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The Global Insights Student Magazine
1
GLOBAL INSIGHTS STUDENT MAGAZNE SPRING / SUMMER 2017-ISSUE 4
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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THE SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Glaucia Ribeiro
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Rolake Olajubu
SECTION CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Klara Bilgin
Dr. Erdoan Shipoli
Adem Arslan
David Baker
Rolake Olajubu
Glaucia Ribeiro
Wuttikrai Chainan
CONTACT VIU GLOBAL INSIGHTS STUDENT CLUB
DESIGNERS
David Baker
https://www.facebook.com/pages/VIU-Global-Insights-
Student/
The views expressed in the articles are the authors’ and not nec-
essarily those of Virginia International University or the School of
Public and International Affairs.
STUDENT MAGAZINE
Publication of School of Public and International Affairs
www.viu.edu/spia
Phone: (703) 886-0387
April 4, 2017
Fairfax, VA, 22030
Thank you!
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING FACULTY AND STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN
PUBLISHING
THE SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS MAGAZINE
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!
Dr. Isa Sarac, VIU President
Dr. Klara Bilgin, Dean of School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA)
Dr. Erdoan Shipoli
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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A few weeks ago my email was inundated with dozens of
panicked messages from students and some of their relatives. The first time I faced such a situation was the day after the most recent U.S. election; however, this time the emails were doubled, angrier, and showed increasing panic and despair. Most of the emails questioned the meaning of the new travel ban, what is likely to follow, and how it will affect other international students and their U.S. studies.
As a dean in a small, non-profit, Virginia based international university with over a 98% international student body, I felt immediately and rather intensely the new sentiment of unbelief, mistrust and growing concern Trump’s Muslim Ban had created among our students. Not only from those coming from the seven Muslim countries included in the ban, but for the larger community, including students from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and even non-Muslim counties such as, Nepal, India, Mongolia and Venezuela.
Anyone working in the marketing sector of higher education can tell you that in the last few years, the market for international students has become brutally competitive with old prestigious universities in Europe and new rising ones in places from China to Australia competing feverishly over a growing number of financially capable applicants (mainly from China and India). International Academic Fairs while still U.S. dominated, are now attended by a continuously expanding number of players, creating major competition for every internationally mobile student, and providing these students an increasing number of options.
In 2016, the number of international students in the U.S. for the first time passed the million-dollar mark (1,043, 839) and their share of total U.S. enrollment surpassed 5 percent.[i] In the past few years, a growing number of US higher education institutions have been opening their doors to international students and taking them in ever higher numbers. These students pay tuition rates that are 2-3 times higher than the in-state tuition, allowing institutions to use the funds to offset rising education costs and expand funding for domestic students.
Beyond that, all the costs that those students incur while studying in the U.S. including rent, meals, books, entertainment and everything else is money pouring into the U.S. economy to the rate of 30.5 billion in 2015.[ii] As most of those students are not allowed to work, except at a few selected positions on campus, they are basically not in competition for jobs or any public benefits. What those students want in return is a top-notch education, a welcoming and tolerant cultural environment, the option of having a 1 to 3 year of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and a chance for a career
in the U.S.
From a business point of view international students, who pay a high financial price to be here, who expand our understanding of the world, who contribute to all areas of science and technology, and who (thanks to their experiences) are likely to be loyally pro-American no matter where they go, are “pure gold.” They are part of and a significant financial contributor to a 21st century industry that is healthy, profitable, and driving American’s scientific progress and global competitiveness. American higher education is now, what the steel industry and the motor industry were 40 years ago (although much cleaner); an economic engine that is driving a booming industry, creating value for everyone.
THE TRAVEL BAN SERIOUSLY
WORRIES INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS: THIS WILL COST US
BY DR. KLARA BILGIN
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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A report published by Olivet Nazarene University this January finds that “behind Walmart and healthcare providers, universities are [now]the largest employer category.”[iii] It further states that education institutions, especially the state university systems, are currently the largest employers in many states, including California, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Colorado. To continue to be
such top job creators, U.S. universities must continue to grow and keep their competitive edge – a strategy that needs the payments, energy and unique background of international students.
President’s Trump’s policies are already starting to destabilize and hurt this sector. Judging by the reactions of
my own students and their parents, international students, especially those from Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (female students in particular) are increasingly nervous about their experience in the U.S. Yesterday, the mother of one of my students stated, “we will be looking for good education alternatives outside the U.S.”
