5.3. Local responses to global interactions

Question 1

What is the over arching exploration in this subunit?

Answer 1

In the view of many political and economic commentators, barriers to global interactions have risen, not fallen in recent years.

Question 2

Why is the over-aching line of thinking that you are exploring in this sub-unit the way it is?

Answer 2

Because a series of geopolitical shocks have shaken the faith of hyperglobalisers.

It is becoming increasingly common place to read media reports declaring that globalisation is in ‘retreat’.

Question 3

what is the nature of this line of thinking about how the world is becoming less globalised?

Answer 3

Through the exploration of power places and networks, we saw that trade flows have lessened in value in recent years. Yet we also know that global data flows continue to accelerate. Evidence of so-called de-globalisation is therefore highly contradictory and no clear case emerges.

Question 4

what is a recent ‘shock’ to globalisation?

Answer 4

2016 UK vote to leave the EU. COuld ‘Brexit’ spark the eventual disintegration of the EU if other populations demand a referendum too?

Question 5

who could be against globalisation?

Answer 5

The power to take action to resist any or all aspects of globalisation is invested in many different stakeholders at a range of geographic scales and positions of responsibility.

The heads of state in several countires, including Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea are vocal opponets of the ‘new world order’. So too are influentional non-govermental organisations (NGOs) such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Christan aid.

NGOs are part of civil socity, along with priate citizens, many of whom strongly belive that they porrly regulated actions of globalisations most powerful economic players – suc as international banks and food comanpies – shoud be opposed, or at least have their exesses curbed and damaging effects ameliorated.

Question 6

introduce the role of local and civil society in resisting global interactions?

Answer 6

There are many instances of local and civil society resistance to globalization. Populist anti-globalisation and nationalist movements are found in every country in the world although their foci are highly variable.

Question 7

how are different places affected differently by global interactions?

Answer 7

migration, cultural change, sovereignty loss, deindustrialisation, outscoring and environmental degradation are just some of the processes that can trigger resistance movements in certain place contexts.

Question 8

Could you out line an example which shows to contrasting rationales for resistance drawn from opposing ends of the political spectrum? PART ONE

Answer 8

1) SUSTAINIBILITY AND JUSTICE
Some resistance movements are anchored in concerns with social, economic and environmental justice; unethical aspects of globalisation are a threat to sustainable development.

Demonstrators worry about the impact of global interactions on the lives of their own communities and people too. Issues include the exploitation of agribusiness labourers and ‘sweatshop’ workers, as well as the local and global environmental damage done by globalized economic activity, including global warming.

Question 9

Could you out line an example which shows to contrasting rationales for resistance drawn from opposing ends of the political spectrum? PART TWO

Answer 9

NATIONALISM AND SOVEREIGNTY
Other resistance movements are anchored in renewed nationalism. This often powerful ‘grass roots’ force can be reinforced at an institutional level by the media and political parties.

In many places, nationalism is on the rise. The shrinking world, so the argument goes, has caused chaos for national life and culture due to new and sometimes flows of people, information and ideas. As a result, people’s own community identity is threatened and their own state sovereignty has been jepordised.

Question 10

what is the paradox of globalisation?

Answer 10

There is a clear and increasing correlation between the growing interconnectedness of states and the desire of many citizens of those states to sever ties with other places.

The paradox of globalisation is that while it promotes a global way of living, it simultaneously ignites fears and concerns that local identities may be eroded and lost.

Question 11

one of the ways globalisation is being resited in the rejection of globalised products, could you introduce this idea?

Answer 11

TNCs have often been the target of civil society sustainability and social justice campaigns. In recent years, many companies have attracted criticism for a range of reasons, however as the exploration of 4.2 and 5.2 demonstrated, TNCs may also bring benefits to places, especially when social responsibility frameworks are used.

This is why civil social movements targeted against TNCs do bot always gain a wide popular support.

Question 12

what are the cases against some TNCs?

Answer 12

Growing global wealth divide

social harm

environmental degradation

tax avoidance

cultural imperialism.

Question 13

expand on growing global wealth demand as a case againts some TNCS?

