THE STRUCTURES OF GLOBALIZATION LESSON 2 (Part 2) Professor: Candice B. Yee, MM “Globalization transforms the generic religion into a world-system of competing and conflicting religions.” Concepts and Principles • The Interstate is the fundamental basis of the competitive commodity economy at the system level. Thus the interaction of the world market and state system is fundamental to an understanding of capitalist development and its potential transformation into a more collectively rational system. • The world system is the whole system of human interactions. The world economy is now all the economic interactions of all the people on earth, not just international trade and investment. Concepts and Principles • The modern world-system is structured politically as an interstate system, a system of competing and allying states. • world-system –is the main focus of International Relations • Multicentric- main organizational feature of the world political system Concepts and Principles • Polity –general term that means any organization with a single authority that claims control over a territory or a group of people. These includes; 1. bands 2. tribes 3. chiefdoms 4. states and 5. empires Concepts and Principles • All world-systems are composed of multiple interacting polities. Thus we can fruitfully compare the modern interstate system with earlier interpolity system in which there were tribes and chiefdoms, but no states. • Modern world-system is now a global economy with a global political system (the modern interstate system). It also incudes all the cultural aspects and interaction networks of the human population of the earth. Concepts and Principles • Culturally modern system is composed of: a. Several civilizational traditions (Islam, Christendom, Hinduism, Confusionism, etc.) b. Naturally-defined cultural entities – nations (composed of class and functional subcultures, e.g. Lawyers, Technocrats Bureucrats, etc.) c. Cultures of indigenous and minority ethnic groups within states. Concepts and Principles • Important systematic features of the modern system is the rise and fall of hegemonic core powers – the so called “hegemonic sequence” Wallerstein 1984; Chase-Dunn 1998. • Hegemon is a core state that has a significantly greater amount of economic power than any other state, and that takes the political role of system leader. “A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the under world.” CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL GOVERNANCE Global Governance • It is a collective management of common transnational or global problems – those that were created exacerbated by globalization, and which cannot be managed at the nationstate. • Management of this problems is provided through a highly complicated, flexible and loose system of rules, institutions and processes, and involving huge number of state and nonstate actors. Global Governance Problems they deal with 1. Global climate change and pollution of the environment 2. Poverty and management of economic development 3. Deficit of fresh water 4. Financial instability and management of financial markets 5. Global economic crisis or recessions 6. Management of global trade and investments 7. Global energy markets and their instability 8. Global migrations 9. Pandemics (Ebola, COVID-19) 10. Transnational terrorism 11. Transnational crime, etc. Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century A. On 13 June, The Hague Institute welcomed Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, and candidate for the SecretaryGeneralship of the United Nations, to speak on “Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century” as part of the on-going Distinguished Speaker Series at the Institute B. Dr. Abi Williams, President of The Hague Institute, provided welcoming remarks, highlighting the primordial role of UNESCO as a defender of peace. Through its central role in global cooperation in education, culture and science, UNESCO contributes to the prevention of conflicts and the development of robust and agile responses to contemporary global challenges. Advances in science, technology and connectivity offer new opportunities to address these challenges, which are beyond the control of any single state. Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century C. Opening with a congratulatory message to The Hague Institute on its 5th anniversary, Bokova reiterated the special role that The Hague, as the international city of peace and justice, place in confronting global challenges. This role, now amplified by the Netherlands’ Presidency of the EU , stretches from the days of Hugo Grotius to the present. D. In her remarks, Bokova noted that while new technologies have created, new pathways to prosperity, trade and inter-cultural dialogue, the increasing fragmentation of the international community is a cause for concern. Climate change, poverty, violent conflict, intolerance and extremism present direct threats to the unity and well-being of the international community. Bokova emphasized that we must learn, at the heart of our cities and communities, to live together. She mentioned The Hague Institute’s recent report on the role of cities in conflict prevention as a good example of how to develop innovative and sustainable practices to foster communal harmony. Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century E. Bokova also observed that the alarming number of individuals displaced by conflict, which reached a record high in 2015, continues to put pressure on countries across the globe. Migration to Europe has put core values to the test, while the capacities of receiving states in the Middle East, like Lebanon and Jordan are being pushed to the limit. Attacks on cultural rights and cultural heritage, particularly in Syria, Iraq, Mali, threaten inter-cultural tolerance. Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century F. Bokova suggested three points of focus for efforts to address these challenges. First openness of mind and out-of-the-box thinking is crucial. New ideas must be transformed into norms. Bokova highlighted the historic changes brought about by the idea of human rights and human dignity. In this, the United Nations must take a leading role. UNESCO, as a facilitator of inter-cultural dialogue and proponent of education, can also effect change. Its efforts to teach people about the history of Holocaust, as well as programs promoting internet literacy, help to instill common values in youth and create environments that are conducive to respectful dialogue. Second the international community must focus on building resilient societies. By fighting exclusions and fostering inclusions, societies become stronger. Key to this resilience is the role of women. Currently, Bokova argues, this is the weakest aspect of the international community’s work. To facilitate meaningful change, the international community must improve the standing and participation of women in all sectors. Presently, only 60% of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education, and only 38% in secondary education. Education must also be a priority where refugees are concerned,in order to avoid a “lost generation” of youth. Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century F. Bokova suggested three points of focus for efforts to address these challenges. Third Bokova urged new thinking about peacebuilding. The world urgently needs legitimate and effective peace efforts, before, during and after conflicts. Preventive measures are key, and must involve the soft power embodied by UNESCO’s educational and inter-cultural programs. In response to questions posed during Q&A session, Bokova also discussed how the United Nations and UNESCO could address conflicts related to water and enforce the protection of world heritage. *Source: http://www.thehagueinstituteforglobaljustice.org/latestinsights/news-brief/challenges-of-global-governance-in-the-21stcentury/ Present Challenges of Global Governance • A growing number of emerging global governance actors aim to contribute to the solution of interdependent issues supplementing, and sometimes clashing, with already established regimes designed to address certain international problems separately from other issues. Hale et al (2013) define the situation when current international institutions fail to provide coordinated response to current agendas challenges as “gridlock”. Through the examples sovereignty continues to challenge the practical application of those ideas internationally. Huge and severe violations of peoples’ rights and freedoms during the inter-or intra-state wars or conflicts continue to erode human security indifferent parts of the world. Present Challenges of Global Governance • Various Global Governance actors coalesce around the ideas and norms of human rights and human security; however the principle of sovereignty continues to challenge the practical application of those ideas internationally. Huge and severe violations of peoples’ rights and freedom during inter-or intra-state wars or conflicts continue to erode human security in different parts of the world. • However governance actors working for the maintenance of peace, security, justice and the protection of human rights have limited capacity to improve situations because of complicated approval procedures of humanitarian intervention or authorization of peacekeeping operations. ex. Political divisions and partisan interests within the Security Council (particularly the use of Veto power by some of its permanent member) blocked any international response to the mass atrocities committed in Syria, thus strengthening impunity and encouraging the expansion of war crimes against humanity (Adams, 2015) Present Challenges of Global Governance • A rise of a nationalist sentiments and movements in Russia and some European countries also continues to erode international cooperation in response to challenges such as huge impact of refugees, and the on-going conflict in Ukraine. All of this threaten the international security, and order in general, that was created during the post – cold war period. • As the principle of the responsibility to protect has gained political support and international legitimacy since it was introduced about a decade ago, its contribution to preventing mass atrocities and protection population remains low. As Luck (2015) points out policy practitioners and scholars need to think in a more nuanced way about sovereignty. Present Challenges of Global Governance • Both decision of sovereignty, when government choose to independently determine whether a particular course of action for the cause of human rights protection is in their national interest and erosion of sovereignty open the door to more atrocities within and across states’ boundaries. The scholar, for instance argues that the ineffective exercise of sovereignty by a number of states over their own territory becomes a significant barrier to exercising protection responsibilities in other place (Luck, 2015:504). • Power become more diffused • Advocacy for better representation in institutions have started to develop and maintain alternative institutions for economic and political collaborations. Present Challenges of Global Governance • Western ideas of privatization, autonomous markets and open capital accounts are challenged by state-controlled approaches to development in the countries of so-called Global South. • Most liberal features of Global Governance are being contested by rising powers (Stephen, 2014). A small group of big and influential countries such as India and China gain more negotiating power (Barkin, 2013), as their non-participation in international treaties and policies (ex. Climate Change) might substantially diminish the effects of other countries’ efforts to solve these global issues. • Economic inequality contributes to a rise in extremism and social unrest, and it also raises the questions of what responsibility the international community should bear for human development beyond just satisfying basic needs, that is, security, food and shelter.
