CHAPTER III

GLOBAL NETWORKS
I The Nature of Global Networks

Global and Network

Global – means that an entity’s reaches are beyond territorial borders of a particular
country; thus, it destroys the cultural and economic barriers that separates regions and
places.
Network – a set of units like nerves, species, individuals, institutions or states, with a
particular rule which determines the degree or direction of relation or ties that exist
between or among entities or units. A network therefore manifests the relationships that
exist between entities.

Characteristics of a global network

1. Global networks cross “borders” and connect to more than one country.
2. Movement across a boundary is long-term
3. Global networks are not confined within a particular country.

Types of Global Networks

1. Technical global network

2. Interpersonal global networks.

Technical global network – is a form of global network adopted from telecommunications

systems that utilize variety of satellite, cable, and wireless technologies.

Interpersonal global network – is a form of global network that includes cross-border

groups such as migrants, aid, or social workers involved in advocacy work and even
professionals discussing and debating about new ideas and discoveries.

Holton 12 types of global networks that are used as analytical tools by authors in diverse
types of academic studies.

1. ADVOCACY NETWORKS- made up of individuals called actors who shares particular

values, common discourse, and “dense exchanges of information and services” that
work internationally on a particular issue.
2. BUSINESS, TRADING, AND COMMERCIAL NETWORKS – include transitional
economic and business networks.
3. FRIENDSHIP NETWORKS- looks into social communication patterns, interpersonal
bonding, and social support
4. IMPERIAL NETWORK-
5. INFORMATION NETWORK are global networks where communication is the primary
function. Develop new technologies of communication
6. KNOWLEDGE/INTELLECTUAL NETWORKS – give importance to the transmission of
knowledge and its connection with the policy development. Intersect with advocacy
and policy networks.
7. MIGRANT NETWORKS - deals with migrant who left their countries and settled in
new territories. Example cross border migrant network, family networks, ethnic or
religious networks.
8. POLICY NETWORK- defined as a set of relatively stable relations that are
nonhierarchical and interdependent in nature that links a variety of actors who have
 common interests with regard to a particular policy, and exchange resources to
pursue these shared interest
9. PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS- deals with the promotion of the professionals’ mental
and academic interest to support sociability and friendship.
10. RELIGIOUS NETWORKS – deals with religious practiced by immigrants and
their respective networks.
11. TERRORIST NETWORK – engaged in organized crimes because they need funds
to sustain their activities.
12. WOMEN’S NETWORK – connected with other network type.

II Global Networks and Globalization

Globalization is rooted from the word global which means that actions occur “across
political and cultural boundaries” which “creates intensive as well as spatially extensive
interconnections between a range of institutions, and actors; and develops “transitional
processes, institutions, and ways of interpreting the world as a single space.
Globalization is the process in which the economies of different countries around the
world become increasingly assimilated over time.

ELEMENTS OF GLOBALIZATION

1. PRIVATIZATION - refers to the policies of the government to transfer government-

owned corporations and sell them to the control of the private sector.
2. DEREGULATION – refers to the streamlining of government’s control over the
industry for basic commodities like oil supply, water, and electricity.
3. LIBERALIZATION- is a policy wherein laws regarding restrictive importation of
products are modified or totally abolished.

TYPES OF GLOBALIZATION (3 Primary type)

1. Economic Globalization – is an economic process that involves the movement of

economic resources from one country to another.
2. Cultural Globalization –
3. Political Globalization –

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate – refers to average weather in a particular place. It includes precipitation,

temperature, humidity, wind, and seasons.

Climate Change – refers to a significant change in the climate conditions and measures
that usually lasts for an extended period of time.

Global Warming – is caused by an ongoing rise in global average temperature near Earth’s
surface. It is due to an increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Global warming causes changes in climate patterns. It represents an aspect of climate
change.

CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Dioxide or CO2 is considered as the most important gas in the Earth’s layer of
insulation
The increasing release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, namely water vapor,
and smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, made the Earth’s
atmosphere into a thick, heat-trapping blanket.

When sunlight reaches the surface of the Earth, it can either reflect the light back into the
space or it can be absorbed by the Earth. Once it is absorbed, the Earth releases some of
the energy back into the atmosphere as heat or infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases or
GHGs include water vapor H20, carbon dioxide CO2, and methane CH4 and they absorb
energy which slows or prohibits the loss of heat to space. In this way, greenhouse gases
serve like a blanket that makes the Earth warmer that it would otherwise be. This process
is commonly known as the “greenhouse effect.”

Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect are the following

1. Water vapor H2O- most abundant greenhouse gas. Serves as the feedback to the
climate. Increases as the Earth’s atmosphere warms.
2. Carbon Dioxide CO2- principal greenhouse gas that contribute to climate change. It
is released through natural processes such respiration, volcanic eruptions, and
through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and fossil fuel
burning.
3. Methane CH4 – a hydrocarbon gas produced by natural sources and human activities
which includes the decomposition of wastes in landfills, rise cultivation, ruminant
digestion, and domestic livestock manure management.
4. Nitrous oxide N2o – powerful greenhouse gas produces due to soil cultivation
practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel
combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning.

MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION APPROACHES

Response to climate change requires a two-pronged approach

1. Mitigation – refers to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and the

stabilization of the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
2. Adaptation – refers to the ability of humans to adapt to the effects of climate change
that we are now experiencing.

DEMOCRATIC INTERVENTIONS
DEMOCRACY
- Derived from the greek words, namely demos (people) and kratos (rule) which means
“rule by the people”. It provides people the right to exercise “some form of genuine
control over government”
- Democracy differs from the other forms of government, like dictatorship and
oligarchy

DEMOCRACY MODEL

1. PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
People rule through the collective discussion of issue that need to be debated.
Decisions and solutions are agreed upon and made by all members without
resorting to a vote.

4 major components of participatory

1. All members have the opportunity to raise an issue, provide possible
solutions to the problem and take part in the crafting of the final decision.
 2. The issues are discussed during face-to-face meetings
3. There is much discussion involved in addressing the problem and everyone
who wants to join can contribute to the discussion
4. Members want consensus
2. DIRECT DEMOCRACY
-People decide in an assembly or forum of citizens, without conducting an
election or using representatives.
-Has an element of proximity because people assemble in a particular venue.
-Has also an element of directness because people decide for their community
together and directly without the use of formal mediation.
- Direct democracy is also shown when referendums area conducted

Referendum – refers to a vote on a particular issue in which the outcome or decisions is

reached directly thought people’s vote.

3. REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
Requires the election of a few members who are responsible for making the
necessary decision for the people.