GEC-CWORLD: THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
LECTURE  6 Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
A World of Region (The Global divides: The North and
South)
What is Global divide
 The divide between differing countries or regions
of the world is referred to as the global digital
divide, examining this technological gap between
developing and developed countries on an
international scale.
 This is the total of all goods and services produced
and provided within a country's borders, divided by
its population.
.
Technology can reinforce the global divide
 The processing power of computers and devices is
getting faster, internet speeds are rising 23% year-
on-year and prices for technology are falling.
 Social media and online content make it easier than
ever to gain instant access to news and views,
while technology’s ubiquitous presence has opened
countless new career avenues for “no collar” digital
natives.
 The divide  in connectivity is already starting to
make its presence felt. Look at Latin America and
the Caribbean where more than two thirds of
people have no access to mobile broadband,
compared with Japan, where 95% of people do.
What is the region?
  is an area with common features that set it apart
from other areas. Regions can vary in size from very
small to half of the earth's surface.
Seven Region in the World
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica,
Europe, Australia
CLASSIFICATION OF THE WORLD
First World (MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES)
 refers to the developed, capitalist, industrial
countries, generally aligned with NATO and the
USA. The bloc of countries aligned with the United
States after World War II, which had more or less
common political and economic interests, included
the countries of North America and Western Europe,
Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Second World ( LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES)
 refers to the former communist-socialist, less
industrialized states known as the Eastern Bloc. The
countries in the sphere of influence of the Soviet
Union; it included the Soviet Socialist republics, the
countries of Eastern and Central Europe, e.g., Poland,
East Germany (GDR), Czechoslovakia, and the
Balkans. And there were the Asian communist states
in the sphere of influence of China, - Mongolia, North
 Countries with little industrial development, little
wealth, and high population growth.
Third World (LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES)
 The mainly underdeveloped agricultural states and
nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where
the blessings of civilization benefited only a small
ruling elite and the corporations and upper classes of
the former colonial powers.
In principle, the term Third World is outdated but
still in use; today, the politically correct designation
would be less developed countries. Nowadays, the
term Third World is more often replaced by the
terms Least Developed Countries (UN) or Low-
Income Countries (World Bank.)
 Very low capital income, low literacy rates, and very
little in the way of manufacturing industries.
Global North
More economically developed countries and considers the
“richer” and more stable countries. Global North is the
home of the Group of Eight (G8) United States of America,
Japan, France, Canada, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom,
and Russia the developed countries of Asia and New
Zealand. It is also the abode of the four powerful permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council. These
countries contribute to industrialization and digital
advancements. They have a constant economy and they can
normally have a better standard of living and quality of life
 More economically developed countries and
considers the “richer” and more stable countries.
Global North is the home of the Group of Eight (G8)
United States of America, Japan, France, Canada,
Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, and Russia the
developed countries of Asia and New Zealand. It is
also the abode of the four powerful permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council.
These countries contribute to industrialization and
digital advancements. They have a constant economy
and they can normally have a better standard of
living and quality of life
Global South
 Less Economically Developed Countries defining
the South as developing or poor countries. Like
Africa, Latin America, developing countries of Asia
and the Middle East are part of the global South.
The Rise of Global South
 Many countries in the world are referred to as
countries in the Global South. Among the countries
commonly associated with the term are the
countries in Latin America.
Latin America
 Can be grouped geographically as a group of
countries in South America which share the same
language and culture. These socio-cultural
characteristics are linked with their common
colonizers. Spain and Portugal. Historically, people
in this part of the world have colorful political
 scenes. Across time as well, countries in Latin  Control by one power over a dependent area or
America have been plagued by poverty and people.
economic instability.
Why highlight Latin America to describe the  Global 2. Trade
South?
 In 2016, the Morgan Stanley economist articulated  What you are spending to bring goods into your
that Latin America plays a role in accelerating the country is a greater sum than what you are making
global economy. Brazil and Argentina managed to by selling products in the global economy.
stand up from economic turmoil. Economists
highlighted that politics and policy choices remain  You are losing money
significant in determining economic growth in the
area.  Southern countries suffered from this
The Global North/South Divide
Classifying countries In the 1980s, the Brandt Line was
developed as a way of showing how the world was
3. Debt
geographically split into relatively richer and poorer nations.
According to this model: Richer countries are almost all  Their products were losing money in the global
located in the Northern Hemisphere, with the exception of
economy, so they needed to increase production.
Australia and New Zealand. Poorer countries are mostly
located in tropical regions and in the Southern Hemisphere.  The only way they could do this was to borrow
The Brandt Line is an imaginary division that has provided money from the rich northern countries.
a rough way of dividing all of the countries in the world into
the rich north and poor south. Many countries in the poor  This put in debt
south have become more developed since the 1980s and so
many people now think that the Brandt line is no longer Global South: Zone of Turmoil
useful.

Issues of North- South Divide

 Term used to describe the economic gap between the
rich northern countries of the world and the south
poorer countries of the world.