Many students who are currently considering or applying to US institution are likely to be by turned off by Trump’s “America First” policies of exclusivity, white nationalism, and anti-immigrant sentiments and search for education options elsewhere. They will take their money, knowledge, potential, and loyalties with them. The gains our industry had achieved in attracting a growing number of international students (in 2015 this growth was above 10%) will decline and America’s market share of internally mobiles which has already dropped from 28% to 22% in the 2000-2014 period, will go down even further.[iv] An industry which has been so good for knowledge generation, economic development and international prestige will be seriously hurt. The current administration has to seriously review and reconsider the message it sends to international students before it is too late. ◊
References:
[i] http://www.iie.org/Services/Project-Atlas/United-States/International-Students-In-US#.WJEPhuTmqM8
[ii] http://www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2015/2015-11-16-Open-Doors-Data#.WJEkfPkrKM8
[iii] http://graduate.olivet.edu/news-events/news/largest-employers-each-state?link=mktw
[iv] http://trade.gov/topmarkets/pdf/Education_Executive_Summary.pdf
Soursce: News Corral. http://newscorral.in/article/trending/trump-loses-appeal-court-bid-reinstate-travel-ban/attachment/trump-protests-travel-ban-
large_trans_nvbqzqnjv4bqtcrirl5rwlz67omp8jqtpqvev2ad5m0ewca6z67ptlm/
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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Deja Vu' is a
French word to
describe ‘a feeling
of having already
experienced a pre-
vious event or see-
ing a place previ-
ously seen.' As a
Turkish journalist
who lives in Wash-
ington, when I
read newspapers,
or watch TV in
America, I often feel that I am in a state of ‘dejavu’ in
these days. When I see a tweet from president Trump,
when I hear he speaking, I feel like 'I remember this
thing from somewhere.'
There are a few reasons why I feel Déjà vu. Just like
Donald Trump, Turkey's controversial leader Recep Tay-
yip Erdogan began to fight with the media while he was
a candidate for Prime Minister. When he came to power
in 2002, he continued to fight with the press. First, he
described the journalists and the media as 'liar, none
trustworthy.' Another word was “dishonest media.” Just
like Trump, Erdogan described journalists as ‘liar and
unreliable.'
Any media outlet that was being critical for Erdogan
cabinet became a target at election rallies and eventually
these media would lose their credential. In the process,
he started to do not take them to press conferences. Fur-
ther, he started boycotting opposition media groups
than all critical journalist lost their credential cards. The
ban of accreditation has become both personal and insti-
tutional.
Over time, he put the media under his control through
various ways. He had pro-government business people
purchase some of the media. He cornered some of them
with tax inspections. He cut their ad revenues. He pre-
vented their distribution. He cut off critical TV channels
from cable news networks. Nowadays, everything that
appeared in newspapers and TV was monitored by him-
self and his close circle. He appointed his men to media
outlets. Hundreds of journalists who refused to pledge
allegiance to Erdogan were fired. Many of them are now
facing investigations. Erdogan stepped up his plans to
silence and seize the media and finally came to the fol-
lowing points: 200 journalists are detained in Turkey.
The country that has arrested the most journalists in the
world. More than 100 media institutions were closed.
Now the whole Turkish media is under the control of
Erdogan.
Erdogan targeted the judicial institutions, which have
decided for freedom of the press. President personally
made polemics with academics than had limited aca-
demic liberties. Anyone who declared the critical idea
was faced with the threat of imprisonment. Because of
fear and heavy pressure, many journalists, judges, acad-
emicians began to censor themselves. There is no free
Turkish media anymore.
Of course, there is a big difference between America and
Turkey. America has a strong media tradition. The U.S
have strong institutions, and especially a strong judici-
ary. However, if we look at POTUS actions, we can say
that he is following Erdogan's footsteps; to declare jour-
nalists as "untrustworthy, liar," to boycott them, call the
judge as 'so-called judge.' We should not forget that
when Erdogan came to power and started fighting with
the media, nobody had thought that one day he would be
able to capture the entire Turkish media and turn them
into his mouthpiece.
Turkish journalists did not understand what Erdogan
was trying to do in the years when he came to power. As
a reporter who lost his job and country, I want to warn
you that is how authoritarianism starts. It slowly devel-
ops. One day you lose everything in your hand, then it
will be too late. Be diligent and do not assume that since
'America has strong institutions, Trump can not destroy
them' because those very powerful U.S institutions have
never been tested by a president like Trump. Do not let
Trump destroy US democracy's ideals.◊
DÉ JÀ VU: CÀN TRUMP DÉSTROY ÀMÉRICÀN DÉMOCRÀCY
BY ADEM YAVUZ ARSLAN
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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Can baking bread at home and
cutting your hair yourself make your life better and richer? President Trump thinks so. During his election campaign, he used anti-globalization and pro-nationalistic discourse. Among others, President Trump promised to his electors to take back American jobs stolen by Chinese, Ca-nadians and Mexicans through free trade; to build a wall along the south-ern border, rebuild the country's aging infrastructure, ban most foreign Mus-lims from entering the United States; replace free trade with fair trade, im-pose new taxes on many imports into the country, grow the nation’s econo-my by at least six percent.
It is not surprising to hear such dis-course from leaders of the developing countries. However, this time, the leader of the most developed economy, and the leader of the “free world”
started to use an authoritarian rheto-ric. In developing countries, leaders use populist rhetoric to attract voters’ attention and support, however, after the elections, they forget about their promises, use absolutely opposite dis-course and follow the real politics. It seems that this is not the case for Pres-ident Trump. To show that he is the man of his words, Mr. Trump started to execute his promises right after the elections issuing the executive orders. The question is whether it would be beneficial or applicable to the U.S. economy, to pursue nationalistic and protectionist economic policy.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statis-tics shows that despite short and tem-porary declines, the employment in the U.S. has been growing steadily over the course of last 70 years, espe-
cially after the World War II, when the new era of globalization started under the leadership of America.
