Regions of the World 1900-1-RGS

Course content:

Region, socio-economic region – definitions, methods of delimitation. Political map of the world. Cultural regions. International economic cooperation – regional and supraregional organizations.

Europe: Contemporary challenges (demographic changes, aging populations, migration to and from Europe, cities – areas of shrinkage and dynamic growth, economic situation, social polarization in Europe, the importance of Europe in the international arena, Europe and climate change).

Eastern Europe – urbanization processes in the Moscow region, the public transport system in Moscow, urbanization problems, migration pressures, land prices, loss of green spaces to expanding urbanization, socialist realist architecture, other social problems, and land prices.

Examples of European island regions - Cyprus and Malta, a discussion of the tourist destination development cycle and the importance of territorial marketing for island promotion. The importance of tourism for the economic development of island regions, the use of satellite accounts for economic measurement. EU funds - the National Recovery Plan for European Union countries - the experience of Croatia and eco-certification.

Africa south of the Sahara - delimitation of the region in various classifications; regional divisions of Africa; environmental, cultural, social, and economic characteristics of the continent's countries; urban and rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa (settlement, the structure of the African city); the most important challenges of the 21st century.

North Africa and the Middle East - key concepts and delimitation of the region; ethnocultural and demographic characteristics of the region; the specific social and economic characteristics of the countries of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with particular emphasis on urban areas (the history and functional structure of an Arab city). Dubai as an example of modernization and cultural transformations in the Persian Gulf region.

Island regions. Socioeconomic development in the island regions of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, and the Caribbean (the importance of agriculture, tourism, and the role of tax havens, the sale of fishing licenses, the sale of citizenship, pearl oyster farming, and the sale of internet domains).

Oceania - the specific characteristics of the communities and economies of the islands of Oceania, with particular emphasis on their spatial diversity resulting from different natural origins, dispersion, isolation, and peripheral location from the rest of the world. The general characteristics will be enriched with examples from Micronesia – the Federated States of Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the US Territories of Guam, Midway, and Wake Island. Presentation of the MIRAB (Migration, Relocations, Aid Bureaucracy) model.

North America – socio-economic regions in the United States and Canada, Boston as a city of science and innovation, with a network of universities and technical universities of international standing and recognition, Boston's defense industry, a port city that fueled Boston's early development. The Baja California Peninsula, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley – the concept of technopolis and clusters. Toronto as an example of an inclusive city, city development strategy, and effective solutions to migration pressures and multiculturalism.

East Asia: Japan as a lens of demographic and social transformation in the region. Japan as an example of a country grappling with an intensifying population aging and growing challenges to the labor market and social welfare systems, characteristic of contemporary East Asia. Particular attention is paid to the issue of foreigners – their role in filling labor shortages, filling gaps in care and industry, as well as the socio-cultural tensions accompanying their presence. The historical evolution of Japan's migration policy—from postwar ethnic homogeneity and a closed immigration policy to a gradual opening to labor migration and special programs (e.g., for technical workers and caregivers). Japan as a country redefining its social identity in the face of growing national and cultural diversity, while maintaining a strong normative framework. These transformations are presented within a broader economic and political context.

Southeast Asia – Bangkok's urbanization challenges (Bangkok as the capital of Thailand, migration pressures, problems related to the location of slums, air quality, water quality, the underdeveloped transportation network in the city, the urban car problem, and investments in the "Blue Sky Train" overground railway).

Latin America: Yucatán as a lens for socio-economic and environmental transformations in the region. Yucatán – encompassing three southern Mexican states: Quintana Roo, Yucatán, and Campeche – serves as a regional study illustrating the tensions characteristic of contemporary Latin America. Demographic and social transformations in a region with a high proportion of indigenous people, growing spatial inequalities, and conflicts over resources and development directions. Mass tourism, extensive agriculture, and infrastructure projects are the main forces transforming the social and natural landscape. Particular emphasis is placed on the controversy surrounding the Tren Maya project – its development potential and, at the same time, threats to the environment, cultural heritage, and the rights of local communities. The Yucatán Peninsula, a space of clashing economic, ethnic, and ecological interests, serves as a lens for broader processes taking place in Latin America.

Polar regions - its circumpolar location is the only feature that makes the polar regions similar to each other. The Arctic as an ocean surrounded by land, Antarctica as a continent surrounded by oceans. The key economic importance of the polar regions in the coming decades. The Arctic as an area with potential for trade routes connecting Far Eastern countries with the European Union and the United States. The polar regions as areas with vast deposits of energy resources – a military aspect. The issue of the unregulated status of the Arctic Ocean floor. Antarctica as a legally protected territory (Antarctic Treaty). The enormous interest in the area from the great powers – a new potential division of Antarctica (an ice cream cake to be divided). Problems with nature conservation and the effects of climate change in selected polar regions.

Note: the above topics are the general scope of the course, not the titles of individual lectures. These topics can be discussed in more than one class.

Estimated number of hours that the student must spend to achieve the learning outcomes defined for the course:

2 ECTS course, including:
1 ECTS (30 hours) - hours in direct contact with the lecturers, i.e. participation in classes
1 ECTS (20 hours) - student's own contribution, reading the literature, library tasks, (10 hours) preparation for a written test, own work of students(10 hours).