North- South Divide
 Distribution of income around the world
 Economic competition worldwide
 Standard of living

Differences in North and South

NORTH  SOUTH

Less population Large population

High Standard of living Low Standard of living

High Industrial Low Industrial

Development Development

Industry Agriculture

High Wealth Low Wealth The Origin of the Third World

 The world was largely divided into several empires

THREE MAIN REASONS WHY OUR WORLD IS SO
UNEQUAL TODAY
 Third world was coined in 1952 by Alfred Sauvy, a
1. Colonialism
 Today’s North-South gap traces its roots to the
colonization of the Southern world region by Europe
over the past several centuries. This colonization
occurred at different times in different parts of the
world, as did decolonization.
in the 19th century. Each empire possessed a
“civilized” central that was more or less primitive
or even “barbaric”.
French demographer, anthropologist, and economic
historian who compared it with the Third Estate, a
concept that emerged in the context of the French
revolution.
-First Estate: refers to the clergy and the monarch
-Second Estate: refers to the nobility
 -Third Estate: refers to the balance of French
population as contrasted the poor countries to the
First world and the second world.
 Most people in the Third world lived far from
global sources of economic, political, and military
power. Most were subjugated, most illiterate, even
the, they formed a majority of the world country with a GDP of $ 1 billion and a population and a population of
population. But such awareness was growing
among leaders within these poor countries, many
capitaofof $20,000. One unofficial threshold for a country with a developed
whom had been educated. This awareness and
exposure to Western culture raised hopes andGDP per capita of $ 12,000.
inspired many Third world leaders to try to
improve colonial living conditions and win
political independence.
What makes a nation a third world?
 Countries suffers from high poverty
 High child mortality
 Low economic and educational development
 Low self consumption of natural resources
 Vulnerable to exploitation by large corporations and
industrial nation
 Less technological advancement
 Economies are dependent on the developed countries
 Unstable governments
 High fertility rates
 High gender-related illiteracy
 Lack of middle class
 There is a huge impoverished population
 And a small elite upper class that controls the country’s
wealth and resources.
GEC-CWORLD: THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
LECTURE  7
Asian Regionalism
Regionalization
 It is the process of dividing an area into smaller
segments called regions.
Region
 Are a group of countries located in the same
geographical area.
Regionalism  political level
 may be defined as the construction and utilization
of multilateral intergovernmental institutions to
share information; to develop, endorse common
rules and regulation; and to settle disputes.
 A political ideology that favors a specific region
over a greater area.
 It usually results due to political separation, region,
geography, cultural boundaries, linguistic regions
and managerial divisions.
 Amidst globalization, another phenomenon is
becoming more apparent: regionalism.
The primary factor used to distinguish developed countries
from developing countries is the gross domestic product
(GDP) per capita, a tally of all goods and services produced
in a country in one year, expressed in US dollars.
GDP is calculated by dividing a country's GDP by its
population. For example, a small
50,000 has GDP per
economy is a
Wealth
 The total wealth of the world is estimated at 280
trillion.
 The Richest Man: Elon Musk with a net worth of
200 billion USD
 The richest country in the world is Qatar ($124,930
per capita) and second is the Luxembourg ($109,
190 per capita)
 The Global North is controlling the 80% total
income of the world
 Inversely, the South only controls the 20% total
income of the world.
Asian Regionalism 
 is the product of economic interaction, not political
planning. As a result of successful , outward
oriented growth strategies. Asian economies have
grown not only richer , but also closer together.
 may be defined as the construction and utilization
of multilateral intergovernmental institutions to
share information; to develop, endorse common
rules and regulation; and to settle disputes.
 refers to the decentralization of political powers or
competencies from a higher towards a lower
 Regional initiatives intended to complement global
relationships
Regionalization versus Globalization
Regionalization
 It is the process of dividing an area into smaller
segments called regions.
 Ex. division of nation into states as management
tools
  It is the process of international integration arising
from the interchange of world views, products,
ideas, and other aspects such as technology etc.
Globalization
 It is the process of international integration arising
from the interchange of world views, products,
ideas, and other aspects such as technology etc.
Different between Regionalization and Globalization
 Nature: Globalization promotes the integration of
economies across state borders all around the world
but, regionalization is precisely the opposite
because it is dividing an are into smaller segments.
 Market: Globalization allows many Co. to trade
on international level so it allows free market but in
regionalized system, monopolies are more likely to
develop.
Challenges of Regionalization  
 Monopolize System
 Less support from national government
 Can’t offer aid to another
 Less promotion of culture
Challenges of Globalization
 Developed countries can stifle development of
underdeveloped countries.
 Economic depression in one country can trigger
adverse reactions across the globe.
 It can increase spread of communicable disease
 Companies face much greater competition.
Tanaka and Inoguchi (1996) articulated that after the Cold
War, the relations between nations have been dynamic and
unique.
Characterizing Post- cold war International Relations
 Countries tend to rely on global platforms such as
the United Nations in resolving regional conflicts,
thus paving the way for the emergence of
peacekeeping initiatives and regional trade
alliances.  can be determined as a region based on the group
 Nations nowadays become more aggregable, as
indicated by less profound armed conflicts and
wars among nations. These territorial disputes have
implications on assertion of political powers in a
certain region. In the past, conflict could have been
resolved outright for example by bloody wars.
Nations are using diplomatic means to mitigate the
possibility of wars.
Examples of existing territorial conflicts
 South China Sea territorial disputes covering island
and reefs (China vs. several nations including the
Philippines)
 Senkaku (Diaoyu)islands, East China Sea (China
vs.Japan)
 Korean peninsula (North Korea and South Korea)
 Israel-Palestine conflict
 Lakdah Territory (India vs. Pakistan vs. China)
 Preah Vihear dispute (Thailand vs. Cambodia) 
 Emergence of regional cooperation among
countries to achieve political and economic goals.
Countries have become more open to collaborate
with other countries in terms of economic and
human development.
Examples 
 Economic development: grants loans, development
assistance
Human development: scholarship, cultural
exchange, people to people interactions. 
 Nation commitment to their cultural identities.
Huntington (1996) argues that in the post cold war,
there has been a shift from Western countries to
groups of nations with similar cultural identities.
Nations are becoming more committed to other