In fact, a bigger problem is that people are not satisfied with their jobs. Ac-cording to the official statistics, so-called payroll unemployment, in the U.S. is below 4.8 %, which is an ac-ceptable rate for a normal functioning economy. However, there is an addi-tional 5 % “discouraged workers”, who are not satisfied with their jobs for some reason, and they are looking for another job. Taking into consideration these people the unemployment rate is
9.4 % (Bureau of Labor Statis-tics, 2017). These num-bers indicate that there are no real unemploy-ment prob-lems in America. The chal-lenge is how to increase employee satisfaction,
first, the level of salaries. Protectionist economic policies will not help to re-turn American jobs back.
The theory of comparative advantage argues that after free trade level of consumption and prosperity of pro-spective countries increases. It is also expected that some industries may suffer from the free trade. Hufbauer and Grieco (2005) say that overall free trade is beneficial for the country. Ac-cording to them, it causes an increase in paychecks, decrease prices and pro-vide better products choices.
On the contrary, the protectionist model for economic growth argues that if you produce everything domes-tically you will save domestic jobs and will have a higher-level of employ-ment. President Trump articulated this approach during his election cam-paign repeating the slogan “use Ameri-
can” and “buy American”. Many devel-oping countries pursued a protection-ist economic policy for decades. How-ever, in early 1980s many developing countries realized that protectionism does not provide a real solution for economic growth. Almost all of them changed their economic policy into export-oriented economic growth models. And this new economic
growth strategy gave results very soon. Many of them raised from low-income countries to middle-income countries.
The engine of American economic growth is free trade, not protection-ism. Griswold (2016) indicates that
during the last 20 years, after signing of NAFTA and China’s joining to World Trade organization, America’s industrial output increased by 40%. It is true that in some sectors American workers produce less, like textile prod-ucts, shoes, and toys. But they produce significantly more in high-tech indus-tries such as pharmaceutics, machin-ery, computers etc. Griswold argues
US Economy and Globalization: : Brıngıng
American Jobs Back!
BY David Baker
Griswold argues that 85% of job losses between 2000 and 2015 was because of increase in productivity. Only 23% of 5.6 million industrial job losses occurred due to the free trade (2016)..
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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that 85% of job losses between 2000 and 2015 was because of increase in productivity. Only 23% of 5.6 million indus-trial job losses occurred due to the free trade (2016).
The recent practices also support the economic theory. The highest rate of unemployment in the U.S. occurred during the economic crises in late 2000. The reason of this crisis is not free trade, but internal financial problems of American Economy, especially financial bubble in mortgage and in-surance markets. When Barack Obama was elected to the office, the unemployment rate was at one of the highest levels of 7.44%. Only Regan and Ford outnumbered Obama with 7.51% and 7.84% unemployment rates respectively (Coleman, 2015). During the Obama’s two terms of presi-dency, millions of jobs returned to American workers not thanks to protectionist measurement. On the contrary, Obama pursued very liber-al and pro-free trade economic poli-cies. He signed new free trade agreements with European partners and with the U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
What will happen if one country will protect its domestic industries with high tariffs and other protectionist measures? First, domestic industries will charge higher prices to the domestic customer and because of lack of competition, they will be less motivated doing additional investments into their businesses. At the end, domestic industries will be even weaker in the international markets. Maybe, they will sell their products to 350 million American domestic markets, however because of high pric-es and less quality they will lose most of the international markets and billions of customers.
The other important point is that free trade increases quali-ty of products, which are domestically produced. In some sectors, such as automobile, the US products have some significant quality problems (Cole, 1990). The number of American companies which have ISO9001 quality assur-ance certificate are only at 33103. Meanwhile, 259559 Chi-nese companies have quality assurance certificate. Accord-ing to the size of the American economy, the number of cer-tified companies should be tenfold. It shows that American companies working in huge American internal market are not interested in competing with other companies. If the U.S. impose high tariffs on imported goods and services, American companies will charge higher prices to their cus-tomer with less attention to the quality of good and services they produce.
Concerning the immigration policy, President Trump uses a harsh language especially against Muslim migrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. There are expectations for further enlargement of the list. There are a lot of aspects for criticizing. The first one is Saudi Ara-bia is not in the list. In fact, many terrorists that have at-tacked US are from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is one of the closest allies of the U.S. and the biggest oil producer in the world. Based on these relations many Saudi students and business people come to the U.S. to get an education and invest their money in the U.S. economy. If the U.S. totally ban visa to according to religious Saudi Arabia and other oil producer countries should be sanctioned. In this case, these people naturally will go to the other countries first of all, to Europe or Canada. In reality, the U.S. Embassies are very selective to give visa to the citizen of the other countries.
Generally, most educated or successful business people can get a visa to the U.S. countries.
If using the rule of reciprocity other countries impose a ban for the U.S. citizens, then what will happen? The American business people and companies will face difficulties when they are getting visas from these countries. Who will take advantage of these markets to export their goods and ser-vices there? Most probably Chinese, Indian, or European companies will.
