Chapter 1 – Understandings of
Globalization
Unit 1 – To what extent
should globalization
shape identity?
Course Description
Globalization is a process that is making the world’s
citizens increasingly interdependent economically,
socially, politically, environmentally, and
technologically. In the Grade 10 Social Studies
program students will explore multiple perspectives
on the origins of globalization and the local and
national impact of globalization on lands, cultures,
economies, human rights, and quality of life.
Students will examine the relationships among
globalization, citizenship and identity to enhance
skills for citizenship in a globalizing world.
What is Globalization?
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Globalization is…
A process of becoming more globally
interconnected (world-wide)
The building of ties within and among the
peoples of the world.
A process that is making the world’s citizens
increasingly interdependent economically,
socially, politically, and through technology
What is Globalization?
Concept Card – Globalization
On the blank side write: globalization
On the lined side: the definition
Factors….
What global (world) factors are contributing
to globalization?
Let’s focus on the positive (+) 
Post – it Activity
How did we do that?
By speaking our mind we express..
Point of View – when we speak about what
we know based on our individual identities.
We all have different points of view because
we have all had, to some degree, different
experiences of the world.
Throughout the text, you will encounter a
variety of points of view…take them for what
they are.
How did we do that?
By speaking our mind, we presented our
Perspective – when we speak about what we
know based on our collective identities.
A perspective conveys a world view of a
cultural group, faith, age category, economic
group, or language group.
Why would I care about what other
people think?
Canada is a pluralistic society. This means
that our history has helped us learn to value
the many perspectives of the many groups of
people within our society.
It is important to we respect individual points
of view, but also what groups have to say
from their collective perspectives.
It’s all about diversity…
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Respect for diversity goes hand-in-hand with
respect for point of view and perspective.
This respect for diversity in Canada
encourages the development of a vibrant,
democratic, society.
By learning about a variety of points of view
and perspectives about globalization, you will
understand the issues far better.
Who does it affect?
A frog in a pot on the stove will not realize that
the temperature is slowly increasing. The frog
will quietly sit there – perhaps feeling a little
warm – until it is half cooked.
Globalization works in a similar way. It slowly
creeps up on you. Ever so gradually it
changes what you do, how you live, what you
love, and who you are.
Drawn to Technology
Inuit children and teenagers playing
video games in a games room in
Baker Lake, Nunavut.
By these adolescents being drawn
into this technology, they are
being affected by cultural
influences that come from outside
of their Inuit Community.
These video games might have
been designed in Montréal,
Canada or Tokyo Japan. This
cultural globalization affecting
people.
Perspectives On Globalization
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As we begin to explore Unit 1 of Perspectives on
Globalization, you will have an opportunity to think
about the many ways that globalization affects your
life and your identity. You can begin to form an
opinion about the degree to which you want
globalization to affect who you are and who you will
become. This might lead to you thinking of the
negative (-) side to globalization.
Understandings of Globalization
Chapter Focus: To what extent does globalization
influence my life?
Chapter Issue: To what extent does globalization
influence my life?
In order to answer these questions, we need to take
a closer look at economic, social, and political forms
of globalization.
How does Globalization affect
Economic Aspects of People’s Lives?
It is a sunny Saturday afternoon that draws
you outside before your shift at Home Depot.
You pop by your favourite boutique to pick
out a snazzy pair of earrings for your best
friend’s birthday. Then you stop by Walmart
to find a reasonably priced pair of jeans. After
grabbing a burger at Wendy’s, you rush to
catch the bus to work on time.
Global Trade
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For almost as long as people have lived in
communities, they have taken part in longdistance trade. Using their economic skills,
the people traded for things they needed.
Unless you have made the conscious choice
to buy clothes that are only made in Canada,
then you buy items that originate in other
countries.
Global Trade
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International trade networks now extend
across the planet. Globalization has created
the international economy that makes these
products available to you.
In 2004 along, Canada exported $429 billion
worth of goods and services. In the same
year, we imported $363 billion worth of goods
and services.
