Why We Need Geographic Education Now More Than Ever | Sean Cheng | TEDxPortsmouth

Summary

In this enlightening talk, the speaker underscores the critical role of geographic literacy in understanding global events and making informed decisions. Highlighting the public's limited knowledge of conflict locations like Ukraine and Afghanistan, the speaker argues that geographical awareness is essential for grasping geopolitical complexities, such as the strategic significance of Ukraine's position on the Black Sea. The discussion extends to the broader applications of geography in global health, economic impacts, and cultural understanding, ultimately advocating for the importance of geography education to foster better global citizens.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ Many people lack basic geographic knowledge, with only one in three American voters able to locate Ukraine on a map.
• 🌍 Geographic illiteracy is not limited to Ukraine; even during military conflicts, such as in Afghanistan, a significant portion of the population struggles to find the country on a map.
• 🏞️ Understanding geography is crucial for making informed decisions about global issues, including military, economic, and political strategies.
• 🏔️ The geographical features of a country, like Afghanistan's mountainous terrain, can influence political strategies and the outcomes of military engagements.
• 🌾 Geographic knowledge helps explain global economic impacts, such as the bread crisis in countries dependent on wheat from the Black Sea region due to the Ukraine conflict.
• 🌎 The strategic location of Ukraine as a buffer between Central Europe and Russia is significant for understanding the geopolitical tensions in the region.
• 📈 Voters with geographic awareness are more likely to support assertive measures by their country in response to global conflicts.
• 🌡️ Geography plays a critical role in understanding global health issues like the spread of COVID-19 and the factors that contribute to disease outbreaks.
• 🌍 The application of geographic knowledge extends beyond geopolitics to include global health, climate change, and cultural understanding.
• 🌱 Geography is about making global connections and synthesizing information from different disciplines to better understand and address global challenges.

Q & A

What is the significance of knowing the location of Ukraine on a global scale?

Knowing Ukraine's location is significant as it helps understand its strategic position as a buffer between Central Europe and Russia, which is crucial in geopolitical conflicts and international relations.

Why is geographic knowledge important for making informed decisions about global conflicts?

Geographic knowledge is essential for understanding the strategic importance of regions involved in conflicts, which in turn influences policy decisions, sanctions, and the overall approach towards resolving or engaging with these conflicts.

How does the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan impact its political landscape and foreign interventions?

Afghanistan's mountainous terrain has contributed to its politically fragmented nature, with ethnic groups like the Pashtun being made up of smaller tribes and groups with different cultural values. This terrain also makes it difficult for attackers, affecting the length and costliness of foreign interventions.

What role does Ukraine's geography play in the global wheat market and how has the war impacted it?

Ukraine's fertile chernozem soil and location on the Black Sea make it a leading wheat exporter. However, the war has halted wheat production and exports from key Black Sea ports like Mariupol and Odesa, affecting the global wheat market.

How does geographic knowledge affect our understanding of global economic impacts, such as the bread crisis in Egypt?

Understanding Ukraine's geography helps explain the bread crisis in Egypt, as the war in Ukraine has disrupted wheat exports, impacting countries like Egypt that heavily rely on these exports for their staple food.

What is the connection between geography and the COVID-19 pandemic?

Geography plays a crucial role in understanding the spread of COVID-19, vaccine distribution, and the worldwide economic effects. It helps identify hotspots and the factors contributing to the rapid spread of the virus.

Why did Iran experience a large outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic?

Iran's initial large outbreak can be traced back to Qom, a major pilgrimage site for Shias, which coincided with increased travel due to Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, allowing the virus to spread quickly.

How does geography contribute to our understanding of climate change?

Geography helps us understand the complex processes shaping our planet, such as atmospheric phenomena and oceanic circulation, which are essential for grasping the challenges and solutions related to climate change.

What is the role of geography in fostering cultural understanding and reducing conflicts?

Geographic knowledge enriches our understanding of different cultures, making us more open-minded and appreciative of diversity, which can lead to reduced inclination towards conflict with those who are different from us.

Why is it important to have dedicated geography classes in educational curriculums?