In sum, the solution to the problem is to take measures to increase innovation capacity, quality of the U.S. products and their competitiveness in the global market and to adopt
a smart migration policy rather than ban migration from particular countries. In addition to that, instead of using unpro-ductive policies such as travel ban or visa restrictions the U.S. government has to analyze thoroughly in which sectors does free trade cause job losses and develop programs to relocate unemployed Ameri-can workers into more productive indus-tries. Use American, hire American may be attractive in discourse, but at the end
of the day, it will be very costly for whole American socie-ty. Every responsible person should repeat the truth con-stantly. Free trade will save American jobs and standards of living, not protectionism.◊
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017, February 3). Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization. Economic News Release. Retrieved February 15, 2017, from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm
Coleman, D. (2015, September 4). History in Pieces. Mis-cellaneous. History in Pieces. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from http://historyinpieces.com/research/us-unemployment-rates-president
Cole, R. (1990). U.S. Quality Improvement in the Auto In-dustry: Close but No Cigar. California Management Review, 32(4), 71-85.
Friedman, T. L. (2016, November 22). Dancing in a hurri-cane. Sunday Review. The New York Times. Retrieved Feb-ruary 10, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/opinion/sunday/dancing-in-a-hurricane.html
Griswold, D. (2016, August 1). Globalization isn’t killing factory jobs. Trade is actually why manufacturing is up 40%. LA Times. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-griswold-globalization-and-trade-help-manufacturing-20160801-snap-story.html
Hufbauer, G. C., & Grieco, P. L. E. (2005, June 7). Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Paul L.E. Grieco - the payoff from globalization. Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/06/AR2005060601508.html
Stiglitz, J. E. (2016, August 5). Globalization and its new Discontents. Chazen Global Insights. Retrieved February 12, 2017, from https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/articles/chazen-global-insights/globalization
The Global Insights Student Magazine
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Past few weeks have brought the Balkan experts to the
spotlight again. Since 2001 the Balkans has lost interest in Washington DC because of more attention-grabbing problems in the Middle East and North Africa. But with the increase of Russian influence, Balkan politics is likely to regain focus. Many experts have warned against this, and I have been writing for a long time that the Balkans, especially Kosovo, should remain a success story for the United States, thus the situation should be kept in sight.
From ethnic problems, corruption, and crime, to unem-ployment, and inefficient government, all the Balkan countries have similar problems. Nevertheless, the rise of nationalist discourse is the most dangerous problem. With the increase of Putin’s influence—especially in Ser-bia—it is likely that the situa-tion is deteriorating and this time it will be much worse than in the 1990s. Serbian nationalist politicians have increased their nationalist discourse in relation to their neighbors, especially Bosnia and Kosovo.
In January this year, a train line between Belgrade and Northern Mitrovica was inau-gurated. For those who don’t know, Northern Mitrovica is a small enclave, in the border of Kosovo and Serbia that is under NATO supervision and where the Kosovo Serbs reside. For 18 years Albani-ans could not go to their homes in that part of the city, such as my uncle who is renting a house in the south and who has a Serbian family who moved to his apartment in Northern Mitrovica. Moreover, that part of the city has become the fertile land of crime and the black market.
Many, like myself, were happy for the inauguration of this line between Serbia and Northern Mitrovica. In fact, I would be happier if this line went between Belgrade and Pristina, which would be through Northern Mitrovica, because I think that the normalization of the relations between Serbia and Kosovo is what we need at this mo-ment. So what was the problem then? Donated by Russia, the train was decorated by religious icons recalling the Kosovo war of 1389, which was the same discourse that Milosevic used when he called for Serbs to take revenge of 1389 when they lost the war to the Ottomans. It later led to a decade of war and the dissolution of Yugoslavia.
The second issue was that the train was painted with “Kosovo is Serbia” in 21 languages. This was a direct provocation by the Serbian government, threatening the EU-moderated talks between Kosovo and Serbia and the stability in the region. Moreover, the Serbian Prime Min-ister Vucic was in that train, which breaks the deal achieved in Brussels between Kosovo and Serbia that the Serbian politicians need to take prior permission from Pristina if they want to visit Kosovo. Luckily they decided to stop the train in the last stop in Serbia and not contin-ue in Kosovo. Next day President Nikolic said that the Serbian army is ready to “protect” Kosovo Serbs, indicat-ing either invasion of Kosovo or annexation of Northern Mitrovica, a Crimea-like formula.
As we can see, the situation has escalated to threats from the Milosevic era and hope has nearly become extinct. But we can read in the Serbian media that the Serbian people are not very happy with this either. The biggest hope is that peo-ple don’t play into Milosevic’s propagan-da anymore. Blic daily in January 17 brought this concern to the headline: “President, You Go To War, Leave Us In Peace” Moreover, they added that there are fierce reactions to President Nikolic’s declarations, asking, “Didn’t we have enough lives lost, displaced people, struggling souls, and broken youth? The President should answer these questions before he repeats what he declared.” For the train design they asked if “it really had to be like this? Who took the deci-sion for the train to look like a church?”