Answer 13

The actions of TNCs are building a widining global wealth gap between the very riches and most poor countires. By selectivly investing in certain regions while largesty passing by others. TNCs are active agents in creating in creating a new geography of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

In some expetional cases, TNC controle and accountability is found tobe invested in. the hands of a few easily identified individuals.

Wal-mart famoulsy remains unde rth einfluence of the Walton family,w hose comabined inheitsnce wealth is estimated to bearound US$80 billion.

Question 14

expand on social harm as a case against some TNCs?

Answer 14

The social harm of millions of thr world porrest people have become merged inot a hard-labouring global proletariat spanning all sectors of industry. FDI does not always result i a step-change for economic activitiy in developing countires.

If the TNC employes local firms to help it carry out its work, for exmaple, in the sourve of raw materials - then more wealth may be generate , but this does not always happen.

Question 15

expand tax avoidance as a case aginst some TNCs?

Answer 15

TNCs including Starbucks and Google have been acused of not paying full coporate taxes in the counties where they operate, through transfer pricing and tax concessions. This means that goverments find it harder to raise revenues, privide services and respond to the demands of lcoal people. Citizens have protested against this with signed stating ‘dont let the rich dodge their taxes’.

Question 16

expand on cultural imperialism as a case aginst some TNCs?

Answer 16

Threats to cultural diversity inckude the loss of world languages. Critics of TNCs say they have established a hegemony that encurages greater cultural conformity between diffrent localities through mass consumption of branded products.

Question 17

what was the effct of the introduction of social media on protsts aginst globalisation and give an example?

Answer 17

Political demonstrations and protests against globalisation became more comonplace during the late 1990s and ‘noughties’ often orchestrated by privet citizens interfacting with new technology such as facebook or twitter.

A key oppositional moment in recent time icludes the 2015 Paris climate change conftrence. MAny hundreds of campaigners werw detained by police after activites, some dressed as polar bears and penguins, took to the streets of Paris while the world political leaders attempted to create more binding agreements to tacklr global climate change.

Question 18

can you give a case study for civil socity protests against energy TNCs in canda?

Answer 18

Canda is home to six groups of indigenous people known as the first nations. Their ocupation of the land long pre-dates the arrival of Europeans.

Some first nation people of the Mackenzie and Yukon River Basin oppose the atempts of global oil companies – including Shell, ExxonMobil and Imperial oil– to exploit the natural reoaces of their region.

The Dene residents of the Sahtu Region have already expeiranced negative impacts of globalisation and petroleum development near the settlemtn of Norman Wells.

Patricular concerns include:
The death of trout and other fish in oil-pollutted lakes (a lifesyle based around subsistence fishing, hunting and trapping in fundimental to the Denes cultural idenity).
Te effects of alcholand drugs (bought by oil workers) on the behavirour of young Dene people

Oil TNCs are now exploring the surrounding Canol shale and assesing its potentional for share oil. Shale ‘Fracking’ in other places has been lined with water pollution.

Question 19

talk about local sourcing of food and goods as a act aginst globalisation?

Answer 19

The ‘local sourcing’ movement describes the practice of buying goods and services solely from local area suppliers, thereby boycotting the use of extended global supply networks such as those favoured by supermarkets.

Question 20

what are the benefits of local sourcing of food and goods as a act against globalisation?

Answer 20

The clearest environmental benefit is believed to be a markedly reduced number of food miles for agricultural products. Providing stimulus for local production has other merits too. Greater regionalised agricultural activity can improve national food security in an ear when climate change and growing global demand put mounting pressure on the world’s food supplies. In developing nations, greater local sourcing of food can also boost employment in depopulated areas.

Question 21

can you talk about the viability of local sourcing of food and goods as an act against globalisation?

Answer 21

Local sourcing wins plaudits from governments and is promoted enthusiastically by those businesses who have declared their commitment to carbon footprint reduction.

However, some foreign agricultural imports into the UK – notably Spanish and North African tomatoes and flowers – may actually do less environmental harm than some local agricultural systems that are reliant on energy-hungry heated greenhouses.

