Global 2 Final

"The High Toll of Fast Fashion" Robert Ross

THIS DEFINITION WILL BE ON FINAL: "Fast fashion" refers to rapid reorders and new orders that retailers now exert as they discern sales trends in real time. Enabled by instant computer reports breaking down sales by style, color, size, etc., firms are able to respond quickly to the consumer trends they perceive and to order production just as quickly. This, many critics argue, results in highly compressed production schedules and increased pressures on workers down the line in South Asia and elsewhere. -disregard for worker's rights, conditions, and health that takes place in the pursuit of cheap clothing, made as quickly as possible. -Many consumers are unaware that when items are on "sale" it is the result of someone often being paid unfairly for the work they have done to produce such a garment. Americans spend far less on clothing today than they did a generation ago, and this is thanks to the emergence of demand of "fast fashion." - A documentary called "The True Cost" explores the consequences of "fast fashion" including mistreatment of workers, inability for workers to unionize, horrible health hazards in the workplace including chemicals for coloring garments, and many other horrors. Ultimately though, these conditions cannot be changed until the consumer of large companies who outsource their products to be made in foreign factories demand change and "clean clothing." -So long as it is being consumed, companies will continue to have their products made without regard to the lives of those being destroyed by working conditions but this is made difficult by the fact that is often made difficult for a consumer- even one who is ethically conscious to discern "clean clothing" from unclean clothing. - often the result of misleading advertisement by large companies. -********To effectively eradicate sweatshops and their violations of "worker's rights, legislation, workers unions, and ethical suppliers" have to come together and fight this injustice.

"don't let the fox guard the chicken house"

criticism of businesses/corporations "self monitoring" their labor practices, pay, conditions, benefits, etc. -All factories where major disasters have occurred had been repeatedly audited under industry audit regimes

"Triple Bottom Line"-

value: people, planet, profit

Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh

• 200+ brands and retailers have joined o They agree to make their factories safe (structurally) - and pay for costs, if necessary • In Bangladesh, the factories all go vertically because there isn't much safe o Legally binding: can be sued if fail to act o Central role for workers and unions • Establishes a principle of joint liability - the brands and retailers have a legal obligation to make sure the factories are safe places to work • The brands that use factories were not technically bound to do anything before this o Who hasn't joined? Gap and Walmart -There is also an accord on fire and building safety, which is not legally binding • They've signed this instead

Three pillars to support workers

• Consumers, laws, and unions

Jenny Chan- Interns or Workers? China's Student Labor Regime

-About student "vocational training programs" that students are essentially forced into working at companies like Foxconn, with no rights and little pay, it is an attractive asset to many universities, etc. -The whole thing is very misleading and students are often under false impression about what they will be doing/earning/how long and when theyll be working -In 2010, Taiwanese-based Foxconn Technology Group—the world's largest electronics manufacturer—utilized the labor of 150,000 student interns from vocational schools at its facilities all over China. -Foxconn is 1 of many global firms utilizing student intern labor. Student internships aren't chosen by students but organized by the local state working with enterprises and schools, in violation of the rights of student interns and in violation of Chinese law. -Foxconn, through direct deals with government departments, has outsourced recruitment to vocational schools to obtain a new source of student workers at below minimum wages. -Goals and timing of internships are set not by student educational or training priorities but by the demand for products dictated by companies -Finds that the student labor regime has become integral to the capital-state relationship to assure a lower cost and flexible labor supply for Foxconn and others. -This is part of the emerging Chinese state capitalism. . It -Not until July 1994, following tragic industrial fires and deaths and numerous abuses, government made a Labor Law to regulate the complex labor relations -The law guarantees basic protections to all worker-citizens, regardless of household registration status or ownership type, like entitlement to employment contracts, local minimum wages, overtime premiums, social insurance and retirement benefits, rest days, safe and healthy workplaces, and access to government-sponsored labor dispute resolution mechanisms. -Despite these requirements, employers systematically "ignored the law with impunity because of the lack of effective implementation and enforcement by local regulatory or supervisory organizations, including the trade union, the local labor bureau and the courts" - Structural reforms and privatization accelerated in the 1990s and following China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001,small and medium state-owned enterprises lost fierce new competition. -Laid-off workers, especially those who were relatively young, joined rural migrants in the "world factory," facing great uncertainties in a more liberalized economy -Due to increasing worker lawsuits and collective protests since the mid-1990s, the Chinese government was compelled to expand legal reforms to ensure minimally acceptable social and labor standards as a means to alleviate the growing tensions between legitimacy and profitability -Firms were increasingly pressured to cut costs and to cope with fluctuations in production orders by hiring temporary workers, including student interns -one- to two-thirds of the total workforce during fieldwork in the mid-to-late 2000s -the 2008 law did not cover interning students. Interns, who are not, after all classified as workers, can be laid off without severance pay and 30 days' prior notice to which employees are entitled. They continue to possess fewer legal rights than agency or regular workers even when they are directly recruited and assigned to the same tasks -Vocational schools offer employment-oriented courses for fi rst- and second-year students. During their third year, when they are 17 to 18 years old, students are expected to intern at enterprises that are "directly relevant to their studies" However, our interviews revealed that Foxconn not only recruits students regardless of their fi eld of study, but also oft en much earlier than is legally allowed -Woo's statement indicates that, when faced with soaring demand from Apple, Dell, and other electronics brands, Foxconn's first response is to impose compulsory overtime on its existing labor force. However, it also tries to hire more people to respond seamlessly to corporate demands for rush orders. Recruitment through vocational schools is an efficient way to pick up tens of thousands of new workers at once, who are purportedly hired in the name of skills training and school-business cooperation - Schools, facing financial and political pressure, are unable to shield students from internships that violate the letter and spirit of the law. Business-friendly local authorities sponsor such internship programs through direct subsidies and administrative support to large corporations. In China, the student labor regime has become integral to its economic development, frequently at the sacrifice of all workers' interests. under mounting public concerns of student worker abuses, including child labor hidden in the guise of interns at Foxconn's labor-hungry factories the Chinese central government has recently proposed new "Draft Rules on the Management of Vocational School Student Internships" These rules, if vigorously implemented, would require that student internships have substantial educational content and work-skill training plans, along with comprehensive labor protections for teenage workers. As of January 2015, however, the draft rules still had not been issued suggesting opposition from employers and their allies.