This shows us that the Serbian people are fed up with Milosevic-esque propaganda and don’t buy into them. And now it is time for the international community to not let the people down. Unfortunately, Frederica Mogherini, the current High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, praised Serbian PM Vucic for his leadership in stopping the train in the last stop in Serbia and not continuing to Kosovo. This was only another play by Vucic to play the hero, who was in that train. The EU and the US should not play into the hands of the demagogue Balkan politicians anymore. In every election cycle, these Balkan leaders get into escala-tory situations and subsequently play the “good guys” by retreating from their own provocative acts. Their own people do not buy into them anymore, and neither should the international community. This will not help retain peace in the region and an escalation of the situation will be much worse than in the 1990s.◊
By Dr. Erdoan Shipoli
THE SITUATION IN THE BALKANS IN
DETERIORATING, BUT THERE IS HOPE
The Global Insights Student Magazine
9
The next time you are in DC, take a deep breath. A
significant portion of the pollution you will breathe into your lungs came from that Chinese factories pumped out in their production of export goods. The same is true if you breathe the air in Sao Paulo, Paris, or the beaches in Maldives.
Globalization plays a fundamental role in contribution to the worlds pollution. We all agree that globalization bene-fits citizens in a global scale. It unites the world through trade, and increases the financial relations between coun-tries. Globalization is not a new idea, it is directly linked to the industrial revolution, which lead to the develop-ment of cities and technological innovations. Despite the innumerous benefits of globalization, it has greatly in-creased environmental degradation, causing a change in global and regional climate patterns, as well as contrib-uting to more droughts, heat waves, intense hurricanes, rising of sea levels, and melting of ice in the Arctic. These changes are largely attributed to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced through the con-sumption of fossil fuels, which in turn, create what is known as the greenhouse effect. (Nasa.gov 2011).
There are a variety of how emissions of greenhouse gases occur, 14.5% of all greenhouse gas pollution can be at-tributed to livestock and a huge hunk of the livestock in-dustry's role -- 65% -- comes from raising beef and dairy cattle. Sulfur dioxide is emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and other factory combus-tibles. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the earth, exhaust from factories and industries release large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air degrading the air quality. However, this op-ed will delimitate the research only towards fossil-fuel combustion emitted from cars, Industrial emissions, and energy production. To explain the linkage between globalization and environ-ment, look at China and the U.S. Both countries are lead
ers in trade and have the largest economies in the world. China is even considered as the factory of the world. In 2016 China exported US$2.282 trillion in electronic equipment, machines, engines, pumps, clothing, iron or steel products, vehicles, plastics, and others products. The U.S exported around US$1.454 trillion worth of products around the world, products such as: processed petroleum oils, cars, automobile parts/accessories, phone system devices including smartphones, electro-medical equip-ment (e.g. x-rays) etc. (Worlds Top Export, 2016).
To fulfill globalization and the trade between countries, a lot of manufactories and energy production is necessary. Therefore, factories, combustion of fossil fuels in cars, and electricity production are the main producers of greenhouse gases that lead us to climate change. China is the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, followed by the U.S. It is not a coincidence that both countries have the largest economy and are the most in-fluent countries in terms of globalization.
These two industrial giants use different approaches in regards to production and environment. President Trump appointed Scott Pruitt as head of Environmental Protec-tion Agency (E.P.A), a former attorney who has a record of suing E.P.A. According to Trump’s Climate Change and Environment platform, his main objectives are: to sign out of the Paris Agreement (an agreement for global ac-tion to put the world back on track in order to avoid the dangerous effects of climate change. Nearly 200 nations have signed it), and he also plans to dismantle the E.P.A, starting by eliminating main regulations as Clean Power Plan and Waters of the United States - a huge setback on the gains made to reduce America’s exposures to industri-al pollution.
The president of the United States expressed his point of view on climate change through his tweeter account, and he stated “Global warming is a concept created by the Chinese in order to make U.S manufacturing non-competitive”. During a meeting with automobile industry leaders, Trump announced “a very big push” from his ad-ministration to have companies produce products in the U.S., he also said that Environmental regulations are “out of control,” which explains his policies to kill the regula-tions protecting the environment.
This means that, with more flexibility towards environ-mental regulations, and decrease on taxes payable in these field, businesses will have less regulations to open new facilities and manufactories, therefore, aggravating the environment situation. With more industries, Presi-dent Trump claims that he will reach his goal of create more jobs in America. However, these decisions affect not only the environment but also globalization. According to the inaugural speech “Buy American, hire American” it closes the country for a more national, inside economy, hence hurting trade partnership in the global sphere.
The Globalization of Pollution
BY GLAUCIA RIBEIRO
The Global Insights Student Magazine
10
During a meeting, Trump promised to rise taxes on US companies who import from other countries or have pro-duction plants in other countries. It indeed diminishes the value of keeping international alliance. Using the words of the Chinese leader in his first speech ever, three days be-fore the inauguration of president Trump: “Pursuing pro-tectionism is just like locking oneself in a dark room,” the Chinese president declared, “while wind and rain may be kept outside, so are light and air. No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war.”
China’s environmental crises is the subject of many de-bates among environmentalists and economists. “China’s current environmental situation is the result not only of policy choices made today but also of attitudes, approach-es, and institutions that have evolved over centuries” said Elizabeth Collin. Economy , Council on Foreign Relations. China’s economy has skyrocketed over the past decades, and, at the same pace, the devastation of the environ-ment.