Blaming globalisation for increased carbon emissions can sometimes be a misreading of a more fundamental issue. After all, globalisation is not directly responsible for British people wanting to buy large amounts of flowers in the month of February. The root cause instead is commercialization of the Valentine’s Day festival.

Question 22

what is an even better way of decreasing global warming than sourcing locally?

Answer 22

Opting to buy fewer non-essential goods such as flowers in the first place – irrespective of their local or global origin – would be an even more effective way for wealthy societies to mitigate climate change ( but would also be enormously damaging for global trade and the livelihoods of thousands of people in poor countries like Kenya.

Question 23

Introduce the rise of anti-immigration movements as an act aginst globalisation?

Answer 23

The rationale for retreating from globalisation is rooted, for some people, in the valid concern that national cultural identity is being changed by global interactions. Migration in particular creates political tension due to differing perceptions and view points on the cultural change it brings.

Question 24

what is the role of EU nations in relation to the rise of anti-immigration movements as an act aginst globalisation?

Answer 24

For EU nations, the renewal of nationalism is lined with a broader debate about the’ loss of sovereignty’. A large proportion of citizens in each EU country would like to end the freedom of movement brought by the Schengen Agreement. They believe too much immigration has been allowed to take place.

Question 25

give an example of an EU nation disliking the amount of migration?

Answer 25

as of 2023, In Sweden the firmly anti-immigration, anti-multiculturalism Sweden Democrats are the second largest party in parliament, propping up the right-wing coalition government there.

Question 26

give your case study for differing perspectives on immigration in the USA?

Answer 26

The USA is an interesting and important example, given the sheer volume of migrants and their descendants who live there: Around 50 million people who were not born there and over 200 million make are the descendants of migrants.

The spatial distribution of unauthorised workers in the USA is highly uneven. One reason why US citizens often have different views on migration is clearly because some places experience its effects more than others.

Migration impacts often become amplified at the local scale and have an even greater effect on places than national-scale data suggest.

Question 27

what are some more reasons for differing views about migration held by US citizens and organisation?

Answer 27

Demographic impacts- in the USA and other developed countries, youthful migration helps offset the costs of an ageing population. Yet the higher birth rates of some immigrant communities are changing the ethnic population composition of the USAToday more than 1/5 of the US population is Hispanic.

Cultural change – Migrants alter places when they influence food, music and language. Hispanic population growth is affecting the content of US media as programmers and advertisers seek out a larger share of the audience by offering Spanish language soap operas on channels like nexlfix.

Question 28

talk about geopolitical constraints on global interactions?

Answer 28

Governments may try to prevent or control global flows of people, goods and information, with varying success.

For example, trade protectionism is still common, despite the efforts of the Bretton Woods institutions. Around 40 world governments limit their citizen’s freedom to access online information. Violent or sexual images are censored in many countries. However a ‘dark web’ also exists which can be harder to controle.

Question 29

what is a term you can employ when discussing how and why different governments respond to migration and cultural diversity the way they do?

Answer 29

The cultural continuum

Question 30

can you walk through the cultural continuum?

Answer 30

‘melting pot’ or hybridism- a positive view as a culture as organic or hybrid – it absorbs and adopts new migrant values. E.g America.

pluralism- EU nations tolerate equal rights for all migrants to practise their religous and cultural beliefs.

‘Citizenship testing’ - UK rules for migrants are becoming stricter in reaction to popular concerns over immigration.

Assimilation- A belief that minority taints should disappear as immigrants adopt host values.

Internet censorship- preventing citizens from learning about other global viewpoints using online resources e.g China.

Religious intolerance- Notably lower levels of religous freedoms for minority groups exist in some places, e.g Iran.

Close door migration- Stopping any immigration altogether for fears of cultural dilution e.g Cambodia.

Question 31

talk about government controls on personal freedoms as a national response to global interactions?

Answer 31

Non-economic dimensions of political controls on global interactions include restrictions on the cultural and information exchanges associated with the shrinking world and social networking.

Worldwide, many governments have introduced restrictions on personal freedoms to participate in global interactions, the two main examples are the processes of disconnected states and disconnected citizens. These two examples are restrictions on internet use operating at either the national or personal scale.