"China: Global economic empires"- Juergensmeyer

-East Asia: China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea "silk road"=silk, porcelain, lacquered goods, tea, and wooden carvings -silver came from Mexico and Peru and stabilized their currency -Treaty of Naning allowed for opium trade to continue and granted British the port city of Hong Kong to be a British colony -Meiji Restoration- opening of Japanese ports for trade with the West -Japan rose from the ashes of ww2 even stronger than before by developing ways of producing high quality commercial projects

Fusion

-Erasure of borders in order to come together as larger, regional entities • Ex. European union • Countries that have killed millions of people have now joined together • There was the hope that this would represent another way forward, but it is now threatened especially with the migration crisis

"After the Nation-State-What?" - Zygmunt Bauman

-Historically, social policy was based on belief that nations cold control their fortunes, now a divide is opening between politics and the economy -the economy moves fast enough to keep ahead of politics -$ moves so fast that it is permanently a step ahead of politics, which may try to contain or direct where money goes, because of this money is clear of constraints which makes many of the levers of economic control no longer effective -talks about jobs/workforce being eliminated in Europe and North American and moved to Asia and global south -it is no longer obvious to describe a company as "british" or "american" -the "nation-state" is eroding and withering away, as transnationality is emerging. -by dividing the world (after collapse of Soviet Union), created an illusion of "totality", each nook and cranny of the globe was assigned a significance in the global order of things -as the result of a split by two enormous powers, (soviet and us) everything had meaning and had a place -now with the great schism behind us, the world doens' tlook like a totality, but rather a field of scattered and disparate forces -in a nutshell, no one seems to be in control now and it isn't even clear anymore what "being in control" means

"Globalization and Its Impact: Human Rights For Whom?- Micheline Ishay

-each aspect of globalization has directed a different agenda for human rights including that of -environmental degredation -weakening of trade unions -immigration policies, etc.. -Decline of trade unions, who have fought for decades for improved working conditions, pay, welfare, heawlth care, education etc. is attack under a global scale, -average wages in US have remained stagnant and sometimes dropped -trade unions former strongholds like teaching, civil service, etc. are being undermined by privitization and public sector cuts -as a result, one fifth of world's population has been left in poverty, over 700 million working people aren't employed or even represented -trade unions in global south face challenges of: representing workers in informal sector, and preventing forced labor -slavery has taken on a new form, rawching 27 enslaved people right now, 15-20 mil o fwhich are in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. -slavery remains a plague to the world's poorest people, and more slaves today than when the US enslaved black people -Chattel slavery- captured person is born/sold into permanent servitude still exists Debt bondage- common in India and Pakistan, when people who are desperate in debt are forced to submit the agreement to work without compensation until their employer decides they have paid it off (or often their children have) another form of modern slavery- vulnerable people accept, (or as children are forced by their parents to accept) a contract for guaranteed work and are taken far from home, imprisoned. This is prevalent in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and some Arab states. -US National Organiozation for women had 6 essential measures -laws banning employment discrimination -maternity leave rights -child care centers for working mothers -tax deducations for childcare -job training for poor women UN Convention on Eimination of all forms of discrimination against women ratified by 131 countries, US= only industrialized country not to sign

"A Brief History of Transnational Corporations"- Greer, Singh

-transnational corps are among world's largest econ institutions -TNC's total annual sales comparable or more than yearly GDP of most countries -TNCs dominate in industries where output and amarkets are oligopolistic, or concentrated in relatively small # of firms -their operations span across the globe -2 basic characteristics: 1) engages in enough businesses activities (sales, distribution, extraction, manufacturing, and research/development outside country of origin so its dependent financially in operations in 2 or more countries) 2) its management decisions are based on regional or global alternatives -"public" TNCs trade their shares/stock at exchances or brockerage houses -"private" TNC's do not have shares which are traded publicly (frequently family controlled) -demand for natural resources continues to provide impetus for Euro & US corporate ventures between first and second world wars -after ww2, ventures of trade within related enterprises of corporation "intra-company"trade -"transfer pricing"when TNCs set prices for transfers of goods, services, technology and loans between worldwide allies which differ greatly from the prices unrelated firms would have to pay -TNCs will higher gov officials to influence the gov -deregulation of trade aims to erase national boundaries -TNC activities generate over half of greenhouse gases emitted by industrial sectors

