G e n e r a l E d u c a t i o n

CHED
Compliant

The
Contemporary
World
Awareness, Choice, and Responsibility

Kay S. Conales
Arlene P. Donaire
Mildred M. Estanda
Miguel Antonio B. Garcia
Francisco M. Largo
Grace C. Magalzo-Bualat
Glenn G. Pajares
Elizabeth M. Remedio
The Contemporary World:
Awareness, Choice, and
Responsibility

Kay S. Conales
Arlene P. Donaire
Mildred M. Estanda
Miguel Antonio B. Garcia
Francisco M. Largo
Grace C. Magalzo-Bualat
Glenn G. Pajares
Elizabeth M. Remedio
The Contemporary World: Awareness, Choice, and Responsibility

Verbum Books is an imprint of the University of San Carlos Press.

SoLINE Publishing Company Inc. is the external distributor of Verbum Books.

Published by the University of San Carlos Press

University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus
Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City

© 2018 by the University of San Carlos Press

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the written permission of the Publisher.

Authors:
Kay S. Conales, Arlene P. Donaire, Mildred M. Estanda, Miguel Antonio B. Garcia,
Francisco M. Largo, Grace C. Magalzo-Bualat, Glenn G. Pajares, and Elizabeth M.
Remedio

ISBN 978-971-539-133-7

Printed by ClintKAMMS Corp.

Mandaue City
 Contents
Preface v
By Elizabeth M. Remedio, PhD

Introduction 1
By Arlene P. Donaire, MA

Chapter 1 Globalization and Global Governance 13

By Grace C. Magalzo-Bualat, MPS, LIB

Chapter 2 Globalization of Markets and Economic Relations 31

By Mildred M. Estanda, MA

Chapter 3 Regionalization and Regionalism 43

By Glenn G. Pajares, PhD, DA

Chapter 4 Global Demography, Migration, and Global Cities 61

By Francisco M. Largo, MA

Chapter 5 The Digital World and Globalization 79

By Miguel Antonio B. Garcia, MA

Chapter 6 Globalization and Religion 101

By Glenn G. Pajares, PhD, DA

Chapter 7 Globalization and Sustainable Development 115

By Elizabeth M. Remedio, PhD and Kay S. Conales, MA, PMD

Chapter 8 Global Citizenship 129

By Elizabeth M. Remedio, PhD and Kay S. Conales, MA, PMD

v
vi
 Preface

The Contemporary World (TWC) is one of the required common subjects to be taken
by all undergraduate students across all disciplines in the Philippines starting the
academic year 2018–2019 and onwards. This mandate is found in CMO 20 series of
2013 otherwise known as “General Education Curriculum: Holistic Understandings,
Intellectual and Civic Competencies.”

The New GE Curriculum or the Revised GEC of 2013 now takes the place of GEC-A
(1996) and GEC-B (1997) as the latter two will now be offered in its modified versions
at the senior high school (SHS) levels. General education is distinct from specialized
learning. The latter focuses on a particular discipline while general education is
oriented towards wide-ranging understandings.

There are four missions in Philippine higher education and it is the first that describes
more concisely the goal of general education: To produce graduates imbued with
(1) values reflective of a humanist orientation (e.g. respect for others as human
beings, among others); (2) analytical and problem-solving skills; (3) the ability to
think through the ethical and social implications of a given course of action; and
(4) the competency to learn continuously throughout life—that will enable them
to live meaningfully in a rapidly changing globalized world while engaging in their
community and the nation’s development issues and concerns.

The Contemporary World (TCW) as a subject deals mainly with the phenomenon
of Globalization and its multifarious meanings and contexts. The CHED-designed
TCW syllabus referred to the two-volume set The SAGE Handbook of Globalization
edited by Manfred Steger, Paul Battersby, and Joseph Siracusa of RMIT University,
Australia (2014), as the main textbook reference material. These two documents
plus the experiences and lists of additional reading references obtained during the
“First Generation and Second Generation Faculty Training for the Teaching of the
New General Education Core Courses” (2016–2017) were the primary sources of
ideas in crafting the USC-published The Contemporary World: Awareness, Choice, and
Responsibility work-text book.

vii
To say that writing this work-text was a huge challenge is an understatement. Eight
authors coming from different walks of life bonded together to write and discuss eight
chapters they believed to be the picture of what the contemporary world is. These
chapters wove the stories, aspects, dimensions, interpretations and descriptions of
the saga of “globalization.”

