WEEK 9: Globalization on the Politics of Identity

1. Chapter 7 – Globalization and the Politics of Identity

 How can the globalizing processes ignite the politics of
identity? To mobilize people in a globalize aspect. The
losers of the global economy. The uprooting of local identities
and the breakdown of the nation-states (i.e. Post war: Soviet
Union, Iraq, etc.)

Explain the concept of the Lexus and the Olive Tree on the
politics of identity. Concept written by Thomas Friedman
where Lexus represents the potential rewards from
participating in economic globalization. But this often comes at
a cost, represented by the Olive Tree. Identity cannot be lost in
the trade-off for economic improvement. Friedman argues that
in a healthy society, individuals demand both economic
progress and sense of belonging.

Explain the “Jihad” and “McWorld” outcomes described by

Benjamin Barber.

 What are the scenarios that have arise from globalizing

processes?

Covergence: globalization only continues if everyone benefit

from it. It is similar worldwide and based on the Western idea
languages ( ex: UN, WTO, Homogenization, Hegemonization
and McWorld; McDonald in China, speaks French & English).

Fragmentation: Its anarchy; un-democratic and which are not

positive to globalization. (i.e. “Jihad”, international ethnic civil
wars in Africa, etc..)

Overlapping Identities: bi-polar single society which is between

Fragmentation and Convergence. (i.e. Ireland, Iraq…)

Provide three scenarios.

Fragmentation (against globalization), Convergence (support

globalization) , and Overlapping Identity

 What are the emerging non-state identities and what are their
political consequences? Non-states identities are created by
principles (i.e. Greens, Human Rights groups, social
movement=NGOs, and gender being reconstructed in
developing countries.) Example: Vietnamese-American feels
 strongly towards their Vietnamese culture in disapproving in
the political system that escapes in identify as American on
certain principles.

What are some of the solutions regarding the political

consequences that may derive from non-state identities?
Note whether we are asking for both “good” and “bad”
examples and what are some specific examples. The emerging
non-states identities are based by principles. You are American
but based on your activities you tend to create new identity
based on a certain principle. Among the developing country
you have the elite that have new identities based on you
principles they have obtained. An example in the US is Cuban
Americans. They feel strongly about Cuba they are against
Castro, and that principle has united them as a community.
That is their major identity based on certain principles. Non-
states identities are created by principles (i.e. Greens, human
rights groups, social movements, NGOs , and gender being
reconstructed in developing countries). Some of their political
consequences are the reconstruction of the way women see
themselves. There are more women in the work place. In order
for globalization to work there has to be economic benefits
(gain) and values.

2. Globalization And Cross-Cultural Values: The Politics Of Identity

And Judgment by Ali Mazrui

 Provide two examples of hegemonization and homogenization

There is a convergence based on the Western Idea.
Western countries practice on American Idea.

 How distant is the cultural gap between Islam and the West
regarding censorship, gender, dignity, and liberty?

What is cultural relativism and how does it help to explain the

cultural gap between Islam and the West? West: believe
in Clinton affair was ok but not lying (affairs are ok, but not
able to have second wife.) Islamic: no affairs but yes to second
wife.
 3. Will You Become Your Own Nation? By Samuel Huntington

 While the nation-state has been the pre-eminent institution of

the modern world for several centuries, why is it now seen to
be in a condition of decay? Nation-states are eroded. Allow
people to have their own saying. Having too much idea is a bad
thing. Government policy to support restriction immigration.
Nation-states are more concentrated on instead of principle.

WEEK 10: Variations in Globalization Will Present Different Decisions

Before States and Their Citizens

1. Chapter 6 – How Globalization’s Impact Varies

 What are the forces and trade-offs that explain how a country
will engage in the global economy?

Provide some examples of trade-offs that the US, Canada,

England, or Japan had to dealt with.

Economic benefits vs. race to bottom ( U.S.)

Economic benefits vs. soveignity (Japan)

Corporation vs. accountability

Domestic actors & preferences ( democracy or one-party

system). One party system parties injured.

Canada worry about their culture value ex: Lexus & the Olive
Tree. France protect their cultural heritage = Olive Tree

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of democracies

pursuing regional co-operation?
 Is regional integration or regional/multilateral institutions a
cause or effect of globalization? Government created
regional and global institutions but they have their own
structure or life. Ex: U.S. created the UN, but the UN have its
own structures.
 In today’s globalization, are nation-states trading their
sovereignty away?
 Is globalization Americanization?
 2. The Fate of Young Democracies: Speech by Ethan Kapstein

• What is a major trend among young democracies?

