CHAPTER 9

SOCIAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS OF URBANIZATION IN A GLOBAL WORLD

Learning Objectives:

After studying this chapter, the student will be able to:

1. differentiate the concepts of social issue and social problem
2. identify emerging social problems in a global world and determine their
causes.
3. Analyze the effects of these social problems and issues to globalization

A social problem is any condition or behavior that has negative consequences for
large numbers of people and that is generally recognized as a condition or behavior that needs
to be addressed.

A social issue is a problem that influences many citizens within a society. It is a

common problem in present-day society and one that many people strive to solve. It is often the
consequence of factors extending beyond an individual's control. Social issues are the source of
a conflicting opinion on the grounds of what is perceived as morally correct or incorrect

Four factors have been outlined that seem to characterize a social issue or problem.
These include:

> The public must recognize the situation as a problem.

>The situation is against the general values accepted by the society.

>A large segment of the population recognizes the problem as a valid concern.

>The problem can be rectified or alleviated through the joint action of citizens and/or
community resources.

12 Common Social Problems and Issues in Globalization

12.1 Global Health Issues including HIV and AIDS

In recent years, cities around the world are seriously disturbed with communicable
health risks such as but not limited to Ebola fever, SARS, AH1N1, and many others. Just
recently added to this is the spread of the New Corona Virus (NCOV2) which became a
Pandemic that locked down almost all countries all over the world. State monitoring particularly
on returning nationals from abroad was found to be effective mechanism to prevent the spread
of such viruses. But then in the process of Globalization as people move about so as these
health threat move also thus creating Health problems and social issues among many
countries.

The World Health Organization has released a list of 10 threats to global health in 2019.
They include:
 Air pollution and climate change
 Noncommunicable diseases
 Threat of a global influenza pandemic
 Fragile and vulnerable settings, such as regions affected by drought and conflict
 Antimicrobial resistance
 Ebola and high-threat pathogens
 Weak primary care
 Vaccine hesitancy
 Dengue
 HIV/AIDS
This year the Novel Corona Virus (NCOV 2) is added to the above threats because it has
evolved already into a worldwide pandemic and continue to wreak havoc not only on health
infrastructures but on Economic infrastructures as well because of lock downs imposed by
countries in order to contain its spread.

12.1.1 WHAT IS HIV?

HIV stands for HUMAN IMMUNODEFFICIENCY VIRUS is a virus that attacks cells that
help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
Without treatment, HIV can gradually destroy the immune system and advance to AIDS.

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced
stage of HIV infection.

The spread of HIV from person to person is called HIV transmission. HIV is spread only
in certain body fluids from a person who has HIV. These body fluids include Blood,Semen, Pre-
seminal fluid, Vaginal fluids, Rectal fluids, and Breast milk.

In the United States, HIV is spread mainly by having anal or vaginal sex with someone
who has HIV without using a condom or taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV

Sharing injection drug equipment (works), such as needles, with someone who has HIV,
The spread of HIV from a woman with HIV to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or
breastfeeding is called mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

On the other hand, you can’t get HIV by shaking hands or hugging a person who has
HIV.You also can’t get HIV from contact with objects such as dishes, toilet seats, or doorknobs
used by a person with HIV. HIV is not spread through the air or in water or by mosquitoes, ticks,
or other blood-sucking insects.
 Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, some people may have flu-like symptoms,
such as fever, chills, or rash. The symptoms may last for a few days to several weeks. During
this earliest stage of HIV infection, the virus multiplies rapidly.

After the initial stage of infection, HIV continues to multiply but at very low levels. More
severe symptoms of HIV infection, such as signs of opportunistic infections, generally don’t
appear for many years.

A person can reduce the risk of being infected with the following guidelines:

>Use condoms correctly every time you have sex

>Limit your number of sexual partners

>Never share injection drug equipment.

>HIV medicines, given to women with HIV during pregnancy and childbirth and to their babies
after birth, reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Infection with HIV/AIDS leads to numerous bodily, mental and social issues that affect
the individual and impacts on their families and communities at large. The impact of the HIV
treatment is further aggravated by other factors such as worry about employment, sexuality, the
prospects of relationships, and the social reactions of other community members. Another
impact of HIV is the stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS. Apart from
having to endure treatment with severe side-effects, they constantly have to cope with rejection
and social discrimination. (https://nursinganswers.net)

Video Link:
Positive/Negative: HIV & AIDS in the Philippines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQmysmzZvVw

12.2 Sex and Gender Discrimination

 The distinction between sex and gender differentiates a person's biological sex (the
anatomy of an individual's reproductive system, and secondary sex characteristics) from that
person's gender, which can refer to either social roles based on the sex of the person (gender
role) or personal identification of one's own gender based on an internal awareness.

Sex often refers to what doctors (and society) assign a person at birth based on their
genitals. So the division become binary referring to being Male or Female. While sex is often
based on biology, gender is a social construct.

According to the World Health organization, Gender as a social construction includes

norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as
relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and
can change over time. Because there are more than two genders, it therefore not binary but
instead it is a spectrum. Below are the most popular gender description in this spectrum.