nations with the cultural identity they share.
Concept of Regionalism
Hettne (1996) suggested that regionalism as a concept has
varying degrees.
1. Region as geographical unit
2. Region as social system
3. Region as organized cooperation
Region as geographical unit
 A region can be interpreted 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 social system
 A region can be interpreted as a conglomerate of
people occupying a particular space and possessing
a unique dynamic of interaction. For example, Asia
of people occupying it and the shared ancestry,
language, and culture these people have.
Region as organize cooperation
  A region can be interpreted 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.
Asia
 is the largest and most populated continent in the
world. Geographically, it is separated from the
European continent by the ural, from Africa to the
Suez canal, from North America by the Bering
strait. It comprises distinct regions such as central
asia, east asia, south asia, southeast asia, and the
middle east.
 Asia has been the cradle of several ancient
civilizations such as the Chinese, Indian, Khmer
civilizations.
 Asia has also been the home of influential cultural,
philosophical, and religious movements. Hinduism,
Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and
other oriental philosophies and religions generally
originated from an Asian country and have
proliferated around the globe.
 In the contemporary world, Asia has become an
economic force characterized by reduced poverty
and fast pace economic development (ADB, 2008)
 Asia was the central global force in the early
modern world economy. It was the site of the most
important trade routes and in some places more
advanced in technology than the West such as
science and medicine.
The Policy Institute divides its work into five subregions –
East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and
Middle East.
Central Important in the Silk Road trade (Roman
Asia Empire and China)
East Asia Cradle of Ancient Civilization- China,
Japan and Mongolia
South Asia High population density; cradle of Indian
civilization
Southeast Located in the Asia-Pacific Ring of Fire;
Asia historically the goal destination of the
European expeditions that search for
spice.
Middle Many are arid desert regions but serve as
East gateways to major bodies of water in the
world.
Japan
 embarked on procuring raw materials like coal and
iron at unprecedented economies of scale allowing
them to gain a competitive edge in the global
manufacturing market as well as globalized
shipping and procurement pattern which other
countries modeled
India
 Opened-up and emphasized an export-oriented
strategy. Textiles and other low wage sectors have
been a key part of the economy with highly
successful software development exports.
China
 Purses has a similar pattern of development at
present and is now the world’s largest exporter of
basic raw materials such as iron and surpassed
Japan, the US and Europe in steel production.
India and China have also become a major source of
international migrant labor, which is also one of the
fundamental characteristics of the era of globalization. This
includes the migration of highly skilled labor into the high-
tech industry based in silicon valley.
India, China, and the Philippines were three of the top four
recipient states of migrant remittances. 
In culture and globalization in the region, asia has been the
source of a wide variety of cultural phenomena that have
spread outward to the western countries and the rest of the
world
Dynamics of Asian Regionalism
ADB (2008) identified some factors that are influential in
the integration of Asian Nations.
 Enhanced dialogue between citizens of various
nations 
 This is facilitated by growing tourism activities in
the regions and consistent multilateral meetings
among leaders of nation-states.
 Expanding intraregional trade and investment
 This brings forth closer financial markets and
independent economies.
 Increased connectivity
 This is facilitated by regional infrastructure
projects as well as delivering public goods. 
Benefits of Asian Integration 
 It harnesses the strength of diverse economies
 It provides a platform for connecting financial
markets.
 It makes the economy more resilient to global risks 
 It pools resources
 It creates regional mechanisms for safety and
security.
Challenges
 There is a need to establish compatible product
standards.
  The need to establish guidelines that buffer
financial contagion and ensure compatible financial
regulations.
 The need to cooperate macroeconomic policies
 The need to manage a cross-border environment
and social policies (ex. Fair treatment of migrant
workers)
Existing Cooperation in Asia
 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
 East Asia Summit
 Asia Pacific Community
 East Asian Community
 Association of Southeast Asian Nations
 Asean plus three (China, Japan and South Korea)
How can regionalism benefit Asia?
 Regional corporations, effectively structured and
implemented, is a powerful new tool in Asian’s
policy arsenal. It can help Asia address regional
challenges as well as provide stronger foundations
for its global role .
 Link the competitive strengths of its diverse
economies in order to boost their productivity and
sustain the region’s exceptional growth;
 Connect the region’s capital markets to enhance
financial stability, reduce the cost of capital, and
improve opportunities for sharing risks,
 Cooperate in setting exchange rate and
macroeconomic policies in order to minimize the
effects of global and regional shocks and to
facilitate the resolution of global imbalances;
 Build connected infrastructure and collaborate on
inclusive development to reduce inequalities within
and across economies and thus to strengthen
support for pro-growth policies.
GEC-CWORLD: THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
LECTURE  8
Global Media Culture
Culture
 refers to the unified style of human knowledge,
beliefs, and behavior from which people learn, and the
ability to communicate knowledge to the next
generations. Its development has been mainly
influenced by the media.
 The customary beliefs, social forms, and material
traits of a racial, religious, or social group.
Media
 is a carrier of culture. It is a tool for the interaction of
people with different cultures. However the real
media is the people. Marketing people seek the world
for their cultural products, and managers facilitate
interactions of culture for profit.
 Refers to the communication channels through which
we disseminate news, music, movies, education,
promotional messages and other data.
 It includes physical and online newspapers and
magazines, television, radio, billboards, telephone, fax
and the internet.
 It describes the various ways through which we
communicate in society. Because it refers to all means
of communication, everything ranging from a
telephone call to the evening news on television can
be called media.
Media Culture
 refers to the culture created under the influence of
mass media. The concept of media culture infers its
impact on society’s information consumption and
intellectual guidance.
 tend to be a major factor in the formation of
mainstream culture since it affects society’s
opinions, values, tastes, attitudes, and informational
availability.
Global Media
 is “mass communication on a global level, allowing
people across the world to share and access the
same information.” It is indeed that technology has
made people's lives easier all over the globe.
Global Media Culture
 explores the relationship between
the media, culture and globalization. The course