Dedicated geography classes are important to teach students how to connect the dots and make sense of our complex world, enabling them to make informed decisions and become better global citizens.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ Geographical Ignorance and Its Consequences

The speaker begins by addressing the audience's knowledge of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, using a blank map to gauge their awareness of Ukraine's location. It's revealed that only one in three American voters can accurately identify Ukraine on a map, which is a common issue even with countries where the U.S. has military involvement. The speaker emphasizes the importance of geographical knowledge for making informed decisions, using Afghanistan as an example. The country's strategic location and terrain are crucial for understanding its political fragmentation and the challenges faced by the U.S. during its military operations there. Similarly, understanding Ukraine's geography is essential for grasping its strategic importance as a buffer between Central Europe and Russia, and the impact of the war on global wheat prices and exports.

05:00

🌏 The Broader Impact of Geographical Knowledge

This paragraph delves into the broader implications of geographical knowledge, extending beyond geopolitics to global health, economics, and cultural understanding. The speaker uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study to illustrate how geography can explain various aspects of the crisis, from disease spread to vaccine distribution. The example of Iran's early outbreak, linked to the city of Qom and the timing of Nowruz, underscores the importance of understanding local contexts. The speaker argues that geography is not just about memorizing facts but about synthesizing information to understand global events. It's highlighted as a crucial tool for addressing challenges like climate change, where understanding the planet's processes is vital for recognizing and solving environmental issues.

10:02

🌱 The Personal and Global Benefits of Geography

The final paragraph argues for the importance of geography education, advocating for dedicated classes that teach students to make connections and understand complex global issues. The speaker suggests that universities should require basic geography courses to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge to be informed global citizens. Geography is also presented as a means to connect humans, enrich personal lives, and foster cultural understanding. The more we learn about different places and their people, the more open-minded we become, potentially reducing conflicts with other cultures. The speaker concludes by thanking the audience and highlighting the transformative power of geographical knowledge.

Keywords

💡Geographic Knowledge

Geographic knowledge refers to the understanding of places and the relationships between them. In the video, it is emphasized as crucial for informed decision-making, especially in the context of global conflicts and politics. For instance, knowing Ukraine's location helps in understanding its strategic importance and the implications of the war on global markets.

💡Strategic Location

Strategic location is the position of a place that gives it an advantage in military, economic, or political terms. The video uses Ukraine's location on the Black Sea as an example of a strategic location, highlighting its role as a buffer between Central Europe and Russia, and its impact on global wheat exports.

💡Geopolitics

Geopolitics is the study of how geography influences international politics and policies. The script discusses how a lack of geopolitical understanding can lead to misjudgments, such as the U.S.'s underestimation of the power of nationalism in Vietnam and the recent miscalculations regarding Ukraine and Afghanistan.

💡Cultural Understanding

Cultural understanding is the comprehension of different cultures, their values, and practices. The video suggests that geographic knowledge can lead to cultural understanding, as learning about places often involves learning about the people and their cultures, which can promote open-mindedness and reduce conflict.

💡Global Conflicts

Global conflicts refer to large-scale wars or disputes that involve multiple countries and have international implications. The video uses the wars in Ukraine and Afghanistan to illustrate the importance of geographic knowledge in understanding and responding to these conflicts.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is a long-term change in the Earth's climate patterns, often attributed to human activities. The script mentions climate change as one of the 21st century's greatest challenges, where geographic knowledge is essential for understanding the global environmental processes and the impacts of these changes.

💡COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The video uses the pandemic to demonstrate how geography can explain various aspects, such as the spread of the disease and vaccine distribution, with the example of Iran's outbreak being linked to the city of Qom and the Nowruz holiday.

💡Ethnic Groups

Ethnic groups are communities of people who share a common cultural heritage, language, or history. The video discusses the Pashtun ethnic group in Afghanistan to explain how a lack of understanding of their tribal structure and cultural diversity can affect political and military strategies.

💡Terrain

Terrain refers to the physical features of the land, such as mountains, plains, and rivers. The script uses Afghanistan's mountainous terrain to explain its impact on the country's political fragmentation and the challenges faced by the U.S. military during the conflict.

💡Chernozem

Chernozem is a type of fertile soil rich in organic matter, found in certain regions, including Ukraine. The video highlights Ukraine's chernozem soil and its role in making the country a leading wheat exporter, which was disrupted by the Russian invasion.

