Chapter 15 : Global Connections

There are millions of communities all over the world. Some of these communities are day to day interactions and others are virtual communities.

At times even when we have no connection to a community we help out in whatever ways that we can. An example would be flooding in High River, and the tsunami in Indonesia.

The effect of transnational corporations on communities can be devastating.

Think back to the Wal Mart video: businesses that have been in a town for generations can be wiped out within a year of Wal Mart coming to town.

How Does Globalization Change Communities?

• A community:– People who identify with others through

shared connections • (geographic location, similar religious beliefs,

common language, cheering for same NHL team, etc.)

• Belonging to communities is important to people’s identity and defines who they are.

How Does Globalization Change Communities?

• Globalization has affected the communities people identify with.

• Modern communication technologies and the speed of transportation mean that people can identify with others from all over the world. – The Asian tsunami of Dec. 2004 allowed the

global community to provide help and support.

Transnational Corporations & Communities

• Those who support globalization:– economic activity stimulated by expanded

global trade has strengthened towns/cities. – Factories built by transnationals attract other

businesses and people and create services and opportunities for residents that did not previously exist.

Transnational Corporations & Communities

• Those who are against globalization: – transnationals can create more challenges

than opportunities. – Low wages paid out by transnationals allow

poverty to become widespread– The environment may deteriorate if standards

are lowered to try and attract these companies to the community.

Wal-Mart: Good or Bad for the Community?

• The success of Wal-Mart is an excellent example of globalization. It is the world’s biggest retailer and one of the world’s most successful transnational corporations.

• Pg 347 – Fig. 15-4: What is the cartoonists’ main

message?

Immigration’s Effect on Communities:

With the population of Canada aging and the birth rate decreasing, immigration accounts for a large portion of the growth in Canada.

People often come to large cities such as Calgary because they have heard that it is an economic hot bed only to find out that unless they are making a lot of money they can not afford to live there.

The Effects of Immigration on Communities

• Immigration has kept Canada’s population growth rate higher than that of any other developed country.

• In 2006, immigration made up more than 2/3rd’s of the increase in Canada’s population.

• What do you think made up the other third?

Multiculturalism

• Canada introduced official multiculturalism in the 1970s and this sparked a remarkable shift in Canada’s source of immigrants.

• Before the 1970s most immigrants arrived from Europe. Today, Asia is the biggest source.

Mass Asian Immigration

• Some 56.5% of immigrants in 2007 came from an Asiatic country.

• • In 2007, Canada

received 236,760 immigrants.

– Top ten sending countries, by state of origin (2007):

People's Republic of China (28,896),

India (28,520),

Philippines (19,718),

Pakistan (9,808),

United States (8,750),

United Kingdom (7,324),

Iran (7,195),

South Korea (5,909),

Colombia (5,382),

Sri Lanka (4,068).

Immigrants & Cities

• Most immigrants to Canada head for the largest cities in the country.

• Toronto alone accounts for more than 40% of immigrants.

• http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2008001/article/10556-eng.pdf

• Why do almost all immigrants to Canada want to live in the city?,

• Figure 15-5, pg 349

Immigrants & Cities

Newly arrived immigrants consider a number of factors when deciding where to settle. They often want to be close to:

• Family & friends already in Canada• Where other members of their cultural group

have already established businesses, places of worship, cultural centres, etc.

• Lots of jobs and economic activities• Where education & health care are most

accessible

Immigrant Population by Place of Birth

Turn to pg. 349 in your textbook and analyze the data in Figure 15-6. Look for:

• Patterns, such as numbers that are consistent.

• Inconsistencies, such as a % for one census metropolitan area that is markedly different from others.

• What are some of the reasons for the patterns and inconsistencies you identified?

Perhaps the biggest global force when it comes to resources is OIL.

The world needs oil from everything from driving to plastic production. The competition for oil can lead to war (Fig 15-7, pg350).

The debate is still out: did Iraq have as many weapons as the USA said or were they after the black stuff in the ground?

Why is the crisis in Africa (Darfur) ignored? Many people would argue if they had oil it would be different.

The oil sands in Fort McMurray have huge reserves of oil. The question now is does the Canadian government allow for foreign ownership or takeovers of Canadian companies that have land in the oil sands. The other debate is the royalty review that would greatly affect the economy and people of Alberta.

Global Need for Resources• In a globalized world, the need for resources is

great.

• Some resources, such as oil and water, are so valuable that some governments are willing to use force to secure their supply.

Blood Oil

• Blood oil is a new term that refers to oil obtained through violence and bloodshed.

Nigeria

• In Nigeria, several transnational corporations, including Shell, Chevron, and Total, have been developing oil fields in the delta of the Niger River.

Gov’t vs. the People

• People who live in the area say that the activities of these companies have damaged the environment – and that they were persecuted when they tried to protest.

• The Nigerian gov’t, which was controlled by the military at the time, co-operated with the oil companies by brutally suppressing opposition.

Why would the government be on the side of the oil

companies?