"The Conversion of a Climate change skeptic"- Muller

-concludes climate change is real and humans are almost entirely the cause -as a result of a study conducted, found earth's land has risen 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 250 years, including 1.5 degrees over the most recent 50 years. -it appears likely that essentially all of this increase results from the human emission of greenhouse gases. -greenhouse effect- extra heat from trapped radiation, result of co2 emissions -definite human cause based simply on the close agreement between the shape of the observed temperature rise and the known greenhouse gas increase. -however, many popular claims about global warming are false, like that hurricane katrina was caused by it, and that it is causing the current warm spell in the US -if china continues its massive coal use and industrial growth, the planet temp will increase even faster than currently projected- 2.5 degrees in 20 years instead of 50.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "Climate Change 2015- IPCC

-policy changes are needed to make the necessary changes in adaptation, mitigation, technology and finance -international cooperation is critical -opportunity to help climate change diminishes with time -climate change places particular burdens on the poor -we need sustainable development geared toward adaptation and mitigation

UN Human Development Report 2015 Summary: Sustaining Human Progress

(Sydney has this one)

"Chinese economic empire"- Araujo, Cardenal

-china taking over the world commercially but not militarily -Europeans and Americans worry about Beijings assertiveness in the South China sea, terrirorial disputes w Japan, and cyberattacks on western firms -aggressive worldwide push of chinese state capitalism -economic domination by buying companies, epxloiting natural resources, building infastructure and giving loans all over the world (especially Latin America) -Chinese ppl deposit money and get negatie returns bc lo interest rates below the inflagtion rate and strict capital controls that prevent savers from investing their $ in more profittable investments abroad -leaading trade partner of countries including Australia, Brazil, Brazil, and chile -gov support through hidden subsidies and cheap financing gives Chinese state-owned firms a major advantage over competitors -trans-pacific partnership= American-led policy to contain China -China dgaf about human rights -econ inflience can push political agenda to the side, state is behind china's global econ expansion -its essential that Western governments stick othe core of western prosperity: rule of law, political freedom and fair competition, it is china that needs to adapt to the rest of the world

"The Westfailure System"- Susan Strange

-"westphalian" system = failure. -this is referring to the system in which political authority claims monopoly on violence within its borders, the international security system can' t realistically be isolated from the market economy of Europe -describes capitalism as "trading of credit" -system is failing nature by polluting, pillaging and perverting it for economic benefit it is failing campitalism bc international institutions that are supposed to manage financial markets are becoming increasingly unstable failing world socially by allowing a dangerously wide gap to develop between rich and poor, weak and powerful -for people working for small-medium businesses, globalization destroys democratic principles of accountability and transparency -emerging global civil society who care about environmental issues, etc. is not to be dismissed -study of globalism has to focus on activities of large firms just as much as it focuses on anything else

"China: Innovator or follower?"- Applebaum

-Chinese state key driver of econ development -imitation to innovation -tech focused economy by 2020 -siginficantly increase public investment in basic research -chinese firms currently excel in re-engineering and improving existing products, but remain limited in their ability to innovate new products -local govs under enormous pressure from central gov to show success, local govs implement short term low risk strategies not high risk long term tech breakthroughs

"As the US sleeps, China conquers Latin America" - Fumento

-Chinese trade deals are high in Latin America -China will become the world's largest economy by the end of the year (2014) -Mexico accounts for over 60% of US trade with Latin America -China sends Latin America junk it wouldn't dare send to US or Europe -between 2008-12, China lent over $80 billion to Latin American countries -America needs an intelligent, aggressive, integrated policy to accomadate what LA needs to that all sides can benefit

"Tens of thousands of muslims flee christian militias in central African republic"- Raghavan

-Christian vigilantes wielding machetes have killed scores of Muslims -brutalities began escalating when the country's first Muslim leader, Michel Diotodia stepped down and went into exile -Chrisitans also victims of violence -6500 French and African troops -most fled to chad and Cameroon as well as Nigeria, Niger, and Sudan

"Social Change and Development" - So

-Development = dominated by 3 different schools of research" -modernization school- emerged in the 1950s, American model of modernization, came under attack and was changed to "new modernization studies" which suggest that Third World countries can pursue their own paths of development -dependency school- rooted in the Third World as a response to failure of program of Marxism in Latin America, advocated linking with the West to forge path of development, says dependence is not just an economic but a sociopolitical process -world-system school- latest school to emerge, offered interpretation of major events in development, studies at national and world level The changes in the development of these 3 schools have led to a shift in research in the development literature from 1950s to 1980s -synthesis= "new comparative political economy" The new shift toward convergence in all 3 of these schools is satisfactory as it does less violence to historical realities and provides more sophisticated, multi-dimensional analysis to explain major historical events -Despite convergence, the three schools still maintain their individuality,-modernization still focuses on the relationship between modernity and tradition, - the dependency school still analyzes links between dependency and development, only now more on the positive side of development, and the world-systems school still studies trends of world economy and their impacts, now just more concentrated on microregions than before. it's clear that these three schools will not disappear.

