Transcript South Asia Power Point - Global Scholars

South Asia
Unit 8
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Physical Features - Rivers
• Brahmaputra
• Ganges
• Indus
Physical Features - Other
•
•
•
•
Deccan Plateau
Himalayas
Mt. Everest
Western & Eastern
Ghats
• Indo-Gangetic Plain
Physical Terminology
• Subcontinent-a
landmass that is like a
continent, only
smaller. (ie the Indian
subcontinent).
• Estuary-a broadened
seaward end of a
river, where the river’s
currents meet the
ocean’s tides.
• Landlocked-having no
outlet to the sea.
– Nepal, Bhutan
Physical Terminology
• Monsoon-a seasonal wind,
especially in South Asia.
– Summer monsoons are wet; winter
monsoons are dry.
• Cyclone-a violent storm with fierce
winds and heavy rain; the most
extreme weather pattern of South
Asia.
– What we know as a hurricane.
• Storm Surge-high water level
brought by a cyclone that swamps
low-lying areas
• Alluvial (plain)-land that is rich
farmland, composed of clay, silt,
sand, or gravel deposited by
running water.
– For example, when a river floods
and the waters recede, they leave
alluvial deposits.
Physical Terminology
• Archipelago-a set of closely grouped
islands. Example – Indonesia & Philippines
• Atoll-a ring-like coral island or string of
small islands surrounding a lagoon.
Example - Maldives
Water and Climate Change
• Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting so fast
that they could eventually disappear entirely.
Melting glaciers provide crucial domestic and
irrigation water to hundreds of millions of South
Asians, so their disappearance would be a
disaster. Over the short term, flooding may
intensify as rivers carry more glacial meltwater.
Meanwhile, coastal areas are highly exposed to
sea level rise as polar ice melts.
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
Flooding along a
river in southern
Bangladesh.
Increased flows in
rivers as well as
more severe
cyclones and
hurricanes have
led to widespread
flooding in recent
years.
One of the thousands of
Himalayan glaciers that
is melting faster than
normal. The Indus,
Ganga, and the
Brahmaputra rivers, are
all fed partially by
meltwater from glaciers.
Classes in northwestern
Bangladesh are held in
boats equipped with solar
power and computers.
The boats can provide
schooling even during
flooding.
Economic
• Globalization-actions
or processes that
involve the entire
world and result in
making something
worldwide in scope.
• Microcredit-a small
loan available to poor
entrepreneurs, to help
small businesses grow
and raise the standard
of living.
• Outsourcing-a decision
by a corporation to
turn over much of the
responsibility for
production to
independent suppliers.
A worker at a “call center” where
customers anywhere in the world can
call for technical or other assistance.
A swimming pool at
Infosys, an
information
technology company
based in India that
employs over
100,000 people
worldwide.
A porter in rural
Nepal carries a
heavy drainpipe up
a mountain road
using a head strap.
Economic
• Cottage Industries-manufacturing
based in homes rather than in a
factory; commonly found prior to the
Industrial Revolution.
• Subsistence Activities-activities in
which a family produces only the food,
clothing, and shelter they themselves
need.
• Sweatshop-a workplace where people
work long hours for low pay under poor
conditions to enrich manufacturers.
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
A man uses a tractor to
work his rice field near
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
A slum in Dhaka that
houses many recent
migrants from rural
areas.
Recent rural
migrants work in
Dhaka as low-paid
laborers pushing
carts loaded with
freight.
Population and Gender
• A strong preference for sons has produced a
gender imbalance throughout most of South
Asia. Cultural norms enable sons to bring
greater wealth and status to families. Hence,
many wealthier families choose to abort female
fetuses, while poorer families many commit
“female infanticide.” The result is an adult
population where men significantly outnumber
women.
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
A sign at an Indian hospital advertising
a low sign to curtail the abortion of
female fetuses.
An Indian wedding.
Dowries and other
expenses
traditionally borne by
the bride’s family
make male children
especially sought
after.
Men in Mumbai,
India, where the
gender imbalance
means that many
men go unmarried
or remain bachelors
late into life.
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
• Aryans-semi-nomadic people
from Central Asia who invaded
Northern India, subjugating the
existing inhabitants and
instituted the caste system.
• Caste System-the Aryan
system of social classes in
India and one of the
cornerstones of Hinduism in
which each person is born into
a caste and can only move
into a different caste through
reincarnation.
• Reincarnation-the belief that
when one dies their soul is reborn.
Social
Hinduism
• One of the world’s oldest
religions; dates back 5,000
years.
