRain polluted by the burning of fossil fuelsRussiaIndustries burning fossil fuelsPlant and animal life gets destroyed where it fallsProblemDescriptionEx. PlaceCauseEffectUrbanizationCities growing too quicklyBrazilPeople looking for economic opportunitiesOvercrowding and poor health conditionsOverpopulationToo many people in one areaChinaFamilies needed too many children to work in the fieldsOvercrowding and starvationEndangered SpeciesSpecies who are in danger of extinctionBrazilDestruction of habitatsWhen theyre gone, theyre gone. Many species can help us medicallyDeforestationDestruction of the rain forestBrazilCutting trees down to clear land for farmingDestruction of habitats for plants and animalsProblemDescriptionEx. PlaceCauseEffectDesertificationDeserts getting bigger NigeriaOvergrazing of cattleGood farmland (arable) is lost as desert takes overEpidemicsFast spreading diseasesChinaPoor healthcare systemsPeople get sick or diePollutionMaking the earth dirtyRussiaFew laws against pollutionUgly surroundings and dangerous health conditionsWorld HungerPeople in many countries without enough foodNigeriaNot enough food for the populationSickness and death