GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATIONWhere Does Africa fit in?Where Does Africa fit in?

Yoruba drummers Yoruba drummers Erin-Osun, Nigeria (1997)Erin-Osun, Nigeria (1997)

WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION?WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION?

• ACTIVATING YOUR ACTIVATING YOUR COMMITMENTSCOMMITMENTS

• CONNECTING CONNECTING ACROSS ACROSS DIFFERENCEDIFFERENCE

• FORGING NEW FORGING NEW RELATIONSHIPS RELATIONSHIPS

• SPREAD OF SPREAD OF PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, COMMUNICATION, & COMMUNICATION, & TECHNOLOGIES TECHNOLOGIES ACROSS THE WORLDACROSS THE WORLD

Increasing interconnections

world-wide

Did you know 2.0

DEBATESDEBATES1.1. Is globalization new or old? Is globalization new or old?

2.2. Is globalization good or bad?Is globalization good or bad?

3.3. Is globalization really “global” or Is globalization really “global” or inclusive of all people? inclusive of all people?

4.4. What is the relationship between What is the relationship between globalization “from above” and globalization “from above” and globalization “from below”?globalization “from below”?

6 ASPECTS OF GLOBALIZATION6 ASPECTS OF GLOBALIZATION

1.1. ECONOMICECONOMIC

2.2. TECHNOLOGICALTECHNOLOGICAL

3.3. CULTURALCULTURAL

4.4. POLITICALPOLITICAL

5.5. MILITARYMILITARY

6.6. ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL

THESE ASPECTS ARE THESE ASPECTS ARE INTERCONNECTED!INTERCONNECTED!

1. ECONOMIC 1. ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

EARLY CAPITALIST IDEAS:EARLY CAPITALIST IDEAS:

1. “Free Market Economy” (Adam 1. “Free Market Economy” (Adam Smith, Smith, Wealth of NationsWealth of Nations, 1776), 1776)

Market is “free” from State Market is “free” from State controlcontrol

2. Division of labor2. Division of labor

3. Competition3. Competition

ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATIONECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION

Economies Are Increasingly Linked Economies Are Increasingly Linked TogetherTogether

EXS: NAFTA (MX, CA, US), The EUEXS: NAFTA (MX, CA, US), The EU

EX: World Trade Organization (1995)EX: World Trade Organization (1995)– Only global international organization Only global international organization

dealing with the rules of trade between dealing with the rules of trade between nationsnations

– help producers of goods & services help producers of goods & services conduct their businessconduct their business

ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATIONECONOMIC GLOBALIZATIONEX: MULTI-NATIONAL EX: MULTI-NATIONAL

CORPORATIONSCORPORATIONS OLD: Dutch East India OLD: Dutch East India

Company (1602)Company (1602) company of Dutch company of Dutch

merchants & merchants & independent trading independent trading companies companies

Spice trade monopoly Spice trade monopoly in East Asiain East Asia

Power to colonize Power to colonize territories & enslave territories & enslave indigenous peopleindigenous people

Indonesia & South Indonesia & South AfricaAfrica

ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATIONECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION NEW: Nike, Wal-Mart, Royal/Dutch Shell NEW: Nike, Wal-Mart, Royal/Dutch Shell Top 100 multinationals are all US-owned Top 100 multinationals are all US-owned

companies!companies! Royal/Dutch Shell: global group of energy and Royal/Dutch Shell: global group of energy and

petrochemical companies, operating in more petrochemical companies, operating in more than 140 countries and territories, employing than 140 countries and territories, employing more than 112,000 peoplemore than 112,000 people

Global Exchange: www.globalexchange.orgGlobal Exchange: www.globalexchange.org

Economic Globalization in Economic Globalization in AFRICAAFRICA

Little Industry and TechnologyLittle Industry and Technology Can economic globalization can help Can economic globalization can help

reduce reduce povertypoverty?? ““Brain Drain” Brain Drain” Debt (IMF loans) AF countries can’t even Debt (IMF loans) AF countries can’t even

pay back interestpay back interest 300 million pple live on less than $1/day300 million pple live on less than $1/day 48% pple in sub-Saharan AF in extreme 48% pple in sub-Saharan AF in extreme

poverty (less than 750 calories/day)poverty (less than 750 calories/day) 2001 Index for Foreign Investment in 2001 Index for Foreign Investment in

Africa was “0” Africa was “0” Gap between rich and poor increasingGap between rich and poor increasing 2006: China & AF next economic 2006: China & AF next economic

partners?partners?

