The illegal entry to the US, via its southern
border, of an estimated 500,000 people each
year, has led the US government to start
building a security fence along the most
sensitive areas.
According to the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, Mexico is the country of
origin for the largest numbers of illegal
immigrants in the USA with 6,570,000
migrants, which is 57% of all illegal migrants.
Money sent back to Mexico by the
immigrants is money that is lost from the
American Economy. In 2003 $13bn was sent
to Mexico.
Opposition to illegal immigration has been
reflected in the emergence of Minutemen
groups - citizens who have taken it upon
themselves to patrol the US borders and to
confront illegal workers in cities around the
US.
The availability of cheap labor has given
states like California a “competitive edge”
which has helped fuel economic growth at a
rate consistently higher than the rest of the
nation.
Occasionally, tensions have risen between
Mexican immigrants and other ethnic groups
because of increasing concerns over the
availability of working-class jobs to
Americans and immigrants from other ethnic
groups
Consumers, in turn, pay less for agricultural
products and the service industry jobs that
immigrant labourers perform
Money sent back to Mexico by the immigrants
is money that is lost from the American
Economy. In 2003 $13bn was sent to Mexico.
Despite the relative stagnation of the US
economy, the flow of money keeps growing,
according to recent data. In 2003 it increased
by 35% - the total amount sent that year to
Mexico was more than $13bn.
Critics argue that dependence on remittances
can impair local initiative and create no
incentives for people to move forward.
Remittances from Mexicans in the US have
become one of Mexico's most important
sources of income - second only to oil and
surpassing the traditional tourism industry.
Money sent back to Mexico by the immigrants
is money that is lost from the American
Economy. In 2003 $13bn was sent to Mexico.
Despite the relative stagnation of the US
economy, the flow of money keeps growing,
according to recent data. In 2003 it increased
by 35% - the total amount sent that year to
Mexico was more than $13bn.
Critics argue that dependence on remittances
can impair local initiative and create no
incentives for people to move forward.
Remittances from Mexicans in the US have
become one of Mexico's most important
sources of income - second only to oil and
surpassing the traditional tourism industry.
Hispanics in the USA lag behind the rest of
the population in terms of education. For
example, only 9% of Mexicans in the USA
aged 25 and over have at least a Bachelor’s
degree, compared with 13% of all Hispanics
in the USA and over 20% for the US
population as a whole.
Mexicans are the dominant Hispanic group
in many major metropolitan areas, from
Los Angeles to Chicago, and San Antonio to
Atlanta, with some exceptions in the East,
including Miami (Cubans) and New York
(Puerto Ricans).
diplomats regularly meet with Mexican
American leaders and, what is more
controversial, encourage Mexican
Americans to access social services funded
by U.S. taxpayers. Acting more cautiously,
Mexico has not encouraged its diaspora to
lobby on behalf of the country’s foreign
policy goals, fearing a nationalist backlash
within the United States.
The growing number of Hispanics in the USA
has meant that Hispanics are now looking to
have a greater say in politics. This has led to
the formation of the Tequila Party , a
nonpartisan movement launched on 5 May
(Cinco de Mayo) 2011. Their first political rally,
a call to “get out and vote”, accompanied by
mariachis, was held in Tucson, Arizona.
where the average personal earnings for
Mexicans in the USA aged 16 and over was
$20,000 in 2009, compared to $28.900 for
the US population as a whole.
the children and grandchildren of Mexican
immigrants were able to make close ties with
their extended families in Mexico, since
United States shares a 2,000 mile border with
Mexico. Many had the opportunity to visit
Mexico on a relatively frequent basis. As a
result, many Mexicans were able to maintain
a strong Mexican culture, language, and
relationship with others.
ETHNICITY: New York is home to the largest African American population and the second largest Asian
American population in the United States. In addition it is home to the largest Puerto Rican, Dominican and Jamaican
American populations in the continental United States. The New York City neighborhood of Harlem has historically
been a major cultural capital for African-Americans of sub-Saharan descent, and Bedford Stuyvesant is the largest such
population in the United States. Queens, also in New York City, is home to the state's largest AsianAmerican population, and is also the most diverse county in the United States. The second concentration of AsianAmericans is in Manhattan's Chinatown.