Fission

-Erasure of borders drawn by colonial powers; resurgence of nationalism • Ex. Islamic caliphate • Don't believe in national borders, but rather god-given borders • If national governments are no longer effective, then will countries fall apart? • Many country boundaries are the result of colonialism • Those boundaries often harbor people of many different ethnicities and beliefs

"Billionaire Bonanza"- Collins and Hoxie

-Highlights the extent of equality in the US. The authors provide staggering statistics such as that a group of people small enough to fit into a jet together accumulate more wealth than the entire bottom half of the entire American population. The extremity of these statistics is likely an understatement due to the ample amount of offshore bank accounts and hidden wealth held by many of the 1%. - Two proposals are made to help reduce wealth inequality in the US, the first of which is making the wealthy more accountability and stopping their ability to escape regulations and paying taxes by methods including offshore bank accounts. -Secondly, the rich must be taxed much more heavily in order to reduce the extreme concentrations of wealth at the top that greatly contribute to economic disparity. This issue is more complex than just wealth inequality as it accentuates race inequality in itself. -Racial minorities are clearly at a disadvantage financially, highlighted by statistics such as 71% of white Americans owning homes while only 42% of African Americans,and only 46% of Latinos do. -Consequences of this inequality are not just financial, but effect many aspects of society, including our political power and influence as voters, public health, social divisions, racial divisions, and the ultimate value and integrity of the "American dream" including the concept of equal opportunity.

"Turning Oppression into opportunity"- Applebaum

-Importance of sharing positive and uplifting stories that are inspiring, and represenattive of the resiliency of the human spirit in times of extreme atrocities that are exhibited in the book, including gang rape and genital cutting - argues that China has emerged as such an impressive power because of the "girl effect"—millions of young Chinese women have moved from the rural west to east coast factories, sparking an economic revolution. Is factory work an answer to ending the brutalization of women? Giving women employment opportunities is crucial, and that employment can come in a number of ways. For some women it will be in the retail sector, for others it will be in making small products. hard to see how you could increase employment in poor countries if you don't have low-wage manufacturing, particularly for Africa, which has negligible manufacturing. I think it will be crucial for Africa's long-term prospects to get more factories—to develop a garment industry, for example. Women would be huge beneficiaries. an area where they can compete as effectively as men and bring in even more money than their husbands or brothers -organizations fighting sweatshops do a disservice in some cases, where such work could help people economically who have no opportunity like in Africa -China could provide a model for Africa to successfully implement factories, Unfortunately, if you're Nike ,you know that any factory in Liberia is going to have a zillion problems, and you're going to be worried that the New York Times is going to find those problems and that will undermine your brand, and you will stay out of Liberia. -Because of public scrutiny about working conditions, companies like Nike won't open factories in countries like Liberia, as a result women are more likely to wind up in even worse circumstances—for example, prostitution or sexual slavery. it tends to drive companies to have better, more capital-intensive factories in somewhat better-off countries like China, Malaysia, or Mexico—but not in the poorest countries. Nike has some charitable programs in Liberia, but what would most desperately help Liberians would be to open a factory there— something they haven't done and that nobody else has done either. -There is growing evidence that empowering women is an effective way to fight poverty, extremism, and violence. -Americans must bridge the "God gap" (liberals and conservatives, religious believers as was done in partnership to end slavery in the US. - For example, I've seen the improvements Cambodia's sex trade: There no longer are 11-year-old girls openly for sale outside of Phnom Penh. That is because of this American pressure that came about because of cooperation across the traditional divide. -mysogynistic tendencies in cultures can change with time, such as Chinese women foot binding - I think it is largely cultural, not religious though many Muslim countries justify their oppression of women with religion. -With education, these justifications tend to disappear. In Pakistan, for example, people often cite religion as a reason not o educate their daughters. Yet in Bangladesh, once part of Pakistan, more girls are in high school than boys. -we underestimate cultures ability to change -Most promising model to ending prostitution focuses on the demand side, arresting the customers and not the prostitutes.

Video: Rana Plaza Factory Collapse- Families still awaiting millions in compensation

-Intl Labor Ass. estimates it needs $24 mil to properly compensate victims of Rana Plaza, however only $4 mil is available in an account for that compensation now, while $5 million more has been pledged to be given, -most of money has come from only 1 donor (Primark) who pledged $6 million -over half of manufacturers sourcing from Rana Plaza have failed to contribute anything to the compensation fund

"After the thaw: What's next in US/Cuba relations? -Sweig

-Sweig believes US engagement with Cuba will bring reform to the island in the long term -risks of reestablishing diplomatic ties are outweighte by the rewards -helps rebuild ties with Latin America -President Raul Castro needs better ties with the US for his economic and political forms to be successful -decision to reestablish ties was solely Castro and possibly from some support of the younger generation -embargo remains in place despite restoration of diplomatic ties -improvements in human rights

"Beyond the theory of imperialism: global capitalism and the transnational state"- Robinson

