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Globalization?
Economic Globalization? Globalization of a Corporate Agenda?
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At
a market in Oaxaca City, Mexico, a young girl sells matches
and eucalyptus pads for bathing.
Photo credit: UN ILO archives
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What
is Globalization?
Globalization
is different from internationalization, which is simply the
spread of culture, technology and people around the world. Globalization
refers to the spread of neoliberal economics--economic policies
and practices shaped by the transnational corporations and an
array of corporate, trade and patent lawyers, public officials
and governments, and supporting institutions, such as the World
Bank and other investors, the International Monetary Fund and
the World Trade Organization (WTO), backed--when needed--by
the military power of the United States and its allies du jour.
Neoliberal
economics attempts--through privatization, resource extraction,
trade liberalization, and reduced government spending on public
services--to commodify everything so as to increase profits
for corporations, their stockholders, and the allies mentioned
above.
Of course
it is more complex (and more interesting) than this and the
resources below will get you started toward an understanding
of this topic, one whose effects determine, now and into the
future, the state and fate of billions of people.
EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES
1)
Church and Society - March/April 2006 Magazine (The Last
Issue)
Globalization:
A Call to Listen, A Challenge to Respond
Globalization
has been described as a two-edged sword: enriching some, impovershing
others. In this issue, particular focus is given to the PC(USA)'s
Joining Hands Against Hunger program and its partnerships
between presbyteries and partner churches and NGOs in Peru,
Bolivia and Cameroon. Recent ecumenical statements provide
a global call to listen and a global challenge to respond
in ways that will create a better future for all God's children.
$3.00
Item # 7243106602. Order now by clicking
here and entering the above item number. Or call (800)
524-2612 to order by phone.
2)
Globalization and Trade Study Papers
from PC(USA)'s Advisory Committee on Social
Witness Policy (ACSWP)
The
ACSWP has developed a series of four study papers on globalization
and trade issues impacting the church and the world as the
new millennium dawns. They serve as a basis for the development
of a Resolution anticipated for the 217th General Assembly
(2006). They are the following and can be ordered through
PDS or downloaded:
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“The
Globalization of Economic Life: Challenge to the Church”
by Gordon Douglass.
or 
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“The
Employment Effects of Free Trade and Globalization”
by Pharis Harvey.
or
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“The
Impact of Globalization on Environment” by Bob
Stivers.
or
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“Cultural
Aspects of the Globalization of the Economy”
by Ruy O. Costa.
or
3)
Global Discipleship CD
This free CD-ROM (PC and Mac compatible) from the Presbyterian
Hunger Program is intended for use in your congregation's
high school and adult study classes to learn more about our
roles as Christians in a global economy.
Go to the PC(USA) Marketplace
and in the search field enter the words - global discipleship.
The
following resources should be useful for sparking ideas, but
may not be specifically backed by GA policy:
4)
Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust
World
by
Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson (Rethinking Schools Press, 2003)
This comprehensive new book from Rethinking Schools -- more
than 400 pages -- helps teachers raise critical issues with
students in grades 4 - 12 about the increasing globalization
of the world's economies and infrastructures, and the many
different impacts this trend has on our planet and those who
live here. Teachers resources available online. Go...
5)
Defining Globalization - Articles and analysis from the
Global Policy Forum Go...
6)
Cases of Globalization - We often discuss globalization
in the abstract, but how does the phenomenon affect real people
and places?
Globalization expands and accelerates the movement and exchange
of ideas and commodities over vast distances. It is common
to discuss the phenomenon from an abstract, global perspective,
but in fact globalization's most important impacts are often
highly localized. From the Global Policy Forum - Go...
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
Global
Action: Trade in the Balance that comes with a CD called
"Resourcing the Church to Change the World"
(with sections: global issues unpacked, Bibles studies, Powerpoint
presentations, simple campaign actions, prayer points, background
info). It's filled with Biblical justification for involvement
in the global trade debate. An excellent resource from TEAR
Fund/United Kingdom ("Christian Action with the World's
Poor"), the World Vision-type organization of Britain.
Go...
http://www.tearfund.org/campaigning/globalaction
For
email enquiries click
here
MAKING
GLOBAL TRADE WORK for People
UN Development Programme
This report presents a far reaching reassessment of the current
multilateral trade regime and examines how it can be improved
in order to contribute genuinely to human development Go...
GLOBALIZATION
RESOURCE LIST! (PDF) Go...
Your
reactions and ideas are encouraged.
Please email
or call (888) 728-7228 x5388.
Prepared
by Andrew Kang Bartlett
Associate for National Hunger Concerns
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