Handout for GEC 003 (The Contemporary World)
Lesson 1 – The Global North-South Divide
North-South Divide – a socio-economic and
political categorization of countries. It originated
from the Three World Divide. The division generally
do not follow the geographic location of countries.
Global North – comprised of First World countries
and selected Second World countries. Generally, the
Global North are richer and developed countries.
These countries are home to 25% of the total global
population, and these countries control 80% of the
total income earned around the world.
Global South – comprised of Third World countries
and the remaining Second World countries.
Generally, the Global South are poorer and
developing countries. These countries are home to
75% of the total global population, and these
countries control 20% of the total income earned
around the world.
Brandt Line – devised by former West German
Chancellor Willy Brandt. The Brandt Line sets the
boundaries between the Global North and the Global
South.
Criticisms on the Global North-South Divide:
• Too Restrictive – Brandt did not consider the
possibility of growth or decline of the
countries.
• A Form of Segregation of People Possible
Solutions to the Criticisms:
• More Flexible Mapping – instead of
following the definite lines set by the Brandt
Line, the Global North-South Divide should
use broken lines to present the upward or
downward movement of countries from
North to South, and vice versa.
• Globalization
Lesson 2 – The Globalization of Religion:
• Globalization and Religion has a complicated
relationship as religion is concerned with the
sacred while globalism places value on
material wealth.
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
MIDTERM
• Globalization led to the spread of religious
ideas
• Spread of religious ideas, in itself, is a form
of Globalization
• Generally, Globalization and Religion clash
over the issue whether
religious evangelization is, in itself, a form of
globalization.
Religion:
• Concerned with the sacred
• Follows divine commandments (Bible for
Christians, Koran for Muslims, and Torah for
Jews)
• Assumes that there is “the possibility of
communication between humans and the
transcendent” (God for Christians, Allah for
Muslims, Yahweh for Jews)
• Less concerned with wealth
• Live a virtuous, sin-less life
Globalization:
• Places value on material wealth
• abides by human-made laws (laws, policies,
and principles that make Globalization
possible)
• How much human action can lead to the
highest material satisfaction
• Less worried on whether they will end up in
heaven or hell.
Religious Evangelization – the various ways on
which religious organizations spread out their
religion and dogma. This could be in the form of
door-to-door evangelization, through word of mouth
or through the use of mass media.
Is Religious Evangelization a form of
Globalization?
Yes No
It does expand and It has nothing to do with
intensify the flow of the accumulation and
information, and to spending of wealth.
some extent, even
people and goods.
(Steger’s Definition)
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Handout for GEC 003 (The Contemporary World)
Realities:
1. Peter Berger - “The Contemporary World is...
furiously religious.” In most parts of the
world, there is a veritable explosion of
religious fervor (ex. Religious Holidays, etc.)
2. Religions served as a foundation of the
modern-day republic. Example: Malaysia and
Islamic Republic of Iran (Ayatollah Ruholla
Khomeini started the Islamic Revolution in
Iran during the 1970s).
3. Religious Organizations recognize the
importance of Secularism. Example:
Nahdlatul Ulama of Indonesia where they
have Pesantren (Islamic Schools) teaching
modern science, banking, social sciences, etc.
4. Religion came as a result of shift in state
policy. Example: Church of England was
established by King Henry VIII when he
broke off with the Roman Catholic Church
after the Pope declined to recognize/allow his
divorce.
5. Religion and Law fused together to create the
“Modern Secular Society.” Example: the
United State of America, as observed by
Alexis de Tocqueville in the 1800s, where
Americans practice Religion out of self-
interest.
• Jose Casanova – religion has always been at
the center of all great political conflicts and
movements of social reform.
Religion For and Against Globalization:
• Religious institutions are generally divided
over the spread of Globalization – some
dislike it as it promotes materialism, while the
rest embrace Globalization and its forces to
help spread their teachings or dogma.
• The two largest religions (based on
following), also called as the two “old-world
religions” – Christianity and Islam – has
viewed Globalization less as an obstacle and
more as an opportunity to expand their reach.
Religion For Globalization: Globalization has
“freed” communities from the “constraints of the
nation-state,” and religion seeks to take the place (fill
Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila
MIDTERM
the gap) of these “broken ties” to either help the
communities cope up or organize to oppose. Religion
is then seen not as a regressive force against
Globalization, but as a pro-active force.
Religion Against Globalization: Some
denominations (like Shiite Muslims) see
Globalization as a “Trojan Horse,” filled with ideas
of secularism, liberalism, and even communism
Lesson 3 – Media and Globalization of Culture:
Media – a means of conveying something, such as a
channel of communication. Technically, a person’s
voice is a medium.
Types of Media:
1. Print Media – books, magazines, newspapers
2. Broadcast Media – radio, film, television
3. Digital Media – mobile mass communication,
electronic books (e-books)
4. Internet Media – Email, Social Media,
Internet Sites, VOIP (e.g. Viber, WeChat,
etc).
Marshall McLuhan (Media Theorist):
1. “The medium is the message” - television in
the 1960s USA, it changed the lifestyle of
Americans. Technology makes social change
possible.
2. “Media simultaneously extend and amputate
human senses” - media expand the reach of
communication, but it also dulls the users’
communicative capacities.
3. “Television helped create a global village” -
as more people sit down in front of their
television sets and listened to the same
stories, their perception of the world contract.
Cultural Imperialism – created through the
partnership of media globalization and the American
hegemony. This led to the spread of American values
like consumerism.
Hegemony – the military, political, economic, and
cultural might (power), or clout, of a particular State.
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Handout for GEC 003 (The Contemporary World)
John Tomlinson - “cultural imperialism” promotes
“homogenized, Westernized, consumer culture.”
Social Media – a tool used to communicate and
socialize with people online. Led to the creation of
“digital citizenship.” It is democratized, which
means people have free access.
ISIS – Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (or ISIL –
Islamic State of Iraq and Libya), also referred to as
Daesh
Lesson 4 – Global Cities:
Global City and Globalization:
1. Globalization is spatial as it occurs in physical
spaces.
2. Globalization is spatial because what makes it
move is in fact based in places.
MIDTERM
did not account the changes that happened
since the 1990s.
Indicators of Globality:
1. Economic Opportunities - according to the
Economist Intelligence Unit, market size,
purchasing power of citizens, size of the
middle class, and potential for growth are
some of the criteria. (NY, London, Tokyo)
2. Centers of Authority (Washington D.C.,
Canberra)
3. Centers of Higher Learning and Cultures (ex.
Melbourne and Sydney)
Challenges on Global Cities:
1. Can be sites of great inequality and poverty
2. Can be sustainable because of its density but
risks damage to the environment
3. Has a massive demand on energy