-US invasion of Iraq= form of "new imperialism" to offset declining hegemony -centers around geopolitics (control of territory, resources) -based on nation-state thinking which is no longer relevent in how capitalism has changed (rise of Transnationalist Capitalist Class) & TNC's -"new imperialism" based on misconception that world is made u of domestic capitals and national economies interacting -no empirical evidence that capitalism is based on nation-state lines, there is evidence for transnationalism of capital -nation-states continue to exist, but their nature and meaning evolve as social relations and structures transform, particularly as transnationalization happens -nation state absorbing functionality into larger transnational institutional structure, involving complex relations between nation states and tnc's one one hand, and class of social forces on the other -difusion of foreign policy making power within elite and levels of autonomy among policymakers -US imperialism= transnational elites use of US state apparatus to continue to expand, defend and stabilize the global capitalist system -new forms of global capitalist domination, intervention intended to create favorable conditions for penetration of Transnat. capital and renewed integration of intervened region into the global system -US intervention facilitates shift in power from local and regional elites to groups favorable to trans. nat. project 3 crises of global capitalism: 1) social polarization 2)structural crisis of overaccumulation 3)crisis of legitimacy and authority -neoliberalism "peacefully" opened new areas of global capital, but the three crisis led to need for a violent approach -"war on terrorism" endless military outlet for surplus caital -theory of imperialism is irrelevent if world is not divided into nation-states -imperialism is not about nations but groups exercising social power-through institutions to control value production, appropriate surpluses and reproduce these arrangements

"Interim report of the UN special rapporteur on the right to food- Elver

-climate change already significantly impacting 1 bil of world's poorest -has neg impacts on ag and vice versa -Cc expected to have neg implication for cfrop yields -glacial melt leads to sea levels rise up to two meters -adequacy requires food satisfy dietary needs and be safe for human consumption -sustainability linked to hunger-reduction strategies -water=transportation affects distribution of food and income genertion -largest population of hungry people live in Asia -women have vital role in security and nutrition -food systems are significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions -current consumption rate of meat and dairy is major driver of climate change

"The chinese century? china's move toward indigenous innovation- some policy implications- Applebaum & Parker

-US slipping behind in education (math and science) and its technologies -public investment drive generates a network of systematic external economies, which enhance the competitiveness, productivity, and profitability of both public and privately owned/controlled enterprises -China overtook Japan as world's 2nd largest economy in 2010, its growth has largely been result of market liberalization and export-oriented policies which have attracted foreign firms -become a global high-tech player "at the forefront of world technology tevelopment" innovation-oriented society -adoption of Long and medium term scientific and tech development plan = key component of broad shift in economic strategy for China -move away from dependence on exports as the sole driver of economic growth by developing a capacity for high-tech innovation, 3-pronged approach: -continue to foster export sector -develop domestic market -foster growth of high-tech development (drawing on rapidly expanding pool of low-cost scientists & engineers -china heavily relies on US, Japan, and other econ advanced countries for key technologies -overseas Chinese scientists are increasingly returning home due to national pride, gorwing opportunities for conducting research, prospect of launching a financially successful high tech tenure, financial as well as other incentives -nanotechnology is a booming industry with the US at the forefront, but China has substantial developments -China will at best be economic superpower cause of its role in trading powers, its geopolitical and military influence, while remaining constrained by internal fragilities and external rivalry

"Aid- Can it work?"- Applebaum interview with Kristof

-addresses many of the underlying issues as part of what is known as the "White Man's Dilemna". -We give aid in a number of ways because we see the necessity of it, but it is often ineffective and wasted. For example, in Africa, there are special drugs given so that mothers won't pass HIV along to their children. As a follow up after the child is born, the mother is given formula to save from breast feeding and passing along HIV. However, the use of such formula is stigmatized as being only for mothers "contaminated" with HIV making it unattractive and many women throw it away. This is one of many examples in which money and resources are wasted. In addition, it is difficult to ensure the longevity and successful continuation of a project of aid when after the instillation of the project, such as a medical clinic. The doctors must continue their commitment, as well as many other measures that have to take place to ensure the success of such an institution. In recent years, foreign aid has become much more of a governmental priority and increased greatly, though still not coming to close to what our target of giving was stated to be. Easterly argues against the notion of "poverty trap" which indicates that poor nations need outside resources to jumpstart their success and sustainability. However Easterly argues that many of the necessary resources are already in these countries, however they are not being effectively utilized, for example men in the Congo who spend their money on brothels, cigarettes and alcohol, when they could be investing that money in businesses or in their children's education.

