August 24 (introduction) (1)

Globalization: An Introduction

Anthropology 3000

Fall 2011

What is globalization?

• Since 1970s, revolution in transportation and communications has made world more interconnected

• 1. Global capitalist changes

• 2. Accelerated migration

• 3. Changes in state and immigration policy

• Changes in Global Capitalism• Corporations have relocated parts of labor process

from global North to locations in global South where labor is cheaper

– Outsourcing—

– Offshoring--

• 2 other important developments:• International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World

Bank encourage developing nations to shift economies from import-substitution to production for export

• Free trade zones—Developing nations relax national tariffs to encourage foreign corporations to relocate there• Have become “assembly lines” for foreign

corporations

Questions: How has this affected labor rights? Has it led to development?

– Our areas of focus:– 1. Shenzhen, China– 2. US-Mexico border– 3. Thailand (rural to urban migration) – Question 1: Labor Rights– How does flight of corporations to global South

affect strength of labor movement?

– Corporations seek locations where wages lower and work conditions are favorable to them

– Fewer protections of workers in global South, and poor enforcement of regulations

Shenzhen

Deng Xiaoping & Shenzhen

Shenzhen: drill press operators

Shenzhen electronics factory

Maquiladora workers

How does it affect strength of labor in developed world?

Question 2: GenderWhy is labor force in EPZs primarily young

and female?

• Dominican Republic--60% of jobs held by women (Safa 1996: 20)

• Ciudad Juarez--70% of labor force female (Cravey 1998: 13)

• How do export processing zones affect gender structures? How does employment of women outside home affect women’s status in the home?

Question 3: Consumption and StatusWhy do women seek work in EPZs?

Bangkok, Thailand

Modern Consumption

Ciudad Juarez

Question 4: DevelopmentHow does it affect development in the global

South?• US-Mexico border is the largest export

processing zone in world

• 11,500 maquiladoras, or export-processing firms along US-MX border

• For past 2 decades, has been fastest-growing sector of Mexican economy, surpassing oil

• Yet effect on Mexican development is mixed:• MX has relaxed taxes on corporate profits • Corporations can be entirely foreign-owned, thus allowing

profits to leave MX

II. Migration• Global economic integration has led to…

Transnational migration—increased due to cheap air travel, also media and Internet

And due to cultural similarity fostered by EPZs

• In 2005, 190 million people lived outside their country of birth– 12% of US’ population– 12% of Germany’s– 19% of Canada’s– 23% of Switzerland’s– 71% of United Arab Emirate’s

Migration: QuestionsImmigration Control Policy:• As both people and corporations cross national

borders, has the nation-state lost its power?

As people are increasingly mobile, how do states attempt to control their borders?

• Has the U.S. always been concerned about its southern border?

• How do nation-states attempt to incorporate new immigrants (or not)?

III. TransnationalismTransnationalism--people no longer lose ties to

country of origin but have dual national loyalties– E.g., Remittances--in 2004, $45 billion sent to Latin

America--70% of FDI and 5 times development aid• $22 billion to MX in 2005--2% of GDP• $2.5 billion to Haiti--53% of GDP!

– Home Town Associations--organizations migrants create to fund development projects back home

• 550 Mexican HTAs (LA, NY, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix)

• 200 Salvadoran HTAs (DC, LA, Houston)• Mexican government created a program to allow these HTAs

to send money back through state and receive matching federal money; sent back $15 billion in 2005

Migrant-funded rodeo in Valparaiso

Transnationalism: Questions• Why do people migrate, and why do they

maintain ties to home? • How do states attempt to accommodate (or not)

migrants’ dual loyalties?• Does the increased power of migrants in the US

change their status in their sending country? Does it give them power to demand changes by the state?

• How do remittances and HTAs affect development, and do they help mitigate circumstances that led to migration?

Course Objectives• Gain understanding of current global

issues and anthropological approaches to them

• Apply these approaches to real-world contexts

• Develop critical thinking skills

• Develop written and oral expression

Index Cards

• Name

• Major, Year

• Why taking the course

• Particular interests in the course