• In the coming years, more and more Global Cities:

people will experience globalization
through cities:
 1950 – 30% of people living in
the cities
 2014 – 54% of people living in
the cities
 2050 – 66% of people living in
the cities
• This denotes the environment of rapidly
increasing number of people living in cities.
Global City:
• coined in the 1990s by sociologist Saskia
Sassen
• Sassen’s criteria focused primarily in the
economic aspect
• Sassen named New York, London, and
Tokyo as the three Global Cities; these Global
Cities are hubs of global finance (New York
Stock Exchange or NYSE of New York;
Financial Times Stock Exchange or FTSE of
London; and Nikkei of Tokyo)
• Considered by critics as highly restrictive as
it focused only on the economic aspect, and it
1. London (Financial Times Stock Exchange or
FTSE)
2. New York (New York Stock Exchange or
NYSE)
3. Tokyo (Nikkei)
4. Copenhagen, Denmark (Cuisine/“New
Nordic”)
5. Singapore (rising Cultural Hub of Southeast
Asia)
6. San Francisco (Silicon Valley)
7. Los Angeles (Hollywood)
8. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing (rising
economic centers in China) Global Cities
and the Poor:
Gentrification – a process of driving out of the poor
in favor of newer, wealthier residents.
Example: Banlieue – ethnic enclaves of poor
Muslim migrants in Paris.

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Prepared by: Mr. Justin Paul D. Gallano
Faculty Member – College of Arts, T.I.P. Manila © 2020 | NOT FOR SALE