Some writers note that globalization started way before postmodernity and in fact
claim that the Galleon Trade during the Spanish-Philippine era was a perfect image
of the international trading system. Trade, particularly international trade today,
however, has gone way too far and deep in that it not only is a market-driven activity
but a lifestyle-changing occurrence as well. Today, globalization touches everyone’s
lives from political spheres to economic processes to cultural subtleties. Yet, how
can one be in the know so that one can appropriately respond to this life-changing
phenomenon?

This book is a first try. It allows the reader to be introduced to the various terminologies,
processes, and understandings of globalization whereby ACR (awareness, choice,
and responsibility) is the true-to-life response button key. Relative to the other USC-
published GE books, many of the TCW chapters also consists of chapter content,
chapter objectives, chapter overview, bridging learning opportunities, topic trivia,
topic discussion, supplemental learning resources, and topic exercises.

Topical coverage range from globalization and global governance; globalization

of markets and economic relations; regionalization and regionalism; global
demography; digital world and globalization, globalization and religion, globalization
and sustainable development; and global citizenship.

Elizabeth M. Remedio, PhD

viii
 Introduction

Introduction
The contemporary world, as everyone knows and experiences it now, is a
product of many transformations, both multidimensional and intertemporal, that
some experts say began way before the European Age of Discovery and voyages to
the New World. The citizens of the current generation are inextricably linked to what
is referred to as globalization, the ongoing movement that has been sweeping the
continents, countries, and local economies. There is no denying that many aspects
of everyday life are affected, caused, initiated, correlated, dependent, and influenced
by the multiple stimuli and implications of the trends coincident with globalization.
As such, the global community we live in exists not just in the stories that we
see or read about in media, but it is an actual occurrence that we are all part of and
evolving with. This reality, whether we like or despise it, accept or reject it, or respond
or play numb to it, unfolds and progresses. It is beyond anyone’s control. As with
anything in life, one way to deal with change effectively is to go with the flow, but
doing so armed with ample knowledge of the direction being taken and prepared
for the consequences. Anyone who stands by the roadside, choosing to let things
pass by simply, may stand to lose the potential benefits.
The globalized state of the world makes the adage “No man is an island” more
real and indisputable. Individuals in their larger milieus—economic, social, political,
religious, and geophysical—have now more than ever become interrelated and
interdependent. It is close to impossible to conclude that an individual or a nation
can by and in itself exist on its own. In most cases, there is always a way to trace a
relationship of some kind between actors in relation to their environments. These
links may move forward and backward and can be causal or correlational; even
serendipities and coincidences are subject to some kind of connectedness.
Notions of self like self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-determination are
subject to scrutiny and verification as one realizes that globalization is consequently
synonymous with collective concepts. At the same time, this “entangled” state of
coexistence may be the beginning of a loss of identity and, more importantly, even of
relevance for those that are unable to distinguish themselves from the pack, identify
their niches, and demonstrate their value added in the socio-economic-political-
cultural chains. There is a seeming irony in the sense that in order to make a distinct
mark, remain relevant, and find one’s direction in the contemporary world, one must
fully participate in the dynamics of globalization—that is, become a global citizen. In
other words, one must join the pack to be ahead of the pack.

1
Introduction

How does one then flourish and eventually survive in a field where everyone
else is doing exactly the same (i.e., struggling to find meaning and exerting effort
and initiative to ensure personal sustainability)? There is no single solution; the
answers lie in how each individual grasps the situation, crafts a reaction or response,
and commits to the consequences of the action taken. In general, it may be said
that a student retains an excuse to be a bystander and mere recipient of what the
environment creates until he or she is ready to assume the role of a real adult. Until
then, the right to exercise liberty and bear the burden of exercising such is held in
abeyance. Unfortunately, when it comes to being a citizen of the world in the current
times, being a student does not spare one from facing the facts of life. Global trends
matter to any individual. There is no standing back or standing by; one must stand
his or her own ground.