Gender or sex as classification is hierarchical and produces inequalities that intersect

with other social and economic inequalities. Gender-based discrimination intersects with other
factors of discrimination, such as ethnicity, socio-economic status, disability, age, geographic
location, gender identity and sexual orientation, among others.

Gender or sex discrimination occurs when a person is subjected to different or unequal

treatment ("discrimination") in any number of situations, when that treatment is based on the
person's gender.
 Sex discrimination - refers to discrimination based on the biological differences between
male and female

Gender discrimination - refers to discrimination based on social behavior such as

nonconformance of gender roles including sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination

Gender and sex discrimination can take place in many different settings, but typically
occurs most often in the following situations:

a. Workplace- Gender discrimination may be direct or indirect. Direct gender

discrimination is when an employee is treating unfavourably because of their
gender. Indirect gender discrimination can occur if employers or managers hold
assumptions about what sort of work women and men are capable, or not
capable, of doing.
b. Education - When a child is treated less favorably on the grounds of gender,
sexual orientation. Sometimes they are not given equal opportunity and
treatment because of the sex or gender. In some regions, boys’ educational
opportunities are limited by gender roles that force them to work rather than
attend school. These financial responsibilities are often increased in boys’
adolescent years, making it difficult for them to complete secondary school in
some regions. However, in many parts of the world, girls are most often the
victims of gender discrimination as they pursue an education.
c. Household – when male children are given more opportunities than their sisters.
Sometimes this takes the form of giving more household chores to female
children while those having other genders such as gays or lesbians are looked
down upon or totally become unaccepted.
Gender stereotypes is a generalized view or preconception about attributes or
characteristics, or the roles that are or ought to be possessed by, or performed by women and
men. A gender stereotype is harmful when it limits women’s and men’s capacity to develop their
personal abilities, pursue their professional careers and make choices about their lives.

Gender equality is a human right, but our world faces a persistent gap in access to
opportunities and decision-making power for women and men.

Globally, women have fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less
access to basic and higher education, greater health and safety risks, and less political
representation.

Guaranteeing the rights of women and giving them opportunities to reach their full
potential is critical not only for attaining gender equality, but also for meeting a wide range of
international development goals. Empowered women and girls contribute to the health and
productivity of their families, communities, and countries, creating a ripple effect that benefits
everyone.
 Video Link:
Gender Stratification: Crash Course Sociology #32
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb1_4FPtzrI

12. 3 Climate Change

Weather, state of the atmosphere at a particular place during a short period of time. It
involves such atmospheric phenomena as temperature, humidity, precipitation (type and
amount), air pressure, wind, and cloud cover.

Climate describes the average weather of a particular part of the world at different times
of the year.

Climate change is the long-term shift in average weather patterns across the world.
Since the mid-1800s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases into the air. This causes global temperatures to rise, resulting in long-term
changes to the climate. (Met College, 2016)

12.3.1 What are the causes?

a. SOLAR VARIABILITY- The luminosity, or brightness, of the Sun has been increasing
steadily since its formation. This phenomenon is important to Earth’s climate, because
the Sun provides the energy to drive atmospheric circulation and constitutes the input for
Earth’s heat budget. Low solar luminosity during Precambrian time underlies the faint
young Sun paradox, described in the section Climates of early Earth.
b. HUMAN ACTIVITIES- Recognition of global climate change as an environmental issue
has drawn attention to the climatic impact of human activities. Most of this attention has
focused on carbon dioxide emission via fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation. Human
activities also yield releases of other greenhouse gases, such as methane (from rice
cultivation, livestock, landfills, and other sources) and chlorofluorocarbons (from
industrial sources). There is little doubt among climatologists that these greenhouse
gases affect the radiation budget of Earth; the nature and magnitude of the climatic
response are a subject of intense research activity.
c. GREENHOUSE GASES- It is a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by
absorbing infrared radiation, e.g., carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons. When
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide build in the atmosphere, they act like a
 blanket around the earth. When sunlight (ultraviolet radiation) hits this blanket, it passes
straight through and continues until it reaches the surface of the planet.

12.3. 2 Effects of Climate Change

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers
have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have
shifted and trees are flowering sooner.

12.3.3 Possible Solutions

United Nations legal instruments

A. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCC)

 -"International environmental treaty negotiated at the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit,
held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992."
- It has no binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual countries.
No enforcement mechanism.
-The treaty provides a framework for negotiating specific international treaties
(called "protocols") that may set binding limits on greenhouse gases.

B. Kyoto Protocol
-Is an international agreement that called for industrialized nations to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
-"Kyoto" because it was adopted in Kyoto, Japan in 1997, when greenhouse
gases were rapidly threatening our climate.

C. Paris Agreement
“At COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC reached a
landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the
actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.”
“The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the
threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2
degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature
increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the agreement aims to
increase the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change, and at
making finance flows consistent with a low GHG emissions and climate-resilient
pathway. To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate mobilization and provision of
financial resources, a new technology framework and enhanced capacity-building is to
be put in place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable
countries, in line with their own national objectives. The Agreement also provides for an
enhanced transparency framework for action and support.” (https://unfccc.int)

Video Link:
What is Climate Change? | Start Here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcBXmj1nMTQ&t=41s