Income Disparities: New York City has a high degree of income disparity. In 2005 the median household income in the
wealthiest census tract was $188,697, while in the poorest it was $9,320.The disparity is driven by wage growth in high
income brackets, while wages have stagnated for middle and lower income brackets. In 2006 the average weekly wage
in Manhattan was $1,453, the highest and fastest growing among the largest counties in the United States. The borough
is also experiencing a baby boom that is unique among American cities. Since 2000, the number of children under age 5
living in Manhattan grew by more than 32%.
More transport: Public transit is New York City's most popular mode of transit. 54.6% of New Yorkers commuted to
work in 2005 using mass transit. This is in contrast to the rest of the United States, where about 90% of commuters
drive automobiles to their workplace. According to the US Census Bureau, New York City residents spend an average of
38.4 minutes a day getting to work, the longest commute time in the nation among large cities
The New York City Subway is the largest rapid transit system in the world when measured by stations in operation, with
468. It is the third-largest when measured by annual ridership (1.5 billion passenger trips in 2006)
New York controlled 40% of the world's finances by the end of 2008, making it the largest financial center in the world.
Many major corporations are headquartered in New York City, including 42 Fortune 500 companies. Manhattan had
353.7 million square feet (32,860,000 m²) of office space in 2001.[Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business
district in the United States. Lower Manhattan is the third largest central business district in the United States. Financial
services account for more than 35% of the city's employment income. Creative industries such as new media,
advertising, fashion, design and architecture account for a growing share of employment
WEALTH & DISPARITIES:
TRADE - NAFTA
The goal of NAFTA was to eliminate barriers to
trade and investment between the US, Canada
and Mexico. The implementation of NAFTA on
January 1, 1994 brought the immediate
elimination of tariffs on more than one-half of
Mexico's exports to the U.S. and more than
one-third of U.S. exports to Mexico
US goods exports to NAFTA in 2010 were
$411.5 billion, up 23.4% ($78 billion) from
2009 and 149% from 1994 (the year prior
to Uruguay Round) and up 190% from
1993 (the year prior to NAFTA). US exports
to NAFTA accounted for 32.2% of overall
US exports in 2010.
US exports of agricultural products to NAFTA
countries totaled $31.4 billion in 2010.
Leading categories included red meats,
fresh/chilled/frozen ($2.7 billion); coarse
grains ($2.2 billion); fresh foods (excluding
nuts) ($1.8 billion); and fresh vegetables ($1.7
billion).
In the USA from 1994 to 2007, net
manufacturing employment has declined by
3,654,000
Maquiladoras (Mexican factories that take
in imported raw materials and produce
goods for export) have become the
landmark of trade in Mexico. These are
plants that moved to this region from the
United States, hence the debate over the
loss of American jobs. Hufbauer's (2005)
book shows that income in the
maquiladora sector has increased 15.5%
since the implementation of NAFTA in
1994.
NAFTA has increased U.S. agricultural exports
to Mexico and Canada even though most of
this increase occurred a decade after its
ratification.
The most serious overall increases in
pollution were found in the base metals
sector, the petroleum sector, and the
transportation equipment sector
KEY STATS
AREA: 830KM2 POP DENSITY: 9, 600 PEOPLE PER KM2
GDP: US$56,103 PER CAPITA (22% MEXICO’S GDP)
Emissions: CO2, NO2, SO2.
58.3 million metric tons of CO2 during
2005.
Acid rains.
HAZARDS & DISASTERS:
HURRICANE KATRINA
Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest and most destructive
Atlantic hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It
was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five
deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. At
least 1,833 people died in the hurricane and subsequent
floods, making it the deadliest U.S. hurricane total property
damage was estimated at $81 billion (2005 USD)
The hurricane surge protection failures in New Orleans are
considered the worst civil engineering disaster in U.S. history
and prompted a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), the designers and builders of the levee
system as mandated by the Flood Control Act of 1965.
Responsibility for the failures and flooding was laid squarely
on the Army Corps in January 2008 by Judge Stanwood
Duval, U.S. District Court,[6] but the federal agency could
not be held financially liable due to sovereign immunity in
the Flood Control Act of 1928.
