EQ2- What are the impacts of globalisation for countries, different groups of people and cultures and the physical environment?

Global shift

The international relocation of the economic centre of gravity to Asia from Europe and North America.

1. Manufacturing to China

2. Outsourcing of services + administration to India

Benefits of the global shift

Waged work: urban incomes have risen by 10% a year since 2005.

Poverty reduction: reduced extreme poverty rate from 84% in 1980 to 10% in 2016.

Infrastructure investment: Modern motorways + high speed railways to major cities like Jakarta, 82 airports built since 2000.

Education and training: 94% over the age of 15 are now literate.

Costs of the global shift

Loss of productive farmland: >3 million hectares of arable farmland polluted with heavy metals.

Increase in unplanned settlements: China’s rapid industrialisation ↑ demand for urban housing, resulting in an ↑ in informal homes.

Pollution + health problems: Air pollution in China kills an avg of 1.6mil people each year.

Land degradation: >40% China’s farmland now suffering degradation.

Over exploitation of resources: Amazonian rainforests have been cleared in Ecuador

Loss of biodiversity: China’s terrestrial vertebrates had declined by 50% since 1970.

Global shift pros: manufacturing in China

• China opened up to globalisation in 1978 in the Open Door Policy.

• Low wages attracted initial FDI in 1990s for cheap toys + textiles, computers+cars in the 2000s.

• Waged work lifted 680 million Chinese people out of extreme poverty since 1980.

Global shift cons: Services in India

• Large TNC FDI in call centres + back office functions.

• Inequality increased. India has more billionaires per capita than the UK, more extreme poverty than the whole of Africa.

• with overcrowding + land shortages, up to 60% forced to live in informal slums with minimal sanitation + services

Deindustrialisation + cause in Detroit

The decline of regionally important manufacturing industries.

CAUSE:

• Detroit was in the rust belt (powerful manufacturing region that stretched across midwest USA for steel + car production).

• fell into decline following automation, global shift + increased free trade.

Social + environmental problems of deindustrialisation in Detroit, USA

Dereliction + contamination: vast areas of city in state of urban decay, at least 70 000 abandoned buildings and 31 000 empty houses. Brownfield sites: disused/ derelict land.

Crime: In 2014, Detroit’s murder rate was the highest of any U.S. city. Authorities estimate that 2/3 of murders are drug related.

Depopulation: Detroit’s population plummets 25%.

High unemployment: The city’s automobile industry has suffered from global competition + moved out of Detroit. By 2014, 2/3 of Detroit’s residents couldn’t afford basic needs.

Migration

A permanent movement from one place to another.

Megacity

A city with a population of 10 million or more.

New York, Paris, Beijing

-growth caused by natural increase (60%) + rural to urban migration (40%).

Push factors of rural areas + pull factors of urban areas

Push: poor schooling + fewer prospects for young people, low paying jobs e.g. agriculture

Pull: more employment opportunities, more access to services e.g. transport, healthcare

Reasons for growth of megacities- Karachi

Population has increased 6M since 2000s. Due to:

• rural-urban migration from poor provinces of Punjab + Sindh

• major port city- creates job opportunities, attracts businesses

• high access to education + healthcare

Social and environmental challenges of rapid urban growth

SOCIAL

Inequality: private companies are more likely to provide housing, water, energy, etc. to meet demand- target high earners first: wealthier areas of cities have these services, poorer areas don’t.

Shortages: challenge governments to provide sufficient services + basic needs housing, education

ENVIRONMENTAL

Low air quality: vehicles in New Delhi to increase to 26million by 2025- diesel emissions increase air pollution.

Contamination: rivers + lakes polluted with with sewage + industrial waste, making health problems worse.

Internal migrant

Someone who moves from place to place inside borders of the country.

Economic migrant

A migrant whose primary motivation is to seek employment. If they already have a job they may be moving for better/ more regular pay, promotion, or change in career.

Refugee

People forced to flee their homes due to persecution, political, religious problems.

Centripetal migration

Movement of people directed towards the centre of urban areas.

Global hub

A settlement or region that has become a focal point for activities with a global influence, such as trade(Shanghai),business (London), international governance or education + research.

-natural resources (oil resources, water) + human resources (large labour force) explain location of global hubs.

-international migration in global hubs deepens interdpendence.

Migrants attracted to global hubs: Elite migrants: Russian Oligarchs

Elite migrant: A minority population group with some combination of: wealth, social status, political influence, cultural influence.

Between 2004-2014, 1/3 of all foreign purchases of residential property in London went to Russian oligarchs (business leaders with great political influence). This has led to property price inflation.

Migrants attracted to global hubs: Low wage migrants: Philippines to Saudi Arabia

A population of relatively poor + unskilled people who often send remittances back home.

