V.

Global City and Global Divides

As discussed in the previous lessons about internationalism, the

modern world is shaped by global economy, global politics, and global

culture. It has created global cities and now divides the word into the Global

North and the Global South.

Roaming around the City of Iloilo, there are signs of global

interconnectedness. There are Starbucks and McDonald’s branches in Iloilo

City. They also have branches in New Delhi, Dubai, Singapore, Melbourne,

Tokyo, and in almost all global cities of the world. These branches almost

look the same with similar menus, and business operations worldwide. This

sameness represents the cultural homogenization which is associated with

globalizing the cities of the world.

Outside the Starbucks and McDonald’s establishments, there is a

difference between Singapore and Iloilo. In Iloilo, upon leaving the café and

snack house, hungry looking beggar, or an Aetas in ragged clothes, and

damaged slippers. Across the streets are dilapidated houses built from

discarded or used surplus plywood and galvanized iron sheets.

If the branch happens to be near a classy subdivision, squatters are

surely living next to the walled territory. Most likely, these residents are

under threats of being soon evicted or demolished to make a way for a larger

commercial development which will serve the city’s middle class.

A. Defining the Global City

globalizing forces. It is a place of population concentration or migration, and

the mixing of different cultures known as cultural diversity. It represents in

many ways the world in a bounded limited space. It is associated with the

word “Cosmopolitanism”.

The term “Global Cities” is credited to Saskia Sassen, a sociologist by

profession who popularized it in 1990. Her concept of global cities is

primarily economic. In her work, she initially identified three global cities: 1)

New York, 2) London, and 3) Tokyo. They are the homes of the world’s top

exchange markets where global investors buy and sell shares in major global

corporations.

New York London Tokyo

New York Stock Financial Times Stock Nikkei

Exchange (NYSE) Exchange (FTSE)

Aside from the three global cities mentioned, there are lots of global

cities of the world, such as: San Francisco, the home of the most powerful

internet companies, Twitter, Facebook, and Google. Los Angeles can now

compete with the Big Apple’s cultural influence. Beijing, Shanghai and

Guangshou in China are now the centers of trade, commerce, and finance.

Sydney and Melbourne in Australia are among the most livable cities in the

world. Paris and Dubai are also considered global cities.

The following are the indicators of global cities:

1. Strong economic power- largest stock market of the world,

2. Competitive because of its strong market power,

3. Home of many corporate headquarters, global corporations, and major

international organizations,

4. Plays a critical role in global economic supply or manufacturing

centers of the of the world,

5. Busy container ports and airports,

6. Home of culinary trends and cuisines,

7. Many economic and employment opportunities,

8. Homes of IT programmers and engineers,

9. Destinations of professional workers and center of tourism industries,

10. Centers of higher learning, culture, and intellectual influences,

11. With most efficient, and incorruptible or honest government,

12. Center of global authorities and political influence,

13. Peaceful and livable in terms of infrastructures, communication

facilities, transportation services, and security,

14. Home country’s top politicians, bureaucrats, policy advisor, and

wealthy and famous artists, film makers, and film making industries,

15. Powerful, influential decision-making hub.

Other criteria:

1. Purchasing power of the citizens,

3. Potential for growth and development.

C. Starbucks and the Shanties

Global cities create an image of exciting and fast moving luxury cars,

high and gigantic structures, well-built well-designed modern buildings,

skyscrapers, towers, and luxurious hotels. Residents adopted a cosmopolitan

or international lifestyle. However, amidst the global cities there are visible

realities, the sights of global economic inequality, poverty, crimes, violence

and traffic jams. Globalization is indeed an uneven process, there are gainers

and losers. There are those who benefit from it, and there are those who are

at the disadvantage. In other words, they are described as the Starbucks and

the Shanties phenomenon.

The shanty represents the tenacity of the locals which is not capable to

participate in the cosmopolitan life or culture represented by Starbucks.

Poverty is viewed as backward, it is not modern, it is not cosmopolitan, and it

is not global. The shanty dwellers do not participate in consuming the

symbols of global modernity, but its very presence is already figured out by

mechanisms that they are also global in scope. The shanty is a symbol of

globalization as well as the Starbucks.

D. Global Divides: Global North and the Global South

The world is divided into two, the Global North and the Global South.

The Global North is composed of the developed countries of the world and

the Global South are composed of the underdeveloped and developing

developing countries but not to developed countries.

The Global North is the one financing or controlling the WB, IMF, and

the WTO to help developing and underdeveloped countries to stabilize or

cure their ailing individual economies for them to participate in the

integration of global markets. The WB, IMF, WTO are dominated by

economists from the Global North and most often the cure is worse than the

illness.

The underdevelopment of the Global South prevents it from being

globalized. The developing countries are forced to accept liberalization and

marketization or to open its market to globalization. The globalization of the

developing countries is led by the WB, and IMF. The WTO saddles the

developing economies with debt thus making them vulnerable to economic

shocks. The liberalization of the economies in the Global South has caused

widespread poverty, and deepened inequality among the poorest countries

of the world.

Globalization creates both prosperity and poverty. It pushes or forces

people and groups to adopt modernity associated with western culture,

economic capital investment, and dominant political governance, while other

people and groups are behind, resulting to global inequality.

E. Brief Summary

In this contemporary world, global economic integration is not only

inevitable, it is expected to happen with the rise of new technology. The

are the center point of global modernity that divides the world into two. It

has been articulated in various forms of globalization process that is uneven.

F. Learning Activity 5

1) Roam around the city or in the town where you live. As you roam

around, list down the features and characteristics of the city or town. Note

the following:

a. The kinds of dwelling place they live in (townhouses, or

apartments, or there are more houses, or condominium units).

b. Describe their occupations, language, food, dress, and treatment

with each other.

2) If you roam around the city, compare your observations when you

roam around the town and answer the following:

a. What are the obvious differences and similarities?

b. How do these cities or towns complement and compete with

each other?