2. TECHNOLOGICAL2. TECHNOLOGICAL GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

• ““World Wide Web” has World Wide Web” has exploded in last 10 yearsexploded in last 10 years

• Computers can move money Computers can move money around world = “finance around world = “finance capital”capital”

• 2005: IBM was 162005: IBM was 16thth largest largest corporation in worldcorporation in world

AfricaAfrica Number of telephones is Number of telephones is

decreasingdecreasing More computers in More computers in

Manhattan than all of Manhattan than all of Africa!Africa!

Post-colonial infrastructures Post-colonial infrastructures don’t support technologydon’t support technology

3. CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION3. CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION

McArabia Kofta 2005: Hong Kong

Disneyland5th Disneyland in the

world!

CULTURAL GLOBALIZATIONCULTURAL GLOBALIZATION Cultural ImperialismCultural Imperialism = Dominance of = Dominance of

one culture over othersone culture over others Hollywood movies, MacDonald’s, Hollywood movies, MacDonald’s,

Disneyland, Starbucks Disneyland, Starbucks Dominance of the English language and Dominance of the English language and

invasion of other languagesinvasion of other languages Do people all over the world have the Do people all over the world have the

same taste?same taste?

AfricaAfrica ““Culture Industry” = opportunities for Culture Industry” = opportunities for

Africans to sell their culture on a Africans to sell their culture on a “global market” that values “global market” that values “authentic” culture“authentic” culture

4. POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION4. POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION

EX: The United Nations (1945):EX: The United Nations (1945): global global association of governments facilitating association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, cooperation in international law, security, economic development, and security, economic development, and social equitysocial equity

• Whose interests does the UN represent?Whose interests does the UN represent?

• The US and the UK were the only nations The US and the UK were the only nations in support of going to war in Iraqin support of going to war in Iraq

• Can a global politics Can a global politics with social valueswith social values exist? exist?

• Alternative political gatherings: Annual Alternative political gatherings: Annual World Social Forums since 2001, The World Social Forums since 2001, The Piece Process @ Gavilan College in 2005!Piece Process @ Gavilan College in 2005!

POLITICAL GLOBALIZATIONPOLITICAL GLOBALIZATIONSouth Africa Ex.South Africa Ex.

• 2001: US pharmaceutical corporations 2001: US pharmaceutical corporations sued South African companies for sued South African companies for infringing on AIDS medication patent infringing on AIDS medication patent laws laws

• 2003: President Bush announced the 2003: President Bush announced the Emergency Plan in 2003 - the largest Emergency Plan in 2003 - the largest international health initiative in history international health initiative in history by one nation to address a single diseaseby one nation to address a single disease

• HIV/AIDS Situation in 2004HIV/AIDS Situation in 2004HIV Infected: 5.3 millionHIV Infected: 5.3 millionAIDS Deaths: 370,000AIDS Deaths: 370,000AIDS Orphans: 1.1 million AIDS Orphans: 1.1 million

5. MILITARY 5. MILITARY GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

Nuclear BombsNuclear Bombs F/A-22 RaptorF/A-22 Raptor

MILITARY MILITARY GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

Smart BombsSmart BombsSidewinder MissilesSidewinder Missiles

MILITARY MILITARY GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

Global alliances become clear during war Global alliances become clear during war timetime

Ex: Today’s US alliance with Britain in Ex: Today’s US alliance with Britain in wars against Afghanistan and Iraqwars against Afghanistan and Iraq

What will happen with North Korea, Iran, What will happen with North Korea, Iran, & nuclear warfare?& nuclear warfare?

AfricaAfrica ““Trade in Arms” = US sold $227 million in Trade in Arms” = US sold $227 million in

arms to AF in 1990sarms to AF in 1990s US train and provide weapons for African US train and provide weapons for African

armies on both sides of their civil wars armies on both sides of their civil wars US = #1 exporter of weapons globallyUS = #1 exporter of weapons globally US = last to export non-military aid to US = last to export non-military aid to

developing worlddeveloping world

6. ENVIRONMENTAL 6. ENVIRONMENTAL GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION Human impact on environment = Human impact on environment =

unsustainableunsustainable

Carbon dioxide & other greenhouse Carbon dioxide & other greenhouse gasses = measurable effect on global gasses = measurable effect on global climateclimate