According to South China Post, an environmental aggra-vation caused by China is the coal burning factories, after greenhouse gases are emitted to the atmosphere, they float from one place to another, moving around the world, and that is one of the reasons that climate change requires a global action.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, China has promised to double the non-fossil fuel portion of its energy mix. China has committed to build a renewables-only system that is equivalent to the entire U.S. electricity system by 2030. This non-fossil fuel target is the main connection in China’s Paris Agreement. It is already creat-ing a massive demand for new clean energy technologies in China and, with that demand, generating a global alli-ance with countries willing to follow the example and growth opportunities set by Chinese businesses. Beijing wants to move its citizens out of the coal mines and into the labs. It is doing so through a combination of policy incentives—shifting support from coal to clean energy—and administrative mandates.
To conclude, in comparison to China, Trump is looking for a different avenue to booster America’s economy. His nationalistic speeches and promises show the possibility of a much different America than the one that we have seen. Climate change affects the world. It is a global issue and requires everybody’s attention.
Unlike Trump, China has heard the worlds cry and has realized the benefits of “greening” their business practices and factories. If they continue to create products, imple-ment regulations, and develop future plans in a green way as well as embrace renewable energy, they strongly in-crease their chances of remaining a super power in the future. The world wants and greener products, this has been made clear by the Paris Agreement. If China, or any country for the matter, is able to master green production, green products and renewable energies, their country will thrive, and, in turn, benefit the world.◊
References
Global Climate Change. (2017). Nasa Website. Retrieved February 20, 2017 from:
https://climate.nasa.gov/
Kyle Feldscher. (2016). Washington Examiner Website. Retrieved February 20, 2017 from:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-would-repeal-clean-power-plan-other-big-epa-regs/article/2601931
Melanie Hart. (2017). Center for American progress Web-site. Retrieved February 16, 2017 from:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2017/02/09/414850/3-things-americans-should-know-about-china-in-the-paris-climate-agreement/
Peter Goodman. (2017). The New York Time Website. Retrieved February 16, 2017 from:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/business/dealbook/world-economic-forum-davos- china-xi-globalization.html
The editorial board. (2014). The New York Time Website. Retrieved February 16, 2017 from:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/25/opinion/the-globalization-of-pollution.html?_r=0
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If an African parent sees beauty in tribal marks, as catego-rized as deforming the face in another environment, he can’t be condemned. If a man says he wants to eat a swal-low food (like pounded yam) as it is called, with his bare hands, he can’t be blamed. If a Nigerian woman says she wants to grind pepper with the manual pepper grinder made from rock, kneeling with it and using her hands, she can’t likewise be blamed. Some people believe the manual pepper grinder makes it sweeter. These are part of culture and identity.
How can culture stand the test of time, amidst globaliza-tion, so it won’t lose its core values, or risk being outmod-ed? Has globalization contributed to culture in positive ways? It is difficult to separate culture from globalization, because they are both linked together. Globalization has helped culture in some ways, and on the other hand, it has done some damages. Nigerian culture will be examined as an example of the relationship between culture and glob-alization. Nigeria is a perfect example of a culture-driven society, and it reflects in their day to day activities.
There are different definitions of culture and globaliza-tion, but these definitions point out to the same direction and give the same meaning.
Globalization can be defined as the worldwide involve-ment in different aspects of life. It entails everybody. It is a process whereby people interact, integrate, and every-body is involved in almost everything. Globalization is a process, and it is international in nature. Cultural globali-zation is the incorporation and transmission of ideas, val-ues, norms around the world to extend or intensify social relations.
Culture is the sum of beliefs, religion, values, hierarchies, language, attitudes, dressing, concept of the universe, that bound a group of people, most especially in a geograph-ical location. While culture is the way a group of people behave. This might reflect in their moral or religious be-liefs, food, clothes, and so on. Culture varies from one place to the other, and the people involved differ in action and ways of life. Identity is an attribute of culture. People identify themselves through a way of life, belief, or by geo-graphical location. When everything is put together, it makes a culture. There are some basic facts that can be examined in terms of Nigerian culture which serves as the case study.
Nigeria is referred to as the Giant of Africa with the popu-lation of almost 190 million people, an estimate given by
the United Nations as of January, 2017. Nigeria has over 300 tribes with different cultures, but there are three ma-jor tribes, which are Yoruba, Hausa, and Ibo. Giving an example of how their culture differs, the tribes speak dif-ferent languages (mother tongue), different attires, food. Though a person can still borrow the culture of the other by speaking their language if he understands. In fact, Ni-gerian citizens speak over 500 languages and dialects. Globalization can be felt in the aspect of language, as well as other aspects.
Today, 70 percent of Nigerian children often speak Eng-lish language to interact, unlike a few generations ago when they were basically exposed to their mother tongues, and learned English language in school. Not eve-ry child had the opportunity to get education in the old days which made illiteracy a big problem. Wide use of English language in a place like Nigeria especially among youngsters shows how globalization has penetrated deep into culture, and it keeps me wondering what the situa-tion will be in a few generations to come.
Nigerian culture influences some organizations, on how things are done (in some aspects) in these organizations within the country. This also has an impact on knowledge management (Bamgboje, 2015). A town chief who is also a civil servant wears beads to the office to portray him or her as a chief, then shows attitude to his superior officers,
forgetting there is a hierarchy or bureaucracy in office. Another example of this culture of organization can be related to, the female civil servants in some Nigerian min-istries are not allowed to wear trousers to work place, while it is different in some other places like U.S.A.