• Ethnic religion concentrated in
India
• Monotheistic; many deities
represent an aspect of the
divine spirit, Brahman.
• Karma: accumulated sum of
ones good and bad deeds.
Determines how you will live
your next life.
I. Hinduism in South Asia
• It is estimated that between 11 and 14 percent of the
world’s population are followers of the Hindu religion.
• Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. The
vast majority of Hindus – some 750 million – live in India,
where they account for 85% of the population.
• Hindus also comprise a significant portion of the
population in Nepal (89%), Fiji (41%), Trinidad (25%),
Surinam (28%), and Bhutan (25%).
• There are around 1.5 million Hindus in the U.S. (.5%) of
the total population. Most have arrived since 1965.
II. B Largest polytheistic religion
• Hindus have many, many gods and
goddesses, each who represent an aspect of
Brahman (the Universe).
• Through their stories in Hindu religious texts,
Hindus learn moralistic parables about the
“right” actions and ways of doing things.
• Powerful god/desses include Brahma (not
Brahman, BTW) Shiva and Vishnu
Brahma, Shiva & Vishnu
Stories of the Gods
• In religious books like the
Vedas, these stories of
adventure often have a
inner religious meaning.
• They remain popular
stories to make into films,
much like Biblical movies
in the West.
– Bollywood
III.A- Basic Ideas in
Hinduism:
• Hinduism believes that God
(Brahman) is in all things,
and all things are in God.
Brahman manifests
(separates) into different
Gods/desses. All Gods are
Brahman (Henotheism).
• Each one of us is Brahman.
Dharma (the Path)
• Each person alone has his/her liberty to pursue
truth in their own way (Dharma- “the Path”).
• Hinduism does not believe that any religion (&
any other religious books) will ensure salvation
to everyone. You must find your own dharma.
• One should live and act with ones own dharma
and the scriptures. Those who trust religion look
for new meaning in them, while others look
elsewhere for answers to their questions
(science, for instance).
III.C-Reincarnation
 Reincarnation (Transmigration of the Soul), is
the Hindu concept that the soul is transferred
into another body after death. This is the everrevolving wheel of life, death, and rebirth.

A person’s karma determines the kind of body
(any living being) into which he or she will
inhabit in the next life.
 Through pure acts, thoughts, and devotion,
one can be reborn at a higher level. Likewise,
bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn at a
lower level. The unequal distribution of wealth,
prestige, and suffering are thus seen as the
natural result of Karma.
 One of the religious justifications for the caste
system in India.
Modern Hindus of
America
• Are the most educated of all
religious groups in the
United States (48% of adult
Hindus in the USA hold
post-bachelor’s degrees).
• Almost half make $100,000
or more a year.
So, do Hindus worship cows, or
what?
• No, they do not.
• Hindus honor all living
things as part of Brahman
• Cows are seen as giving,
mother-like creatures (milk,
leather, dung).
• Monkeys, by the way, are
honored as animals of
strength and power.
Famous Hindus or Hindu Converts
• JD Salinger- writer,
Catcher in the Rye
• Carolos SantanaGuitarist, musician
• George Harrison- Beatle
• Julia Roberts- Actress
So, who’s the guy with
the elephant head?
• Ganesh, son of Vishnu
• Lost his head to Shiva
• Like many Hindu Gods, has
multiple arms/heads/legs (a
specific attribute of this Godmore limbs, more attributes!)
• God of removing obstacles
• Very popular amongst Hindus
Muslims of South Asia
• Islam arrived in South Asia in 712.
• Muslim kingdoms ran much of South
Asia until 1803, when the British take
over the area as part of the British
Empire.
Muslims in South Asia Today
• Both Pakistan and Bangladesh are
predominantly Muslim (Pakistan
95%, Bangladesh- 90%)
• Pakistan is the 2nd most populous
Muslim nation, and 6th largest in the
world.
Buddhism
• Offshoot of Hinduism
• World’s fourth largest
religion
• Founder, Siddhartha
Gautama
(Buddha/Enlightened
One): was a prince who
renounced his privileged
life and the caste
system to become a
monk and spread his
beliefs after intense
meditation and
enlightenment.
• Share a belief in Karma
and reincarnation with
Hinduism.
• Guiding principles are
the Four Noble Truths &
The eightfold Path.
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–
suffering exists;
it has a cause;
it has an end;
and it has a cause to
bring about its end.
