Human Geography By James Rubenstein

1
Human Geography By James Rubenstein

• Chapter 6
• Key Issue 4
• Why do territorial conflicts arise among
  religious groups?

2
Fundamentalism

• The literal interpretation and a strict and
  intense adherence to basic principles of a
  religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or
  sect).

3
Religion vs. Government Policies

• In recent years, religious principles have become
  increasingly important in the political
  organization of countries, especially where a
  branch of Christianity or Islam is the prevailing
  religion.

4
Religion vs. Social Change

• Many religious adherents in LDCs view economic
  development as incompatible with religious values
  . . .
• especially where Christianity is not the
  predominant religion.

5
Taliban vs. Western Values

• Gained power in Afghanistan in 1996.
• The U.S. welcomed them as a strong impediment to
  future invasion by the Russians.
• Imposed strict laws inspired by Islamic values.

6
Taliban Laws

• Men were beaten for shaving their beards.
• Homosexuals were buried alive.
• Prostitutes were hanged in front of large
  audiences.
• Thieves had their hands cut off.
• Women wearing nail polish had their fingers cut
  off.

7
Banned Western Leisure Activities such as . . .

• playing music,
• flying kites,
• watching television, and
• surfing the internet.

8
Hinduism vs. Social Equality

• Hinduism has been strongly challenged since the
  1800s by the British.
• The most vulnerable aspect of Indian culture was
  the Caste System.

9
Caste

• A system in which the class or distinct
  hereditary order into which a Hindu was assigned
  according to religious law.
• Originated with the Aryans in 1500 B.C.E.

10
Caste System

• Brahmans were the priests and top
  administrators.
• Kshatriyas were warriors.
• Vaisyas were merchants.
• Shudras were agricultural workers or artisans.
• The Outcasts, or Untouchables did the work too
  dirty for the other classes.

11
Caste System Today

• Although the Caste System was outlawed by the
  Indian Government . . .
• socially the system is still very much alive.

12
Communism vs. Religion

• Karl Marx had called religion the opium of the
  people.
• The Communist government of the Soviet Union
  pursued antireligious programs.
• The role of organized religion in Soviet life
  could be reduced and was.

13
Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Islam vs. the
Soviet Union

• The end of Communist rule brought a religious
  revival in Eastern Europe.
• Central Asian countries are struggling to
  determine the extent to which laws should conform
  to Islamic custom.

14
Buddhism vs. Southeast Asian Countries

• The French, the United States and the Communist
  were not particularly sympathetic to the
  Buddhists.
• Buddhists immolated themselves in protest to
  policies of South Vietnam.

15

• Buddhist Monk burning himself in protest of the
  South Vietnam Government

16
Religion vs. Religion

• Conflicts are most likely to occur at boundaries
  between two religious groups.
• Two long-standing conflicts involving religious
  groups are
• 1. The Middle East
• 2. Northern Ireland

17
Religion Wars in the Middle East

• Jews, Christians, and Muslims have fought for
  2000 years to control the same strip of land.
• All three groups trace their origins to Abraham
  in the Old Testament narrative.

18
Claims on Palestine

• Judaism call Palestine the Promised Land.
• Christians consider Palestine the Holy Land.
• Muslims regard Jerusalem as their third holiest
  city. It is the place from which Muhammad is
  thought to have ascended to heaven.

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Old City of Jerusalem
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22
Spread of Islam

• The Arab army diffused Islam throughout the
  Middle East and North Africa.
• In C.E. 710, Muslim armies conquered Spain and
  occupied much of France.
• In 1453 Muslim armies captured Constantinople
  and later advanced up to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

23
European Response to Islam

• In C.E. 735, Charles Martel of the Franks halted
  the Muslim advance into Western Europe and
  insured that Christianity would be Europes
  dominant religion.
• Europe launched a series of Crusades to capture
  Jerusalem and finally lost in 1244.

24
Control of Palestine

• The Ottoman Empire controlled Palestine between
  1516 and 1917.
• Great Britain took over Palestine from the
  League of Nations mandate after World War I but
  withdrew in 1948.
• The United Nations voted to partition Palestine
  into two states in 1947.

25
Israels New Beginning

• In 1948, Jews declared an independent state of
  Israel.
• Arab neighbors declared War.
• A 1949 Armistice divided the control of
  Jerusalem, but denied Jews access to the Old
  City.
• Israel won 3 more wars with their neighbors in
  1956, 1967, and 1973.

26
Jews Captured Territory from Neighbors

• Israel captured the West Bank and the entire
  city of Jerusalem from Jordan.
• Israel acquired the Golan Heights from Syria.
• Israel gained the Gaza Strip and the Sinai
  Peninsula from Egypt.

27
Partition Plan of 1947
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Boundary Changes After 1948-1949 War
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Boundary Changes after 1967 (Six Day War)
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• Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and
  in return Egypt recognized Israels right to
  exist.
• The status of the other territories has not been
  settled.

31

• After the 1973 war, Egypt and Jordan recognized
  the Palestinians as legitimate rulers of the Gaza
  Strip and the West Bank.
• The Palestinians saw themselves as the rulers of
  Israel.

32
The West Bank

• A section of the western bank of the Jordan
  river.
• U.N. petitioned for a Palestinian state.
• After 1967 war, Israel allowed Jewish
  settlements in the region.
• Palestinians see immigration as a hostile act.

33
With 100 settlements, the Jews represent only 7
of the population of the West Bank.
34
Palestinian Question

• The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)
  led fight against Israel.
• Israel allowed limited authority over West Bank
  and Gaza by the Palestinian Authority.
• Some Palestinians want to continue fighting for
  all the land.

35

• The U.N. partition allocated the highlands to the
  Palestinians.
• Jordan and Syria used the highlands from which to
  attack the Jews.

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The Palestinians occupied most of the high ground.
37

• The ultimate obstacle to peace in the region is
  the status of Jerusalem.
• Israel has no intention of giving up control of
  the Old City.
• Palestinians refuse to give up their claim to it.

38
Religious Wars in Ireland

• The most troublesome boundary in Western Europe.
• Northern Ireland occupies 1/6th of the island of
  Eire (Ireland).

39
The Irish Republic

• Island became a part of the United Kingdom in
  1801.
• After a succession of bloody confrontations,
  Ireland became a republic in 1949.
• Protestant northern counties voted to stay in
  the United Kingdom.

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Distribution of Protestants in Ireland
41
Northern Ireland

• Majority protestant.
• Due to discrimination, Roman Catholics began
  protesting in 1968.
• Extremist groups formed to promote their views.
• A 1999 peace agreement frequently must be
  suspended.

42
Conflict

• The majority of Catholics and Protestants want
  to live in peace.
• The Irish Republican Army (IRA) are dedicated to
  Irish Unity.
• The Ulster Defense Force (UDF) is one of the
  protestant extremist who are willing to fight the
  IRA.