Date of Award


Document Type


Degree Name

Master of Arts in Social Sciences and Globalization


Social Sciences

First Reader/Committee Chair

Grisham, Kevin


Mexico is one of the richest countries in the world, not in terms of economic stability but in terms of natural resources, culture, and atmosphere. When people think of Mexico, they usually think of the high-tension relationship with the United States, their neighboring country to the North. Although there are many diverse historical and present-day characteristics of Mexico, most associate the county with the high levels of crime due to narco and cartels, the high levels of poverty in regional areas, and to some just a party destination. Unbeknownst to many is the thousands year old culture that is passed down from generation to generation, the large volumes of resources such as minerals, corn and avocados, and the beautiful naturalistic landscapes and have been forming for millions of years.

Just like every country in the world, Mexico has many environmental problems that can be traced back to the rise of humanity. We are seeing the worst of these problems in recent years as there are droughts, contamination, and sick people. Many topics can now be linked to climate change and anthropogenic activities are the cause. There are many aspects affecting Mexico and it is also affecting the global environment; therefore, it is very important to continue documenting and analyzing what is happening and the actions that are being taken.

With the use of various methods, many aspects in Mexico will be analyzed to come up with answers as to why people, the globalized world, and new sustainable actions are affecting the two largest cities in Mexico. Various factors all contribute to anthropogenic effects on these cities and it is important to analyze how each aspect is affecting the other as well as the interconnectedness of the situations occurring in Mexico. Also, it is important to explore different ways that these two cities can become more resilient to the ongoing changes they are experiencing and ways to become more sustainable both in a local and regional setting. It is important to analyze the human and environmental relationships as each actor affects the other in various ways.