Globalization & Fragmentation

Globalization and
Nationalism
Implications for USA
education leaders?

07/16/09 1

Globalization: the increasing
integration of world capital,
knowledge & trade

Nationalism: the promotion of
the culture, economy and national
interests on one nation as
opposed to subgroups, other
nations or supranational
organizations [UN, NAFTA, EU]
07/16/09 2

Fragmentation
 In “Age of Globalization” when
nations are theoretically being
brought closer together–nationalism
has spawned fragmentation.
 Example: since 1945 the number of
independent nations recognized by
UN has risen from about 50 to over
191

07/16/09 3

Fragmentation has
spawned aggressive forms
of nationalism
Yugoslavia
Middle Asia
Central Africa
Former Soviet Union

07/16/09 4

Will fragmentation persist?
 Further disintegration of nation
states appears inevitable as
subgroups lay claim to exclusive
ethnic, cultural, religious and
geographical identities

 Are we witnessing the emergence of
a new feudalism?
07/16/09 5

Fragmentation and global problems
 As countries / groups pursue
political, ideological and economic
independence with all the rights of
nation states will this dilute ability to
address problems which are global in
nature such as:

• Environmental degradation
• Nuclear proliferation
07/16/09 6

Fragmentation can lead to positive
nationalism
 National identity can strengthen
unity among people who share
common values and customs
 It can contribute to the richness of
indigenous cultures through selective
acceptance of foreign cultural
elements without being dominated

07/16/09 7

Globalization
 The powerful communication
monopolies of modern civilization
threatens to overwhelm regional and
indigenous languages & cultures

 International languages tends to
replace local languages

07/16/09 8

Promise of Globalization
 Technology has provided us with the
potential for collaboration and
problem solving by exchanging
opinions on matters of shared
interest at a level of understanding
previously unimagined.

07/16/09 9

Can globalization deliver?
 Fundamental question: “why do
people persist in seeing themselves
in pigeonholes of their separate
interests when we have potential to
transcend geographic and cultural
differences more freely than anytime
in our history” H. Inose, Director General of Japan’s National Center for Science
Information Systems

07/16/09 10

Globalization has exacerbated
inequities
 In many parts of the developing
world globalization is viewed as a
economic tool for domination by
OECD countries. Is this accurate?
 Rich countries get richer, poor
countries fall further behind.

07/16/09 11

Can education balance the
competing pressures of
globalization and nationalism?

Should it try?

07/16/09 12

Globalization and Education
 Globalization has created a deep
division within higher education
community.
 Is this same division reflected in
elementary, secondary and
vocational education?

07/16/09 13

Higher education at the center
and higher education at the
periphery: implications for
schools and educators

07/16/09 14

What are the disadvantages of
higher ed. institutions in
developing countries in a
highly sophisticated, rapidly
changing global knowledge
network?

07/16/09 15

Universities as 2nd & 3rd level
distributors of knowledge
Poorly resourced :
laboratories, libraries,
Faculties

Universities

Producers of
knowledge
Richly resourced
07/16/09 16

Globalization and
impact upon students

07/16/09 17

Students’ cultural and
social life
 “Globalization, migration,
integration, travel and
communication are bringing different
races, cultures, and ethnicities into
closer contact” –K. Anan

 How do we develop global citizens?

07/16/09 18

Students’ cultural and social life
 Challenge for education, in light of
globalization, is to promote cultural
diversity
 Education must continue its mission
to promote human and social capital
but now within context of building
global citizenship.

07/16/09 19

Students’ Economic Life
 Supra-national organizations e.g.,
UN, WTO, NAFTA, World Bank,
OECD, etc. are increasingly
important influences
 Can our students function in a global
economy without some basic
understanding of these forces?
 Are we providing them with the
necessary understanding?
07/16/09 20

Students’ physical life
 Massive shifts in demography
within / between nation
states & environmental
degradation will impact our
students in future.
 How do we prepare them?

07/16/09 21

Students’ ethical life

Our students will have to
address issues of:
 survival and sustainability

 Closing gap between haves

& have-nots
 Choices about sharing
07/16/09 22

Students’ ethical life
Our students will need to make
choices on moral & ethical grounds:
 Ways to bring benefits of

globalization to everyone
 Ways to balance globalization and

fragmentation to prevent rise of
scurrilous nationalism or religious
fundamentalism threatening world
peace and stability
07/16/09 23

Students’ academic life
Perhaps our greatest challenges:
 fostering an inquisitive,

challenging intellectual milieu for
our students

 Address growing utilitarian view
of education as a commodity
sought only for economic gain.
07/16/09 24

Globalization & Fragmentation

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