A WORLD OF REGIONS

LESSON 12 GLOBAL DIVIDES

JOY D. CALLUENG-DAPEG, MBA

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able
to:
1. Identify perspectives in global stratification;
2. Discuss the concept of global divide; and
3. Review some historical antecedents relating to
the understanding of the global divide.
Global divide – global disparities, often due to stratification due to differing
economic affluence but can also be in other aspects of globalization.

Introduction
Across history, there have been many manifestations of stratification in
different societies. Social stratification is essentially the phenomenon of
segregating, grouping, and ranking people based on differences in class, race,
economic status, and other categories. In earlier civilizations, we hear of
nobilities and commoners, the lord and the peasant, and many other social
statuses and positions that embody hierarchy of power in a social system. These
hierarchies, especially when pushed toward the extremes, have often led to
inequalities, wherein the group which possesses control over power and
resources are given much privilege at the expense of those who are deprived.
Perspectives in Global Stratification
1. Modernization Theory – this theory suggests that all
societies undergo a similar process of evolution-from
agricultural, industrial, and urbanized and modern-
that is motivated and catalysed by internal factors. It
hints that more than external influences, internal
processes within states are responsible for social
change.
2. Dependency theories – suggest that countries are
either “core” ( developed) or “peripheral” (
developing) such that resources tend to flow from
peripheries to the core.
3. World system – composed of boundaries, structures,
member groups, rules of legitimation, and coherence.
This world system is assumed to ‘comprises a single
capitalist world-economy .
LESSON 13
THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Lesson objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the ever-changing concept of the Global South;
2. Identify countries which are commonly associated with
the Global South;and
3. Survey the political and economic conditions in the
contemporary Latin America.
Definition of Terms
 Global North – may refer to countries that are geographically in the northern
hemisphere or to countries that are developed.
 Global South – may refer to countries that are geographically in the southern
hemisphere or to countries that are developing.

Introduction
In earlier lessons, we discussed that the changing global landscape has made
disparities in various spheres more defined-a phenomenon which creates a paradox
in a world where geographical and intellectual access have been made more possible
by the advancement in technology.
In the past, it would have been gruelling for explorers to visit various places in
the world as they were limited only by the transportation technologies they had.
The aviation technology has made it possible for humans to be more connected, at
least in principle, as it speeds up transfer from one country to other. The Internet
technology on the other hand has brought forth undefeatable access to information,
which the world has not seen in the distant past. This should have, in principle,
levelled off the disparities across countries.
 But the again, this is not always the case. While the contemporary world
is arguably much better and more affluent than what we have in the past,
more complex phenomena are emerging in this seemingly connected world.
Defining Global North and Global South
In literatures on globalization and development, the term Global North
is used to refer to countries that are ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED, while the
term Global South is used to pertain to countries that are ECONOMICALLT
STRUGGLING (Odeh, 2010). While the common frame of reference in such a
stratification is economic, there are broad indicators that distinguish
economies as either global north or global south: “politics, technology,
wealth and demography” (Odeh, 2010, p. 340).
SUMMARY
The Global South is a changing concept. While for the most part of the modern
world the Global South has been associated to poverty and dependency, some of
these countries are gaining momentum toward achieving their economic and
political goals. There is a good deal to learn about the experiences of the Global
South, especially about the issues they face and the struggles that their people are
going through. But at the same time, there is also plenty to learn about how
collective action and people’s empowerment in these locales are paving way of
progress. Most essentially, the phenomenon of the Global South encourages us to
reflect in the affordances and the challenges that globalization poses for people
across economic strata.
 -----------------------------------ACTIVITY-----------------------------------------
Choose one country considered to be part of the Global North and another
country considered to be part of the Global South.

INFORMATION GLOBAL NORTH GLOBAL SOUTH

Country

Population

Gross National Product

Gross Domestic Product

Human Development Index

What are your thoughts? _____________________________________________

Lesson 14
ASIAN REGIONALISM
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Define regionalism
2. Identify factors influencing regionalism in Asia; and
3. Understand how Asian nations deal with globalization and
regionalism.
INTRODUCTION

First, countries tend to rely on global fora such as the United

Nations in, resolving regional conflicts, thus, paving way for the
emergence of peacekeeping initiatives and regional trade
organizations. In general, nations nowadays are more agreeable, at
least as indicated by less profound armed conflicts and wars among
nations. Conflicts are however present in other spheres, such as for
instance, territorial disputes which have implication on assertion of
political powers in a given region or which will provide competitive
advantage in economic opportunities.
 Second is the emergence of regional cooperation among countries to achieve
political and economic goals. Hernandez (1996) even suggested that such flexibility
and fluidity in regionalism is consequential to the end of the Cold War.

Indrees M continued pointing out that after the Second World War, global trends
have emerged which show why regionalism is a necessary phenomena.
1. Amidst globalization, global problems remained to be tackled in regional
spheres.
2. The collapse of the alliances has led to regionalism and trans-regionalism trends.
3. Regionalism is an attempt for resilience in a world which remains to
acknowledge super power tendencies among particular states such as America.
4. Growing insecurity within particular regions require solutions from within these
regions, something which is made complicated by global dynamics.
Hettne’s Faces of Regionalism and Degrees of Regionness
Hettne (1996) argued that regionalism has two faces: the old and the new. The
following table summarizes hettne’s articulation:

OLD REGIONALISM NEW REGIONALISM

Bipolar such that it was produced in a Multipolar as it is open for multilateral

schism between opposing political alliances engagement and collaborations among
countries.
Imposed by the superpowers Spontaneous and sought voluntarily by
constituents

Secures economic security within alliances Open in as much as it is multipolar

Specific to economic and political Comprehensive and multidimensional

objectives (political, cultural, economic, social)

Focused only on nation-states Involves non-state actors.

Hettne (1996) suggested that regionness as a concept has varying degrees.
 Region as a geographical unit – a region can be construed as a place, as a physical
environment. For example, we can determine Asia as a region based on the land and
water boundaries surrounding it.
 Region as a social system - a region can be construed as a conglomerate of people
occupying a particular space and possessing unique dynamics of interaction. For
instance, we can determine Asia as a region based on the group of people occupying it
and the shared ancestry, language, and culture these people have.
 Region as organized cooperation – a region can be construed as a group of nations
who agree to take part and form a formal organization. For instance, Southeast Asia is
a region within Asia, and it has been formalized through memberships in the
Association of South East Asian Nations or ASEAN.
 Region as civil society – a region can be construed as a network of cultural and social
linkages among countries who voluntarily take part in a cooperation among nations.
 Region as an acting subject – a region can be construed as a group of nations
concerned about peace, welfare, and prosperity of its people.
ASIAN REGIONALISM
The Asia Region
Asia is the largest and most populated continent in the world. Geographically, it
is separated from the European continent by the Urals, from Africa by the Suez
Canal, from the North America by the Bering Strait (The Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, 2012). It is comprised of distinct regions such as Central Asia, East
Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The following are some
information about these distinct coastal regions.