Theory of Relativity
Albert Einstein's ideas about the interrelationships between time and space and between energy and matter.
Quantum Physics
Branch of science that deals with discrete, indivisible units of energy called quanta as described by the Quantum Theory.
Big Bang theory
The theory that the universe originated 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small mass of matter at extremely high density and temperature.
Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
An international organization of 183 countries, established in 1947 with the goal of promoting cooperation and exchange between nations, and to aid the growth of international trade.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
International organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes it free trade around the world.
Demographic Transition
The process of change in a society's population from a condition of high crude birth and death rates and low rate of natural increase to a condition of low crude birth and death rates, low rate of natural increase, and a higher total population.
Global Warming
An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes).
Doctors Without Borders
Non-governmental organization that helps people in war-torn regions and aids developing countries facing endemic disease.
World Health Organization (WHO)
An organization attached to the united Nations that is concerned with the health and well being of all people. The organization works in developing nations to curb disease and other health related problems.
Tuberculosis
Infection transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of tubercle bacilli and manifested in fever and small lesions (usually in the lungs but in various other parts of the body in acute stages).
HIV/AIDS
Virus that destroys the immune system that should protect the body from diseases. The disease is passed from person to person through sexual acts, blood transfusions, used hypodermic needles, or from mother to child during birth.
Ebola
A contagious viral disease originating in Africa. It is transmitted by blood and body fluids and causes body organs and vessels to leak blood, usually resulting in death.
Green Revolution
The introduction of pesticides and high-yield grains and better management during the 1960s and 1970s which greatly increased agricultural productivity.
Decolonization
The collapse of colonial empires. Between 1947 and 1962, practically all former colonies in Asia and Africa gained independence.
Banana Republics
Governments and economies that benefited from the United Fruit Company, so some people began calling the Central American nations this.
Quebecois Separatism
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada.
Biafra Secession Movement
Biafra Secessionist Movement was when the western African state had unilaterally declared its independence from Nigeria in May 1967. It constituted the former Eastern Region of Nigeria and was inhabited principally by Igbo (Ibo) people. Biafra ceased to exist as an independent state in January 1970.
Pan-Africanism
Philosophy based on the belief that Africans share common bonds and are a unified people. Adopted this to break from colonial rule.
Metropole
A home country in relation to its colonies, the mother country.
Apartheid
Laws (no longer in effect) in South Africa that physically separated different races into different geographic areas.
IRA
A militant organization of Irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive British forces from Northern Ireland and achieve a united independent Ireland.
ETA (Basque Separatist Movement)
A terrorist organization organized in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the moderate nationals of the traditional Basque party, the desire of the Basque people to achieve greater independence.
Al-Qaeda
A network of Islamic terrorist organizations, led by Osama bin Laden, that carried out the attacks on the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998, the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, and the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001
Sport of Cricket
An outdoor game played with bats, a ball, and wickets by two teams of 11 players each.
Woman's Liberation
Equal rights for women.
Asian Tigers
Collective name for South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore-nations that became economic powers in the 1970s and 1980s.
Economic Neo-Liberalism
Refers to the creation of an integrated global economy organized around "one world markets." Neoliberal economic globalization.
World Bank
A specialized agency of the United Nations that makes loans to countries for economic development, trade promotion, and debt consolidation. Its formal name is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Civil Disobedience
A group's refusal to obey a law because they believe the law is immoral (as in protest against discrimination).
African National Congress
An organization dedicated to obtaining equal voting and civil rights for black inhabitants of South Africa. Founded in 1912 as the South African Native National Congress, it changed its name in 1923. Eventually brought equality.
Indian National Congress
A movement and political party founded in 1885 to demand greater Indian participation in government. Its membership was middle class, and its demands were modest until World War I. Led after 1920 by Mohandas K. Gandhi, appealing to the poor.
Muslim League
An organization formed in 1906 to protect the interests of India's Muslims, which later proposed that India be divided into separate Muslim and Hindu nations.
UNICEF
An agency of the United Nations responsible for programs to aid education and the health of children and mothers in developing countries.
Amnesty International
An influential non-governmental organization that operates globally to monitor and try to rectify glaring abuses of political (not economic or social) human rights.
NAFTA
A trade agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico that encourages free trade between these North American countries.
ASEAN
An association of nations dedicated to economic and political cooperation in southeastern Asia and who joined with the United States to fight against global terrorism.
Mercosur
The largest Latin American trade agreement; includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Multinational Corporations
Businesses with vast holdings in many countries, many of which have annual budgets exceeding that of many foreign governments.
Greenpeace
Environmentalist movement established in British Columbia in 1970. From that year to the present, it has been one of the key NGOs in the world to bring about change in attitudes towards environmental protection. Causes have ranged from protesting against nuclear testing to preventing the destruction of old growth forest.
Green Belt in Kenya
Objectives: 1) raising awareness of the connection between the environment and poverty 2) promoting the planting of multi use trees to meet fuel needs, provide employment, protect the environment and provide food for the community 3) disseminating information on environmental protection through research, seminars, and workshops.
Bollywood
India's answer to Hollywood. Based in Bombay; codified system that produces movies, music, and a lot of dance numbers.
Negritude
Literary movement in Africa; attempted to combat racial stereotypes of African culture; celebrated the beauty of black skin and African physique; associated with origins of African nationalist movements.
Xenophobia
An irrational fear of foreigners or strangers.
New Age Religions
Umbrella term for many different groups and individual practices-spiritually. Very open minded and pluralistic. Few groups demand strict obedience to a set of rules. Some use practices for individual flavoring on traditional religious beliefs. Syncretic-able to reconcile a variety of different religious beliefs. Increased because of travel and belongs to a spiritual nation-vast areas of mental landscape and welcomes multiple beliefs but does not go very deep.
Hare Krishna
Worshipper of Krishna and member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a chant to the Hindu god Krishna
Falun Gong
A spiritual movement that began in China in the latter half of the 20th century and is based on Buddhist and Taoist teachings and practices.
Religious Fundamentalism
Religious movement whose objectives are to return to the foundations of the faith and to influence state policy.
Liberation Theology
Christian movement that is particularly active in Latin America and that argues the need for Christians to engage in the pursuit of social justice and human rights.
African Reconciliation Policies
Was a court-like restorative justice body assembled in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid. Witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences, and some were selected for public hearings. Perpetrators of violence could also give testimony and request amnesty from both civil and criminal prosecution.