CONTEMPORARY WORLD

UNIT 2: A World of Regions

Introduction
This course introduces students to the contemporary world by examining the
multifaceted phenomenon of globalization. Using the various disciplines of the
social sciences, it examines the economic, social, political, technological, and
other transformations that have created an increasing awareness of the
interconnectedness of peoples and places around the globe. To this end, the
course provides an overview of the various debates in global governance,
development, and sustainability. Beyond exposing the student to the world
outside the Philippines, it seeks to inculcate a sense of global citizenship and
global ethical responsibility.

This course includes mandatory topics on population education in the context of

population and demography.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course the students should be able to:

1. Distinguish different interpretations of and approaches to globalization

2. Describe the emergence of global economic, political, social, and cultural
systems
3. Analyze the various contemporary drivers of globalization
4. Understand the issues confronting the nation-state
5. Assess the effects of globalization on different social units and their responses

1
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

 define the term “Global South”;
 differentiate the Global South from the Third World and
 analyze how a new conception of global relations emerged from the
experiences of Latin American countries.

PRESENTATION OF CONTENT
THE GLOBAL SOUTH

The Global South holds all of the countries south of the equator in the Southern
hemisphere. It is called the “Developing World” which includes some countries of
Africa and Latin America and some developing countries in Asia. The Global
South includes nearly 157 of a total of 184 recognized states in the world and
many have limited resources. It is also called the Third World which is a phrase
used to describe the developing countries.

These are the newly created independent countries of Africa and the countries
of Asia that became independent after World War II. Their leaders came together
at Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 to organize a movement that would not be aligned
between the First World and the Second World. It is later joined by the countries
of Latin America.

It includes the Caribbean, South America, and parts of Asia. These areas share
common economic and political problems and issues. The countries in Africa, and
most of Asia- known as the Global South- face challenges and offer real
opportunities. Political, social, and economic changes are prevalent in these
countries. The populations of the Global South and their markets offer hopes for
economic growth, investment, and cultural contribution.

Include the Topic found in the textbook (Locating the Global South) by Lisandro
E. Claudio.

2
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

THE GLOBAL SOUTH AND THE THIRD WORLD

The Global South is a concept that has three important definitions. First, it has been
used within intergovernmental developmental organizations originated in the
Non-Aligned Movement which refer to economically disadvantaged nationstates
and as a post-cold war alternative to “Third World.” However, in previous years,
the Global South is applied in a post-national sense to address spaces and
peoples affected by contemporary capitalist globalization. Second, the Global
South has a deteriorating geography and means to account for conquered
peoples within the borders of developed countries, such that there economic
South’s in the geographic North and North’s in the geographic South. And third,
Global South refers to the resistant imaginary of a transnational political subject
that results from a shared experience of subjugation under contemporary global
capitalism.

The Global South is a term that has been emerging in transnational and
postcolonial studies to refer to what is called the “Developing World” (i.e., Africa,
Latin America, and the developing countries in Asia), “developing countries”,
“less developed countries”, and “less developed regions”.

On the other hand, the designation of “Third World” countries was created by
Alfred Sauvy, a French demographer, in an article that he wrote for the French
magazine, L’Observatuer in 1952, after World War II and during the Cold War-era,
the Third World also are those countries that did not align with either the First World
or Second World countries after World War II and are described as less developed
countries. The Third World included the developing nations of Africa, Asia, and
Latin America.

The term “Third world” countries was used to designate the countries that didn’t
side with NATO/capitalism or the Soviet Union/communism. The new generic
meaning for third world countries are poor and underdeveloped nations. Such
descriptors can refer to poor education, infrastructure, improper sanitation and
others.

However, globalization has had its negative effects in these less developed
nations. Globalization has increased inequality in developing nations between
the rich and the poor. The benefit of globalization is not universal because it
makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.

EXPERIENCES OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES

3
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

Starting in the 1500s, European explorers spread throughout the Americas, Africa,
and Asia claiming lands for Europe. The United States, which began as colonies,
soon spread through the North America and took control of Haiti, Puerto Rico,
Guam, Philippines, Hawaiian Islands and Panama and Cuba. With colonialism
came the exploitation of both natural and human resources. The slave trade
followed a route between Africa, the American and Caribbean colonies, and
Europe. As the slave trade died down in the mid-nineteenth century, the idea of
colonialism came to be less about human resources and more about natural
resources. In 1870, only 10% of Africa was colonized. Only Ethiopia and Liberia
were not colonized in 1940. European countries took control of land and raw
materials to send wealth back to the west. Most colonies lasted until the 1960s
and the last British colony, Hong Kong, was finally granted independence in 1997.

