Unit 9 Terms and Definitions

Afrikaans

The language of many of the white South Africans who ruled South Africa

Agnostic

People who believe that it may not be possible to know if God exists. They have neither faith or disbelief

Agricultural Technologies

Genetically modified crops, and decline in biodiversity

AIDS

(Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) The late stages of an HIV infection that occurs when the body's immune system in badly damaged because of the virus

Air quality

A measure of how clean or polluted the air is.

Alzheimer's Disease

A form of dementia known to affects elderly and some middle-aged people. Signs are a progressive memory loss

Americanization

People the world over learned more about the United States than Americans learned about the rest of the world

Anthropocene

"New man" Reflects the idea that humans are the strongest influence on Earth's climate and environment.

Antibiotics

A medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms. Example: Penicillin

Antibiotic-resistant strains

The evolution of strains of a disease that are no longer affected by antibiotics

Anime

Japanese hand-drawn animation

Antiretroviral drug

A drug that inhibits the reproduction of a retroviruses (a virus composed of RNA rather than DNA)

Apartheid

Laws which enforced the segregation of people based on race, specifically in South Africa

Artificial Heart

Used as a temporary device while a patient waits for a compatible human heart.

Asian Tigers

Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan all follow Japan's economic model.

Atheists

People who do not believe in any god

Bacteria

Ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Bollywood

Indian musicals that are made in Bollywood, which is a film industry in Bombay (Mumbai), India

"Brain Drain"

When more highly educated and skilled people left their home countries to find jobs elsewhere.

Carbon Footprint

The amount of carbon dioxide that each person produces.

Caste Reservation System

In India the government guaranteed that a certain percentage of government and public sector jobs and enrollment in higher education would be set aside for people whose caste had conferred an underprivileged life.

Cholera

A bacterial disease that spreads through contaminated water

Civil Rights Acts

Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Clean Energy

Energy that comes from renewable, zero emission sources that do not pollute the atmosphere when used, as well as energy saved by energy efficiency measures

Communication

Technologies Radio, Television, Cell Phones, Internet.

Conferred

To grant or bestow

Consumer Culture

One in which people tended to focus more on what they bought and owned, than on where they live, what they did for a living, or what they believed.

Crossbreeding

Breeding two varieties of plants to create a hybrid.

Cubism

An artistic style by Picasso, used in his famous painting "Guernica", which challenges traditional perspective.

Dalits

Term used in India culture to describe the "Untouchables". The lowest of the caste system

Deforestation

The loss of Earth's trees as a result of cutting down trees so the land could be used for agriculture.

Democracy

A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives

Desertification

the removal of the natural vegetation cover through expansion and intensive use of agricultural lands in arid and semi-arid lands

Diaspora

The dispersion of the Jewish people beyond Israel.

Disseminating

Spread widely

Earth Day

The U.S. designated April 22 each year for people to focus on environmental awareness.

Economic and Social Council

A UN body that is the largest and most complex part of the UN. It directs economic, social, humanitarian, and cultural activities. Promotes green energy and raises people's wages in poorer countries

Economic Liberalization

The opening up of a country's economy

Ebola

A deadly disease caused by a virus that infects the African fruit bat, humans, and other primates. It causes extensive bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Energy Technologies

Extracting and producing oil, Nuclear power, Renewable energy sources.

Epidemic

A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe

Fair Trade

Trade between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries in which fair prices are paid to the producers

Falun Gong

A movement based on Buddhist and Daoist traditions

Fecal Matter

Solid excretory product evacuated from the bowels

Fertility rates

Average number of children born to a woman in a population over her reproductive lifetime.

Free Market

Economic system based on supply and demand, with as little government control as possible

Fossil fuels

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas

General Assembly

UN body in which all members have representation. It's focus is on peace and security, new members and budget.

Genetic engineering

Manipulating a cell or organism to change its basic characteristics.

