Modern World Vocab

Self-determination

Process by which a country or group of people determines its own laws and government guarnteed by a UN charter after WW2

Global Climate Change

Problems caused by emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere resulting in a shift in normal climate resulting in a shift in normal climate patterns; also called global warming

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement; trade treaty between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. to eremove tariffs and make trade easier between the three nations

Developing nation

A nation with a less developed economy and less advanced infrastructure; usally has a lower literacy rate, a lower gross national product (GDP)

Developed Nation

A nation with developed economy and a more adavanced infrastructure often has a high literacy rate, a high gross national product (GDP), and a longer life span.

Terrorism

The use of force/hreat to intimidate governments or groups of people to produce change; can have political, economic, relgious and/ or cultural motivations

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Organization that fosters global monetary cooperation and financial growth, faclilates internat’l trade pormotes high employment rate and tries to reduce global poverty

Rwandan Genocide

Genocide in 1994 led by the Hutu against theTutsi, resulted in the deaths of nearly 1 million Tutsis and Hutu sympathizes in the span of months

Ethnic Cleansing

Use of murder and brutality against a specfic ethic group; example is the targeting of Bosnian Muslims in Serbia by the government in the 1990s

Apartheid

Legalized system of segregation/discimination based on race; in South Africa before its legal end in 1994

Refugees

People forced to leave their country often to escape war, presecution, famine or natural disasters

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)

Organization deidcated to establishing an independent state for Palestinians

World Trade Organization (WTO)

The international organization regulating trade between nations.

Muslim League

Organization in India that wanted to create a separate state for Muslims.

Guest workers

People w/ temporary, legal permission to work/live in another nation.

Armenian Genocide

Resulted in the death/deportation of over 1 million armenion Christian carried out by Ottoman Empire in 1910s

Patriot Act

Law signed in response to the 9/11 terror attacks; gave new powers to the U.S. government to watch and montior people’s electronic communications

Munich

Site of 1972 terrorist attack at the Summer Olympics; example of religously + Politically-motivated terrorism

Indian National Congress

Political party in India established in the 1800s; led movement of India’s indpendence from U.K behind Mohandas Gandhi’s leadership

Developing Nation

Happens Post-World War 2 between the 1940s-1980s when former European colonies in Africa & Asia indpendence

World Bank

Multinational organization that provides loans for large-scale development projects; often supports developing nations by providing loans.

The refusal to comply with certain laws as a form of peaceful non-violent protest; a protest strategy used by Mohandas Gandhi in India.

European Union (EU)

Political/economic union between 20+ European nations; sought to create a unified; barrier-free environment between member states; Euro as currency