The economic shocks brought by the depression and two world wars, in
combination with the strength of nationalism tilted economic policy after 1945
toward internal development as against outward orientation that had
predominated since independence. The outward policy had been undermined
by the trade controls and industrial promotion scheme adopted as defensive
measures in the aftermath of the depression and during the Second World War.
Now, however, a reorientation of policy was called by some of Latin America’s
most influential figures, such as the Argentine economist Raul Prebisch, head of
the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America. Prebisch and his
followers insisted that the terms of trade and investment in the contemporary
world were stacked in favour of the developed countries as against the
developing countries. Their strategy included emphasis on economic
diversification and import substitution industrialization for the sake of greater
economic autonomy. They called for economic integration among Latin
American countries themselves with a view to achieve economies of scale. And
they recommended internal structural reforms to improve the economic
performance of their countries including land reform to lessen inequality of
income distribution that was a hindrance to growth of the domestic market.

In the small Caribbean and Central American republics and some of the poorer
and smaller South American countries, the governments still hesitated to promote
manufacturing at the expense of traditional primary commodities. But, in
countries accounting for a disproportionate share of Latin America’s population
and gross domestic product, this approach received full play through protective
tariffs, official preferences, and subsidies. Overvalued exchange rates, which may
affect traditional exports, made it easier to import industrial machinery and
equipment. Manufacturing costs remained high, factories were so much
dependent on imported inputs of all kinds. In all major countries the output of
intermediate and capital goods rose too.

In other instances Latin America’s tried to develop new, non-traditional primary

commodity exports. Columbian cut flowers were a highly successful example,
promoted from the 1960’s through special incentives such as tax rebates;
Columbia became the world’s second leading flower exporter. It also assumed a
leading role in the illegal narcotics trade. In 1970, it enjoyed a short boom of
marijuana exports and in the following decade became the world’s leading
supplier of cocaine.

The last two decades of the 20th century witnessed an economic crisis in Latin
America, caused by external factors and domestic mismanagement, in search of

4
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

a way out, countries put their trust in neoliberal approaches favouring a free flow
of trade and investment and reduction of role of the state as recommended by
International Monetary Fund.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
 Differentiate between regionalism and globalization.
 Identify the factors leading to a greater integration of Asian region
 Analyze how different Asian states confront the challenges of
globalization and regionalism.

PRESENTATION OF CONTENT
DEFINITION OF REGIONALISM AND GLOBALIZATION

Regionalism is defined as a political ideology that favors a specific region over a

greater area. It usually results due to political separations, religious geography,
cultural boundaries, linguistic regions, and managerial divisions. Regionalism
emphasizes on developing the administrative power and swaying the available
or some inhabitants of a region. Activists of regionalism claim that instituting the
governing bodies and civil authorities within an area, at the expense of a national
regime, will significantly increase local populations by improving the local
economies through the distribution of resources and execution of local policies
and strategies.

Globalization is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the

world’s economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border
trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and
information. Countries have built economic partnerships to facilitate these

5
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

movements over many centuries. But the term gained popularity after the Cold
War in the early 1990s, as these cooperative arrangements shaped modern
everyday life. This guide uses the term more narrowly to refer to international
trade and some of the investment flows among advanced economies, mostly
focusing on the United States.

The wide-ranging effects of globalization are complex and politically charged.

As with major technological advances, globalization benefits society as a
whole, while harming certain groups. Understanding the relative costs and
benefits can pave the way for alleviating problems while sustaining the wider
payoffs.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGIONALZATION AND GLOBALIZATION

REGIONAL INTEGRATION

It is the process by which two or more nation –states agree to co-operate

and work closely together to achieve peace, stability and wealth.

It is the process by which different countries agree to remove trade barriers

between them.

FACTORS THAT LEADS ASIAN REGION INTO GREATER INTEGRATION

1. TRADE – the world economy in intertwined with each other whether we like it or
not. We all want or need something from another part of the world, including
global trade facilities. These nations can readily supply each other’s need.

2. SIMILAR CULTURE – the cultures of Asia are diverse but they do share many
things. This makes it an easier fit during times of negotiations.

6
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

3. COMMON GOALS – the Asian region recognizes the mutual benefit of a slow
integration, and that is to accelerate the economic growth, social progress, and
cultural development and to promote peace.

4. SIMILAR SECURITY NEEDS – this association needs only to contend with foreign –
supported terrorist groups which are usually handled well.

HOW DO DIFFERENT ASIAN STATES CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALIZATION

AND REGIONALIZATION

7
 CONTEMPORARY WORLD
UNIT 2: A World of Regions

REFERENCES

https://www.scribd.com/presentation/453512628/Factors-Leading-to-the-
Greater-Integration-of-Asian-Regions-pptx