Execution of Activists

• 1995:– the gov’t executed nine Ogoni activists who had

been fighting to preserve their ppl’s homeland, which was in the area slated for oil development.

• Since then, a civilian gov’t has come to power, and the oil companies have changed some of their practices – but many people continue to oppose the development.

Iraq

• Iraq has huge oil reserves.• By 2007, only 15 of its 74 oil fields had been

developed. • Known reserves total 112 billion barrels, but

estimates say that potential reserves could top 300 billion barrels, amounting to about one-quarter of the world’s oil.

• Estimates place the value of Iraq’s oil at more than $3 trillion.

Iraq No Longer Ignored

• Until the early 20th century, Iraq was largely ignored by the imperial powers. But this changed when oil was discovered there.

• The invention of the automobile and the use of fossil fuels to power vehicles and heat homes made Iraq’s oil reserves suddenly desirable.

• Consequently, Iraq became the focus of many late 20th and 21st century conflicts.

• Figure 15-7 pg. 350

The US & It’s Invasion of Iraq

• Since Saddam Hussein took control of Iraq in 1979, western access to oil had been uncertain.

• Added to that was the fact that Saddam refused to give in to American demands in the years after the 1991 Gulf War, making him even more of a “threat”.

• As far as western nations were concerned, as long as Saddam controlled Iraq, the global supply of oil was at risk.

What “excuse” did the US give for invading Iraq in 2003?

Weapons of Mass Destruction!!!• George W. Bush justified the US’s invasion of Iraq

in 2003 by accusing Saddam of developing weapons of mass destruction.

• These weapons were never found, but by this time Iraq was in the hands of the US and its allies, and Western oil companies controlled the country’s oil fields.

• Was the invasion just an excuse to solidify Western control of the country’s massive oil resources?

• Green Zone trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJilPA6MFLs

• The Tillman Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daccIQzKVkg

Alberta• In the early 20th century, neither the Canadian

gov’t nor Canadian investors were willing to play a leading role in developing Alberta’s oil.

• As a result, int’l companies came to dominate the provinces petroleum industry.

• Until 1969, Canadian representatives of transnational corporations – mostly American-based - dominated the industry. The “big four” were Shell, Imperial, Gulf, and Texaco.

The Creation of Petro-Canada• By 1969, foreign ownership was sparking fears

that Canada was losing control of its energy resource. So, the Liberal gov’t began trying to “Canadianize” the industry.

• They introduced the National Energy Program, which was designed to increase Canadian control, and created Petro- Canada to ensure a Canadian presence in the global development of energy resources.

Why did most of Alberta hate the National Energy Program?

Is it important for Canadians to own a large share of

Alberta’s oil and gas industry?

Free Trade & Alberta Oil

• The Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the US and, later, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has:– reduced restrictions on foreign ownership in the

energy sector – spurred development of Alberta energy projects,

including the tar sands.

– Assignment: Read pgs 352-353. Answer #2 (not in booklet).

What is an epidemic?

What is a pandemic?

Globalization & Health

• A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads around the world.

• Medical experts today are concerned that pandemics pose a more serious threat than ever because of people’s ability to travel farther and faster than ever before.

The Black Death

• In the 14th century (1300s), an epidemic of bubonic plague that became known as the Black Death started in Asia and spread across Europe.

• By the time the plague had run its course, 75 million people had died, including 2/3rd’s of Europe’s population.

• Pg 355

• National Geographic:• http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-

and-human-body/human-diseases/plague-article/

Where did the Black Death come from?

Black Death’s Origin• Most experts believe the Black Death was

carried by rats but spread through human contact. It had travelled to Europe along the Silk Road.

Why So Deadly?• The Plague coincidentally struck at time when

the ppl of Europe were particularly vulnerable.

• War had disrupted farming and trading, famine was widespread, weather conditions were colder than normal, and a pestilence was killing sheep and cattle.

• Economic and social conditions were deteriorating and there was little ppl could do to limit the spread of disease.

The Spanish Flu

• Occurred just after WW I, between 1918 and 1920.

• Killed an estimated 100 million people, a death toll that was much higher than that of the war.

• What was most unusual about this disease was that it killed healthy young adults rather than the old, very young, and sick – the usual victims of influenza outbreaks.

Why did WW I make the Spanish Flu that much more

deadly?

How Did Spread So Easily?

• WW I did not cause the Spanish flu, but concentrations of soldiers helped spread the disease (fighting in trenches).

• The soldiers’ movements from one area to another ensured that the disease moved quickly over a large geographical area.

What is SARS?

Pandemics of Today: SARS

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), resulted in 774 deaths worldwide.

• It was first discovered in rural China when a farmer died of an unidentified disease in 2002. However, China did not report the incident to the World Health Organization, the United Nations agency that monitors global health security.

• Why would the world be ticked off at China for this?

SARS Spreads• Since the WHO was not notified, the disease

did not become public until 2003, when an American man travelling to Singapore from China died on an airline from the disease.

• Those who treated him developed the same disease soon after.

• On March 12, the WHO issued a global alert, but the disease had already spread. By the time the outbreak ended in July 2003, SARS cases had been identified in 26 countries like Canada.