Globalization and Its Dimensions

In essence, a study of the contemporary world is a process towards a better
understanding of globalization, which is often described alongside concepts of
integration, interconnectedness, integration, linkages, expansion, and networking
in the context of countries, economies, sectors, industries, natural environments,
communities, and individuals. Globalization can be looked at as a phenomenon
of multiples; it is multifaceted and multidimensional, and it transcends physical or
temporal boundaries. As with any facet of life, not all that is heard or told is believed;
even when a glimmer of acceptance is present, most people maintain a quizzical
attitude until that which is only taught or told becomes their own reality. The same
can be applied to the study of globalization. This is good, because then it means that
the discussion will flourish in the presence of quizzical minds; for a coin, after all,
always has two sides.
To begin understanding this
social-scientific concept, one must
break it down into essential parts.
With globalization as an extensively
studied subject matter, schools of
thought have taken shape that can
help the beginner student, or the
“uninitiated,” to digest its multiplicity
as a concept, fact, or event, and even
postulate the alternative view that it
does not exist.

2
 Introduction

Manfred Steger, a professor of sociology and the author of the SAGE Handbook
of Globalization, proposes as starting point. He presents a balanced overview of the
fundamental approaches to studying globalization based on the works of scholars
since the 1990s. To trigger the thought process, we pose the key question, “Does
globalization exist?” In the SAGE Handbook, Steger says no and yes. These answers
are polarized, and each one is supported with approaches and specific arguments.
They can be summarized in the figure below.

NO: Globalization as “Globaloney”

Globalization does not exist—this is the bottom line of the proponents of this
approach. They conclude that the existing accounts of globalization are incorrect,
imprecise, or exaggerated, pointing out as proof the indiscriminate way that “just
about everything that can be linked to some transnational process is cited as evidence
for globalization and its growing influence.” Therefore, the proponents dismiss
the discussion of globalization as nothing more than baloney. The “globaloney”
advocates are driving home the point that globalization is really not that substantive
and distinct as claimed; it is a cliché because anything and everything can be
considered connected in some way—in a small or large amount, in a weak or strong
form, and in a direct or indirect way—to anything that is international in nature.

The word globaloney is a coined conjugation

Definitions:
• Transnational – trans + national:
meaning, beyond and across
the boundaries of politically
established territories of nation-
states or countries.
• Baloney – Literally referring to
leftover scraps of meat; also
used to refer to something that
is foolish, deceptive talk, or
pretentious nonsense. It is often
used as generalized expression
of disagreement
Sources: Google and Merriam-Webster
of the words globalization and baloney,
with the latter being used idiomatically to
mean “nonsense.” In the absence of clear-cut
definitions or norms for filtering data and an
analytical method to validate the so-called
evidentiary information, the “globaloneyists”
aver that globalization becomes nothing
more than a normal course of life; it is not a
scientific phenomenon.
Ironically, though, with the seeming
shallow dismissal of the globalization
phenomenon, the “globaloney” arguments
turn out to be more elaborate and in-depth.

3
Introduction

They fall into three broad types of counterarguments or critiques.