Culture can’t be separated from globalization, and it has contributed to globalization in different ways. For exam-ple, persons who originated from the same culture or geo-political zone, living outside their country, form associa-tions to identify themselves and talk about their profes-sion which can be education, medicine, engineering (Association of Nigerian doctors in UK). They eventually contribute their quota to the development of their new environment.
Cultural globalization is the
incorporation and transmission of
ideas, values, norms around the world
to extend or intensify social relations.
CULTURE AND GLOBALIZATION
By Rolake Olajubu
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Culture and religion see globalization as a potential or problem (Beyer & Beaman, 2007). This is applicable in the sense that, as the world is becoming more globalized and modernized, youthsters being exposed to ill activities through friends, technology, to mention a few. But culture steps in, and tries to make things right. When a person remembers his/her culture, and realizes that an act is against his/her culture and morality, then corrects it. Cul-ture acts like a guide to humanity, and that makes it something that shouldn’t be swept or forgotten.
Some cultures breed morali-ty that has been a useful or helpful tool to the society at large. In the old days, some cultures involved people us-ing leaves to cover the essen-tial parts of their bodies alone, especially in Africa. With the production of fab-rics, people no longer go na-ked. Now, the cultures of people see a naked person, as a promiscuous or mad per-son. This has become a glob-al phenomenon. Aside that, the production of cloths, and its sale have become a busi-ness to so many people and companies. This serves as a means of livelihood, and boosts the economy in its own way.
Globalization has helped different cultures and religions like Christianity, Islam, to spread its tentacle globally. There are churches, mosques, shrines almost everywhere. Culture naturally multiply in some aspects, especially when someone from a country goes to live in another country, they take their cultural background with them unconsciously. This makes their new environment some-how exposed to a new culture which can gradually grow. Globalization has added tremendously to modernization, and people can interact more from far and near.
Globalization has also improved the world’s economy, through free trade among countries, and has raised stand-ards of living. Technology usage, such as computers or monitors, cell phones, cars, are as well global. The use of television has been so effective to the level that people from all over the world can watch themselves, and it has disseminated useful information to the people. All these things have made life easier, and less complicated, even though they have some negative implications.
The negative implication ranges from one globalized place or product to the other. For example, cars have claimed many lives through accidents. Cell phones and technology have become assets to fraud, and cyber-crimes. Some hu-mans copy or imitate other people or places, and when they do that, they do it in totality. They copy both good and bad, because the fact that there are two sides to a coin can’t be disputed. As an example, as they copy or learn how to make use of the internet or systems, they directly or indirectly learn internet fraud alongside. The ill side of
globalization also include the fact that it has paved the way for unnecessary rivalry among countries. Competi-tion is a good thing, because it gives room for improve-ment, but when it becomes rivalry, then it is beginning to have a shady or negative impact. For example, a country finds out that another is thriving globally in something, then tries to sabotage it.
One of the notable relationships between globalization and the Nigerian culture is that, although culture is being respected and cherished, but globalization has helped it to
be more civilized and mod-ernized. Some practices have changed, e.g. clothes wearing, cutleries usage, and others. These days, when globalization is men-tioned, we refer to the cur-rent age where everybody is involved in almost every-thing. People are more con-nected than ever before, information and money flow is quicker than before (Ursah, 2009). The people who belong to a religion or culture, are also involved in globalization. It also pro-motes modernization and
industrialization. For example, the use of machinery in place of manual in most productions has made it easier, faster, and has been globalized. The job of one man in five hours, a machine will have it done within five minutes, which is a huge difference. Globalization should be given much room to thrive for our generation, and the genera-tions to come.
On the other hand, Culture is something that should not be swept away by globalization. Culture is part of humani-ty, and so also globalization. It is wrong to assume that because the world is becoming globalized by the day, then it should promote one culture or religion against another. The culture of one place should not be disregarded or for-bidden by another place. This can happen because of per-sonal, business, or economic reasons. Culture can’t be separated from globalization, and as such, each nation or society should protect her culture for the sake of the gen-erations to come.◊
References
Bamgboje-Ayodele, A. (2015). Knowledge Management and the Nigerian Culture. Vol. 7, Issue 1. African journal of information system.
Beyer, P. & Beaman, L. (2007). Religion, Globalization, and Culture. Vol. 6. Boston:
Brill Leiden. Ursah, J. & Baines, H.V. (2009). Globaliza-tion: Understanding Management and Effects. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
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Does globalization shake regime stability? Allow
anyone to reach different parts of the world no matter
where we are through globalization. Globalization drives
international economy and trade through the advance-
ment of technology, enabling the interaction and integra-
tion with various countries. The changing of world cul-
ture, environment, and politics are significant effects of
globalization. The influence of capital movement and
trade, affects the relationship between nationalism and
localism. This article will discuss the impact of globaliza-
tion in terms of international economics, which takes a
political role in Thailand. Moreover, this article will draw
two powerful social study transitions of economic devel-
opment and democracy, how those theories function in
Thai politics.
Thailand is a developing country where the center of
transportation and trade lies in the heart of South East
Asia. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy country
where the separation of power is a mechanism to develop
the democracy. The King of Thailand is the symbolic of a
nation unity. The Prime minister is a chef of executive.
