Human Geography Final

Urbanization

The process by which cities grow or areas become more urban.

Global Cities

Urban centers that serve as nodes in global economic networks (e.g., New York, Tokyo).

Redlining

A discriminatory practice where banks and insurers deny services to residents of certain areas based on racial or economic factors.

Urban Renewal

The redevelopment of areas within a city, often leading to displacement of lower-income residents.

Suburbanization

The movement of populations from urban centers to suburban areas, often fueled by government policies and economic incentives.

Gentrification

Reinvestment in urban areas that increases property values, often displacing existing, lower-income residents.

New Urbanism

A planning approach promoting walkable, mixed-use communities, often critiqued for its role in gentrification.

Nation-State

A political unit where the boundaries of a nation (shared identity) align with a state (governance).

Imagined Communities

Concept by Benedict Anderson describing nations as socially constructed communities imagined by people who perceive themselves as part of the group.

Citizenship

Membership in a nation-state, conferring rights and responsibilities.

Geopolitical Boundaries

The political borders between states, often contested and fluid.

Brexit

The United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, highlighting tensions around sovereignty and borders.

Migration

Movement of people from one place to another with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently.

Push Factors

Conditions that drive people to leave their homeland (e.g., violence, environmental degradation).

Pull Factors

Conditions that attract people to a new location (e.g., economic opportunities, safety).

Voluntary Migration

Migration driven by choice (e.g., economic opportunities).

Forced Migration

Migration driven by coercion (e.g., conflict, natural disasters).

Guestworker Programs

Policies allowing temporary labor migration, such as the Bracero Program.

Globalization

Interconnectedness of people, places, and economies across the world.

Time-Space Compression

Technological advancements reducing the relative distance between places.

De/Territorialization

The separation of cultural practices from a specific location, with re-localization in new contexts.

Cultural Imperialism

The dominance of one culture over others through globalization, often critiqued for oversimplification.

Supply Chain

The network of processes involved in the production and distribution of goods (e.g., sourcing, manufacturing, shipping).