approaches past and current challenges concerning
international communication and explores and
problematizes the power of media representation.
 corporation or entities globally engaged in media
production and/or distribution
Role of Media
 While in everyday language “globalization” usually
refers to economic and political integration on a
world scale., it also has a crucial cultural dimension
in which the media have a central role.
 In that sense, media globalization is about how
most national media systems have become more
internationalized, becoming more open to outside
influences, both in their content and in their
ownership and control.
Importance of Mass Media
 They inform, educate and entertain people. They
also influence the way people look at the world and
make them change their views. Mass media plays a
very important role in organizing public opinion.
 are important because they reflect and create
cultural values and interest.
The Communications Media 
 are institutions that specialized in communicating
information,images, and values about selves, our
communities and our society .Typical media
institutions in modern societies are print media
(newspaper and magazines), movies, radio, and
television. 
Five Types of Media
1. Print Media  collecting, manipulating, storing, retrieving,
  is the printed version of telling the news, primarily
through newspapers and magazines.Print media is
the printed version of telling the news, primarily
through newspapers and magazines. Before the
invention and widespread use
of printing presses, printed materials had to be
written by hand.
2.Broadcast Media 
 refers to mass media outlets, such as television and
radio stations. ABS-CBN, GMA Network, TV 5,
CNN, etc. are examples of broadcast networks,
meaning they supply programming to a network of
affiliated television stations across the country.
3.Film/ Cinema Media 
 Cinema, or motion picture, is the art of moving
images; a visual medium that tells stories and
exposes reality. Created in the dusk of the 19th
century, cinema is the world's most recent art form.
4. Video Games
  is an electronic game that involves interaction with
a user interface to generate visual feedback on a
two- or three-dimensional video display device
such as a touchscreen, virtual reality headset or
monitor/TV set. Why are video games classified as
multimedia? Explanation: Multimedia is the use of
the different forms of media for educational or
recreational purposes. ... Video games is one of
such multimedia forms where the players can
interact with the video game and they can also
replay the game anytime in the same sequence.
5.New Media (Internet) 
  New media is used to describe content made
available using different forms of electronic
communication made possible through the use of
computer technology. Generally, the phrase new
media describes content available on-demand
through the Internet.
Five Time Periods in the Study of Globalization and
Media
1. Oral Communication
 Of all forms of media, human speech is the oldest
and most enduring.
 Humans are allowed to cooperate and communicate
through language.
 Languages as a means to develop the ability to
communicate across cultures are the lifetime of
globalization.
 Language contributes to the formation of culture.
 Languages serve as important symbols of group
belonging, enabling different groups of people to
know what ethnic groups they belong to and what
common heritages they share.
 Without language, people would lose their cultural
identity.
2. Script
 Writing is humankind's principal technology for
communicating and disseminating information.
Writing may have been invented independently
three times in different parts of the world: in the
near East, China and Mesoamerica. Writing is a
system  of graphic marks representing the units of a
specific language. Cuneiform script created in
Mesopotamia, is the writing system which can be
traced to its earliest prehistoric origin.
3. Printing Press
 It is a device that allows for the mass production of
uniform printed matter, mainly text in the form of
books, pamphlets and newspapers. It revolutionized
society in China where it was created.
Consequences of Printing Press
 Changed the very nature of knowledge. It
preserved knowledge which had been more
malleable in oral cultures. It also standardized
knowledge.
 Print encouraged the challenge of political and
religious authority because of its ability to circulate
competing views.
 Printing press encouraged the literacy of the public
and the growth of schools.
 Land and culture were learned by people through
travels. News around the world was brought
through inexpensive and easily obtained magazines
and daily newspapers.
 People learned about the world. Indeed, the
printing press helped foster globalization and
knowledge of globalization.
4. Electronic Media
 Refer to the broadcast or storage media that take
advantage of electronic technology.
 Include television, radio, internet, fax, cd rooms,
dvd, and any other medium that requires electricity
or digital encoding of information.
 In the 20th century, the only available mass media
in remote villages was the radio while film was
soon developed as an artistic medium for great
cultural expression. The most powerful and
pervasive mass media is television as it brought the
visual and aural power of film with the
accessibility of radio. The introduction of television
was a defining moment in globalization.
5. Digital Media
 The computer is considered the most important
media influencing globalization. Computers give
access to global and market places and transformed
cultural life. 
 Our daily lives are revolutionized by digital media.
People are able to adopt and adapt new practices
like fashion , information provided by computers.
They also exchange ideas, establish relations and
linkages through the use of skype , google, chat,
zoom and other flatforms.
Local Cultural Production
 Is commonly used to characterize the experience of
everyday life in specific, identifiable localities.
 It reflects ordinary people’s feelings of
appropriateness, comfort, and correctness- attributes
that define personal preferences and changing taste.
Global Culture Production
 It is a culture which transcends national borders and
exists in many different places around the world. 
 These media influence people’s way of thinking all
around the world and act as socialization agents.  
 In doing so, they transfer values and beliefs from
one culture to the other.
Impacts of Global Media Culture
1. Foreign Television Influence Culture
 Due to growth of technology we can now access
information across the world including television
shows
 Cable providers enable us to watch various shows
including those foreign channels
 We learn different cultures  of different countries
where the show was made and somehow adapt it.
Ex. K-drama brought trending food “ Samgyupsal”
and the savoring food using chopsticks
2. Influence of Mass Media in Consumer Choice
3. Impacts of Global Media on Changing Language
One of the most notable ways that social media has
influenced the differences in language, is through
the appropriation of existing vocabulary. Words
that had existing meanings, have now been given
other meanings in an online context, which then
spills over into verbal communication.
4. Influence of media in lifestyle choices of teenagers 
 Media plays an important role in forming the
thoughts and beliefs of teenagers. In
fact,continuous exposure to media has proven to
impact a child’s social, physical, and mental
development or simply their lifestyle.
5.  Impacts of Global Media on Food Culture
    