1.5 mil migrants from Philippines arrived in Saudi Arabia since 1973 as rising oil prices brought wealth to the country. US$7bn returned annually to the Philippines as remittances.

Costs + benefits of international migration

Source country:

Reduces pressure of population: less problems with public services.

Remittances boost the income of families(25% of Nepal’s GDP in 2014)

Loss of skilled + educated workers at government expense(brain drain).

Host country:

Fills particular skills shortages, especially economic migrants who move for promotion e.g. India doctors migrating to the UK in the 1950s.

Demand for education, health + housing rises, causing tensions.

Cultural tensions with migrant population

Culture

The ideas, beliefs, customs + social behaviour of a group or society.

Customs, food, clothing, language

Cultural diffusion

The spread of one culture to another by various means.

Cultural homogenisation

Describes how cultures are increasingly similar.

Cultural erosion

The changing + loss of culture in an area, such as the loss of language + traditional food.

Cultural hegemony

Political or cultural dominance or authority.

Cultural hybridity

The blending of elements from different cultures.

How cultural diffusion leading to ‘Westernised’ global culture

TNC’s: provide foreign goods + services creating similar tastes + consumption of Western goods. Promote consumerism by advertising + selling Western products which local people haven’t previously had.

Media: focus on more Western news stories + promote more Western values. Language expression: ‘Globish’ an adoption by citizens of ex British colonies + foreign countries as English has dominated internet communication + joined with the country’s vocab.

Tourism+migration: dominated by Western people with income-increases demand for Western goods which become available for locals too. e.g. glocalisation- adapting global products to meet specific needs + preferences of local markets

-diasporas can create conflict between locals + migrants

-migrants can affect culture of host country.

Contrasting views of cultural diffusion leading to ‘Westernised’ culture

• Rise of China + India in globalisation may prevent Westernisation + continue cultural hybridity.

• globalisation will integrate cultures, until the world has homogenous cultures.

Impacts of cultural diffusion 1/2

Environments + people: Changing diets in Asia

People: increase in meat + fast food consumption due to spread of Western diets e.g. meat per capita increased from 5-50kg during 1990s.

-leads to rising obesity + diabetes

Environment: livestock farming produces methane emissions- soya cultivation to feed livestock destroyed vast tracts of Amazon rainforest.

-fast food is wasteful in resources e.g. packaging - excessive water use in industry

Impacts of cultural diffusion 2/2

Awareness of opportunities for disadvantaged groups: Athletes at Rio Paralympics 2016

Paralympic movement alongside globalisation of sports (Western culture) by International Olympics Committee creates new opportunities.

• cultural attitudes towards disability has changed as global media has contributed to making Paralympic Games into one of the world’s biggest sporting events- help erode discrimination.

Hyperglobalisation

The idea that a largely Westernised global culture is emerging as a result of cultural erosion in different places.

Pros + cons of hyperglobalisation(cultural erosion)

PROS

Global culture brings freedom of expression + reduced discrimination around sexuality, gender, disability- values equality.

Cultural attitudes towards disability are changing- less discrimination. 1983-1992 declared ‘Decade of Disabled Persons’.

CONS

Erosion of languages around the world due to use of English language.

Rainforest tribes are moving away from rural areas to urban areas due to awareness of Western cultures.

Ecosystems devalued as economic growth is prioritised.

Threats of cultural homogenisation:

Korowai Tribe, Papua Guinea, Indonesia

• Small tribe of 3000 living in the Becking River

Language: education in villages take place in Indonesian. Children don’t speak Korowai language.

Social relations: Introduction of Christianity reduced practice of polygamy marriage. Enforcement of Indonesian laws stopped slavery for inter clan raids. Clan leader is now based on wealth rather than physical strength.

Clothing: traditionally only wear loincloth, however most people now wear shorts + t-shirts including football shirts (Western ideas).

Natural environment: Ecosystem is devalued as shifting cultivation is abandoned. Natural environment is now viewed as resource for economic growth + income. Sago palms are exploited, Agarwood is deforested as tribe is employed by logging companies.

Reactions against globalisation

Due to concerns about cultural impacts, economic, and environmental exploitation.

France: In early 2000s, government limited how much foreign culture(music, films + TV) could be broadcast.

-40% of broadcasts had to be French

-no more than 55% American imports

China: the ‘great firewall of China’ prevents internet users from using BBC or facebook.

-strict quota set by government of 34 foreign films a year.

UNESCO World Heritage sites: preserve local culture.

-since 1972, the UN has given special recognition to places that have unique cultural or physical significance. e.g. Stonehenge

-policies established to protect these places from too much change.

Global Justice Now: movement that advocates for global + economic justice, campaign against trade agreements (TTIP) + privatisation of water