Chlorofluorocarbons & other man-made Chlorofluorocarbons & other man-made gases = attacked & depleted ozone layergases = attacked & depleted ozone layer

Pesticides & other pollutants = global Pesticides & other pollutants = global threat to human & nonhuman immune threat to human & nonhuman immune systemssystems

Resource crisis = depletion of tropical Resource crisis = depletion of tropical forests, collapse of ocean fisheries, global forests, collapse of ocean fisheries, global impoverishment of biological diversityimpoverishment of biological diversity

6. ENVIRONMENTAL GLOBALIZATION6. ENVIRONMENTAL GLOBALIZATION

Epidemic vulnerability = helped by Epidemic vulnerability = helped by global spread of antibiotic resistanceglobal spread of antibiotic resistance

Global movements of invasive Global movements of invasive introduced species = major biological & introduced species = major biological & economic impacts on Mediterranean, economic impacts on Mediterranean, Black Sea, Great Lakes, grazing lands, Black Sea, Great Lakes, grazing lands, forests, & other resources forests, & other resources

How to escape environmental limits? How to escape environmental limits? No escape! Planet Earth is a closed No escape! Planet Earth is a closed system!system!

ENVIRONMENTAL GLOBALIZATION in ENVIRONMENTAL GLOBALIZATION in AFRICAAFRICA

OGONILAND, NIGERIA EX. OGONILAND, NIGERIA EX.

– Niger-Delta region = 90% of Niger-Delta region = 90% of Nigeria’s oil; 500,000 people; Nigeria’s oil; 500,000 people; densely populated riverine land; densely populated riverine land; fisher people and farmersfisher people and farmers

– 1950s = Royal Dutch Shell Oil set up 1950s = Royal Dutch Shell Oil set up agreement with British govt. to agreement with British govt. to mine area for crude oil mine area for crude oil

– SPDC = Shell Petroleum SPDC = Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (NI Development Corporation (NI subsidiary)subsidiary)

Ogoniland Ex. Cont.Ogoniland Ex. Cont.– poorly maintained network of poorly maintained network of

above ground pipes, running above ground pipes, running directly through villages or directly through villages or farmlandfarmland

– routine spills of crude oil, Shell has routine spills of crude oil, Shell has repeatedly denied responsibilityrepeatedly denied responsibility

– Gas flares = spilled gas is burned Gas flares = spilled gas is burned for control; major air pollution & for control; major air pollution & soot; CO2 & Methane severely soot; CO2 & Methane severely impact global warmingimpact global warming

Ogoni people Organized & Ogoni people Organized & ProtestedProtested

1990 = MOSOP, Movement for Survival 1990 = MOSOP, Movement for Survival of Ogoni People led by Ken Saro-Wiwaof Ogoni People led by Ken Saro-Wiwa

International support: UN AF Human International support: UN AF Human Rights Commission; Intl. environ. & Rights Commission; Intl. environ. & human rights organization; NGO’shuman rights organization; NGO’s

1993 = 300,000 pple demonstrated for 1993 = 300,000 pple demonstrated for UN Year of Indigenous PeopleUN Year of Indigenous People

1995 = S-W & 8 Ogoni activists hanged 1995 = S-W & 8 Ogoni activists hanged by Nigerian govt. to their deaths!by Nigerian govt. to their deaths!

The Ogoni Struggle continues…The Ogoni Struggle continues…

You can kill the messenger but not the message!You can kill the messenger but not the message! NIGER DELTA WOMEN PROTEST NIGER DELTA WOMEN PROTEST

Resisting Injustice, Resisting Injustice, Demanding Change…Demanding Change…

San Francisco, 2002San Francisco, 2002

The Karnataka State Farmers' Movement (KRRS) burn genetically modified crops as part of the "Cremate Monsanto" campaign.

Karnataka, India, 1998.

Zapatista women are vigilant in defending their Zapatista women are vigilant in defending their community. Chiapas, Mexicocommunity. Chiapas, Mexico

Palestinian women protest against the Israeli occupation and Palestinian women protest against the Israeli occupation and escalation of military aggression against civilians in the West escalation of military aggression against civilians in the West

Bank and Gaza. San Francisco, California, 2002.Bank and Gaza. San Francisco, California, 2002.

UCSC Lecturers UCSC Lecturers Protest Unfair Labor Practices, 2002Protest Unfair Labor Practices, 2002

"You must be the "You must be the change you wish to change you wish to see in the world." see in the world."

  - Mahatma Gandhi- Mahatma Gandhi