💡Global Health

Global health is the health of populations in a global context, influenced by factors such as disease spread and health policies. The video discusses the importance of geographic knowledge in understanding global health issues, like the spread of COVID-19 and the factors that contribute to disease outbreaks.

Highlights

Only one in three American voters can locate Ukraine on a map.

In 2002, only 17% of young Americans could find Afghanistan on a map despite U.S. military involvement.

Lack of geographic knowledge hinders informed decision-making about global conflicts.

Afghanistan's strategic location and terrain influence its political fragmentation and resistance to foreign intervention.

Understanding Ukraine's geography is crucial for comprehending its strategic importance and the impact of the war on global markets.

Voters knowledgeable about Ukraine's location are more likely to support assertive U.S. measures against Russia.

The war in Ukraine has disrupted wheat exports, causing a bread crisis in countries like Egypt.

Geographic knowledge helps explain global economic impacts, such as the rise in gas prices due to the war.

Geography education could have altered the course of the Vietnam War, as noted by Robert McNamara.

U.S. intelligence officials have misjudged the geopolitics of Ukraine and Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for better geographic understanding.

Geography is vital for understanding global health issues, such as the spread of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 outbreak in Iran was influenced by religious pilgrimages and holiday travel.

Geography helps identify hotspots and informs strategies to save lives during pandemics.

Geography is not just memorization but synthesis, connecting different disciplines to understand global events.

Geography plays a crucial role in addressing climate change by understanding planetary processes.

Basic geographic knowledge is necessary to grasp the urgency of climate change and to motivate action.

Geography education can prevent environmental disasters by learning from past mistakes, such as the Aral Sea drying up.

Geography fosters global citizenship by teaching students to connect the dots in our complex world.

Geographic knowledge enriches personal lives, promotes cultural understanding, and reduces the inclination for conflict.

Transcripts

Transcriber: Michael Nystrom Reviewer: Anna Sobota

So, I’m sure everyone here

knows about the war going on between Russia and Ukraine.

Now, here I have a blank map of the world,

and I’d like you to raise your hand if you are 100 % confident

that you can find Ukraine on this map.

Okay, not bad.

If you can’t, don’t worry because you’re not alone.

Only one in three American voters can.

Now, you’re probably thinking, okay, we’re not directly involved in this war,

so what’s the big deal with not knowing where Ukraine is?

Well, the numbers have shown that even in countries

in which we’ve had active military involvement,

we still had trouble locating them.

In 2002, at the beginning of the U.S. conflict in Afghanistan,

only 17 % of young Americans could find it on a map.

What does this mean?

What does it mean when we, as citizens of the most powerful country in the world,

cannot identify where major global conflicts are taking place,

including those in which we’re actively involved?

Here’s what it means.

When we don’t know where Ukraine or Afghanistan is,

we lack the key geographic knowledge needed to make informed decisions.

So, let me illustrate this.

A look at a map tells us that Afghanistan lies at this crossroads

between Central, South, and West Asia,

which means that it has always been at the middle of conflicts

between the great powers of the continent,

and knowing about its mountainous terrain

gives us insight into the politically fragmented nature of the country.

Afghanistan's terrain has actually culturally divided the country,

which means that ethnic groups

like the Pashtun, the largest in the country,

are actually made up of many smaller tribes and groups

and people of different cultural values,

and in an attempt to work with the Pashtun to establish order in Afghanistan,

the U.S. treated them as a singular monolith,

but this didn’t really work.

In addition to this,

the mountainous terrain is never advantageous to the attacker,

and this definitely contributed to the length and costliness

of the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

Now, let’s go back to Ukraine.

Voters that know where Ukraine is

are more likely to understand its strategic location

on the Black Sea as a buffer between Central Europe and Russia.

These voters, by double-digit margins,

are more likely to back assertive sanctions and measures

by the United States towards Russia,

and we all know that the war has caused gas prices to rise sharply,

but did you know that in developing countries

like Egypt, which depend heavily on wheat and grain exports

from the Black Sea,

there's been a bread crisis.

It's become very difficult for people to buy,

and yet it’s a staple food for everyone in these nations.

So, understanding Ukraine’s geography allows us to explain this

because Ukraine is rich in one of the most fertile types of soil

in the world, called chernozem.

This, along with its relatively flat terrain and location on the Black Sea,

has allowed it to become one of the leading exporters

of wheat in the world,

but the Russian invasion has halted production of this wheat,

as well as exports from key Black Sea ports such as Mariupol and Odesa,

which are now destroyed from the war.

