GLOBALIZATION REQUIRED READING GLOBALIZATION & SUSTAINABILITY THE NATURE OF GLOBALIZATION FINANCIAL GLOBALIZATION TYPES OF GLOBALIZATION 2/17/2010

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1 REQUIRED READING Textbook Chapter Two Globalization and Sustainability: Two Themes for World Issues 1 GLOBALIZATION & SUSTAINABILITY Two Themes for World Issues 2 GLOBALIZATION THE NATURE OF GLOBALIZATION The trend towards greater interconnectedness of the world s: Financial Economic Technological Political Cultural Sociological Ecological Geographic systems. 3 GLOBAL VILLAGE Perspective People on earth are linked by high-tech communications in a free-trade economy where there is wealth for all DISAPPEARING VILLAGE Perspective Shutting down local factories or stores in favor of countries with cheap labor, poor labor practices, and weaker environmental laws. Destruction of local cultures Weakening of religious beliefs An American-dominated culture 4 FINANCIAL GLOBALIZATION More than ever, the world s financial systems are intimately interconnected. 5 TYPES OF GLOBALIZATION Eight Types Occurring Separately or in Combination Take a look at the world s markets and the current economic crisis facing the world. Although things are looking up. 6 1

2 ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION Companies move production and capital and seek markets anywhere in the world that will benefit the company. Often called outsourcing. Supporters: Brings efficiency and produces greater global wealth. Opponents: Only increases the differences between the world s HAVES and HAVE NOTS. Produces a situation where TRANSNATIONAL corporations become more powerful and influential than most countries. 7 8 TECHNOLOGICAL GLOBALIZATION POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION The GLOBAL VILLAGE refers to technological globalization. So far, it has been citizens of wealthier countries who have benefitted the most. WHY? As the world s countries become more ECONOMICALLY and TECHNOLOGICALLY interdependent, there is some pressure to adopt more uniform policies. 9 Free Trade Agreements 10 CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION The harmonization of the world s cultures at the expense of distinctly different local cultures. Some suggest this can only happen with the loss of the world s cultural diversity, and that the culture that develops will be a distinctly American one. If religion is the most important aspect of one s culture, globalization is then viewed as a huge threat. 12 2

3 ECOLOGICAL GLOBALIZATION SOCIOLOGICAL GLOBALIZATION Treating the planet as a single ecosystem rather than a collection of separate ecological systems. International cooperation in this regard can only help the planet. So far, it has been difficult to achieve. 13 Central to this is the belief that we are members of a single, world society more significant than distinct national/cultural societies. There is a growing belief that certain common attitudes and standards of behavior should exist in every country. Morality of capital punishment Role of women in society Leads to controversy. Why? 14 GEOGRAPHICAL GLOBALIZATION MILITARY GLOBALIZATION? Many geographers now see the world as borderless, dominated NOT by countries, but by worldwide ecological concerns and political, cultural, economic, and other relationships. Spreading democracy? ONEPERSON S OPINION OF GLOBALIZATION: GLOBALIZATION CONCERNS Different groups oppose globalization for different reasons. 17 For each type of globalization, think of opposing sides. 18 3

4 SUSTAINABILITY (AKA SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) 19 SUSTAINABILITY The Cost of Globalization? Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. But WHO determines what a NEED is? 20 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF SUSTAINABILITY Hunter-Gatherers had little impact on their environments. Why? MORE HISTORY Some civilizations recognized the need to sustain environments and cultures MORE HISTORY MORE HISTORY: COLONIZATION Even before the Industrial Revolution, people tended to view the land and its resources as UNLIMITED. There was not much concern about the state of the environment. 23 Resulted in SOIL EROSION and the gradual destruction of VEGETATION and WILDLIFE due to large-scale commercial agriculture ventures. Bison hunted to near-extinction Forests felled (for farmland and lumber) Grasses and vegetation plowed under for farmland or for grazing. 24 4

5 EXPANSIONIST WORLD VIEW 25 EXPANSIONIST VS ECOLOGICAL WORLD VIEW Two Ways to Look at the World 26 EXPANSIONIST WORLD VIEW (CONTINUED): New lands were perceived as having limitless natural resources. Science & technology can control nature to benefit mankind. ECOLOGICAL WORLD VIEW Places emphasis on the EMOTIONAL and SPIRITUAL relationships that bind humans and the environment. Led to the establishment of National Parks and environmental organizations like the Sierra Club MODERN ENVIRONMENTALISM DIFFERENT VIEWS OF OUR WORLD Expansionism is still the dominant philosophy. Responses to Expansionism: Earth Day Department of the Environment Climate Change, Ozone Depletion, Rainforest and Old Growth Forest Cutting, Loss of Plant and Animal Species Green is in. Companies link images to environmental concerns (as long as they can still make money). 29 5

6 SPACESHIP EARTH CONCEPT GAIA HYPOTHESIS Regards Earth as a fragile, finite (will eventually end), self-contained sphere with limited resources and a rapidly growing population whose life-support system is in jeopardy. 31 Earth is a dynamic, selfregulating organism, alive in its own right. World is a self-regulating, living entity made up of organisms that modify Earth s atmosphere, oceans, climate, and crust to ensure survival. At present, followers of this hypothesis believe human activities are overwhelming these regulatory mechanisms to the extent that human survival on Earth is seriously threatened. 32 LIMITS-TO-GROWTH THESIS CORNUCOPIAN THESIS Forwarded by the CLUB OF ROME. Based on computer models. Began with the premise that there are limits to population growth: finite resources (oil and metal) will be used up, while renewable resources can be overused or damaged. Feel that the limits to human growth will soon be reached our population will exceed Earth s CARRYING CAPACITY. Expansionist idea. Based on the belief that scientific and technological advances will develop new resources to take the place of depleted resources RESOURCES AND RESOURCE USE Keys to Sustainability WHAT IS A RESOURCE? Anything that meets people s needs: Natural resources (water, air) Human-made items (labour, technology) Items appreciated for their aesthetic qualities (landscape, ecosystems) 36 6

7 WHAT MAKES AN ITEM A RESOURCE? RENEWABLE VS NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES Technology must exist to develop the item for human use. Return on the investment must be greater than the cost of developing the resource. It must be culturally acceptable to develop the resource. Infinite - Replenished by Nature - Air, forests, water, wind, solar energy Finite - Once we use them, they are gone. - Oil, coal, natural gas NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NEXT STOP: POPULATION & DEMOGRAPHICS Some say humans have a PARASITIC relationship with our environment and that we should have a SYMBIOTIC relationship where humans and the environment live cooperatively