 Foodstagramming
 is a trend which involves taking pictures of your
food and posting it on Instagram and Twitter. The
craze has become so popular that some restaurants
have stopped customers from taking photos of their
meals because the flashes and manoeuvrings of
food disrupt other dinners.       
Food Trends
 are widespread changes in food preferences. Some
such trends prove to be long-lasting. Food trends
are often discussed in magazines devoted to
cuisine, and around the internet.
Challenge of Culture and Media in Globalization
 Globalization has a great influence on the media and
further its impact on us. The most
visible effect of globalization is widespread
communication. The introduction of newspapers,
magazines, internet and TV has immensely helped to
spread information and has helped people to come
together from all over the world.
Global media allow cultures a distinctive voice to promote
awareness and provide public knowledge and understanding
of their own identities particularly developing
countries. Impact of mass media on cultural
globalization has emerged as a global consciousness and can
create global awareness.

GEC-CWORLD: THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
LECTURE  8
The Globalization of Religion  followers
Religion
  it can be a central part of one’s identity. The word
religion comes from a Latin word that means “to tie
or bind together.
 Is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems,
and world views that establishes symbols that relate
humanity to spirituality and to moral values.
 System of socially shared symbols, beliefs, and
rituals that is directed toward a sacred, supernatural
realm and addresses the ultimate meaning of
existence.
 Symbols commonly associated with six of the
religions labelled "world religions": clockwise
from the top, these represent Judaism, Islam,
Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Christianity
World religions 
 is a category used in the study of religion to
demarcate the five—and in some cases six—largest
and most internationally widespread religious
movements. Christianity, Islam, Judaism,
Hinduism, and Buddhism are always included in
the list, being known as the "Big Five". Some
scholars also include another religion, such as
Taoism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, or the Bahá'í
Faith, in the category. These are often juxtaposed
against other categories, such as "indigenous
religions" and "new religious movements", which
are also used by scholars in this field of research.
The world religions paradigm was developed in the
United Kingdom in the 1960s, where it was
pioneered by phenomenological scholars like
Ninian Smart. It was designed to broaden the study
of religion away from its heavy focus on
Christianity by taking into account other large
religious traditions around the world. The paradigm
is often used by lecturers instructing undergraduate
students in the study of religion and is also the
framework used by school teachers in the UK and
other countries. The paradigm's emphasis on
viewing these religious movements as distinct and
mutually exclusive entities has also had a wider
impact on the categorisation of religion—for
instance in censuses—in both Western countries
and elsewhere.
Christianity
 The most known religions in the world are
Christianity its deity is Jesus
 is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the
life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the
world's largest religion, with about 2.4 billion
 2.2 billions adherents holy bible
Islam
 is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion teaching that
Muhammad is a messenger of God. It is the world's
second-largest religion with 1.9 billion followers or
24.9% of the world's population, known as
Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the
population in 51 countries.
Hinduism
 is the world's oldest religion, according to many
scholars, with roots and customs dating back more
than 4,000 years. Today, with about 900 million
followers, 
 is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and
Islam. Roughly 95 percent of the world's Hindus
live in India.
Buddhism 
 is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama
(“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India.
With about 470 million followers, scholars
consider Buddhism one of the major world
religions
Others Varieties of Religion
Scientology
  is a set of beliefs and practices invented by
American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an
associated movement. It has been variously defined
as a cult, a business or a new religious movement.
 followers believe that a human is an immortal,
spiritual being (Thetan) that is resident in a
physical body.
Animatism
  It is a system of beliefs in which supernatural
forces rather than beings (Gods and Spirits) are the
dominant power in the universe.
  is a term coined by British anthropologist Robert
Marett to refer to "a belief in a generalized,
impersonal power over which people have some
measure of control".
New Religious Movement 
 A new religious movement (cult) is a loosely
organized and transient religious organization that
includes religious beliefs and practices that are
considered novel and at odds with a society’s
religious tradition. 

Animism Religion and Society

 the belief that spirit beings inhabit the same world as Religion and Functionalism
humans, but on another plane of existence.
1. Religion can promote social solidarity through
common symbols, belief, norms, and collective
rituals.
Religious What/who is Example 2. It may also provide individuals and groups with
Classification Divine emotional comfort and support, morale and
motivation, and a sense of individual and group
Polytheism Multiple Gods Hinduism, identity.
Ancient Greeks 3. All societies through religion require collectively
and Romans and rituals for their cohesion and survival.