"The nuclear challenge 70 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki" -Falk

-after ww2, widespread belief that rationalism would preail and nuclear weapons would not be further developed, and their possesion as well as threat of use would be prohibited -all 5 permament members of UN security council opted for posession of nuclear weapons -US & Euros strategic ratioae for nuclear weapons stressed need to offset soviet superiority -people of ground 0 believed purpose of confrontation is always conversion to truth and right ation, and no passing judgment as to evil -Livermore labs in eh bay area hat develop nuclear weapons and operation is careied on as partnership between UC system and other large corporations

"Climate Change"- Gautier

-as humans increase use of greenhouse gases, earths temperature incraeses -CO2 emissions remain in atmosphere for hundreds of year -high latitudes of Northern Hemisphere show 2-3x more warming than the global average, this is due to the albedo effect -aerosol in the air has a shorter life than greenhousegases, their impact remains more regional than global. -most aerosols have a cooling effect, so as we clean our atmosphere of them for health and other reasons, it might get warmer. -animals that life in sea ice such as polar bears have to modify their habitation, they now have less places to hunt -oceans" warming of oceans puts additional water into atmosphere due to increased evaporation, which warms the atmosphere further -ocean warming= ocean expansion -hydrological cycle- precipitation distribution, reduced drastcically, more wild fires. -Ocean acidification- 1/3 of CO2 is absorbed by the ocean, lowers the Ph of the ocean, impacts entire marine food chain as well as contributing to greenhouse effect -high risk of extinction for many animals whose habitats/temperature, hunting prey etc. are being impacted by climate change -reduction in co2 emissions of 80-85% in high emission countries and 50% globally in order to avoid dangerous consequences -permafrost, as it melts, significant levels of greenhouse are emitted into the atmosphere

"From the Edges of Development"- Bhavnani, Foran, Kurian, Munshi

-basically about how modern "development" and approaches to helping poor people in third World countries in ineffective, elitist, and doesn't represent an understanding of the causes of poverty, including systematic cycle of impoverishment of women -big businesses and capitalist regimes have and do wreak havok on third world countries in the name of development, exploiting natural resources with miniscules to locals -neoliberal govs and market libertarians are obsessed with the control of water, have systematically promoted the privitization of a resource that every living being should have access to, causing tragic consequences in regions including Bolivia, South Africa, India. -development goals put forward for the third world by the west are "top down" lacks attention to women and people of color, also ignored local culture -access to resources by impoverished, marginilized people= cultural, political, and ideological struggle -struggle for access to "goods" such as water, land, and forests represent the commodification of htese resources, antiprivitization movement against this -post-development aka anti development perspectives scrutinize the notion that the third world is deficient of knowledge and information -feminist, inigenous, and environmental issues represnet destructiveness of modern economics-driven development -Africa reminds us that there are other ways of being aside from profit drive, "i sell therfore i am" point of view found in the West -goal: reinvision development through implementation exploration of how alternative cocepts, many of which emerge from rural areas outside of "development", we should adopt a third world =cultural studies perspective representing political approach to culture. their approach focuses on athe Women, Culture, Development paradigm which focuses on development by centering on women -mainstream development= elitist, designed toward First World ways of life

"Review of Dambisa Moyo's Book, "Dead Aid" - William Easterly

-book was commissioned by London Review of Books, but was never published -in the book, Zambian economist Moyo critizes and rejects aid to Africa - new wave of African professionals who serve as critics of the official aid agencies rather than (as in the past) as their co-opted employees and consultants would like to hear from independent African intellectuals on African issues, rather than from middle-aged white men -Moyo's argument has 3 strands: 1)Complains the West is patronizing Africa 2) Documents specific ways aid has harmed Africa 3) offers entreupenurial alternatives for Africa's path going forward -critizes the glorification of helping Africans through American celebrities publically involving themselves -aid looks at Africans as inferior "children" ,this perspective is rooted in history - Article 22 of the League of Nations Covenant in 1920 said that despotic colonial rule was applicable to "peoples not yet able to stand by themselves.", that language is equivalent to what WB uses today when it invites African governments to guide aid -the kind aid Moyo is critisizing is official aid, from government of a rich country to that of a poor country -donors have more influence on who ends up in African government than it's citizens do - such aid fuels corruption, makes democracy less likely, reduces local savings, causes inflation, and makes African exports uncompetitive. -Moyo fails to mention evidence for some success in African aid in other areas, especially in health, where there have been successful vaccination campaigns (lowering child mortality) and ending or curtailing diseases like smallpox, Guinea worm, and riverblindness. -Moya is one sided in stressing the negative factors of aid -aid can increase corruption especially with Africa's history of it, giving them more slush funds to pool from -countries giving aid often overlook of are unaware of the corruptoin happening by the governments in the use of this aid. This is representative in the case of France's aid to Ethiopia -in response to corruption of donor $, Western-style NGOs that promoted political participation and issue lobbying -- historically often created artificial NGOs with few roots in the community, which would (and do) immediately collapse without donor support. -not to say that aid caused events such as Rwanda's genocide, and of course such a cataclysmic event could not have been anticipated, but the donors were not helping matters by financing an increasingly murderous state. -despite revealing statistics about corrupt use of loan funds, and despite all the anti-Sudan rhetoric, as of the latest data (2006), Sudan was the second largest recipient of aid in sub-Saharan Africa -- $2 billion. The donors were unable to resolve the tradeoff between financing peace efforts for South Sudan and rewarding a government committing atrocities in Darfur. - Large budget aid programs are competing with local private enterprise for construction materials, workers, and professionals, often putting local businesses out of business -risk is that Africa's most successful industry will be exporting "poverty" images for aid, taking advantage of system -The attempt to have states plan development was most disastrous in Africa, which had the weakest post-colonial states (in terms of legitimacy and skilled manpower) often decreasing living standards, economic production, and access to resources -1980s-90s, implementation of structural adjustments, move toward "free market" in Africa, but according to Moyo these measures only increased corruption and didn't help any market change, even hindering it -Africa turned towards markets and globalization since the turn of the millennium, the continent experienced the highest growth rates in its history -Botswana= exception to the litany of disaster in Africa - it has one of the highest growth rates in the world over the last five decades, peace, and political stability, thanks in part to embrace of democracy and free markets, the antithesis to authoritarian paternalism - Moyo overpromises how certainly and how soon economic growth will respond to reforms, when history shows only a long run effect NOT a sure-fire shortterm response. -Great Depression-induced mindset of state planning and reliance on aid triumphed in 1951 and many decades after, however rejection of this view has proven to be valid. -few like Moyo have the courage today in advocating an anti-paternalistic, entrepreneurial model for Africa despite the current neo-Depression.