FEMA provided housing assistance (rental assistance,
trailers, etc.) to more than 700,000 applicants—families and
individuals. However, only one-fifth of the trailers requested
in Orleans Parish were supplied, resulting in an enormous
housing shortage in the city of New Orleans
Eventually 80% of the city and
large tracts of neighboring
parishes became flooded, and
the floodwaters lingered for
weeks.[4] However, the worst
property damage occurred in
coastal areas, such as all
Mississippi beachfront towns,
which were flooded over 90%
in hours, as boats and casino
barges rammed buildings,
pushing cars and houses
inland, with waters reaching
6–12 miles (10–19 km) from
the beach.
Federal disaster declarations
covered 90,000 square miles
(233,000 km2) of the United
States, an area almost as large
as the United Kingdom. The
hurricane left an estimated
three million people without
electricity
HAZARDS & DISASTERS: DEEPWATER
HORIZON GULF OIL SPILL
the largest accidental marine oil spill in the
history of the petroleum industry
A massive response ensued to protect
beaches, wetlands and estuaries from the
spreading oil utilizing skimmer ships, floating
booms, controlled burns and 1.84 million US
gallons (7,000 m3) of Corexit oil dispersant
Following the explosion and sinking of the
Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which claimed 11
lives, a sea-floor oil gusher flowed unabated for
87 days, until it was capped on 15 July 2010.
The total discharge is estimated at 4.9 million
barrels (210 million US gal; 780,000 m3).
Numerous investigations explored the causes of
the explosion and record-setting spill. Notably,
Due to the months-long spill, along with
the U.S. government's September 2011 report
adverse effects from the response and
pointed to defective cement on the well,
cleanup activities, extensive damage to
faulting mostly BP, but also well operator
marine and wildlife habitats, fishing and
Transocean and contractor Halliburton. Earlier in
tourism industries, and human health
2011, a White House commission likewise
problems have continued through 2013
blamed BP and its partners for a series of costcutting decisions and an insufficient safety
As of February 2013, criminal and civil
settlements and payments to a trust fund had system, but also concluded that the spill
resulted from "systemic" root causes and
cost the company $42.2 billion
"absent significant reform in both industry
The U.S. Travel Association estimated that
practices and government policies, might well
the economic impact of the oil spill on
recur"
tourism over a three-year period could be
NOAA had closed 36% of Federal waters in the
$23 billion, in a region that supports over
Gulf of Mexico, for commercial fishing causing
400,000 travel industry jobs generating $34
$2.5 billion cost.
billion in revenue annually.
FOOD & HEALTH: OBESITY
Obesity in the United States has been
increasingly cited as a major health issue in
recent decades. While many industrialized
countries have experienced similar increases,
obesity rates in the United States are among the
highest in the world.
Obesity has been cited as a contributing factor
to approximately 100,000–400,000 deaths in the
United States per year and has increased health
care use and expenditures, costing society an
estimated $117 billion in direct (preventive,
diagnostic, and treatment services related to
weight) and indirect (absenteeism, loss of future
earnings due to premature death) costs and
accounts for 6% to 12% of national health care
expenditures in the United States.
In 2008 New York City was the first city to pass a
“labeling bill” that “require[d] restaurants” in
several cities and states to “post the caloric
content of all regular menu items, in a
prominent place and using the same font and
format as the price.”
From 13% obesity in 1962, estimates have
steadily increased, reaching 19.4% in 1997,
24.5% in 2004, 26.6% in 2007, and 33.8%
(adults) and 17% (children) in 2008. In
2010, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reported higher numbers
once more, counting 35.7% of American
adults as obese, and 17% of American
children.
Under pressure from parents and antiobesity advocates, many school districts
moved to ban sodas, junk foods, and candy
from vending machines and cafeterias.
State legislators in California, for example,
passed laws banning the sale of machinedispensed snacks and drinks in elementary
schools in 2003, despite objections by the
California-Nevada Soft Drink Association.
HealthCorps work to educate people on
healthy eating and advocate for healthy
food choices in an effort to combat obesity
GLOBAL INTERACTIONS:
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
Greenpeace is an independent global
campaigning organization that acts to change
attitudes and behaviour, to protect and
conserve the environment and to promote
peace by:
Catalysing an energy revolution to address the
number one threat facing our planet: climate
change.
Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful
and destructive fishing, and creating a global
network of marine reserves.
Protecting the world’s remaining ancient
forests which are depended on by many
animals, plants and people.
Working for disarmament and peace by
reducing dependence on finite resources and
calling for the elimination of all nuclear
weapons.
Creating a toxin free future with safer
alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's
products and manufacturing.
Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by
encouraging socially and ecologically
responsible farming practices.
Greenpeace evolved from the peace
movement and anti-nuclear protests in
Vancouver, British Columbia, in the late 1960s
and early 1970s.
Lawsuits have been filed against Greenpeace
for lost profits, reputation damage and
"sailormongering”.
Some corporations, such as Royal Dutch Shell,
BP and Électricité de France have reacted to
Greenpeace campaigns by spying on
Greenpeace activities and infiltrating
Greenpeace offices. Greenpeace activists have
also been targets of phone tapping, death
threats, violence and even state terrorism in
the case of bombing of the Rainbow Warrior.
Greenpeace is known for its direct actions and
has been described as the most visible
environmental organization in the world.
Greenpeace has raised environmental issues to
public knowledge. Greenpeace has also been a
source of controversy; its motives and
methods have received criticism
GLOBAL INTERACTIONS: SOCIO-CULTURAL
AMERICANIZATION
Americanization is a term for the influence the
United States has on the culture of other
countries, such as their popular culture,
cuisine, technology, business practices, or
political techniques.
Many U.S.-based artists, such as Elvis Presley
and Michael Jackson are recognized worldwide
and have sold over 500 million albums each.
Michael Jackson's album Thriller, at 100 million
sales, is the best-selling album of all time.
Of the top ten global brands, seven are based
in the United States. Coca-Cola, which holds
the top spot, is often viewed as a symbol of
Americanization. Fast food is also often viewed
as being a symbol of U.S. marketing
dominance. Companies such as Starbucks,
McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Kentucky
Fried Chicken and Domino's Pizza among
others have numerous outlets around the
world.
Hollywood (the American film and
television industry) dominates most of
the world's media markets. It is the chief
medium by which people across the
globe see American fashions, customs,
scenery and way of life.
According to a recent survey by the
influential British broadcast media
magazine Radio Times, The Simpsons,
Lost and Desperate Housewives are
among the most watched TV shows, with
CSI being the most watched show among
the surveyed 20 countries
Public opinion began to resent American
advertising and business methods,
personnel policies, and the use of the
English language by American
companies. Criticism was also directed
toward the international currency system
which was blamed for inflationary
tendencies as a result of the dominant
position of the U.S. dollar.
McDonaldization is a term used by sociologist
George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of
Society (1993). He explains it occurs when a culture
possesses the characteristics of a fast-food
restaurant.
McDonalds serves around 68 million customers
daily in 119 countries.
McDonald's revenues grew 27 percent over the
three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9
percent growth in operating income to $3.9 billion
McDonald's is the world's largest distributor of
toys, which it includes with kids meals. It has been
alleged that the use of popular toys encourages
children to eat more McDonald's food, thereby
contributing to many children's health problems,
including a rise in obesity
The soya that is fed to McDonald’s chickens comes
directly from Brazil. Greenpeace alleges that not
only is soya destroying the Amazon rainforest in
Brazil, but soya farmers are guilty of further crimes
including slavery & the invasion of indigenous
peoples’ lands.
McDonald's adjust to local cultural
preferences and the result is a diminution
of the original McDonald's product. In
fact, the more the company adjusts to
local conditions the more appeal of the
specifically American product may be lost.
At the end of the day, McDonald's is a
contributing factor to glocalization.
This global presence led the British
magazine The Economist to develop the
Big Mac index , which involves comparing
the price of a hamburger (the Big Mac ,
the most famous of the chain) in all
countries where they sell it and establish a
parameter common costs of living in each
country and whether currencies are
overvalued relative to the U.S. dollar .
Thomas Friedman once said that no
country with a McDonald's had gone to
war with another. However, the "Golden
Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention" is
not strictly true. Exceptions include 1989
United States Invasion of Panama