The Conflict Perspective of Religion

Monotheism  Single God Judaism, Islam,
Christianity Karl Marx

Atheism No deities Atheism,  German sociologist theorists believed that the

Buddhism and world would be a better place without religion. To
Taoism their thinking, religion was the weapon by which
wealthy and powerful groups maintained their
Animism Non human Indigeous privileged position and oppressed those beneath
beings (animals, Nature Worship, them in the social hierarchy. 
plants, natural Shintoism
world) Religion and social change

Social organization and religion Max Weber

 The idea of religious visionaries can capture the
public imagination and inspire change, even social
revolution. But in the long run, the relative
influence of any religion depends on religious
communities that are organized to promote
religious ideals and objectives. Sociologists
classify religious organizations into four ideal
types- ecclesia, denomination , sect, and cult.
 A comprehensive study of religions worldwide
revealed that while some were factually highly
consevative, others- in particular, Protestant and
Puritanism in Western Europe and America-
inspired major social and economic movements.
Globalization Affects Religion
1. Religious Nationalism 

Ecclesia   nationalism was closely associated with particular

 is a large formally organized religious body that
includes most members of society and is supported
by and closely allied with secular and state powers.
Denomination or Church
religious beliefs and affiliation. For example, in the
Philippines, crafting the law is sometimes anchored
on the lawmakers’ belief in Christianity. In 2018, a
National Bible Day was declared as a special
working holiday. Islam- ruled states in the Middle
East, similarly, are influenced by practices of Islam.

 is a distinct religious body within Christianity that
comprises all church congregations of the same
kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, peculiar
history, organization, leadership, theological
doctrine, worship style and sometimes a founder.
Sect
 Is a small, less formally organized group that
usually has separated from a denomination and is a
negative tension with larger societies.
2. Turn of religion into public life
  The often forceful entrance of religious traditions,
such as the Catholic liberation theology and Islamic
fundamentalism, from the private sphere into public
life is a good example of this. Religion goes beyond
the administration of sacraments for Catholics and
focuses more on the social concerns of the poor and
the oppressed inside and outside the church. 
3.            Increase of individual religiosity
   brought about by the individual’s need to rely on his
or her beliefs and relationship with the supreme
being. For some, it is a reaction based on one’s
frustration towards institutionalized religions. For
others, they just do not want to belong to or engage in
any organization.
4. Deterritorialization of religion
Global Religion
 also influences religion. Because of migration,
globalization has forced the appearance of
“religious traditions in places where these
previously had been largely unknown or considered
a minority”. This is called the deterritorialization of
religion.
Deterritorialization
 is a cultural feature that blurs the lines between
culture and place and thus transcends territorial
boundaries. This is highly characteristic of
migration amidst globalization. To illustrate, the
presence of Islam in Europe and of Catholicism –
Christianity in Arab nations due to the influx of
overseas workers coming from different parts of the
world carrying their own faith and belief system is a
form of deterritorialization.
On the other end, religion is influenced by global trends and
impulses and is forced to respond to newfound situations.
One good example is the use of social media as a tool for
evangelization. American Evangelist Joel Scott Osteen and
Kirk Thomas Cameron make Facebook and other social
media platforms to spread their beliefs. As such, they made
a global and borderless reach.  jurisdiction.
The interaction of religion and culture resulted in a global-
local religion. It is a global religion with a local mix.  of religion in these conflicts.
Model of Four Distinct Glocalization
1.Vernacularization
  refers to the blending of universal religions with
local languages. For instance, Arabic is used as
Islam’s sacred language even outside the Arab
world, while Greek and Latin remains to be the
primary languages of Christianity.  and secular politics
2. Indigenization
  transform a universal religion to suit the specifics of
a particular ethnic group. An example is the practice
of Islam by various ethnic groups in the Zamboanga
peninsula.  4.Global war
3. Nationalization
  construct a link between the nation and church.
Religious institutions relate to national identities and
the realities of that nation. Being part of the nation
means belonging to its national church. The
Philippines Independent Church, an independent
Christian denomination, is an example of a national
church in the Philippines.
4.Transnationalization
  has complemented religious nationalization by
focusing groups on identifying specific religious
traditions of real or imagined national homelands.
Iglesia ni Cristo is one good example of this. This
Christian organization is national in scope but it has
an international reach that is easily identified as
Filipino in its roots and central authority.
The globalization of religion brought two opposite results.
Starting from the 20th century, religion has been a source of
global conflict and peace.
Example are:
1.Britain, Muslim were linked to the jihadist attack in June
2017 on the London Bridge. 
2. Jewish extremists in Israel were accused of targeting and
beating Palestinians also in June 2017.
3. The American based organization New Christian Right
questioned the teaching of evolution in schools in the same
year. All these are because of one’s understanding and
interpretation of institutionalized beliefs and traditions of
religion.
4. Osama bin Laden’s attack on the World Trade Center in
2001 was triggered by the American exploitation of the oil
reserves of the Middle East, but the jihadist warriors carried
out the attack for they were willing to be martyred in the
name of Allah.
5. The Marawi City siege, in which the ISIS –Maute group
alliance was responsible, was the small group’s quest for
Bangsamoro identity and power over its exclusive
The main point here is not the global conflicts, but the role
Five Stages of Global Religious Rebellion
1.Revolt against secularism
  wherein localized uprising go up against the state’s
less moral authority to govern
2.Internationalization of religious rebellion
  wherein the warfare comes between the religious
3.Invention of global enemies
  wherein anti- American and anti – European
sentiments are growing 
  wherein there is an expansion of range and depth
of conflict between the secular and religious forces
5.Religious dimensions of post-Arab spring
  wherein the jihadist strategy is proven to be not the
way to end the struggles, but with the use of
nonviolent means as demonstrated in the Tahrir
Square in Egypt.
  Headquarters of several multinational corporations.
 The existence of financial headquarters, a stock
exchange, and major financial institutions.
 Domination of the trade and economy of a large
surrounding area.
 Although criteria are variable and fluid, typical
characteristics of world cities are: A variety of
international financial services, notably in finance,
insurance, real estate, banking, accountancy, and
marketing. Headquarters of several multinational
corporations.
 Major manufacturing centers with port and
container facilities
 Considerable decision-making power on a daily
basis and at a global level.
 Centers of new ideas and innovation in business,
economics, culture, and politics.