1. The rejectionists say that globalization is not a sufficiently precise analytical
concept. The author Susan Strange (1996) notes that the word globalization itself
is a “vacuous” term, because “it has been used in academic discourse to refer
to anything from the Internet to a hamburger.” In other words, it is unfounded
and baseless, a loosely coined concept with a universal application. It is “a big
idea resting on slim foundations,” says Linda Weiss (1988). The rejectionists seek
empirical evidence that directly supports globalization as an objective and
analytical concept.
2. The skeptics state that the world is not nearly as integrated because the so-called
globalizing process is only limited in specific areas. Numerous authors (Wade,
1996; Rugman, 2001; Hirst, Thompson, & Bromley, 2009) collectively agree that
“the world economy is not a truly global phenomenon, but one centered on
Europe, Eastern Asia, and North America.” Their quizzical view is that “majority
of the economic activity around the world still remains national in origin and
scope” with dynamic trade only confined to the more developed countries.
3. The modifiers argue that globalization is not a new and recent process and
that the term has not been correctly used over time. Robert Gilpin (2000) cites
relevant data collected by the economist Paul Krugman, which showed that
the world economy in the late 1990s “appeared to be even less integrated in a
number of respects than it was prior to World War 1.” There is also the assertion
by “world system theorists” that “the modern capitalist economy in which we live
today has been global since five centuries ago.” The group’s main point is that the
origins of current-day global activities like cross-regional transfers of resources,
technology, and culture can be traced back in history to the interactions of the
great empires of Persia, China, and Russia, among others.

YES: Globalization as an Economic, Political Process, or Cultural Process

Globalization as an Economic Process

Proponents of this well-studied approach include notable academics and
economists like Rodrik (2007), Stiglitz (2007), and Keohane (1984). Their common
claim, which is widely supported by scholarly studies, is that globalization involves
“the increasing linkage of national economies through trade, financial flows, and
foreign direct investments . . . by multinational firms.” Essentially, they conclude
that economic activities are the heart of globalization and the engine behind its
acceleration. In current times, some of the most important indicators of economic

4
 Introduction

globalization are the adoption of transnational financial systems, which triggered

the deregulation of interest rates; the removal of credit controls; and the privatization
of government-owned banks. With the advancement of communication technology
at the back end of financial and commodity markets, there is no enough reason to
believe that the growth trend across markets will continue.

Globalization as a Political Process

Proponents of this approach argue that economic perspectives on globalization
cannot be discussed without looking at the underlying political processes and
institutions. Their arguments center around these two questions:
1. What are the political factors affecting the flows of capital, funds, and technology
across territories?
2. Do economic resource flows challenge the power of a nation-state?
Collectively, these questions point to the notion that economic globalization,
as demonstrated by the expansion of markets, is weakening the control of national
government over their economies. Because economic factors are the foundation of
a country’s material growth, supporters of political globalization are often strongly
concerned over the need for ensuring state sovereignty by setting governance
controls. Kenichi Ohmae (1990, 1995, 2005), one of the most popular proponents
of this approach, predicted the rise of a “borderless world” where the territorial
jurisdiction of nation-states and governments will no longer be the defining markers,
but rather the “global web” that operates on free-market principles.

Globalization as a Cultural Process

Proponents of this approach state that globalization is a multidimensional
occurrence anchored in culture. Emphasizing the “centrality of culture in
globalization,” they define cultural globalization as a “densely growing network of
complex cultural interconnections and interdependencies that characterize modern
social life” (by sociologist John Tomlinson, 1999). Media and the stakeholders of
the industry that are shaping societies and identities today are considered strong
influences in the global cultural flow. Because of technological advances, cultural
information is now easily transmitted, creating immediate and direct impacts on
everyday lives. The osmosis of culture, as embodied in ideas, images, and practices
across borders, has challenged the notion that culture is a local concept because
of the way cultural assimilation, aided by media, has become a norm rather than
exception. “Americanization,” the global diffusion of American values, consumer
goods, and lifestyles in many countries across the world, is an example. Included

5
Introduction

as well in cultural globalization are two of the most significant ecological problems
that are linked to the growth of consumer-centric culture—human-induced climate
change and the destruction of biodiversity and habitats.
In addition to the approaches covering the economic, political, and cultural
dimensions of globalization, a few more topics of interest have recently become
relevant and timely in the discussion of globalization. These “transnational” concerns
such as migration, global security, media influence and cybercrime, climate
change and environmental sustainability, gender equality, and religion and politics
confluence are some of the most talked about examples. These topics, which may be
considered the collateral dimensions of globalizations, have also become important
because of their implications for the future state of the world.