Global Trade
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The import and export of goods and services
is only the simplest form of global integration
of the world’s economies. Globalization has
reinvented the way companies operate in our
world.
Assignment One – Origin of items
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In order to better understand how
globalization affects economic aspects of
your life, you are being asked to make a list
of the items that you have used or had
contact with since you woke up this morning.
Once you have made this list, you will then
need to research or later look at the labels on
these items to see where they originated.
of
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We were introduced to the idea of
globalization.
We defined point of view and perspective.
We discussed how globalization affects the
economic aspects of people’s lives.
You completed the origin of items
assignment…what was that all about?
Question for Inquiry
Chapter Focus: To what extent does
globalization influence my life?
Section One: How does globalization affect
economic aspects of people’s lives?
Global Trade
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For almost as long as people have lived in
communities, they have taken part in longdistance trade.
Using their economic skills, the people traded
for things they needed.
The import and export of goods and services is
only the simplest form of global integration of
the world’s economies.
Global Trade
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Globalization has
reinvented they way
companies operate in
our world.
One form of economic
globalization that is
directly affecting
people’s lives: the
growth of transnational
companies.
Transnational Companies
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Globalization has allowed the expansion of
thousands of companies. Instead of
operating in one country, they operate in
many countries.
Some of these companies produce goods
while others are retail operations – they sell
goods and services to the public.
Transnational Companies
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When you think of the major companies that
provide you and your community with goods
and services, many of them are international
retailers such as Wal-Mart.
Any corporation that operates in two or more
countries is a transnational company.
Examples: Wal-Mart, McDonald’s,
Blockbuster, Home Depot, Burger King, etc.
Transnational Companies
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The desire for profit by these companies and
the demand from consumers allows for these
corporations to expand into new markets.
By operating at a larger scale, they can make
more money
To make their expansions possible, they
have worked to change world market
regulations.
The Wal-Mart Phenomenon
Wal-Mart an American department store
chain, arrived in Canada in 1994 when it
purchased 122 former Woolco stores. In little
more than a decade, it grew to 288 stores in
this country.
Dedicated to providing the lowest prices on
products and services, Wal-Mart has been
admired by many for its business strategies.
The Wal-Mart Phenomenon
By 2005, Wal-Mart had a market share of
almost 52 percent of the department store
retail trade in Canada.
In other words, more than half of all sales in
department stores took place in this one
chain – Wal-Mart.
The Wal-Mart Phenomenon
Keep in mind that success in the
marketplace is only one criterion for forming
an opinion about a company. You might also
consider its dealings with its employees, its
effects on communities, or its effects on
your identity.
As you read the handout, think about why
people’s opinions about Wal-Mart vary.
Wal-Mart comes to town - A closer look
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The possibility of getting a Wal-Mart in town
has generated great controversy within
communities across Canada and the US.
Why do people get so vocal about this
possibility?
Read what three of them have to say and
complete assignment three – due at the end
of class today or it becomes homework!
Globalization & Social Aspects of
Society
Section 2 focus question:
How does Globalization affect social aspects
of people’s lives?
Globalization & Social Aspects of
Society
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A society is a group of people
who form an ordered
community centred on
kinship, an ideology, a
religion, a language, or a
particular world view.
This does not mean that
everyone within a society is
the same or that they all think
alike.
Globalization & Social
Aspects of Society
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Even in small societies, people fall into
different groupings.
They have different perspectives based on
their age, gender, household, and ethnic
heritage.
In traditional societies, though, most
interactions are with other people in the
community, so people tend to share the a
similar world view.
Globalization & Social
Aspects of Society
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Within larger societies, members often have
highly contrasting values.
In Canada, the region in which you live
hugely affects your world view. It means you
might identify with both Albertan and
Canadian society.
You may also identify with people of your
own age, people from a particular cultural
group, or people who share your interests.
