Why Geography Matters: Three Challenges Facing America: Climate Change, the Rise of China, and Global Terrorism

Front Cover
Oxford University Press, Sep 1, 2005 - Science - 320 pages
Over the next half century, the human population, divided by culture and economics and armed with weapons of mass destruction, will expand to nearly 9 billion people. Abrupt climate change may throw the global system into chaos; China will emerge as a superpower; and Islamic terrorism and insurgency will threaten vital American interests. How can we understand these and other global challenges? Harm de Blij has a simple answer: by improving our understanding of the world's geography. In Why Geography Matters, de Blij demonstrates how geography's perspectives yield unique and penetrating insights into the interconnections that mark our shrinking world. Preparing for climate change, averting a cold war with China, defeating terrorism: all of this requires geographic knowledge. De Blij also makes an urgent call to restore geography to America's educational curriculum. He shows how and why the U.S. has become the world's most geographically illiterate society of consequence, and demonstrates the great risk this poses to America's national security. Peppering his writing with anecdotes from his own professional travels, de Blij provides an original treatise that is as engaging as it is eye opening. Casual or professional readers in areas such as education, politics, or national security will find themselves with a stimulating new perspective on geography as it continues to affect our world.
 

Contents

1 Why Geography Matters
3
2 Reading Maps and Facing Threats
23
3 Earths Changeable Environments
52
4 Climate and Civilization
74
5 A Future Geography of Human Population
91
6 The Mesh of Civilizations
108
Chinas Geopolitical Gauntlet
125
8 Terrorisms Widening Circle
150
9 From Terrorism to Insurgency
174
10 European Superpower?
197
Trouble on the Eastern Front
231
12 Hope for Africa?
255
Epilogue
275
Works Cited
283
Index
287
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About the author (2005)

Harm de Blij is Distinguished Professor of Geography at Michigan State University. The author of over 30 books, he is an honorary life member of the National Geographic Society and was for seven years the Geography Editor on ABC's "Good Morning America."

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