• Provide a solution to this trend. One of the trends was
reversal. There was also mention of when a democracy was
formed (i.e. the 60’s and 70’s or the 80’s and the 90’s) and its
success rate. The audio said that if democratization and
capitalization was taken on in stride as opposed to an
overnight change, that success was much more likely. That
newest democracies with the highest success rates are those of
former British colonies who were expose to things such as
political parties and suffrage. Those that tended to fail were ex-
communist nations and dictatorships that were over thrown.

WEEK 11 The Effects of Globalization on Market Liberalization, Democracy, and

Power

1. Globalization and Democracy: A New "Great Transformation"? By

Robert Munck

 What is Karl Polanyi’s “double movement”? Economic

liberalization, social protection (U.S) states are involve in
international economy which is more stable.
 How can globalization have a deleterious effect on democracy
worldwide?
 And how can globalization create new prospects for global
democracy?

2. Globalization and Growth in Emerging Markets and the New

Economy by Joseph Stiglitz

 What is the emerging consensus on the relative merits of these

various aspects of globalization (including knowledge, trade,
and labor)?

Provide a “consensus” for knowledge, trade, and labor.

Knowledge: the free flow of ideas that has followed the

lowering of communication costs and the closer integration of
societies. Knowledge is proven to be the strongest forces for
growth in emerging markets. globalization of knowledge not
only entails technical knowledge, but ideas which transform
 societies — ideas like democracy and markets — and
knowledge which forms the basis not only of the adoption of
policies which serve to enhance growth but also of institutions
Trade: This “unilateral disarmament” approach to trade
liberalization, while it has been extensively pushed on
developing countries, has been resisted in their own
approaches to trade liberalization by the very countries. They
have typically refused to lower domestic trade barriers unless
they win parallel concessions from their trading partners. To
be sure, this is sometimes viewed as necessary to get the broad
political backing for trade liberalization — an aspect, however,
which is at the same time ignored by the international financial
institutions as they make demands for reforms on their
developing country clientele, even as they praise them for
adopting democratic processes. But even when it is the case
that a particular small country might benefit from trade
liberalization on its own, there can be terms of trade effects
from broad patterns of trade liberalization, and the unfair
trade agenda—liberalization directed at lowering global
impediments to goods which are the developed countries’
comparative advantage—has resulted in sub-Saharan Africa,
the poorest region in the world, actually being worse off at the
end of the last round of trade liberalization.
Labor: indicative of the extent to which the globalization
agenda has been controlled by financial interests that while the
important of global financial movements for global efficiency
has been continually stressed, hardly a word has been
mentioned about labor flows. The fact that the globalization
agenda has focused on the free movement of capital, and
virtually ignored the movement of labor. While these
movements of labor might simultaneously increase GDP in the
more developed countries and lower incomes of certain groups
within those countries, they have similarly ambiguous effects
on the developing world. The remittances of migrant labor
have been an important source of income in several developing
countries, and, in a few instances, the technology and
entrepreneurship of the “diasporas,” the migrants who have
succeeded abroad and returned to the home country to
establish new enterprise, has played a critical role. At the same
time, there are some instances where the outflow of young,
skilled workers
has bled a country of an essential input for its economic
growth.

 How has globalization, as currently managed, adversely affects

growth in developing countries?
 Provide two examples of how bad government management
can negatively affect growth.

3. Assessing China’s Growing Influence in Africa by Bates Gill, Chin-

hao Huang, and Stephen Morrison

 What are some of the key components behind China’s Africa

policy? China needs Africa-access to energy & others. Scare
high volume commodities, and to create block against the West.
Getting on the ground to be in on the social & political
transformative process. Increase presence via UN keeping
mission. China practices non-intervention in states affairs &
respect state sovereignty. China likes Africa because of its own
country state. China sells old weapons to these countries. U.S.
does feel threaten by the China’s Africa policy depend on the
different administration perspective. Neo-realism= negative.
Neoliberalism= positive

Provide three key components.

 What does China’s Africa policy fits squarely with its global
foreign policy? It has a new security concept. China’s
peaceful rite as a global power & strengthen relation
w/neighbors, regions which will create a more multi-polar,
more equitable international system.