GEC-CWORLD: THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

LECTURE  10 The Most Powerful City in the World
1. London, England : is the world’s global capital
2. New York City
The Global Population and Mobility 3. Paris, France
4. Tokyo, Japan
Global City 5. Moscow, Russia
6. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
 also called a power city, world city, alpha city or 7. Singapore
world center, is a city which is a primary node 8. Barcelona, Spain
economic network. Top Billionaire City in the World
1. New York
  is a city generally considered to be an important 2. Hongkong
node in the global economic system. The most 3. San Francisco
complex of these entities is the  “global city”, 4. Moscow
whereby the linkages binding a city have a direct 5. London
and tangible effect on global affairs through socio- 6. Beijing
economic means. 7. Singapore
8. Dubai
  is the world's most important and influential city 9. Mumbai
that covers the dimension of globalization. These 10.  Shenzhen
dimensions are cultural experience, business
activity, human capital as well as political Attributes of Global City
engagement.
 Economic power
 an urban centre that enjoys significant competitive  - is the ability of countries, businesses, or
advantages and that serves as a hub within a individuals to improve their standard of living. It
globalized economic system. The term has its increases their freedom to make decisions that
origins in research on cities carried out during the benefit themselves alone and reduces the ability of
1980s, which examined the common characteristics any outside force to reduce their freedom.
of the world's most important cities. Purchasing power is a significant component of
economic power.
The term civilization comes from the Latin word civis,
meaning “a person living in a city.”  Economic opportunities
 - means any purchase, sale, lease, contract, option,
Urbanization: refers to the movement of masses of people
or other transaction or arrangement involving
from rural to urban areas and an increase in urban areas and
property or services wherein a consultant may gain
an increase in urban influence over all spheres of culture and
an economic benefit.
society.

Characteristic of Global City  Economic competitiveness
 - is the ability of an economy to compete fairly and
 A variety of International financial services, successfully in markets for internationally traded
notably in finance, insurance, real estate, banking, goods and services that allows for rising standards
accountancy, and marketing. of living over time.

  Center of authority
 - Global city, an urban centre that enjoys
significant competitive advantages and that serves
as a hub within a globalized economic system. The
term has its origins in research on cities carried out
during the 1980s, which examined the common
characteristics of the world's most important cities.
 Austrian capital had almost perfect scores
 Political influence
 - There is another reason some global cities have
extensive political influence and that is because
they are home to regional or global headquarters of
major international organizations. Paris boasts the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) and the European
Headquarters of the World Bank and IMF.
 spot from Melbourne last year after seven
 Center of higher learning and culture
 - A city’s intellectual influence
Challenges of Global City
Environmental threats
 such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, over-
use of natural resources and environmental and
health issues, are critically linked to issues of
poverty and the sustainability of ecosystems, and
consequently, issues of resource security and
political stability.
Resources 
 is to find a way in which we can establish a
commercial, socially and environmentally
sustainable society where there is a balance
between human consumption and the availability of
natural resources.
Inequality    is the largest city in the province of
 both in the developing and developed world.
Unequal access to such basic human needs in turn
create vicious circles of inequality and poverty.
Technology 
 is an opportunity to bring the voices of
entrepreneurs from countries often
underrepresented to the global tech stage. The
increased automation of manufacturing and many
other jobs, thanks to computers, mean greater
efficiency, less people doing boring repetitive jobs,
and an increase in flexibility regarding work times.
Governance   The Changing Spatial Economy and
 This involves a precarious balancing act between
the local pull of democratic decision- making and
the global pull of human rights governance.
The most liveable and sustainable cities in the world
1. Vienna, Austria
 For the second year in a row, Vienna,
Austria has been ranked the most liveable
city in the world, according to The
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The
for stability, culture and environment,
education and infrastructure and health
care.
2. Melbourne, Australia
 Melbourne, Australia took the second-
place spot, following close behind
Vienna’s score. Vienna had taken the top
consecutive years at No. 1.
3. Sydney, Australia
 is one of the most multicultural cities in
the world. Sydney's time zone allows it to
do business with Asia and the USA during
normal daylight working hours. Sydney is
considered to be one of the best cities in
the world for quality of life. The
infrastructure which exists to support
business is of high standard
4. Osaka, Japan
 is a large port city and commercial center
on the Japanese island of Honshu. It's
known for its modern architecture,
nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-
century shogunate Osaka Castle, which
has undergone several restorations, is its
main historical landmark. It's surrounded
by a moat and park with plum, peach and
cherry-blossom trees.
5. Calgary, Canada
Alberta and the second-largest city in
western Canada. Calgary has the second-
largest number of corporate headquarters
in Canada after Toronto, and is listed as a
“global city” by the Globalization and
World Cities Network. 
6. Vancouver, Canada
 is a major city in western Canada, located
in the Lower Mainland region of British in
Canada and has the fourth-most expensive
housing market globally. In 2011, the city
planned to become the greenest city in the
world by 2020.
7. Tokyo, Japan
Cultural Industries in Tokyo. The Tokyo
metropolitan area is the largest world city-
region globally, and is the location where
many of Japan's advanced functions are
centralized. The competitive power of new
cultural industries has been demonstrated
in recent years.
       7.   Toronto, Canada
 is emblematic of a new stratum of global Top 10 Populous Countries 2019
cities. Unlike many world capitals, the city
has gained stature only over the past half
century, having successfully post- COUNTRY POPULATION Area
industrialized into a new economy and (km²)
become a major world centre for
immigration.
1. CHINA 1,433,783,686 9,706,961
       9.    Copenhagen, Denmark
2. INDIA 1,366,417,754 3,287,590
  is best in competition to attract talents.
The index, released by international
graduate university Instead, put 3.    UNITED 329,064,917 9,372,610
Copenhagen ahead of Zurich, Helsinki, STATES
San Francisco and Gothenburg, Sweden,
in its first-ever ranking of global cities. 4.    INDONESIA 270,625,568 1,904,569