The Parliament includes two houses consisting of the
House of Representatives and the Senate (Pathmanand,
2001). However, the dynamics of democratic transition
in Thailand drive a repeating cycle of de-democratization
and democratization. When the elected government
steps in to power, the minority starts to protest; military
coups take their power and set up an election again.
Since the Second World War, especially post-Cold War
era, globalization has been the candlelight for democrati-
zation in Thailand. With the government’s adoption of
the free-market economic systems, international trade
barriers have been reduced, leading to an increase in
production and creating numerous new opportunities for
international trade and investment. The first reflection is
the rapid growth of Thai economy the localism is growing
and replacing nationalism. Nationalism are separated to
different ethnics. Each ethnic group has its own culture,
belief, and language. The objective example in Thailand
that we can see is the power of localism through national
election. The electoral statistics shows the different eth-
nics in Thailand affecting their decision in political par-
ticipation. This affects the unity of the central govern-
ment. In other words, globalization affects unity of cen-
tral government in Thailand by decreasing state power
while increasing the local power. With businesses operat-
Politics and Globalizations in Thailand
WUTTIKRAI CHAINAN
Since the Second World War, especially
post-Cold War era, globalization has been
the candlelight for democratization in
Thailand.
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ing across the globe, this has caused a positive impact on
the democratic development in Thailand.
The second reflection globalization created the new insti-
tutions and social interest society such as the women
right community, private sector organizations and NGOs.
. For example, Section 67 of Thai constitution of (2007)
allow individual rights to engage with local community
and government in conservation, preserve , maintenance
utilization of advantages from regular assets. The consti-
tution in Thailand restrict the globalization by allowing
residents and new institutions which emerged by the rule
of law to veto and reduce economic development.
Third, globalization increased non-state factors to indi-
rectly influence the Thai government decisions. For ex-
ample, Thai government loses its power to draw a do-
mestic economic policy. The external factors
(international investments) become controlled variables
in Thai economic industry. For example, government
employment rate and commercial treaty cannot work
efficiently due to Thai government having to prevent an
off shoring service. Thai government has to be nice and
soft in terms of international economic regulation be-
cause the high ranging of off shoring is competitive in the
globalization (KwacZ, Ruiz, & Scasso).
Finally, globalization expands the free market between
state products the information flow that affect govern-
ment’s stability to control their citizens. Thai citizens
have easy access to information, leading to the unity of
understanding among communities. People in communi-
ties get closer by access to news through multi social me-
dia sources. As a result, Thai government has been weak
for maintaining the information security, which flows in
globalization era. Consequently, belief of national gov-
ernment became a waste of their power. Therefore, the
information flow affects government stability to control
over their political power because civil society became a
powerful mechanism to check and balance the national
government activities.
According to Preworski there is a correlation between
economic development and regime change. He found the
strong correlation between levels of development and
democracy. The well-established democratic countries
are likely to more development. However, in Thailand
political culture are contradictory to Preworski’s assump-
tion. In Thai political culture when the economics grows
it usually brings authoritarian regimes to replace demo-
cratic ones. Thus, the growing of globalization reduces
the growing of democracy in Thailand. Moreover, Ace-
moglu and Robinson theories draw heavily on democrat-
ic theory pass by economic transition in the citizen be-
havior. They point out that political conflict in regime
always started between elites and citizen. In term of his
work, elites are the minority group who maintain the
politics power against the majority. Globalization allows
the flow of information and spreading of social media.
Stimulating citizen to be a part of politics mechanism
and make civil society strong lead to a stronger democra-
cy. Acemoglu and Robinson’s assumption, it might be
adapted to the repeating cycle of de-democratization and
democratization in Thailand.
Overall, the globalization wave both damaged and sup-
port democracy in Thailand. The globalization reduces
nationalism because the international organizations have
become a powerful factor over the nation state. They can
intervene in domestic politics both directly and indirect-
ly. However, globalization exports the information flow
that affects government stability to control their political
power because civil society became a powerful mecha-
nism to check and balance the national government ac-
tivities. Thai democracy culture should have a strong
social compromise and social contract for everyone to
accept. The power of constitutional and the rule of law
under globalization will develop democracy in Thai-
land.◊
Reference
Berger, S. (2000). Globalization and Politics. Annual
Review of Political Science. [Online]. Available : http://
www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/
annurev.polisci.3.1.43 (Access date : September 8, 2010).
Dhiravegin, L. (1994). Democracy in Thailand. Bangkok:
Printing House of Thammasat University.
FULLER, T. (2014, April 12). Thailand’s Political Ten-
sions Are Rekindling Ethnic and Regional Divisions. The
New York Time. Retrieved February 6, 2017, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/world/asia/
thailands-political-tensions-are-rekindling-ethnic-and-
regional-divisions.html?_r=0
Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 08, 2017, from http://www.tandfonline.com/
doi/abs/10.1080/13547860.2012.742690
Pereira, C., & Teles, V. (2016, July 28). Political institu-
tions, economic growth, and democracy: The substitute
effect. Brookings. Retrieved January 30, 2017, from
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/does-globalization-
promote-democracy-an-early-assessment/
Overall, the globalization wave both
damaged and support democracy in
Thailand.
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