Definitions:

• Financial System covers the financial transactions and exchanges of money between investors,
lenders, and borrowers. It can be defined at the global, regional, or company-specific level.
• Deregulation refers to the reduction, relaxation or outright removal of restrictions or
controls on certain activities. For instance, the deregulation of interest rates (i.e., the cost of
funds) means the removal by government of certain restrictions to expand the market for
investments.
• Credit Controls are mechanisms imposed by financial institutions to ensure creditworthiness
of borrowers and reduce loan defaults or bad loans.
• Privatization is the transfer of ownership of a publicly owned/operated business or operation
to a private sector owner/operator.
• Commodity Markets are physical or virtual markets where primary products are traded (sold
and bought) rather than manufactured goods. Commodities traded are either soft (i.e.,
agricultural like grains, coffee, sugar) or hard (i.e., mined products are gold and oil).

Source: www. investopedia.com

Nation-State: In general terms, a nation-state is variously called a “country,” a “nation,” or a

“state.” Technically speaking, it is a specific form of sovereign “state” (i.e., a political entity on a
territory) that is guided by a “nation” (i.e., a cultural entity, with common factors like descent
and language), and which derives its legitimacy from successfully serving all its citizens. The
“nation-state” construct implies that the “nation” and “state” coincide.

Source: New World Encyclopaedia

Culture: In its simplest meaning, culture refers to the characteristic features of everyday
existence, what is called “way of life” shared by people in a place or time. Specifically, it
includes customary beliefs, social forms and material traits of a racial, religious or social
group.

Source: Merrriam-Webster.com

6
 Introduction

ACR Approach to Understanding the World Around Us

An understanding of the contemporary world, as well as globalization and
its trends, issues, concerns, and implications, can be aided with the Awareness,
Choice, and Responsibility (ACR) framework, a simplified process of thinking and
decision-making. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary provides the following essential
definitions:
• Awareness – This is the state of “having or showing realization, perception,
or knowledge.” Some of its synonyms are consciousness, cognizance, and
mindfulness.
• Choice – This is the act or power of choosing. Its synonyms include selection
and option.
• Responsibility – This is “the quality or state of being  responsible.” It
pertains either to moral, legal, or mental accountability; or to reliability and
trustworthiness.
A student’s effective participation in the globalized world is enhanced by
(a) awareness, which is attained by obtaining information, building knowledge,
and analyzing and evaluating options; (b) knowledge, which empowers one to
make choices with conviction; and (c) committing and taking responsibility for
consequences of one’s choices and actions.
The ACR framework for human behavior is not uncommon. While not exactly
labeled as a particular theory, it is a way of life, a discipline and a mantra, a teaching
or learning tool, and a personal decision-making framework. Also, it is widely applied
across numerous fields. A simple online search can easily lead to numerous sources
and references, insights, and examples by various types of practitioners in different
fields, from academic institutions to business organizations.
Hazel Coupe, a business manager of the site Team Massive Results, writes,
“Once we are aware and have chosen an attitude of accountability, it befalls us to
take responsibility to decide to take an action. In this context, responsibility refers to
another choice: the choice to act, the choice to change, the choice to do (something
different) … The three pillars to high performance are awareness, accountability, and
responsibility.”
A relevant example circulated in LinkedIn.com, a professional networking site,
by Rotimi Olumide (sales director, Microsoft Americas Devices & Mobility Team)
emphasizes that “awareness of choice is essential to power, responsibility, and
dignity.” Olumide refers to a book called Conscious Business by Fred Kofman, where
he gleaned the lesson that  “awareness of choice is essential to personal power,
responsibility and dignity.”

7
Introduction

In Conscious Business, Kofman cites a narrative from another book, In The Way of
Passion by Andrew Harvey. The story is about a lion who thought it was a sheep and
was awakened to the reality of its identity by another lion. The second lion made the
first one aware of its choice to become a lion and claim its natural right to become
and act as one. Below is the narrative in full.