• Figure 15-16 pg. 356

How Did We Limit SARS?

• SARS could have become a deadly pandemic, but was held in check by the quick action of the WHO and national health agencies.

• What is a quarantine?

• Quarantines halted its spread, as ppl who might have come into contact with an infected person were isolated in their homes for 10 days. No contact with others was allowed.

AIDS

• While SARS was successfully contained, the global response to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), has been far less successful.

• Every year, 4 million ppl contract the disease while 3 million die.

• As of January 2006, an estimated 39.5 million ppl live with AIDS, while it has already killed another 25 million.

The “Hush” with AIDS• There is also a social stigma that comes with

AIDS which has limited effective prevention programs since it was originally thought to be a disease of gay men.

• Health officials now recognize that anyone can contact AIDS, but its association with sexual activity remains.

• Many ppl who might be infected do not get tested for fear of testing positive. Those who do admit the are positive are often ostracized (not accepted).

If you thought you had AIDS, would you get tested? Who

you tell anyone that you were infected?

Should it be mandatory by law that you get tested for AIDS and that people are made

aware if you have it?

• Ryan White:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCMr9jbq3Tk

• FACES of HIV: Steve’s Story• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OmEvsm_yDI

• Kamaria• Renee

Why is AIDS so Deadly?

• There is no cure for AIDS, although expensive drug therapies help prolong victims’ lives.

• Many gov’ts in Africa were very slow to develop prevention and treatment programs because they did not want to admit AIDS was a problem in their societies.

• Now, 2/3rd’s of all AIDS cases are found in sub-Saharan African countries.

Estimated prevalence of HIV among young adults (15-49) per country at the end of 2005

Responses to Health Crises• The World Health Organization is the centre of

the global response to health crises. Part of UN.• It systematically gathers reports about suspected

outbreaks of diseases from formal and informal sources.

• Formal sources include ministries of health in various countries, academic institutions, laboratories, NGOs, etc.

• Informal sources would include websites and newswires that might report unconfirmed disease outbreaks. In more than 60% of disease crises, the first clues to WHO come from here.

Figure 15-17 & 15-18

Centers for Disease Control• Though the WHO coordinates disease control

measures at the int’l level, most of the monitoring, reporting, and responding to disease outbreaks take place at a national level.

• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention in the US is one of the best-known national agencies. While they deal with pandemics they also look at healthy living, emergency preparedness, environmental health, violence and safety, workplace safety, and travellers’ health.

Why does most disease control take place at a national

level?

Various countries have come under criticism from these pandemics that they are not doing enough

to help protect the peoples living in their countries. Should they be responsible for proving

a needle or vaccine that can help protect their peoples, and at what cost? Who is paying for it?

How Have People Responded to Global Issues?

• The worldwide connections that exist through globalization :– people today can be informed of harmful or

unfair situations in other places in greater detail and more quickly than ever before.

• When people are informed, many move to take action. People can respond in a variety of ways – as individuals, as part of a larger society, as part of a corporation, and through the government.

Consumers

• Consumers can choose how to spend their money so they can carry a lot of power.

• Many groups have formed to inform consumers about abuses and questionable practices by manufacturers and retailers. (Example: sweatshops.)

• As a consumer, would you be willing to pay more for consumer goods to guarantee equality in the workplace?

Boycotting

• Boycotting is a form of consumer action. It involves refusing to buy a company’s products.

• A boycott is a form of direct action in which activists try to achieve their goals by targeting corporations, rather than working through the gov’t.

• One high-profile boycott urged consumers not to buy Nestle products.

Civil Society• In the past, two sectors of society – gov’ts and

business – were thought to exert the most power and influence in making decisions and setting policy. Partly due to globalization, a third sector has arose.

• Civil society groups (community groups, NGOs, faith-based groups, universities, etc.) have become more visible & stronger.

• Civil society groups have grown in importance due to the apparent decline in gov’ts and rise in strength of corporations. Also, increased communication have allowed civil society groups to form easier and quicker.

• What are some civil society groups?

Corporate Citizenship

• Transnational corporations, whose operations span national boundaries, are in key positions to find solutions to important global challenges. They often have the expertise & financial resources to make a difference.

• Many of these businesses have developed corporate citizenship statements that mention a commitment to promoting sustainable development, human rights, and community involvement.

ISO Standards

• Many corporations are showing their commitment to corporate citizenship by voluntarily adopting standards set by the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO.

• ISO standards are designed to make the manufacturing and supply of goods and services more efficient, safe, and environmentally sustainable & protect consumers/workers.

• Companies that have met ISO requirements often promote this in their advertising. Is this an effective marketing tool?

Government Responses• Gov’ts at various levels are in influential

positions to work to achieve fairness and equity.

• In Canada:– Canadian Human Rights Commission

• ensures human rights are being upheld in businesses such as banking, airlines, and tv stations.

• In Alberta:– Alberta Human Rights & Citizenship

Commission • looks at areas such as education, employment,

and housing.