Parag Khanna hosts a Q&A for Connectography discussion

Looking forward to answering your questions.

Could you comment on the state of 'Geography'? Not just in terms of its academic sense but with respect to professional practice and the value it can bring to business and community? Why is it, that the exploration of people, built and natural systems has been scoffed at by so many for so long?

Jamie wrote: "Could you comment on the state of 'Geography'? Not just in terms of its academic sense but with respect to professional practice and the value it can bring to business and community? Why is it, tha..."

Such a superb question Jamie! I wouldn't say "scoffed at" so much as ignored and neglected - much to our own disadvantage. As the great geography professor Jerry Dobson has written, "America stopped teaching geography after World War II and hasn't won a war since."

Geography will have immense relevance in the 21st century. We need geography to think about how to cope with climate change as the locations of agricultural production shift. We need geography to think about and plan for urban expansion.

We need to understand where and how to locate new industrial activity in future industries such as fiber-optic cables or solar power farms.
Geography cannot be ignored; it is more important than ever.

After seeing your video and reading the NY times article I find the concept of "connectography" incredible and I think you have seen ahead of the game, as you did with Second World and predicting the rise of the multipolar world. While I agree with your account and also hope that we see more connecting world, I feel like in my own country we are seeing the opposite, you discuss the "North Powerhouse" yet investment in the North of England is not forthcoming and with investment and businesses still seeing London as the only real option. In the mean time the referendum on whether we stay in the EU is becoming increasingly close and being left to the British public means that the vote comes down to peoples feelings rather than the academic merit of staying it. If my country and others go against your recommendations, styfling investment and breaking away from unions what do you see for their future and when will the penny drop that they should have been increasing their connections rather than breaking them.

His Excellency Dr. Parag Khanna advise me how to countries that do not have natural resources to benefit from the global linking process in order to achieve significant success in the global economy

Jake wrote: "After seeing your video and reading the NY times article I find the concept of "connectography" incredible and I think you have seen ahead of the game, as you did with Second World and predicting t..."

Thanks Jake! This is a very interesting set of points about how the UK may indeed opt for a "Brexit" even as it has failed to invest in the Northern Powerhouse which would allow it to have multiple strong economic hubs. For this reason and many others, Brexit would be a terrible mistake for the UK.

Abdelali wrote: "His Excellency Dr. Parag Khanna advise me how to countries that do not have natural resources to benefit from the global linking process in order to achieve significant success in the global economy"

Indeed Abdelali, it is precisely countries not part of resource supply chains that need their people to be connected to global markets for goods and services. This way they can receive the technologies and skills needed to produce other contributions, welcome tourists, and educate their citizens.

His Excellency Dr. Parag Khanna Thank you for your answer is important, but I have an additional question What do you recommend to countries like Morocco to have a greater efficiency in the connectography time and gets more important role in the region and away from the economy?