Idea…

Hey !

I just had a fabulous idea: Why don’t we have a Senior Seminar (SSEM) in Globalization three years from now? THEN we could really reflect upon what we have learned!

Blog Reflection

Globalization describes the process of increasing intensity, pace and scope of economic, political and social interactions throughout the world. – My very first post.

I wrote this definition 4 months ago and if I had to define globalization now, I would probably use the same wording. When we tried to find a collective definition in class however, no one picked my definition as an exceptionally good or precise one. I believe that the definition might well be correct but too broad to explain a complex topic such as globalization. If I rewrote the definition it would be the one stated above simply because I wouldn’t want to use more words.

What HAS changed over the last few months of “Globalization in the classroom” is the fact, that I CAN use more words to describe globalization. The depth and coverage of my understanding has grown.

At the beginning of the semester I basically opposed globalization. This “growing together of the world” tempted people to live their lives in cyberspace. Through the internet (the “thing” that triggered and facilitates globalization) we can befriend people, shop and play without leaving the room. I felt an essential part of “life” was missing. However, the more time I spent online the more I realized that the internet was more than that. Its primary meaning is to provide an environment to freely express opinions, ideas and knowledge that otherwise wouldn’t be as accessible. Everything else must be secondary. Or procrastination.

My second posting involved a little more research but was still pessimistic towards globalization. The interior parts of China were poor, the globalized coastal area wasn’t. ( -> How unfair! Bad globalization!) Well, that changed when I received my very first comment. I had never thought about the fact, that economic globalization (despite having negative effects on the environment, for example) was not the reason for poverty in China. It made the coastal areas richer and that seemed to further impoverish the rest.

The second major perception I made in the first month was that “opposing globalization” was not even an option. It really is like “riding a steam train” (thanks, Hart!): a fact, that we must accept and make the best of in every which way we can. This is the most valuable recognition I am taking from this class. It opens a whole different range to our place in the world. We have to play along and act with – and not against – the evolution of globalization. Of course, this is where the controversies come up between the economists and the environmentalists, the politicians and the individuals. The different opinions are clashing because they are gaining in global importance through globalization.

From there I no longer attacked globalization but wondered about the reason for globalization’s success in a certain area and what had to be done to provide the foundation for success. (Globalization being a means for development, here)

And then, of course, I threw in some personal experience – and I think I have a tendency to relate a lot to a personal experience – hoping that people might realize that one could turn out quite different when growing up in another place.

Well, all in all I think I now understand the blogging. When Prof. Greenlaw told us to define a “blog” at the beginning of the semester I admit I’d never heard of it. Now all my friends have, from me. Although I wasn’t the most diligent in blogging (I’m a bit of a perfectionist when writing – plus it’s in English and not in German) I found putting my ideas up for the world to read really cool. It forces me to organize my thoughts well and to inform myself sufficiently before making a statement. I will definitley keep this blog, and, as Prof. Greenlaw has proposed, will have to change it to something like “Globalization out of the classroom”. And that’s what it is – globalization will accompany us – until we die. And until then we’ll have to play along with it. I hope my collegial guinea pigs of this Freshmen Seminar feel the same and will keep and continue their postings. I’d like to read more of them when I get a chance – because I think there are some really clever kids in that class. (yay- stephen for president!)

Comments

Two little comments to be added to my Portfolio…

http://anyaka86.wordpress.com/2006/09/19/the-forces-of-globalization/#comment-5

http://agrobick1.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/cafe-satan/

The World Bank

In today’s Political Science class we were introduced to a rough outline to the theories of international relations. One of the subitems we touched upon was “Globalizaton”. We defined it as a high rate of flows of: Communication/culture/technology; trade ; money/finance. I noticed that – in our Globalization Seminar – we hadn’t discussed much about the international organizations that control this flow of money and finance.

More development aid has reached Africa than post World War II Europe had received through the Marshall plan. But Africa is poorer today than it has ever been. Over one third of the continent’s population is living off less than half a dollar per day.

The World Bank sees itself as a global institution to support Africa in bettering its national problems. It acts as a medium between the developed, industrialized and the less developed countries and consists of two institutions that constitute the World Bank Groups: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). At its foundation in 1945 its main goal was to help Europe recover from World War II. Today members of the World Bank have shifted their scope to the world’s most impoverished regions. Their goal is to support the respective country by helping them help themselves: they lend money and interest-free loans but also give technical assistance and policy advice.

However, the reality does not look as positive. Opponents of the World Bank even claim that the projects are not only failing to help the respective area but are even worsening their chance of improvement.