Once upon a time, a pregnant lioness was looking for food. She saw a
herd of sheep and attacked them. She managed to catch and eat one, but
because she made a big effort when she was almost due, she died while
giving birth. The baby lion was born an orphan, surrounded by the herd
of sheep. Without knowing its identity, the young lion joined the herd and
started to walk, eat, and bleat like the sheep. (He also learned to feel like a
victim, to moan and blame others for his misfortunes, as sheep do.) One day,
an adult lion came across this ridiculous scene: one of his own kind, walking,
eating and bleating like a sheep. With a loud roar, the lion ran toward the
sheep, dispersing them. The adult lion grabbed the young one and dragged
him to a pond where he forced him to look at his reflection in the water, and
said “Look! You are not a sheep: you are like me, a lion. You are a lion and you
have a lion’s strength, courage, freedom, and majesty. You are responsible for
your destiny. The adult lion then roared loudly and gloriously—the roar of a
player who owns his response-ability, his freedom, and his power.”

Here is the lesson of the tale: The lion that is raised in the midst of sheep does
not become one but loses its identity when it does not seek its raison d’etre—its
existential purpose and exercise the right to be one.
We become who we are supposed to be when:
• We realize the relativity of our existence to both internal and external
elements, and we seek knowledge to heighten our awareness of our
surroundings and begin to understand the nuances of events and their
implications on our lives.
• We use what we know (the power of information and knowledge) to take
action, and we can make choices that will set the course of our lives towards
an enlightened path.
• We exercise our freedom to claim what we believe is our inherent right and
commit to bear the possible consequences—material and moral, whether
good or bad (responsibility).
College students, although still in the realm of the protected or sheltered family

8
 Introduction

atmosphere, are already one step into the independent adult’s world. They must
prepare themselves in order not to be “lost and forgotten” in the larger scheme of
things or to misconstrue their identity like the lion in the sheep’s herd. As citizens,
they are challenged for the first time to grasp the contemporary world’s dimensions
and implications. They would need a relatable and practical tool to understand the
subject matter.
Thus, the ACR approach will hopefully be a good starting point for students
as they begin their orientation to the contemporary world. With the use of the
framework, they would more systematically appreciate the discourses of the
chapters of this book on the relationships between globalization and the economies,
markets, nations, governments, politics, media, and religion. With better awareness
of the contemporary world, they can analyze their universe of issues, draw up and
analyze courses of action, select a suitable option, and claim ownership for the
consequences of decisions made, as they go out and experience the unfolding
realities of globalization firsthand.
Spiderman was once told by Uncle Ben, “With great power, comes great
responsibility,” and in every decision of the young superhero, whether to rescue
people in trouble or spar with evil villains, the lesson kept its value. One could easily
say that the expression was purely cinematic mumbo jumbo, but it is hard to ignore
that to this day, after numerous Spiderman remakes, the line has stuck.
The creator of the comic book character likely did not just snatch the words
from nowhere. There had to be an authoritative source. In the millennial’s go-to site
for memes, knowyourmeme.com, the origin of the expression “With great power
comes great responsibility” is explained. It highlights the principle of noblesse oblige
(obligation of nobility) and is variously attributed to the Oevres de Voltaire, Volume
48 (1829)[1], Thomas C. Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates (1827)[2], and a variety of
other sources and derivations. Although popularized in fiction, the words resonate
loudly in real-life situations. Indeed, “with awareness, comes responsibility and
choice” (Amanda Lindhout, Canadian journalist).