4. Global Issues’ “The Ends of the World as We Know Them?” (Article

5)
• What are the five groups of interacting factors that have caused
the historical collapses of once-powerful societies?
• According to the author, what are the key lessons we can learn
from history? Provide two.

WEEK 12 Who are the winners and losers in developing countries?

1. Winners and Losers in the Context of Global Change by Karen L.

O’Brien* and Robin M. Leichenko

 Define the concept of voluntary winners and losers. Define the

concept of structural winners and losers. Voluntary: emerge
from competition in which before the event, the game is “fair”
and outcome undetermined. Structural: emerge from a larger
 societal processes or changes whereby the distribution of the
impacts in unequal.
 What is the natural, inevitable, and evolutionary (NIE) view of
winners and losers? Natural: a rational outcome of ongoing
social and political process (based on ecological or economic
processes). Solutions are based on adjustment and adaptation-
one can create a win-win opportunity. Inevitable: depending on
where you are in the region there are certain resources that
are/are not available to you. Survival of the fittest.
Evolutionary: Niche market in order to survive or get out of
market.
 What is the socially and political generated (SPG) view of
winners and losers? Outcome is generated by unequal social
and political structures in the determination of winners and
losers (based on Marxism perspective). Solutions are that there
is room for intervention to adjust patterns/identities of winners
and losers.

2. Developing Countries: Winners and losers by Carol Lancaster

 Who is the developing world? Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin

America, SE Asia, Middle East, and North Africa.
 Why do these considerable differences among regions and
countries in the developing world exist?

Governance = policies and institutions

Leadership

Social economic groupings

External threats

 Is there evidence for the “relative deprivation theory”?

NO, in the sense if this was true then you would have a lot of
conflicts.

3. Linking globalization to poverty by Machiko Nissanke and Erik

Thorbecke

 What are the transmission mechanisms through which the

process of globalization affects poverty directly and indirectly?
 Why have wage gaps between skilled and unskilled labor been
increasing in many developing countries (particularly in Latin
America and Africa)?
 4. Winners and Losers of Vietnam’s Leading Food Exports by Long Le

 Does becoming a world leading food exporter serve as engine

for long-run economic growth?

 Who exactly benefits from the country’s world leading food

exports?

Provide one winner in absolute terms. Provide one loser in relative

terms. The farmers benefit, they are much better off then they
were before. In terms of region the farmers are the ones who get
paid the least. Vietnamese farmers in absolute terms are winners
but not in relative terms. American shrimpers are losers while
American consumers are winners because of lower seafood prices).

WEEK 13 The proliferation and effectiveness of “north” and “south”

non-governmental organizations

1. The Power Shift and the NGO Credibility Crisis by James McGann
and Mary Johnstone

What has fueled the growth of non-state actors? How many

NGOs do we have today? Trends of greater democratization
& the importance of civil society promoting democracy. The
need of independent information & analysis. Perceived
inability of both domestic & the international institutions to
problems associated with globalization.

INGOs= 37,000

1.5 million in terms of non-profit organizations

1 million in India of local NGOs

 Is there a global method to ensure that NGOs are accountable?

What approaches would make the finances, governance, and
programs of NGOs more transparent? No. “Ask no do-
gooders to prove they do good” or NGOs community must be
willing to practice what they preach. Developing a set of
credible and verifiable standards.
 In the U.S., all NGOs must file financial reports annually with the
IRS. Japan & European countries require similar measures. What
can NGOs do at the international level to increase their
transparency?

2. Development, NGOS, and civil society by Jenny Pearce

 What is the split between North and South Development
NGOs? North NGOs adopted too quickly the official
agendas for their donors and refuse the idea of direct funding
to South NGOs. =>>North NGOs as “the delivery agency for a
global soup kitchen” and do not critique or evaluate the neo-
liberal policy

Provide three splits.

 What are the key debates about the future direction of

Southern NGOs? Whether South NGOs focus on the
delivery aspects that empower NGO personnel and staff
instead of the poor and the disadvantages. =>> If South NGO
engages in self-financing activities (provide services for the
state) does this make South NGOs less effective in terms of
their original goals/objectives.

What can distract southern NGOs from focusing on their

original goals (i.e. helping the poor and the disadvantage?