The reason why some aid has not improved the continents’ conditions is because it has not been invested correctly and is simply disappearing. Corruption, greed and selfishness in Africa’s government as well as the numerous civil wars that are causing instability are responsible for this phenomenon. When the countries reached their independence from the colonies after World War II they would have to deal with a break-down in their economy and political chaos. Fights over power, numerous civil wars, worsening poverty levels and an overall lack of democratic institutions and thinking all make up a never-ending cycle of deterioration.

Opponents of the World Bank’s development projects claim that the money invested in the African countries are not reaching the most impoverished but are pocketed by a small group of elitist. Still affected by the aftermath of colonial power, they monopolize the power in corruption and fundamental authority without paying much respect to different groups of the country. Any foreign financial aid must surpass their rule before it is distributed across the country, but not much leaves their hands. A further contradicting issue is the World Bank’s strategy of economic partnership between the donor and the receiver of development aid. The World Bank claims to loosen its dependence.

Opponents state that this has the opposite effect. The money provided by the developed country might raise African productivity, but instead of letting it participate on the free market and gradually allowing Africa to become accustomed to the markets rule, the developed countries are again limiting them to their country.

The first U.N. International Conference on Finance for Development in Monterrey, Mexico was coordinated by the World Bank, the United Nations, the IMF and the WTO in March 2002. More than 170 nations who agreed to this Monterrey Consensus aim at achieving the “Millennium Development Goals” by the end of 2015. They plan to reduce extreme global poverty to 50% and implement universal primary education. They no longer focus on the economic development of the African states as they try to build political stability, education, water supply and health (AIDS).

Understanding different ways.

When I went to a grocery store in Germany I didn’t think twice about the person behind me, pushing the shopping cart against my legs. It was annoying, but to me these people were merely eager to get to the cash register. I wondered why my mom wouldn’t accept this as a fact: she complained how this would never happen in the States, how “pushy” they were and how impolite it was. To me this was just the way it was.

Once a week my mom shops in the “Commissary” on the American military base. She says she needs a “break”. I used to take my friends because we’d get excited about skittles, roll ups and peanut butter cups but never understood the “break thing”. I did notice, however that people in line were very friendly and even (wow) let you get in front of them – but again, to me this was just the way it was.

I have been fortunate to grow up in “two worlds” and I didn’t understand all the talk about the advantages of knowing about two different cultures. I used to think you could always learn the language, read about traditions and adapt to the life style. But as my friends got older (speaking English very well) I noticed that they were having trouble communicating with the Americans on base, for example. How do you respond to “How are you doing today?” or to “Can I help you?” ? If you have grown up in the States you get used to it. Yes, there are equivalent phrases in the German language but they are used in a different and much less common form. In general (and I don’t like to generalize when it comes to peoples or national identities) a German would suspiciously think “Why would this stranger want to know how I’m doing?” – critical.

I have spent a little more than 4 months in the US. I think I know how to respond to a “How are you today?” rather well and I have been taken to “unGerman” places such as IHOP at 2 am in the morning. There were many new things I learned about the “way of life” on this side of the ocean and I am confident that after a while things will level off – but only because I’ve had my parents’ (American) schooling in previous years. My German friends here at Mary Wash have often told me in wonderment about what this “American” had done or said – and most of the time I had to laugh, remembering that this was one of the things I had labeled “this is just the way it is”. But looking at it from a German point of view it did seem strange – or at least different.

I find all of this very interesting to observe. But looking back I realize I could not understand the different mentalities had I not “accepted things just as they are”. If I view the “German” from an American perspective – he could be considered to be rude. But he really isn’t – they only interact in a different way. And I have only come to this conclusion by observing the way I talk and act when among Americans compared to the way I behave when amongst Germans.

What hand do you hold your fork in when you eat? If in the right hand, you will be considered impolite and almost ignorant. And eating together, one will never start unless everyone has, too. Even if only at a cafeteria or fast food place. Now these are only a few of many examples of Germany – a country comparable to the US. It takes a very long time to fully understand a different country’s people. I think this is one of the things that globalization (of cultures) will never achieve. I hope it won’t support and streangthen prejudices and stereotypes.

Why is Africa so poor?

At one time, Africa had owned an independent and prospering market before the colonial powers had taken over. Foreigners acquired this economy and divided Africa into arbitrary regions with the intent to exploit its resources. The roads were aligned in accordance to the coast so products could easily be shipped to the respective countries. While these areas were more developed, the remote areas remained untouched, leaving backward and isolated peoples behind. Regional disparities and differences in the population’s quality of life were the results.

The arbitrary borders cut off members of ancient tribes from one another. Until today the agglomeration of several different tribes within the same borders result in a never ending fight over the governmental powers. They lack the national spirit which would be are necessary for stability. When the countries reached their independence from the colonies after World War II they would have to deal with a break-down in their economy and political chaos. Fights over power, numerous civil wars, worsening poverty levels and an overall lack of democratic institutions and thinking all make up a never-ending cycle of deterioration. (Thielke)

Before any donations – whether monetary or material – can help the African countries they must establish their own, independent and stable governments. According to the African economist James Shikwati Africa has to learn to help itself before foreign aid can start supporting African development.

