GREAT MARLOW SCHOOL Geography Department

Superpower Geographies

Booklet: Topic outline and past paper exam questions

Enquiry Question Learning objectives

Superpower geographies

Who are the superpowers and

how does their power develop over

time?

What are superpowers and ‘superpower societies’? To define the terms superpower and emerging superpower Be able to explain the criteria used in the definitions To contrast imperialist, capitalist and communist ‘superpower societies’

NOTES: Pages 99-101What were the Cold War superpowers? To understand the background to the Cold War To contrast the economies and political systems of the USA and USSR during the Cold War

NOTES: NoneWhat is the geography of power? To define hegemony To describe geographical patterns of superpower influence To consider how the USA maintains its global hegemony

NOTES: Pages 102-104How have patterns of power changed? Explain shifting power patterns over time To consider the rise and fall of the British Empire and the collapse of communism To identify the growth of emerging superpowers and the future for China as a superpower To contrast India and China as superpowers

NOTES: Pages 104-108What is the theory of superpowers? To use theoretical frameworks to explore the relationship between superpowers and the rest of the world To compare, contrast and evaluate the three main theories – Modernisation theory, Dependency theory and

Wallerstein’s World Systems theoryNOTES: Pages 108-110 (not ‘China and India compared’)

The role of superpowers

What impacts and influence do

superpowers have?

How do superpowers maintain their hegemony? To explain the concept of colonial rule To explain how Britain maintained hegemony over India To assess the mechanisms of neo-colonial control – trade, aid and debt

NOTES: Pages 111-115How do superpowers make international decisions? NOTES: Pages 115-117 To understand how membership of key governmental organisations (IGOs) produces power To research some of the main IGOs – IMF, World Bank, UN, WTO, NATO and OECDHow do superpowers trade with each other? NOTES: Pages 117-118

To describe and explain patterns in global trade and how trade influences power and wealth To understand how superpowers control so-called ‘free’ tradeSYNOPTIC ASSESSMENT - How do superpowers influence global culture?

To understand how cultural influence can spread To define ‘cultural imperialism’ To assess the extent to which cultural imperialism can be beneficial To assess how healthy it is for the production of most music, television and film to be in the hands of so few

Superpower futures

What are the implications of the continued rise of

new superpowers?

What impact will emerging superpowers have on resources? NOTES: Pages 121-122

To examine the resources implications of continued growth among the emerging powers, versus the benefits of reducing poverty

How will the growth of emerging superpowers impact on the core regions?

To outline the economic and political impact of shifting power on the existing powers of the EU and USA To consider the implications of Russia’s control over oil and gas supplies in Europe Is Russia a “re–emerging” superpower?

NOTES: Pages 122-125What about the rest of the world? NOTES: Pages 126-128

To examine the relationship between the emerging powers and the developing world and assess the costs and benefits for the developing world.

To identify the opportunities that growth of emerging superpowers give to non-superpower regions To research the scale of China’s involvement in AfricaWhat is the potential for conflict? NOTES: Pages 128-131

To examine the potential for cultural conflict as ‘east meets west’ in the future

January 2010Superpower Geographies.6 (a) Explain the factors that have led to rapid economic growth in the small Gulf States. (12)(b) Evaluate the possible environmental consequences of continued rapid urban and economic development in the small Gulf States. (14)(c) Explain how the growing economic power of the small Gulf States could lead to social and political tension within the region and beyond. (14)

June 2010Superpower Geographies3 Study Figure 3.(a) With reference to Figure 3 and your own knowledge, explain how the USA maintains its superpower status. (10)

(b) To what extent is the USA’s superpower status threatened by the emerging power of the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China)? (15)

January 2011Superpower Geographies3 Study Figure 3.(a)Suggest how the three scenarios for 2025 might have very different consequences

for the planet and its people. (10)

(b) Evaluate the need for superpowers to play a key role in trade and international decision-making to maintain their status. (15)

June 2011Superpower Geographies4 Study Figure 4.(a)Suggest reasons why this data has been used to produce the superpower index.

(10)

(b) Explain how theories, such as Dependency Theory and World Systems Theory, can contribute to an understanding of changing patterns of global power. (15)

January 2012Superpower Geographies4 Study Figure 4.

(a)Using Figure 4 and your own knowledge, explain the advantages and disadvantages of inward investment for developing countries. (10)

(b) Assess the global environmental and geopolitical implications of the rise of the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). (15)

June 2012Superpower Geographies3 Study Figure 3.(a) Using Figure 3 and your own knowledge, explain why the pattern of economic power has changed over time. (10)

(b) Using named examples, assess the relative importance of economic, military and cultural factors in influencing superpower status. (15)

January 2013Superpower Geographies3 Study Figure 3.(a)Using Figure 3 and your own knowledge, explain the possible consequences of the

population projections for future superpower status. (10)

(b) Assess the extent to which China is a threat to the USA’s status as the only current superpower. (15)

June 2013Superpower Geographies6 (a) Explain why there are, and have been, tensions between superpowers and other countries in East Asia. (14)(b) Assess the extent to which each of the four East Asian countries named in Figure 2 have the characteristics of superpowers. (14)(c) To what extent are trends in population and resource consumption in China and Japan sustainable?(12)

June 2014Superpower Geographies4 Study Figure 4.(a) Using Figure 4 and your own knowledge, suggest the impact on people and the environment of the growth in middle-class numbers and spending. (10)

(b) Using named examples, discuss how the balance between direct versus indirect superpower influence has changed over time. (15)