        10.   Adelaide,  Australia 5.    PAKISTAN 216,565,318 881,912

 pleasant to live in is it has all the features
of a big city with an international airport,
a decent arts community, both industry 6.    BRAZIL 211,049,527 8,515,767
and commerce and affordable housing.The
promising economic outlook saw South 7.    NIGERIA 200,963,599 923,768
Australia lead the nation with the highest
property confidence throughout 2018,
with no signs of subsiding. Adelaide's 8     BANGLADESH  163,046,161 147,570
reputation as an epicentre for commerce
and innovation has cultivated a thriving 9.    RUSSIA 145,872,256 17,098,242
local economy. 

Global Demography 10.  MEXICO 127,575,529 1,964,375

 is the “scientific study of human in which includes
study of changes in population size composition and
its distribution”
 factors such as birth, death, migration, etc.

The study of demography is of immense importance to an

economy. Population studies help us to know how far the
growth rate of the economy is keeping pace with the growth
rate of the population. Population studies highlight these
problems of the economy to be solved by the government.

Population Trend
 refers to changes over time and can include
changes in ranging behavior (e.g., distance and
route) and distribution, biogeography (e.g., size
of population) and life-history (e.g., birth and death
rates).
Population Growth
 is the increase in the number of individuals in
a population. Global human population
growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or
1.1% per year. The global population has grown
from 1 billion in 1800 to 7.616 billion in 2018.
Population Growth
Demographic Transition.
 is a series of stages that a country goes through
when transitioning from non-industrial to
industrial. The concept is used to explain how
population growth and economic development of a
country are connected.
 declines in fertility and mortality cause important
changes in a population's age composition. In
general, countries in the early stages of
the transition have a younger age structure than
countries in the later stages

  is the increase in the number of individuals in
a population. Global human population
growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or
1.1% per year. The global population has grown
from 1 billion in 1800 to 7.616 billion in 2018.
The rise in demand for human capital and its impact on the
decline in the gender wage gap during the nineteenth and the
twentieth centuries have contributed to the onset of
the demographic transition.
Population Trend and Comparisons
 population growth increases landlessness and hence
Developed Countries Developing Countries
the incidence of poverty.
Low Infant Mortality rate High Infant Mortality rate
Water scarcity
Life expectancy 77 years Life expectancy 52 years  As the world's population grows, the demand for
water mounts and pressure on finite water
Total fertility rate= 2.0 Total fertility rate= 5.7 resources intensifies. Climate change, which is also
closely tied to population growth, will also lead to
21% population < 15 age 44% population < 15 age greater pressures on the availability of water
resources.
12% population > 65 age 3% population > 65 age
Environmental degradation
Per capita GDP =$ 36,110 Per capita GDP =$ 800  is a result of the dynamic interplay of socio-
economic, institutional and technological activities.
Environmental changes may be driven by many
The Demographic Transition model/theory is a generalized
factors including economic growth, population
description that refers to the changing pattern of mortality,
growth, urbanization, intensification of agriculture,
fertility, and growth rates as societies move from the from
rising energy use and transportation.
one demographic regime to another

Developed by Frank W. Notestein. The theory originally
involves four stages: Political instability
 The main finding is that higher degrees of
 Pre-transition (Stage 1) instability of the political regime lead to lower
 Early Transition  (Stage 2) economic growth. 
 Late Transition  (Stage 3)  The main challenges posed by the end of the
 Post transition  (Stage 4) demographic transition include a lack of resources
to provide for the entire global population, the
Pre-transition (Stage 1) effects of climate change, contamination and
population ageing. Each region faces a distinct
 characterized by a balance between birth rates and future based on levels of economic
death rates. This situation was true of all human development, demographics and geography.
populations up until the late 18th century when the
balance ended in Western Europe. How does Demographic Transition Affects Global
Population
Early Transition  (Stage 2)   During this stage, the birth rates remain high but
the death rates drop, causing the
 the death rate begins to fall. As birth rates remain overall population to increase. The theory
high, creating a large gap between both rates causes of demographic transition predicts how
the population to grow rapidly. The phenomena is a population will change over time in regards to the
usually referred as “population explosion” mortality and fertility rates as well as age
composition and life expectancy.
Late Transition  (Stage 3)

 Population moves towards stability as Birth rates

start to decline. The rate of population growth
decelerates.

Post transition  (Stage 4)

 Characterized by a stable population caused by low

birth and low death rates. Population growth is
negligible, or even enters a decline.

Main Challenges of Population Growth

Hunger 
 growth is high where hunger is high, but that does
not mean that population growth makes hunger
inevitable. On the contrary, we see that hunger has
fallen fastest in countries with high population
growth.Population 

Poverty
 rapid population growth is likely to reduce per
capita income growth and well-being, which tends
to increase poverty. Second, in densely populated
poor nations with pressure on land, rapid