 

Untouchables in the WSJ

Foreign countries offer benefits for American industries to outsource. But there are still several firms that stay put in the United States. What factors influence the refusal of taking advantage of foreign attractive offerings?

According to Timothy Aeppel, US firms chose a domestic location that is close to the market and the people who will buy the product. The transportation of larger products is more cost efficient, while closeness to customers results in a quick adjustments to the market’s demand. Firms locate themselves in the area in which their products are needed.

In a way, US firms do outsource, only in their country. They prefer remote areas with low taxes and low land costs while still being significally accessible.

Domestic firms survive because they employ special types of workers not available anywhere else. These are high skilled workers who have either grown up producing or working with a specific product or have been trained to work more efficiently than any cheap labor abroad. Thus, the product has a high value in quality.

Americans realize this and trust the brand name. They will buy it instead of a foreign product if it relates to their health condition. The market is stable and because little risktaking is involved firms don’t have to search for cheaper land and labor to cut costs.

Ireland and the Celtic Tiger- another China?

Of all the countries I have visited Ireland definitley is my favorite. I love the beautiful landscape, the culture and the farreaching traditions. People there are so layed back and friendly. We had a great time in a pub one evening when a bunch of locals spontaneously started playing Irish folk songs – and soon the whole place joined in! Until recently, this was my perception of Ireland.When the country joined the EC it was considered undeveloped because of its agricultural dependence, its high unemployment rate, peripheral position and its small per capita income. In order to prevent massive emigration the government (once again ) attracted foreign countries to subsidize industrialization – “from the outside”. And industries outsourced their manufacturing facilities. However, this was temporarily and lasted only as long as the tax and capital benefits were present. This also did nothing for the local people as foreign industries mainly were interested in exporting their goods instead of trading with the interior food and textile industry. Irish economy was not moving forward with this method. So they adapted a new one, the one that surprised me when I recently read it. The Irish government was now attracting solely growth-oriented hightech businesses which started settling down in the 1990s. Chip producer Intel, the producer of PC-printers Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Motorola, the PC-producer Gateway. Dell Computer has upgraded Ireland as the production and distribution center for the European, African and Middle Eastern market ! According to Peter Fischer, Dublin has over 50 call centers. You can reserve flight tickets or a hotel room and get information from the support centers for the computer and software industry. Doesn’t this sound like China or India ? In a way it is, I guess. Only on a much smaller scale. And the people speek English.

Expert study topic

I’ve decided to do my expert study on:

Aids over Africa. Should relief funds be directed toward prevention or toward treatment of the disease?

Using the Library search machine I found following book:  HIV and AIDS in Africa. Beyond Epidemiology/edited by Ezkiel Kalipeni, Susan Craddock, Joseph R. Oppong, Jayati Ghosh.

I believe it is a secondary source of scholarly information.

The forces of globalization

capitalism on the march

Originally uploaded by firfiris.
I chose this picture because this is a perfect example of what I associate with globalization. Impeccable modern architecture, a strict division between the walking and sitting area, young men and women sipping their Starbucks coffee.
Everything is clean and in order, the people seem to be very successful and happy.

Shenzen is one of the four original cities in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) that the Chinese government opened to foreign investors with capital, technical know-how and the knowledge of management. These initial joint-ventures were supposed to be the starting point to integrate China into the global market and develop sales markets in the industrialized countries. Today the locations barely have any restrictions and the coastal areas have expanded – and are booming.

20 years ago nobody foresaw Chinese to be the language to learn. As a matter of fact, I think 20 years ago people thought of China as a rice producing, agricultural country and not a possible upcoming superpower. How is it possible that our image has changed so drastically? The truth is that while our image has changed drastically, the country as a whole has not. Capitalists will say the prospering coast will have a very positive economic influence on the whole country, which it surely has if you look at the jobs that have been created, the know-how that has been brought into the country and the infrastructure that has been improved. But for the farmers of the inland this barely has importance. They are losing the young qualified Chinese to the West while they are stuck to cultivate their land with backward machinery. Even worse, western industries heavily pollute the air and water and contaminate the soil which already is exhausted by the vast population growth. It makes living in the country very difficult, 90 % of the population lives below the poverty line while remote areas haven’t even recognized sexual equality. Let’s take another look at the picture I chose. Can this really be one country ? I accept the fact that large countries can have differences, if we compare U.S. East/West coast to the central regions or the urban parts of Russia with remote ones as Siberia. But China’s disparities are vast – and for me the best example of what globalization can cause.