NORTH AFRICA &NORTH AFRICA &SOUTHWEST ASIASOUTHWEST ASIA

Map Test 2Map Test 2 Geography ConferenceGeography Conference North Africa/Southwest AsiaNorth Africa/Southwest Asia

Frequency Distribution - Map Test 2

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WDCAG – March 11-13, 2005 WDCAG – March 11-13, 2005

The Western Division of the Canadian The Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers.Association of Geographers.

Annual conference is in Lethbridge.Annual conference is in Lethbridge. For details see the Geography website For details see the Geography website

(http://www.uleth.ca/fas/geo).(http://www.uleth.ca/fas/geo). Reduced rates for students ($30).Reduced rates for students ($30). Includes: Includes:

Conference registration, Banquet, Field trips (nominal Conference registration, Banquet, Field trips (nominal fee), Curling Funspiel, Free entrance to Friday night fee), Curling Funspiel, Free entrance to Friday night social.social.

Friday Night Social.Friday Night Social.

Held at the Zoo.Held at the Zoo. Live Band (Southern Flyer playing from 8 pm-Live Band (Southern Flyer playing from 8 pm-

midnight).midnight). Pizza by the slice.Pizza by the slice. Lots of Geographers from Western Canada Lots of Geographers from Western Canada

(Manitoba to BC).(Manitoba to BC). Come and meet other students and professors.Come and meet other students and professors. You don’t have to register for the conference to You don’t have to register for the conference to

come and join us ($5/cover).come and join us ($5/cover).

NORTH AFRICA &NORTH AFRICA &SOUTHWEST ASIASOUTHWEST ASIA

North Africa/Southwest AsiaNorth Africa/Southwest Asia Defining the realmDefining the realm Naming the realmNaming the realm Orient and OrientalismOrient and Orientalism Culture HearthsCulture Hearths

Early civilizationsEarly civilizations Holy Land: Judaism, Christianity, IslamHoly Land: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Water and aridityWater and aridity An Arab Realm??An Arab Realm?? An Islamic Realm??An Islamic Realm?? Oil and wealthOil and wealth

Defining the Realm

Naming the RealmNaming the Realm Traditional (ethnocentric) Traditional (ethnocentric)

RegionalizationRegionalization Near EastNear East

Balkan Peninsula, Turkey to EgyptBalkan Peninsula, Turkey to Egypt (Old Ottoman Empire)(Old Ottoman Empire)

Middle EastMiddle East Persia (Iran) to BurmaPersia (Iran) to Burma

Far East Far East China, Indo-China, JapanChina, Indo-China, Japan

Levant=Holy LandLevant=Holy Land Modern “Middle East”Modern “Middle East”

All of realm except TurkestanAll of realm except Turkestan Not really eastern or in the middle!Not really eastern or in the middle!

Orient … and Orientalism

OrientalismOrientalism

Edward Said and OrientalismEdward Said and Orientalism A Western (Occidental) ethnocentric inventionA Western (Occidental) ethnocentric invention

Exotic, mysterious, haunting, uncivilized, Exotic, mysterious, haunting, uncivilized, backwardbackward

Yet it defines the west!Yet it defines the west! Do these understandings persist?Do these understandings persist? Israeli occupation of Palestine/West BankIsraeli occupation of Palestine/West Bank Critical of Orientalist bias in colonial Critical of Orientalist bias in colonial

discourses discourses

REGIONS OF THE REALM

Two Early Culture Hearths

The Dry World ?

Arid climate prevails Arid climate prevails Exceptions:Exceptions:

Coastal Turkey Coastal Turkey Northwestern IranNorthwestern Iran Great river valleysGreat river valleys OasesOases

ANNUAL PRECIPITATION

NEGEV DESERT

E.J. PALKA

NEGEV DESERT

E.J. PALKA

Water - A Renewable Or Finite Resource?

Water is contested resource.Water is contested resource. Imminent water-shortages in many Imminent water-shortages in many

regionsregions (the most concentrated region (the most concentrated region of scarcity in the world).of scarcity in the world).

Rates of natural increase > 2.0% inRates of natural increase > 2.0% in North Africa increase stress on water North Africa increase stress on water sources.sources.

ISRAEL-SYRIA BORDER

E.J. PALKA

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

Water sources determine population Water sources determine population distribution.distribution.

- The Nile- The Nile

- Mediterranean Sea- Mediterranean Sea

- Euphrates and Tigris Basin - Euphrates and Tigris Basin ((Hydraulic CivilizationsHydraulic Civilizations))

- Lower slopes of Zagros Mountains, - Lower slopes of Zagros Mountains, south of the Caspiansouth of the Caspian

AN ARAB REALM ?

Relates to language as a cultural Relates to language as a cultural feature of this realmfeature of this realm

ArabicArabic is the dominant language in 16 is the dominant language in 16 States of the realm.States of the realm.

Non-Arab States:Non-Arab States: Turkey – TurkishTurkey – Turkish Iran – FarsiIran – Farsi Israel – HebrewIsrael – Hebrew Niger - FrenchNiger - French

ISLAMIC REALM? Muhammed (571- 632 CE)Muhammed (571- 632 CE)

HejiraHejira 622 CE = 0 622 CE = 0 Five Pillars Of IslamFive Pillars Of Islam

Recitation of creedRecitation of creed like Christianitylike Christianity

Daily Prayer Daily Prayer (like Christianity) (like Christianity)

Month Of Daylight Fasting during Ramadan Month Of Daylight Fasting during Ramadan (like RC Lent (40 days) until World War II)(like RC Lent (40 days) until World War II)

Alms-giving Alms-giving (like every religion!)(like every religion!)

Pilgrimage to Mecca Pilgrimage to Mecca (like RC, Judaism, Shintoism)(like RC, Judaism, Shintoism)

Abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, gamblingAbstinence from tobacco, alcohol, gambling like LDS (polygamy OK until 1890)like LDS (polygamy OK until 1890)

Dietary rules prohibit Pork, require ritual Dietary rules prohibit Pork, require ritual slaughterslaughter

like Judaismlike Judaism Sabbath day (Friday - 7 day week) Sabbath day (Friday - 7 day week)

like Judaism and Christianity)like Judaism and Christianity)

Sunni (85%) and Shi’ite (15%) sectsSunni (85%) and Shi’ite (15%) sects