Globalization, Development, and Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Posted on Dec 6, 2024 in Social sciences

Development Definition

A process leading to the full realization of the potential of communities and peoples to achieve cultural independence, economic, political, and social justice, and mutual solidarity among all peoples.

Education for Sustainable Development

Balancing the good of humankind, the economy, cultural traditions, and natural resources.

Globalization

The tendency of markets and businesses to spread, reaching a global dimension that transcends national borders. It is a process by which increased communication and interdependence among countries unite markets, societies, and cultures through social, economic, and political policies that give it a global character.

Institutions

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Designs economic policies and adjustment programs for macroeconomic imbalances in member countries. Following social unrest in recent years, poverty has been introduced into their work schedules. Strategies for external debt forgiveness are proposed. The IMF has 183 members.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Established in 1995 to replace GATT. Negotiates competition standards. Poor countries are often bystanders, while rich countries protect their goods, preventing effective global trade development. It comprises 144 states (90% of world trade).

World Bank

Designs development policies using programs financed by rich countries, but with policy adjustment. Anti-globalization movements are divided on its existence; some want it to disappear, others do not.

Strengths of Globalization

  • Poverty reduction
  • Increased access to trade products
  • Improved growth

Negative Aspects of Globalization

Economic
  • Increased inequality (1999-2020: 86% increase in the world’s rich-poor gap)
  • Consumption disparity (20% of the world consumes 86%, 1.3% consumes 20%)
  • Increased poverty (In 1998: 1.2 billion people lived on less than €1/day, 3 billion on less than €2/day)

Impact of Globalization

  • Production: Some countries design and sell products, leading to job losses and more flexible working conditions. Other countries produce with less regulated working conditions, creating flexible jobs.
  • Consumption: Customs of consumerism, consumption by a few versus extreme poverty for many. Consumption is necessary, but society is excessively consumerist, fostering a culture of use and disposal. Consumption invades the Third World, generating frustrations.
  • Cultural: The importance of communications, large firms, and technical improvement (ICTs). Learning about other cultures happens in any culture.

Anti-Globalization Movements

  1. Stage 1: Awareness of “globalization”
  2. Stage 2: Street protests (Prague, Barcelona…)
  3. Stage 3: Search for alternatives (World Social Forum)

World Social Forum

Proposes a more humane and supportive globalization. Presents programs for change, established in late January/early February (coinciding with the World Economic Forum in Davos). Collects complaints and social protests from various areas (women, peasants, indigenous peoples, workers…). Raises alternative proposals to improve the situation or eradicate injustices. Promotes solidarity and non-violence (unlike street protests). Advocates for the Tobin Tax and other taxes to avoid capital speculation, uniform taxes in all countries, responsible consumption, clean energy, avoiding deforestation, combating climate change, and preventing violence against women.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Adopted by the UN in 2000. NGOs and governments contribute to their fulfillment (term ends in 2015).

  • 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
  • 2: Achieve universal primary education.
  • 3: Promote gender equality and empower women.
  • 4: Reduce child mortality.
  • 5: Improve maternal health.
  • 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
  • 7: Ensure environmental sustainability.
  • 8: Develop a global partnership for development.

Fair Trade: An Example of Action

  • South: Manufacturing commitments (small enterprises, cooperatives, dignity, promote local economy…).
  • North: Marketing commitments, awareness, pressure (fair price paid in advance (40%), long-term…).
  • Now: Institutional support (EU). Increase sales through campaigns. Sales in traditional circuits (supermarkets…).

Is it Viable?

Insufficient to promote development on its own.

Do You Get Change?

Yes: improved quality of life.

What Products and at What Price?

Low diversity (coffee, chocolate, honey, jams, nuts…). Reasonable price, fair price to popularize.

Aware and Responsible Consumption?

Choosing products based on quality-price ratio, business history, and ethical conduct. Each person is partly responsible for social and ecological production.

Implications for Educational Development

  • Awareness of inequality situations.
  • Present new concepts of Education for Development (EPD).
  • Participate in NGO campaigns.
  • Twinning with schools in other countries.

New Concepts in Educational Development

  • The Local as Global: Think globally, act locally. Global citizen awareness.
  • The Value of the Internet: Facilitates exchange, strengthens ties, favors joint actions.
  • Exclusion/Social Inclusion:
    • Before: Poverty, geographic North and South.
    • Now: All places. Poverty: basic needs. Being: social membership. Being: capacity for independence.
  • Building Civil Society: Citizenship.
  • Education for Development: An educational process. Knowledge and understanding of situations, not just awareness. Critical thinking. Generate participation. Promote responsibility and fair values.

NGOs in Different Campaigns

Fair Trade, Environmental Damage (Ozone Layer, Desertification, Tropical Forests), Child Labor, Wars (Angola, Iraq), Medicines, Patents, Poverty, etc.