Question 1
According to the study material, what is the central idea used to summarise globalisation?
Strand 3 · Ghana in the Global System
Government Year 2 Learner Material, Section 7: Globalisation
Welcome to Section 7, the last part of the learner material for Year Two. All the best as you explore the concept of Globalisation. This section looks at the concept of globalisation and its meaning, characteristics, and types. Specifically, as a learner, you will be able to understand the driving forces behind the process of globalisation and various versions, namely, economic, political, environmental, and social and how they play out in the global system.
Key Idea
• Globalisation has transformed the world by presenting opportunities and challenges, thereby connecting economies, societies, and cultures.
Globalisation refers to the free movement of goods, services, people, and ideas (e.g., gender equality) across the world. The term is normally used to describe the rapid increase in integration and interdependence of world cultures and populations. The driving force behind the process of globalisation is technology and the liberalisation of trade and investment. The central idea of globalisation is that the world is becoming a ‘global village.’ Thus, most parts or regions of the world are in closer contact than a few years ago. Globalisation is associated with westernisation, liberalisation, modernisation, and universalisation.
Characteristics of Globalisation
1. Advances in information and communications technology: an increase in information flow across distant locations. Individuals have access to 24-hour internet and news media. In addition, there are innovations and efficiencies in transportation (air and sea).
2. Availability of global brand of goods and services: products and services produced in other countries are readily available to all citizens irrespective of their location, even in the most remote areas of the world. Simply, individuals have access to a wide range of foreign products and companies, such as Coca-Cola and KFC.
3. Existence of global organisations: One way in which globalisation is occurring is in the spread of Intergovernmental organisations in addressing common challenges and promoting cooperation among countries. Examples are ECOWAS, the United Nations and the World Bank.
4. Integration of world financial markets: transactions take place via the stock market and with the issuance of standardised trading currencies such as the Euro, Dollar and Yen. Also, money is stored electronically on Visa cards or mobile banking.
5. Movement of people with fewer restrictions: the opening of international borders to flows of free trade, people, cultures, and ideas among countries. (The effects, both positive and negative, are the subject of discussion in Year Three).
Activity 7.1 Globalisation
1. Together with a friend, research recent events (e.g. COVID-19 pandemic, climate change or conflicts) that resulted in a response from intergovernmental organisations (UN, World Bank, ECOWAS) and create an informative multimedia/PowerPoint presentation for the entire class.
2. Write down two or three main ideas from these words: internationalisation, westernisation, universalisation, and modernisation. Go to http://google.
com to search and read the most recent news story. Using the information collected and together with a friend, form a consensus about which ONE of the meanings from the list is likely to have a connection with the concept of globalisation. Why did your group choose that option?
3. Watch/listen to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI0itS3gQFU (3 minutes) and compare your observations with at least 2 friends when the video ends. Together, discuss the trends and processes (i.e. characteristics) of globalisation. As a prompt, look at the clothes and shoes you and your friends are wearing and state where they are from using the tags, where each family’s home appliances, such as the television and fridge made. Look at the map and locate these countries.
Discuss what you know about the conditions of the workers who made these goods. Consider whether everyone in the world benefits equally from globalisation, or are there winners and losers? Prepare a presentation about the characteristics/indicators of globalisation. Paste it on the whiteboard and invite comments from your classmates.
4. Based on point 3 above, such as the availability of facilities such as a Wi-Fi network, readymade garments, or someone in Ghana answering a call from the United Kingdom about a product, in a group of 3, discuss the driving forces behind the process of globalisation. Write your answers on a manila card and paste them around the classroom. Please, agree on the reasons for your decisions.
1. Economic globalisation involves the increasing integration of world economies through open markets, production and exportation of goods and services, limited role of the state and government in economic activities and the movement of money from one country to another, mostly from the global north to the global south.
2. Environmental globalisation refers to interdependency and global concern to address environmental issues, e.g., climate change, and air and water pollution.
It looks at the uniformity in language, regulations and practices in environmental management and sustainability.
3. Social globalisation involves the bridging of global culture and identities through international travels and marriages, and the development of global citizens, norms and ethics.
4. Political globalisation involves an attempt to create a global government or one international organisation in which decisions that affect people are made in a wider consultative manner. Examples are the platforms of the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and African Union (AU).
Activity 7.2 Types of Globalisation
Watch/listen to an audio descriptive video on the processes and drivers of globalisation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNejKHKSbl0
1. Using information from the video, what is your understanding of globalisation and how does globalisation promote socio-cultural integration?
Prepare and present a poster illustrating the types of globalisation for the whole class discussion.
2. Write a summary of the ideas expressed in the whole class discussions/ presentations about the different aspects of globalisation. Exchange your paper with a classmate and provide feedback on their work.
3. Together with friends, forming a group of not more than seven, debate about how globalisation has impacted the following aspects of Ghanaians:
economic, environmental, political and social aspects for publication in the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana, annual State of the Ghanaian Economy Report.
Reflective Journal
In the final lessons, you are required to write a reflective journal on your activities in Year Two. The purpose of the reflective journal is to provide you the opportunity to examine your thoughts, emotions and reactions to various situations during the learning process. Also, to understand your strengths and areas of improvement.
Below is a reflective log which intends to help you reflect on your learning and chart your progress. This log should be a progression of your activities in year two. Do submit for assessment Use the example of the reflective log provided as a guide.
My personal learning goals My activities to achieve these goals My strengths in the
activities
My areas of improvement in the activities Extended Reading
• Wolf, M. (2004). Why Globalization Works. Yale University
According to the study material, what is the central idea used to summarise globalisation?
The study material identifies technology and which other factor as the driving force behind globalisation?
Which type of globalisation is described as the increasing integration of world economies through open markets, production and exportation of goods and services, and the movement of money from one country to another?
The attempt to create a global government or one international organisation in which decisions that affect people are made in a wider consultative manner is known as ______.
Ghana joins other countries to agree on common regulations to reduce air and water pollution and to address climate change. This is an example of ______.
A group of students at Bolgatanga Senior High School forms a Global Studies Club. In their discussion, they mention that they use mobile phones made in China, eat rice from Thailand, watch English Premier League matches live, and their school receives support from the United Nations. Their teacher asks them to explain what is happening in the world today. Study the scenario and answer the questions that follow.
Define globalisation.
State any three characteristics of globalisation.
Explain three driving forces behind the process of globalisation.
Discuss two ways in which globalisation has turned the world into a 'global village'.
At a Model United Nations conference in Accra, students debate how countries are becoming more connected. They mention that Ghana trades with China, receives climate change support from the United Nations, hosts a branch of KFC, and that some Ghanaians marry people from other countries. The debate is about the types of globalisation. Study the scenario and answer the questions that follow.
State the four types of globalisation.
Explain any two types of globalisation.
Analyse one difference between economic globalisation and political globalisation.
Justify two ways in which political globalisation is important for addressing common global problems affecting Ghana.