- A key goal of this book is to help you understand the "tension and interplay between globalization and diversity—and between the global, the regional and the local—[that] gives world regional geography its primary focus." (Rowntree et al., p. 44)
- This first chapter is one of the most important of the book, because it introduces the themes and concepts that the authors use throughout the text and lays the foundation for understanding the remaining chapters. The themes and concepts developed in this chapter are used in each succeeding chapter as a framework for learning about the regions of the world.
- This chapter introduces and explains a number of foundation concepts, including the concept of geography itself. It defines and summarizes the debate regarding globalization.
- Lastly, this chapter introduces the themes that will appear in each chapter associated with a region of the world. They are:
- Environmental geography
- Population and settlement
- Cultural coherence and diversity
- Geopolitical issues
- Economic and social development.
- When you have completed this chapter, you should have a solid foundation for comprehending the information about regions that will be presented later in the book. Among the specific concepts and models that you should understand are the following:
- The dynamic tension between diversity and globalization and its relevance to the study of geography.
- Human-environment interaction
- What makes areas physically similar or different.
- Region as a geographic concept; Cultural landscape; Global to local scale.
- What factors affect where people choose to live.
- Vital statistics (birth, death, and growth rates); Demographic transition; Population pyramid; Migration pushes and pulls; Urbanization.
- Culture as a dynamic, evolving force.
- Different forms of culture; Cultural imperialism, nationalism and syncretism; Expressions of culture, such as language and religion.
- Geopolitical fragmentation and unity.
- Global terrorism; Nations and states; Centrifugal and centripetal forces; Boundaries; Colonialism and decolonialism; International and supranational organizations.
- Geography of wealth and poverty.
- Core-periphery model; More- and less-developed countries; Economic development indicators; Social development indicators; Sustainable development.