9
Introduction

Chapter Teaching Method and Exercises

It is expected that the teacher will complete the discussion within five class
sessions. Since the introduction serves as a compass for understanding the succeeding
chapters, the teacher is encouraged to keep referencing to the main point (the ACR
approach) as the students tackle the specific dimensions of globalization.
This introduction is only useful if the teacher is able to “draw out” the students’
interest early on. As suggested, lectures alone will not suffice. It is important that the
students are able to identify their place clearly in both local and globalized settings
and emerge with their own ideas on how to shape responses. It is necessary that
they feel comfortable being vocal in class. The teacher needs to provide a welcoming
and nonjudgmental classroom environment.
There is only one exercise and a final project related to this chapter. They are
intended to ensure that the student is conditioned to use the ACR framework as a
way of understanding the succeeding chapters. The effectiveness of each exercise
relies largely on the teacher’s roles as discussion leader. The teacher should use a
combination of “pump-priming” talks during the first part of the class and encourage
students to share their stories and insights during the remainder of the sessions.
To compel students to speak up, share insights, and offer feedback to others,
the teacher should assign mandatory exercises to do in class or at home and use the
students’ answers in the discussion. The teacher must allocate “airtime” for students
to have a chance to make a brief presentation or sharing of their answers in class. To
encourage creativity, the teacher may allow the students to use a combination of
illustrations, schematics, images, and narratives.

Exercise 1
Self-Visualization and Expectations Setting

Outcome:
This exercise should revealed (1) the expectations of both the teacher and the
students and (2) the students’ current level of knowledge in the subject matter. The
information would be useful to both the teacher and the students in moving forward
to the substantive chapters. At the end of the course, the students must revisit their
answers in this exercise to assess the “value added” or how far their knowledge of the
subject has changed. Having discussed the various dimensions of globalization in the
succeeding chapters, the students would presumably have a deeper understanding.

10
 Introduction

Objectives:
1. The teacher should be able to establish the starting point of the discussion—
know where the students stand and check how much to they know of the topics
covered in the class.
2. The students should be able to self-assess and to set the baseline or reference of
their initial knowledge on the class.
3. The students should be able to relate their current knowledge to what is up
ahead in the rest of the book.

Method and Outputs:

This introduction can be completed within three class days only.
The following is a suggested guide:

Day 1
1. During the first half of the class, the teacher discusses the course syllabus and
book overview.
2. During the second half, the students do an exercise, which is a foundational
requirement of the class. They prepare a schematic illustration and narrative
(50–100 words) of how they understand the contemporary world and where
they believe they are situated in the larger scheme of things. This is intended
to be a “quick thinking” exercise, a way to compel the students to be proactive
participants in class. They must submit their outputs by the end of class. No
homework or makeup is allowed.
3. To prepare for Day 2, the students are assigned to read the introduction
thoroughly. The teacher must read all the students’ outputs and provide feedback.
The exercises are graded, though the teacher may give qualitative remarks.

Day 2: Approaches to Globalization

1. During the first half, the teacher discusses the different approaches to
globalization.
2. During the second half, the teacher facilitates the discussion of the students’
outputs. He/She may pick presenters randomly or ask for volunteers. The ideal
situation is that all students are able to share within a given time limit. The time
allotment for presentation depends on the number of students in the class. The
teacher is encouraged to give time for interaction among the students.

11
Introduction

Day 3: ACR Approach

1. During the first half, the teacher discusses the ACR approach.
2. During the second half, the class continues with the rest of the presentations.
3. After the presentations, the teacher is expected to do the following:
a. Provide a synthesis by showing his or her own version of the assignment and
relating the discussion to the course syllabus.
b. Expound on the importance of the introduction in gaining better appreciation
of the succeeding chapters.
c. Give feedback to the students on their individual outputs and provide
suggestions on how to “open up” their senses for the next chapters.
d. Give advance notice that the students must save their works for use in a final,
end-of-term exercise.

Final Exercise
Self-Actualization: Creating a Plan of Action

Objectives:
1. The students should be able to demonstrate understanding of the course by
preparing a personal plan of action on a specific topic of interest.
2. The teacher should be able to assess the student’s practical understanding and
capacity to apply the ACR approach in an actual context.

Details:
• The students create a plan of action to demonstrate their personal view of
the globalized world and their personal response. This project demonstrates
that they can be aware of who they are, that they are empowered to identify
their options for addressing issues that resonate to them, and that they can
find meaningful value in actions that they take.
• The teacher may provide a template or allow the students to interpret
creatively.
• The exercise is part of the final requirement of the class. The outputs should
be prepared during the semester and submitted a week before the final
exams.

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