So as consumers,

geographic knowledge allows us to better understand

where goods come from,

enabling us to make more informed purchases.

Now, let's go back in time a bit.

Most geographers agree that had we been better educated

about Southeast Asia and Vietnam,

we would have likely taken

a different course of action during the Vietnam War,

which basically means we probably would have pulled out earlier.

I'm sure some of you here are familiar with the name Robert McNamara.

He was the Secretary of Defense during the time of the war,

and in his 1995 memoir,

he would go on to list several major causes for disaster.

Most notably, and I quote,

“Our profound ignorance of the history, culture

and politics of the people of the area.

We underestimated the power of nationalism to motivate people.”

Interestingly enough, just last week,

U.S. intelligence officials were questioned for misjudging

the governments of Ukraine and Afghanistan,

as some believed that Ukraine would fall to Russia in a matter of weeks

and that a U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan could last for months.

We completely misjudged the geopolitics of the situation in Vietnam,

and we continue to do so in many parts of the world today.

Consider how costly not knowing more about a place is.

Consider the amount of money spent and the number of lives lost,

but the applications of geography extend far beyond the realm of geopolitics

and are also applicable to things like global health.

Geography has been crucial in understanding the COVID-19 pandemic,

and with geography, we can explain almost every aspect of it,

from the spread of the disease to the vaccine distribution

or the worldwide economic effects.

For example, why did Iran, out of all the countries in the world,

have a large outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic?

There are many factors,

but we can actually trace this back to a single city,

the site of Iran’s first case.

This city is called Qom,

and Qom isn’t the largest city in Iran, nor is it the most densely populated,

but Qom is important because it’s a major pilgrimage site for Shias,

and introduction of COVID to the Middle East

happened to coincide with Nowruz, the Iranian New Year.

So, increased travel to the city allowed the virus to spread quickly

and to all parts of Iran,

and understanding what creates hotspots like these is crucial for saving lives.

This example, in particular, illustrates

why religious and political authorities need to work closer together

during times of pandemic.

It's really a paradox

that in a time where global events shape our lives more than ever,

we are the least educated in geography.

You see, geography isn’t simply this rote memorization of capitals

or places on a map,

as much as I may find that entertaining.

(Laughter)

Geography is about making global connections,

piecing together different disciplines and knowledge about places

so we can better understand the events that take place in our world

to make more informed decisions.

Prominent geographer Harm de Blij put it simply, “Geography is synthesis.”

Geography’s ability to connect the seemingly different is crucial

for one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century -

climate change.

Now, we all know about climate change,

but why are there still so many people who refuse to believe it,

or maybe even worse, not do anything about it?

Now, I think there are lots of reasons,

but a lot of this has to do with a lack of basic geographic knowledge.

It’s really hard to grasp the danger our planet is in

when we don’t know a lot about it in the first place.

Our world is shaped by a web of intricate processes

like atmospheric phenomena or oceanic circulation,

and we really need to get to know how our planet works

if we want to understand the challenges it faces

as well as the possible solutions,

and geography opens up our eyes

to the circumstances of places unfamiliar to us,

and in learning about the places that are already grappling

with the worst effects of climate change,

we become more motivated to ensure that the same doesn’t happen to us.

Knowing about disasters like the drying up of the Aral Sea in Central Asia

or the disappearance of glaciers in Bolivia is essential

if we want to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

In the end, geography allows us to be better global citizens.

We need classes specifically dedicated to geography,

not classes where focus is on things like memorization or world capitals,

but classes where students are taught how to connect the dots

and make sense out of our complicated world

so that they too can make informed decisions,

and in universities where geography majors are all but a thing of the past,

they should at least require students to take a couple of basic classes

in physical and human geography,

but geography isn’t just about saving the world from nuclear disaster

or fighting climate change,

because it also connects us as humans.

Geographic knowledge can enrich our personal lives and our relationships,

making us better people

because when we learn about places, we also learn about the people there.

So, geography lends itself to cultural understanding.

The more we learn about others, the more open-minded we become,

and perhaps if we were more knowledgeable and appreciative about other cultures,

we would be less inclined to create conflict with those different from us.

Thank you.

(Applause)