Unit 9: Globalization (c. 1900 – Present)

Globalization

The increasing interaction between people, companies, and governments on a worldwide scale.

The Internet & The World Wide Web

A global system of interconnected computer networks that democratized information and facilitated e-commerce.

E-commerce

Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.

Cellular Technology

Mobile phone technology that enables communication without landlines.

Social Media

Platforms that allow users to create and share content, impacting information dissemination.

Arab Spring

A series of protests and uprisings across the Arab world in the early 2010s fueled by social media.

Shipping Containers

Standardized containers that revolutionized the transport of goods, making shipping cheaper and faster.

Green Revolution

The development of high-yield crop varieties and agricultural technologies aimed at increasing food production.

Norman Borlaug

An agronomist credited with saving a billion lives through innovations in agriculture.

Malaria

A parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes, prevalent in tropical regions.

Tuberculosis (TB)

A bacterial infection primarily affecting the lungs.

Cholera

A bacterial disease contracted from contaminated water, often resulting in severe diarrhea.

1918 Influenza

A pandemic virus that killed 20-40 million people after World War I.

HIV/AIDS

A major health crisis that destroys the immune system, first emerging in the 1980s.

Ebola

A viral hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates, mainly affecting West Africa.

COVID-19

A pandemic disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, impacting global health and economies.

Climate Change

The long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Resource Depletion

The consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished.

Deforestation

The clearing of forests for agricultural or other land use, impacting carbon absorption.

Kyoto Protocol

An international treaty aimed at reducing carbon emissions, established in 1997.

Paris Agreement

A global accord targeting to limit temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

An international body that regulates trade between nations to ensure free trade.

Multinational Corporations (MNCs)

Companies that operate in multiple countries, often exerting significant economic influence.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of member states in Europe that allows for free movement and trade.

NAFTA

An agreement that eliminated trade barriers between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

Areas in countries where business and trade laws differ from the rest of the country to encourage investment.

Liberalization

The process of reducing restrictions on trade and investment.

UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights

A document that outlines fundamental human rights for all people, established in 1948.

Apartheid

A policy of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.

Negritude Movement

A cultural and literary movement celebrating black identity and culture.

Liberation Theology

A religious movement advocating for social justice and the rights of the poor in Latin America.

Consumer Culture

A social order characterized by the acquisition of goods and services in ever-greater amounts.

Americanization

The influence of American culture and business practices across the world.

Resistance to Globalization

Pushback against the processes of globalization, often from those feeling left behind or culturally threatened.

IMF/World Bank Protests

Demonstrations against the policies of international financial institutions perceived to harm local economies.

G7 (Group of Seven)

An organization of the world's seven largest advanced economies that discusses economic policies.

G20

A forum for governments of 20 major economies to discuss global financial and economic issues.

Terrorism

The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

Peacekeeping Forces

Military and civilian personnel deployed to help maintain peace and security in conflict zones.

Taliban

An Islamic fundamentalist group that governed Afghanistan prior to US invasion in 2001.

Neoliberalism

An economic policy model that emphasizes free markets, privatization, and minimal government intervention.