Papers

IN SEARCH OF HUMAN GLOBALIZATION

Author: Kathryn Hoomkwap -presented UNIV2001 Rome | Date: 10th April 2001

The concept of globalization is not exactly as new as it appears. There has always been in human beings a desire to move to reach out towards the other. At different times in history people have traveled across borders for numerous reasons not excluding trade. However, the present age is witnessing an overwhelming form of globalization in the economic and business spheres. This overwhelming phenomenon of present-day globalization has no doubt been propelled by the unprecedented development in technology, telecommunication, television and computer. International travel is made easier, cheaper and faster. In the words of Marshall McLuhan “the world has become a global village. “ With CNN, events happening in remote areas can be viewed globally at the same time.

 

There is growing tendency towards a more integrated world at the economic level of commercial exchange, of movement of capital and diffusion of technological innovation. This phenomenon also includes political, social and cultural aspects of our everyday lives. In other words globalization is fast taking a more human dimension – interwoven with ideas which travel in zero time with the concerns and expectations that unite men and women of every country in the world. The multiplicity of cultural exchanges, offer a great opportunity for people to open themselves to cultures that in the past they would have ignored. These cultural exchanges could raise the level of solidarity among people of every continent.

 

Globalization also results in increased exchange of knowledge which is the most important factor of the recent acceleration of scientific and technological advances. With this unprecedented development in terms of economic growth, scientific and technological progress, the benefit of globalization, i.e. wealth, power and comfort are concentrated mostly in the developed world, while the developing countries continue to struggle to meet the basic needs of life for their peoples. Even though human conditions have improved more in the last century in terms of global wealth, global connections and technological capabilities, four billion of the world’s six billion people remain poor. Most of these poor live in the third world. It is in these areas that you find about 2.8 billion people living on $2 dollars a day and about 1.2 billion living on less $1 a day. These are some of the challenges that face all of us and particularly you students who because you are the leaders of tomorrow.

 

What can we do to defend and promote the dignity of these marginalized people, men, women and children who like ourselves are created in the image and likeness of God? How can you as students play an active role in building a just and compassionate society? Permit me to share some life experiences with you. What I am going to say about Nigeria is applicable to most of the third world countries. Nigeria has a population of about 120 million people. There are approximately 23 universities offering courses in the humanities and the arts, science, engineering and technology.

 

In the early 1960’s and late 70’s when there were fewer universities, the composition of lecturers was universal, there were tools and facilities which created an enabling environment for learning and excellence. It is however sad to say that these conditions are not same today at the beginning of the 21st century. A student in a Nigerian university gets admitted to do a three-year program but ends up spending 5-6 years before graduating. Why is that so, you may ask? He is faced with strikes by lecturers, and the students themselves often demonstrate against difficult conditions as a result of poor learning facilities and overcrowded hostel accommodation, poor feeding and lack of recreational facilities.

 

Most of them graduate from the university without having access to the use of computer. It is doubtful if these students could favorably compete with their counterparts from developed countries in the employment markets. Even multinational corporations which have business in Nigeria would prefer to recruit graduates from American, Japanese or British universities, thus increasing the rate of unemployment in Nigeria both at the rate of unemployment in Nigeria both at Federal, state and local government levels which are the greatest employer of labor. These tiers of government have been forced to cut down on employment as a result of the conditions imposed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF which has often said the private sector should be made the engine of growth. But the financially incapacitated Nigerian private sector is unable to take up these challenges and so government is often forced to go the Northern hemisphere to woe core investors to buy up public enterprises slated for privatization. These investors often decide to lay-off workers because they find them either unsuitable or too many in an enterprise that should be technologically driven. This also sells the unemployment market.

 

With debt repayment and rescheduling, international financial institutions demand a cut in the budgetary allocations for social services, education, health, housing etc. In fact these cuts are often made to increase budgetary allocations for population control to the detriment of education and health. This partly explains why the conditions of learning in the universities are poor; lecturers are poorly paid and often resort to doing jobs other than research and teaching. I would like to state very clearly that in Nigeria as in many developing nations, population control is not one of our major concerns. Our major concerns are the provision of education, health, food, and shelter. With proper education and good health, young Nigerians and other people from the developing nations can contribute to their national development and join other nations of the North in promoting both economic and human globalization.

 

Nigeria and other developing countries are often accused of corruption in the public sectors. Politician and government officials are often involved in lack of accountability and transparency and these are linked to problems of under-development. I would like to point here that, these corrupt officials carry out these acts in collaboration with international agencies/corporations and financial institutions. Most of the loans from international institutions are often not channeled to projects for which they are meant. The terms and conditions of these loans are usually not the receiver’s but the lender’s. No mechanism is put in place to monitor and evaluate such projects. At the end of the day a whole population pays for it – resulting into a crushing debt-burden.

 

CHALLENGES

 

You who are privileged to be living and studying in your various universities in Europe and America may not be aware of the poor conditions students like you experience in universities in the developing countries. These students are young men and women created in the image and likeness of God like yourselves, have a right to a conducive environment for learning.

 

As committed young people who learn the value of hard work and have a sense of dignity, what can you do to help in making their conditions better?

 

In the preface to the statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales on the Common Good and Catholic Social teaching, Cardinal Basil Hume says: the gospel imperative to love our neighbor entails not only that we should help those in need but also to address the cause of destitution and poverty. How can we solidarity with the students of the third world influence our governments to make policies that are people friendly and student friendly.

 

How can we put pressure on the World Bank and the IMF to have friendly social policies?

 

What about bringing pressure to bear on multinationals who operate in the third world countries to spend 10-20% of their profit on funding universities. What about the pharmaceutical companies that make huge profits on birth control devices…what can we do about them? Personal commitment, partnership networking and solidarity are needed if we desire to achieve globalization with a human face.

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