Globalization & Social Aspects of
Society
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Other forces can affect who
you are. A sudden event such
a winning a million dollars,
could turn your life upside
down.
Some forces are just as
powerful but harder to see.
Globalization is one such
force. Over time, globalization
has been slowly changing who
are you.
Globalization Affecting Who You Are
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Globalization is more than the mere transfer
of goods – it is also the transfer of culture.
The clothing you wear, the music that you
listen to, the movies and television shows
you watch – these are all part of the social
dimension of your life.
It is highly likely that globalization has
affected your choices in all four areas.
Globalization Affecting Who You Are
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In 2005, Teenaged girls
in Edmonton, Alberta;
London, England; and
Hong Kong, china, were
all imitating the clothing
worn by international pop
stars in the music videos
they watched and the
international teen
magazines they read.
Globalization Affecting Who You Are
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In 2005, teenaged boys in
Tokyo, Japan; Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil; and
Calgary, Alberta, were also
responding to global media
influences. Many saw what
they wanted to be on
MuchMusic and in
American T.V. shows such
as The O.C.
Did you know..
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Born in France and raised in
America, jeans have
hugged the frames of icons
for years. It hasn’t always
been this way – at one
point, denim was simply a
faux pas, rather uncool, if
you will. Then came the
1950s, teenage rebellion,
and a young stunner named
James Dean. Denim was
the quintessential item for
revolt, and some schools
even banned them.
Globalization Affecting Who
You Are
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Now consider music. Do you listen to music
created by international artists?
You are one of the many Canadian teens that
are downloading music from the Internet
daily.
The globalized computer network means that
you can get music as easily from South
Africa as you can from Canada.
Globalization Affecting Who You Are
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Think about the movies you
watched in the last month. How
many were made outside of
Canada?
Globalization often affects how
movies are made.
For example, some films are
made in more than one country,
feature stars from a variety of
countries, and get their funding
from more than one source.
Television and its Impacts
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Information technologies such as television,
radio, and the Internet have dissolved our
sense of cultural boundaries.
Television in particular, has crept into every
living room. It is difficult, now, to get away
from it.
The TV Affect on Social Identities
The Dazzle of TV Land:
The most obvious power of
television is its ability to
capture our attention.
According to some experts,
television removes the
viewer’s consciousness from
the immediate social and
physical environment, often
for extended periods of time.
The TV Affect on Social Identities
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Anthropologists point out an effect of
television on cultures: when people watch
television, they fail to participate in and
sustain, the living culture around them.
Reflected in the light of television’s dazzle,
traditional ways of communicating can seem
dull.
There is a distinct risk that generations
drawn to the television screen will lose a
critical aspect of their cultures.
Globalization via Television
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Now that you know how television can work
against traditional cultures, you can better
understand why it is a powerful globalizing
force, deeply affecting societies both
positively and negatively.
Some people say that TV is harmless
entertainment. Others argue that televisions
is the most powerful medium in the world
today.
Globalization via Television
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TV has helped create what Canadian Marshall
McLuhan called “the global village.”
In 1964, McLuhan foresaw that virtually everyone in
the world would become connected through
television. The world would shrink, he said, bringing
people together, as in a village.
In the 1960s, televisions were a luxury, quite rare in
most countries in the world. McLuhan understood
the potential of this technology to change us.
Globalization via Television
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Today approximately one
billion television sets
entertain us in homes
around the world.
Since the 1980s, access to
television increased rapidly
throughout Asia and the
Arab world.
Control of the Airways
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Increased communication is not, in itself,
such a bad thing.
A problem occurs when you think about who
controls the message.
If American-owned multinational media
companies own the airwaves, it means that a
largely American message gets broadcast all
over the world.
Control of the Airways
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A dilemma arises when
the values of Americans,
broadcast via television,
conflict with the values of
the people watching the
program.
People may end up
valuing the American
lifestyle, and rejecting their
own traditional cultures.
Control of the Airways
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Some national governments screen what
media are allowed into their countries.