Globalization

Interaction among peoples, governments, and companies around the world

Global Brands

Brand name of a product that has worldwide recognition, such as Coca-Cola or IBM

Global Warming

An increase in the average temperature of the world

Green Belt Movement

A Kenyan activist founded this movement as a direct response to the environmental degradation resulting from the colonial experience. It protects wilderness areas from urban growth.

Greenhouse gases

Allows sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere but blocks the escape of earth's natural heat. (carbon dioxide)

Greenpeace

Founded in 1971 as an organization to advocate for the environment. It battles deforestation desertification, global warming, the killing of whales, and overfishing.

Green Party

Focuses on environmental issues.

Hari Krishna

A movement which is based on traditional Hindu scriptures

Harlem Renaissance

A "rebirth" of African American culture as it sought to distance itself from the stereotyped portrayal of African Americans in literature and on stage. Jazz music emerged out of this and became an international language.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

A virus that weakens the immune system and is contracted through the exchange of bodily fluids

Holocene

"Entirely recent" The time period after the last ice age.

Human Rights

Basic protections that are common to all people

Industrialization

The development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale

International Court of Justice

A UN body that settles disputes over international law that countries bring to it. Also called the World Court

Internet

First developed for the U.S. Defense Department during the Cold war

Knowledge Economies

Economies based on creating, distributing and using knowledge and information. Doctors, Lawyers, Designers, Teachers, and Engineers have jobs in this type of economy

K-pop

Korean popular music

Kyoto Protocol

The first major international agreement to reduce carbon emissions. (singed in 1997)

Liberation theology

Combines socialism with Catholicism and spread through Latin America in the 50's and 60's. It interpreted the teachings of Jesus to include freeing people from the abuses of economic, political and social conditions

Malaria

A parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes in tropical areas.

Mandela, Nelson

Leader of African National Congress who challenged apartheid and was imprisoned for life. Later became the first black president of South Africa.

Maquiladoras

Factories in Mexico

Margaret Thatcher

British Prime Minister who advocated the market-oriented policy

Market-oriented policy

Business philosophy where the focus is on identifying customer needs or wants and meeting them.

Medical Science

Discovery about germs, viruses, diseases, and human body.

Mento

A fusion of African rhythms and European elements

Modernism

A rejection of tradition in favor of experimentation and uncertainty

Multinational corporations

A corporation that legally incorporated in one country but that makes or sells goods or services in one or more other countries

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement

An agreement between U.S. Mexico and Canadian industries to encourage trade. Use Mexico factories that use low wages to produce tariff-free goods for foreign export.

Negritude Movement

Started in French West Africa to emphasize pride in "blackness," and self-determination and reject French colonial authority. The term "black pride" began in this movement

New Age

a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism

Nonbelievers

Not affiliated with any religious institution

Nonrenewable

Once you have used up the supply it is permanently depleted

Nuclear Power

Electric or motive power generated by a nuclear reactor

Online Commerce

Makes shopping a global affair

Olympic Games

Started in 1896 held every 4 years in different venues to show off different athletic skills of athletes though out the world.

Origin of the Universe- Big Bang

The universe started with one single cosmic event

Outsource

Obtain from an outside or foreign supplier, especially in place of an internal source.

Pan-Africanism

The connectedness of all Africans whether they live in Africa or in the diaspora

Pandemic

Epidemic disease that spreads across national borders

Parasite

An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other's expense

Pariah state

Undesirable State

Paris Agreement

195 countries signed a deal that gave new hope for progress against global warming.

Pass Laws

Required black South Africans to carry identify documents when entering areas set aside for whites.

Petroleum

Aka crude oil

Polio

Caused by water contaminated by a virus transmitted in fecal matter.

Pope Francis

The first Roman Catholic pope from Latin America (Argentina)

Popular Culture

The culture of everyday people rather than the educated elite.

Protective Tariffs

Taxes on foreign imports