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–
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
view
intention
speech
discipline
livelihood
effort
mindfulness
concentration
Sikhism
• World’s 5th largest religion
• Misconceptions
– Do not believe in fasting, superstitions,
ritualism, caste system.
– Sikhism is a blend of Hinduism and Islam.
It has its own scriptures, gurus, and
houses of worship. Sikhism is a separate
faith, and is not a branch of any other
religion.
– Turbans are worn in many countries as a
cultural dress. However, the turban is
required to be worn by a Sikh, and it is a
religious article of faith.
• Core beliefs
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–
–
–
–
–
Monotheistic
Respect for all
Earn an honest living
Share with others…money, time, etc.
Remember God throughout one’s day
Prohibits smoking, drinking, taking any
intoxicants.
• The 5 K’s
Sikhism Cont’d.
– Kara (iron bracelet): Good
deeds
– Kirpan (sword): Protection
– Kachera (long underpants):
Self-discipline
– Kesh (uncut hair):
Spirituality
– Kanga (comb):
Cleanliness
Sikhs Today
• Are very important in Indian society,
in business, the military and
government.
• The current Prime Minister of India is
a Sikh
The Jains
• One of the oldest religions on Earth,
dated back to at least 2000BCE
• Has had considerable influence on
Hinduism and later, Buddhism
• Approx 12 million followers (smallest of
the major religions), with most living in
India
• Approx 100,000 in the United States,
most arriving in the 1970’s.
Origins of the Jains
• In the Indus Valley approx 2000BCE
• Original leaders seem to be mythical.
• Last Guru was Vardhamana (approx
500BCE)
• Arrived in southern India by 300BCE
Current Areas of Jainism
Beliefs of the Jains
Seems to have developed the
ideas of Ahimsa (nonviolence). Jains are strict
vegetarians.
• Jains are Polytheists
• Believe the Universe
“restarts” every 21,000 years
• Has concepts like Heaven
(Siddha) & Hell (Nigoda)
• Believe in Karma
• Believe in Moksha, which is
earned through monastic
life.
Social
• Sherpa-a person of
Tibetan ancestry in
Nepal, who serves as
the traditional
mountain guide of the
Himalayas
Apa Sherpa displays a Nepali flag at the summit of Mount Everest May 21, 2009. The
49-year-old Nepali sherpa carrying a banner reading "Stop Climate Change" climbed
Mount Everest for a record 19th time last Thursday, improving his own record set last
year, officials said. Photo/Asian Trekking
Political
• Imperialism-control of a
territory already occupied and
organized by an indigenous
group.
• Raj-the period of British rule
in India, which lasted for
nearly 200 years, from 18571947.
• Nonviolent Resistance-a
movement that uses all
means of protest except
violence.
• Gandhi- Mohandas Gandhi
was the leader of the
opposition group against
British rule.
Political
• Partition-divided India into
Muslim Pakistan and
Hindu India; resulted in a
violent conflict that
displaced 12.5 million and
up to a million deaths.
• Kashmir-a region of
northern India and
Pakistan over which
several destructive wars
have been fought.
• Sultan-an Arabic word
that came to mean “ruler”;
has been used
throughout history to
reflect various levels of
power.
Democratization and Conflict
• Many conflicts in this region have been made
worse by an unwillingness on the part of
governments and warring parties to recognize
the results of elections, or even to let people
vote. Meanwhile, some conflicts have been
defused, at least in the short run, by holding
elections and letting former combatants run for
office.
© 2011 W.H. Freeman Publishers
A child in Sri Lanka
holds up a photo of
her missing uncle.
The conflict
intensified when
ethnic Tamil
plantation workers
were denied the
right to vote.
An Afghan fighting
against the Soviets in
1988. The conflict
was sparked in part by
the Soviet-supported
Afghan government’s
antidemocratic
policies.
A banner in a Nepalese
town controlled by Maoists,
who once waged a war
against the government but
have since won an election
and become a relatively
peaceful, if still unsettled,
democratic political party.
eNvironmental
• Green Revolutionrapid diffusion of new
agricultural
technology; especially
new high-yield seeds
and fertilizers.
– An agricultural program
launched by scientists
in the 1960s to develop
higher-yielding grain
varieties and improve
food production by
incorporating new
farming techniques.
Food and Urbanization
• Changes in South Asia’s food production
systems are contributing to urbanization.
Farming is being made both more productive
and more expensive with the introduction of new
seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and equipment.
While some farmers have become wealthier,
many have found themselves unable to compete
and have moved to cities, where they often can
find only low-paying jobs and inadequate
housing.