"Beyond conflict, water stress contributed to Europe's migration crisis"- van der Heijden, Otto, Maddocks

-conflict in middle east and Africa has sent 500,000 into Europe this year in the worst migration crisis since ww2 -biggest cause= civil war in Syria, causing over 4 million to flee -another cause for fleeing is water scarcity, drought and water shortages in Syria forced 1.5 mil to lose their livehihoods and land -14/33 most water stressed countries are in the middle east -in many regions of the middle east and Africa, over 80% of water is extracted, making them have to import food since they can't grow it -The India Water Tool- interactive, online portal with detailed water data for India. -Companies, governments, civil society groups, and researchers can analyze groundwater and surface water quantity and quality, projections for water supply and demand, and more, drawing on Indian government data and global satellite data, all in one easy-to-use website. This is a tool that could potentially be used as a template for other major countries around the world facing water-security issues.

"Money in international affairs"- Cohen

-currency is not confined within territorial -since ww2, expanding array of currency choice, competition between ntional money, market driven process is increasing -power resides in what money represents, not the currency itself -governments must monopolize $ if they want too control it and they must controlif if they really are governments. -changing geography of $ dillutes governments power -we need to reconsider role that money plays in today's world meaning looking beyond finance, to focus on supply of currency in which investments etc. are being conducted -thesis= international relations, political & economis are being reshaped by increasing interpretation of national monetary spaces. Market-driven currency mounts tensions and political threats to global stability and promising cooperation. -this is seen all over the world: the EU debates about a common currency, there is still unresolved fallout from break down of Soviet Union, the US worries how to preserve the dollar as does England the pound. -there is need for a better grasp of monetary geography , help us figure out how monetary affairs should be governed, etc. -Westphalia model (one nation, one money) worked in the past but no longer will. the state is now an ologopolist, far less likely to abuse or mismanage its monetary power thnan it was when it had a monopoly, disadvantage: market actors are less accountable than politicians to the general people, raising questions of legitimacy and representation in decision making -without accurate understanding of evolving monetary geography, politicians may be unable to respond to problems facing them in making public policy today.

"Fertility rates fall, but global population explosion goes up"- Kenneth Weiss

-difficulty in reversing the rapidly and exponentially increasing global population boom that is unsustainable. -The planet we live on will not be able to keep up with the rapidly increasing population increase -despite new and improved methods of birth control as well as people having less kids on average, the growing population is described like a train that's moving fast. It can't be haulted immediately but ends time once it has momentum to gradually stop. -Another issue = many people in large regions of the world such as India do not have access to adequate family planning methods, including birth control, -people in such countries marry extremely young and have children very early on in their life so they can bear as many as possible. -These children often grow up in poverty and experience extreme hunger. Even the world's best scientists have yet to come up with a way in which the planet we live on could adequately produce enough resources to house the population that is projected to increase. -The planet is already exhausted with the current population and the onset of a continuously growing nation is concerning to scientists.

"Democracy and the transnational capitalist class"- Sklair

-effective power in global system increasing in hands of TCC -TCC made of 4 frations: those who own and control major corporations and their local affiliates, globalizing bureaucrats and politicians; globalizing porfessionals, and consumerist elites -in 1995, EU and US gov established Transatlantic Business dialogus (TABD) with over 1200 corportations -Codex Alimentaries commission: to facilitate world trade and consumer protection in foods through establishment of international standards

"Electronic Cash and the end of national markets" - Kobrin

-emergence of electric cash and digitally networked global economy threaten the very basis of a territorial nation state. -most all exchange of money trillions of dollars each day are electronically transported -mondex- smart card or electronic purse can be "loaded" with electronic money from atm or phone, policymakers must confront the implications of such technology such as poroblems for central gov control over the economy and behavior of economic actors, they also render borders increasingly irrelevant. -Things that are now increasingly unsure: - whether central banks will be able to control rate of growth and size of money supply, -if there willl still be official foreign exchange transactions -who will regulate or control financial institutions -will national income date still be relevant, its almost imossible to track transactions actoss borders, online, etc. rendering such data less meaningful -how taxes will be collected, tax evasion will be a serious issue in an economy where e-cash is the norm -if e-cash and e-commerce will widen the income gap, as such participation requires access to a computer/phone technology, it iwll not be accessible to all -fraud and criminal activity may increase, new and hard to detect financial crimes and fraud will likely emerge -encryption makes it difficult for lw enforcement to track criminal activity, therefore should such transactions be private or accessible to government/authorities