Islamic leaders in government blamed
foreign television for spreading “corrupt”
Western culture.
International television was exposing
Iranians to the liberal values of the West.
This was a problem for a society that wished
to maintain its traditional values and culture.
Globalization Affecting Political
Aspects of Society
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Question for Inquiry Section 3:
How does globalization affect political
aspects of people’s lives?
Globalization + Political Aspects
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We have touched on the ways that
globalization can affect the social and
economic dimensions of your life.
It can be a little harder to see the ways that
globalization can affect the political
dimension of your life.
Political Decision Making
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Let us begin by looking at how globalization
can affect the highest level of political
decision making in our country.
The influence can come in the form of
international political pressure.
For example, our government
representatives must abide by international
trade agreements that government has
signed with other countries.
Political Decision Making
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Government representatives make
political decisions to take part in
military, peacekeeping, and
humanitarian ventures because of
events taking place far beyond our
borders.
Canada belongs to global
organizations such as the United
Nations, the G8 (group of 8)
countries, and NATO.
Political Decision Making
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Leaders of the countries in these groups hold
meetings to address international economic, social,
and political issues.
Sometimes global problems can be resolved only
through the co-operation of many countries.
Canada’s political leaders attempt to meet Canada’s
obligations to provide assistance to people in need
whenever they are in the world.
Political Decision Making
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Yet we can look at this in a
different way. Our government
representatives act only because
of pressure from people like you
who care about what goes on the
in the world.
On December 26 2004, an
earthquake on the Sumatra
faultline caused a tsunami and
flooding that took the lives of
more than 150 000 people in
Southeast Asia.
Political Decision Making
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Within hours, Canadians were glued to the
televisions and computers. We heard some stories
and saw the news clips that flashed onto our
screens.
Our reaction was swift. Active citizens began
donating funds and calling on our political
representatives to take action.
The quick reaction of governments everywhere was
political globalization at work.
Did you know..
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Canadian citizens contributed $137 million to
aid tsunami victims. The federal government
kept its promise to match these donations.
Global Political Change
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Political globalization can affect more than
humanitarian efforts. It can even influence
the form of government that the citizens of a
nation choose for themselves. This is the
globalization of political ideas.
Democracy is an example of a political idea
that has been spreading from country to
country for centuries.
Global Political Change
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Those who support democracy believe it
boosts people’s standards of living and
improves the ethics of government.
They believe that democracy brings people
freedom: freedom to choose their
government, freedom to make personal
choices, freedom from government control.
In 2005, of the world’s 193 countries, 118
were considered electoral democracies.
Global Political Change
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The gradual adoption of democracy by more
and more countries over time is a form of
globalization.
As societies are exposed to the political
ideas of others, they adopt some of them.
East Timor
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Let’s take a look at a political movement in
East Timor that achieved political change,
partially thanks to the globalization of the
media and information technologies.
Student Activism in East Timor
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For nearly 4 centuries, the Portuguese ruled
the tiny island country of East Timor. Then,
in 1975, while the world looked the other
way, the Indonesian army invaded East
Timor and stayed. For years, nothing was
done. The world’s attention was focussed
elsewhere.
Then the citizens of East Timor began to
protest.
Student Activism in
East Timor
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Students became very active in campaigning
to convince the Indonesian military to leave
all along believing in peaceful protest.
In 1991, an event caught the world’s
attention – it was the Sana Cruz massacre.
On November 12, the occupying Indonesian
army gunned down hundreds of East
Timorese students who were demonstrating
peacefully.
Student Activism in East
Timor
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271 were killed, 382 were wounded, and 250
disappeared.
The Indonesian government finally agreed to
allow the United Nations to run a referendum
in East Timor in 1999.
88% of East Timorese citizens voted for
independence. And on Sunday, May 19th,
2002, tens of thousands of East Timorese
citizens celebrated their freedom!
Independence Achieved
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In the years following, the citizens of East
Timor have created a democratic
government of their own choosing.