3. Scaling Up Microfinance in Eastern and Western Africa with Lessons

From India by Sultan Rehman Sherief

 Describe the role and effectiveness of Self-Help Groups (SHG)

in microfinance in India. Microfinance is costly for banks to
to business in rural areas. It has high default rates are really
high- SHG (5-25)

Bank- SGH- Individuals

Bank- NGO- SGH- Individuals

Bank- Individuals ( SHG and NGO acts as an advisor)

How do Self-Help Groups in India operate? Why are SHGs

considered to be effective? Form the Basic constituent group
in INDIA. There are a collective effort by a group of
individuals where as the bank merely acts as the facilitator of
funds and the group governs where and to whom the funds will
 be available to. Peer pressure in society causes the individual to
repay all fund receives.

 In general, what are key challenges facing microfinance system

in Africa?

Provide three challenges.

1. Membership conditions
2. Obligation to save prior to access of credit
3. Two fold structure based on elected member and
professionals.
 The precondition to save excludes low income
clients
 Governance issues (i.e. corruption)

4. Globalization, Religion and Culture by Maryann Cusimano Love

 Can religious institutions help to bridge the institutional gaps,

helping to forge a more just and more peaceful globalization?
 What institutional deficits and benefits do U.S. Catholic
institutions have in trying to bridge the capacity, jurisdiction,
participation, legitimacy, and ethical gaps which globalization
presents?

WEEK 14-15: The effectiveness of global institutions and the rise of the
global citizen
1. By Democratizing the World Trade Organization by Fiona
McGillivray
• How much representation does the United States get within the
WTO?MFN rule and in combination with the principle supplier
negotiations.
What is the purpose of the WTO?
What allows the US to garner influence within the WTO?

• Because US Trade Representative (USTR) plays a crucial role

within the WTO, does USTR more likely to represent the interests
of the multinational corporations or NGOs? USTR is
nominated by the President and is confirmed and the Senate.
The USTR is accountable to whom?
Explain why in general the President is more likely than Congress
to support the multinational corporations?
Explain why some industries are more likely to be protected from
congressional legislation than other industries?
2. What I Learned at the World Economic Crisis by Joseph Stiglitz
• Why was Joseph Stiglitz unable to persuade the IMF to reduce its
high interest rates on East Asia countries? Didn’t not know
who was in control and who should be held accountable.
What did Joseph Stiglitz fear might happen to East Asian
countries as consequence of IMF’s high interest rates for these
countries?
• Why are some of the criticisms of the IMF’s "mission" of
economists? -One-Policy fits all. –Not accounting for local’s
history cultural and norms. -3RD rate economist without including
local economists. –Not proactive. –Using bad economics.

3. The United Nations and Human Rights in the New Millennium by

David Forsythe
• How can the UN in the new millennium better integrate human
rights and economic concerns?
Provide examples of how both multinational corporations and
global institutions (i.e. the World Bank, and the IMF) can benefit
by incorporating human rights to their work? Multinational
corporations pay attention to human rights standards. If they do,
then this can be an asset to the buying public. World Bank and
IMF should brought into the human rights movement. The World
Bank is more likely than the IMF to integrate some aspects of
human rights (i.e. good governance).

Why is the concept of human rights so central in the globalizing

processes?

• Why has been difficult for the UN to make US foreign policy more
cosmopolitan regarding human right issues? The US has great
difficulty in accepting that international law and organization
should take precedence over strictly American standards and
procedures; or place U.S. citizens solely under international
jurisdiction (i.e. international criminal court).
Why is the U.S. hesitant in accepting international standards on
human rights?

4. "Guiding Students Toward Global Citizenship," by Remarks by

Jonathan Fanton
• What are some incentives for colleges and universities to develop
an education for global citizenship? Prepare college graduates
to live in a globalized world. The most interesting jobs will go to
the student with a global perspective. It is also in the nation’s
interests to combat the anti-American attitudes by sending
students to different countries.
 • Why is being more international or Kingman Brewster’s five-year
BA good for individual students? Study abroad. Foreign
language. Internships with NGOs.

5. Corporate Citizenship on the Rise by Jill Colford

• What are some key components behind corporate citizenship?
Giving back to the community, (i.e. one-stop career center for
any citizen; an entrepreneur development center for any citizen
with an idea for business; and grants to middle-and high school
students to do voluntary services.)
• How can corporations become globally and locally relevant in
regard to corporate citizenship? Provide corporate funds at
the corporate level while its employees at different locations will
do the legwork (i.e. Habitat for Humanity).