Why Modern Africa & Asia???

1. Typically, you haven’t learned about them elsewhere

Historically, “world” history = western history

2. Globalization = they’ve become hugely importantAsia – developing quickly into:

economic powers (China and India … BRIC)

Africa – unfortunately not developing so quickly … but region of interest for:investment (ex. China)humanitarian intervention and aid (ex.

Darfur)

Middle East!!!!

Created January 1, 2009

“Hot” Spots Right Now

ChinaEconomic growth (BRIC)Government – democracy?TibetOlympics

Thailand

November 2008 – Antigovernment protestors take over the main airport in

Bangkok

IndiaEconomic growth

(BRIC)Terror in Mumbaivs. Pakistan

Nov. 2008 – Taj Mahal Hotel, set ablaze by terrorists

Pakistanvs. India (ex.

Kashmir)Islamic terroriststhe “wild west”tumultuous politics

(Musharraf, Bhutto)

Pres. Asif Ali Zardari (pres. since Sept. 2008

Israel/Palestine

The Economist KAL Cartoon 19 June 2008

Iraq

Iran

Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Afghanistan

Pres. Bush and Afghan Pres. Hamid Karzai Afghan youths and a

U.S. soldier

Sudan

Janjaweed militias accused of ethnic cleansing

ZimbabweCHOLERA FIGURES SINCE AUGUST 200825 DecemberDeaths: 1,564Cases: 29,1311 December Deaths: 484 Cases: 11, 735 Cases in December 68%

A man dug a grave at a cemetery in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital. A cholera epidemic has stricken

> 16,000 people since August and killed > 780.

Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC)

Laurent Nkunda

South Africa

Jacob ZumaANC leader and frontrunner for 2009 presidential election

NigeriaAfrica’s most

populous country, largest oil producer, 2nd largest economy

religious violenceNiger River Deltapolitical corruption

Dec. 2008 – disputed election in Jos set off spate of Christian-

Muslim violence

Somaliapolitical anarchy

Islamic militancywarlordsconflict with Ethiopia

poverty / faminepiracy

Somali militiamen, armed with AK-47s