Worldwide, around 40 national governments have both or one type of limitations in place. Restrictions tend to be greater in autocratic states such as the People’s Republic of China.

Question 32

Talk about disconnected states?

Answer 32

-Some states limit their citizen’s access to cross-border flows of information, resulting in a so-called ‘splinternet’.

-Facebook Twitter and YouTube remain unavailable to Chinese users as part of ‘The Great Firewall of China’. (In a parallel example of cultural isolationism, only 34 foreign films are allowed to be screened in Chinses cinemas each year).

-Yet, while there is little external connectivity, 550 million Chinses citizens freely interact with one another within a global cyberspace ‘walled garden’ using local blog sites, such as Youku.

-Other states with similar restrictions include Iran, and increasingly Pakistan.

Question 33

talk about disconnected citizens?

Answer 33

In some states, people additionally lack the means to communicate digitally with their fellow citizens within national boundaries.

While cost is a factor, 25 million North Koreans largely have no access to the internet at all as a result of political decision-making.

In the past, the authorities in Saudi Arabia have restricted messaging using Blakc berry because security forces could not crack the black berry encryption code and were therefore unable to eavesdrop on private conversations.

Question 34

what is a militia groups?

Answer 34

An armed non-official or informal military force raised by members of a civil society. Militia groups are sometimes characterised as freedom fighters or terrorists in varying political contexts or in the views of different observers.

Question 35

talk about the rise of militia groups?

Answer 35

According to data from the UN, conflict and persecution have driven more people from their homes in the last decade than at any time since the records began. On average, 24 people were forced to flee their homes each minute in 2015, four times more than a decade earlier.

Forced displacement worldwide adds up to more than that 65 million people. Wars have broken out since 2020 in Ukraine, Gaza, the Yemen. Thousand more people have fled violence in Central America.

Question 36

Talk about the role of Militia groups?

Answer 36

The militia groups that play a role in many of these troubled regions have disconnected large numbers of people from global networks by preventing them from interacting wit other people and places.

Question 37

how have militia groups achieved their role?

Answer 37

It has been achieved in two ways:

1) Some militias deliberately rob civilians of their freedoms. reports of kidnapping, torture and other human rights violations have become depressingly common lace in conflict zones.

2) Large numbers of people fleeing militia groups become internally displaced persons (IDP). Forced to feel their homes and possessions, they remain within their country’s borders. This can leave people completely disconnected both economically and socially. Children cease to be schooled; adults are unable to work. In 2023, the counties with the largest numbers of internally displaced persons was 6.8 million in Syria.

Question 38

can you give an example of a Militia group?

Answer 38

Oath Keepers is an American far-right[1] anti-government militia[1][3] whose leaders have been convicted of violently opposing the government of the United States, including the transfer of presidential power as prescribed by the United States constitution. It was incorporated in 2009 by founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes, a lawyer and former paratrooper. In 2023, Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack,

Question 39

introduce the idea of national trade and investment restrictions as a reaction to globalisation?

Answer 39

2016, was the fifth consecutive year when global trade did not grow (as a percentage of GDP). A global-scale slowdown has taken place in some cross-border movements. There are two main reasons for this:

1) In part, the issue is caused by problems with the systems itself. The world economy has experienced a ‘boom and bust’ phase before. Some economists view the period since 2008 as a new cyclical or permanent downturn; it follows a boom that began in the late 1980s.

2) Additionally, new barriers are being raised in some localities to halt global flows that would otherwise operate. Some economists fear a return to the 1930s when protectionism damaged world trade and contributed to the Great Depression. Populist movements against free trade have strengthened recently in many countries.

Question 40

what are the recent signed of rising protectionism?

Answer 40

Fading enthusiasm for new trade agreements.

Western calls for limits on Chinses investments.

Investment rules for Canada

Australia growing resitisanse to foreign investment.

Question 41

expand on fading enthusiasm for new trade agreements as a recent sign of rising protectionism?

Answer 41

A proposed vast new Pacific Rim pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership has made only very slow progress since it was first suggested in 2006. It involves 12 countries including the USA, Singapore and Peru. it has been agreed but not yet ratified– and political support may now be waning, especially in the USA.