Caribbean studies cape :)

• Territories that make up the Caribbean Region

  • Greater Antilles
  • Lucayan Archipelago
  • Cayman islands
  • Northern Caribbean
  • Eastern Caribbean
  • Lesser Antilles
  • Leeward Islands
  • Windward Islands
  • Netherland Antilles
  • Mainland territories in Central America and South America
• Caribbean Region


  A region that consists of the Caribbean islands, consisting of the Greater Antilles in the North and the Lesser and Netherlands Antilles in the East and South respectively. In a wider sense, the mainland countries of Belize, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana are included

  
• Sub-Regions of the Caribbean

  • Northern Caribbean
  • Eastern Caribbean
  • Lesser Antilles
  • Leeward Islands
  • Windward Islands
  • Netherland Antilles
• Mainland territories


  • Belize (Central America)
  • Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana (South America)
• Languages spoken in the Caribbean

  • Spanish Speaking Territories: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
  • French Speaking Territories: Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Saint Martin, St. Barthelemy
  • Dutch Speaking Territories: Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, St. Eustatius, Saba, Suriname
• Greater Antilles


  • Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic (Hispaniola), Puerto Rico
• Lucayan Archipelago


  • Turks and Caicos, Bahamas
• Political Status of Caribbean territories

  • English speaking Republics: Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Dominica, Barbados (2022)
  • Independent Countries: Majority of English speaking Caribbean
  • Overseas British Overseas Territories: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Turk & Caicos, Cayman Islands, Bermuda
  • Departments of France: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy
  • Colonies of Netherlands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Saba, St.Eustatius
  • Associate States: Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
  • Communist/Socialist country: Cuba

  
• The ideal way to describe the Caribbean is by using political and historical definitions

  
• The Caribbean is an elusive concept which cannot be reduced simply to political and historical categories because they might not be the most accurate or inclusive of all the territories that comprise the Caribbean region

  
• The ideal way to define the Caribbean is by using the historical, political, geographical, geological and diasporic definitions of the Caribbean

  
• The Caribbean region is fraught with diversity from archipelagos like the Greater and Lesser Antilles to mainland territories in Central America (Belize) to South America (Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana)

  
• Attempts have been by researchers to capture this 'complexity' within a single definition from different viewpoints using geography, geology, history and even political status to capture the 'essence' of the region
• The role of definitions is to fix identity by determining key factors that provide meanings for the entity being described
• The geographical conception of the Caribbean stands as one of the more popular ways of defining the Caribbean region

  
• The geological definition of the Caribbean only includes the territories that are located on the Caribbean plate

  
• The historical definition of the Caribbean emphasizes the coming of the indigenous peoples, legacy of European colonialism and exploitation, slavery, plantation system, and indentureship
• The political definition of the Caribbean is based on the common political experience of European domination and the struggle for independence as well as the political arrangements which evolved from their association with Europe and later on the USA
• The diasporic definition of the Caribbean refers to the dispersion (scattering) or migration of people away from their original homeland or country of origin who migrated from their country of birth to another country or region, but who still see and treat the original country or region as 'home'
• Development


  A process that creates growth, progress, advancement not only economically (wealth – GDP) but also socially (SOL + QOL)
• Characteristics of Developed Countries

  • High level of industrialization
  • Constant birth and death rate
  • High standard of living
  • Most jobs in the business and commercial or industrial sector
  • Agriculture is mechanized
• Examples of Developed Countries

  • USA, Canada, European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel
• Characteristics of Developing Countries

  • Manufacturing sector is small and poor
  • High birth and death rates
  • Low standard of living
  • Most jobs in the tourism and agriculture sector
  • Agriculture is dependent on manual labour
• Examples of Developing Countries

  • Caribbean, Latin American countries, China, India, Africa
• Economic Growth


  Growth in the production of goods and services
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product)


  Measures the total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders
• GNP (Gross National Product)


  Measures the total value of goods and services produced by a country's citizens, regardless of their location
• Factors influencing economic growth

  • Technological advancements
  • Increases in productivity
  • Investment in capital
  • Improvements in infrastructure
  • Government policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation
• Advantages of economic growth

  • Wealth creation
  • Boost employment levels
  • Boost income levels
  • People's standard of living can increase
• Disadvantages of economic growth

  • Measures growth from an economic perspective only
  • Wealth may be concentrated in the hands of a few (elite)
  • Does not trickle down to lower classes, leading to social tensions (protests, strikes, instability)
  • Often requires using natural resources, which can lead to environmental degradation and contribute to climate change
• Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth

  • Investing in renewable energy and sustainable practices to reduce environmental impact while creating new jobs and economic opportunities
  • Investing in clean energy infrastructure and promoting energy efficiency and waste reduction
  • Investing in education and skill development to prepare workers for the jobs of the future and ensure everyone has access to training
  • Policies that promote income equality, such as progressive taxation, minimum wage laws, and social safety net programs, to ensure the benefits of economic growth are shared more equitably across society
• Economic Development


  An increase in a country's wealth along with standard of living, looking at the way income is distributed and incorporating quality of life indicators like higher literacy rates, life expectancy, employment levels and reduced poverty rates
• Sustainable Development


  Development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs", a systematic strategy for economic growth that primarily focuses on ensuring a quality environment for future generations
• Pillars of Human Development

  • Sustainability
  • Empowerment
  • Equity
  • Productivity
• Sustainability


  Continuity in the availability of opportunities, each generation must have equal access to decision-making opportunity and necessitates the wise use of all environmental, financial, and human resources with the future in mind
• Empowerment


  Having the power to make choices and the ability to make decisions, increased freedom and capability to choose are the sources of such power, requires good governance and people-centred policies
• Equity


  Ensuring that all people have equal access and the same opportunities, regardless of their gender, race, income, social class
• Productivity


  Refers to productivity in terms of human work, people's capabilities must be continually enhanced in order to maintain high levels of productivity as human capital is a country's most valuable resource
• Similarities between Economic Development and Sustainable Development

  • Increasing income and wealth through economic growth is the aim of both
  • Both pursue productivity but in different ways
  • Both see the improvement in standard of living as their main goal
  • Both invest in the economic and social sectors
• Differences between Economic Development and Sustainable Development

  • Sustainable development takes a grassroot approach and directly involves people in a process of dialogue, economic development takes a macro perspective and usually comes in the form of policies and programmes imposed from above
  • Economic development is measured by GDP and GNP per capita, sustainable development is measured by using indicators of environmental quality
  • Economic development is marked by a higher income for citizens whereas sustainable development is a long-term process as it is concerned with non-economic quality of life for present and future generations
  • Economic development places emphasis on economic growth, sustainable development incorporates a more holistic approach to development involving several sectors
  • Sustainable development creates links with other sectors, economic development does not rely on such links