"Will China eat our lunch?" -Applebaum

-probably yes, but possibly no - in 2006, China launched 15 yr program "mediu and long term plan for development of science and tech (MLP) seeking to "leapfrog development" by investing heavily in research and development, higher education, science and infastructure -redirect science and tech from being "imitator to innovator" -graduated more students but had weak faculty, poor curriculum and inadequate attention to problem solving -work from Chinese labs and research institutes is still not close to that of other developed countries -cultural rev. decimate a generation of talent, restricting higher education to poorly qualified "worker-peasant soldier -brightest Chinese havent yet returned china is attempting to lure them back with pricey start up packages -needs to complete its science and tech reforms, developing a achievement based system that rewards excellence rather than personal connections

"Globalization for whom?"- Rodrik

-global poverty has decreased as a result of globalization, this is because while most countries have seen lower income growth, the two largest (China and India) have had economic growth -these 2 countries house more than 50% of world's population -China and India have integrated with the global economy and resultingly been able to reduce povery for the most amount of people -here, other high performers like Vietnam and Uganda help the pro-globalization argument. argues countries have shot of lifting themslves out of poverty if them open themselves up to world economy -chinas life expectancy and literacy have increased -however, in the pursuit of all of this development and modernization, China has violated almost every rule, including WTO rules, but has still achieved integration in world economy -South Korea and Taiwan tell a similar story, broke many rules of the WTO and had an unconventional rise. -india increased growth by adopting pro-business policies, india hasn't yet opened itself to global financial market, allowing it to be unaffected by Asian financial crisis of 1997 -some countries that have opened themselves to trade have had financial crisis and disappointing performance like Latin America, particularly Argentina -while global markets are good for poor countries, the rules they have to follow are not. Countries that open to global market but play by their own rules have had the most benefit -loosening of tight restrictions on cross-border labor flow would produce huge benefits for the world economy, poor nations in particular. -a program in which unskilled workers from poorer nations obtained employment in rich country for a period of 3-5 years then were required to return home with consequences if failure to return, would yield $200 billion annual income to citizens of developing nations -they would return to their home country with experience, entrepeneurship, investment and work ethic which would benefit these countries additionally. -Develoved countries generally disapprove of such a program -some special interests groups have lobbied for cross-border labor flows, such as Silicon Valley firms concerned about labor costs who pushed Congress to allow software engineers from India and other developing nations. -globalizations rules need to be made friendlier to poorer countries, allowing them to develop their own strategies of institution-building and economic catch-up -developing nations will have to stop looking to financial markets and agencies for the answer to economic growth.

"escape from a nightmare"- Bouckaert

-in Central African Republic, refugee camps with 10s of thousands of people -bloodshed committed by Christian anti-balaka militias -anti-balaka forced most Muslims out of western part of country, including the capital, Bangui -remaining Muslims are heavily guarded by international peacekeepers -about 20% of country's population has been displaced internally or as refugees -Peuhl nomad Muslims who make up less than 1% of CAR's population make up 90% of refugee camps -Conflict in CAR is falling off the international agenda

"The rise in income disparities over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries"- Firebaugh

-income trends over past 200 years: -remarkable growth in average income -that growth has disproportionately benefited different world regions, the richer getting more than the poor -global income equality has increased dramatially since early 19th century as a result -incomes have sored in Europe and lagged in Africa and (until recently) Asia -studies suggest era of big-time growth in global income inequality may be ending

"In Latin America, Growth Trumps climate"- Porter

-issues between Summers & Lutzengberger an the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 because Summers signature was on a leaked memo saying poor countries make an effective trash dump for the rich -Brazil doesn't want its environment protected from development, it wants its environment exploited -for Brazil to close gap separating it from rich countries, it must burn its natural resources -they see no purpose in protecting indigenous foresests, offered tax incentives to replace them with lucrative Caribbean pine and eucalyptus -planning a mega-dam on the Parana River, and a nulear power plant -pollution= progress -conflicting plant to put together a forest protection plan but also a highway in the Amazon, the development route will always the beat the environmental route

"US strategy seeks to avoid ISIS prophecy" - Callimachi

-militants want the Us and its allies to be dragged into a ground war -roup bases its ideology on prophetic texts stating that Islam will be victorious after the apocolyptic battle that will take place once the West comes to the region for a ground war -invasion would allow Islamic state to declare its prophecy fulfilled and turn the occurences into a new recruiting drive -Obama's plan=airstrikes and supporting local forces -specific scripture describes a battle in a iq as well as in al-Amaq, small towns in northern Syria -US supports Kurdish forces but doesn't have a Sunni Arab partner force

"the African roots of War- W.E DuBois

-nearly every human empire in the world has found some of its greatest crises on the continent of Africa -Britain and France nearly went to war over control of Fashoda, a strategic point on Nile River -Boer wars between British and Dutch descended Afrikaners over control of gold and diamond riches of south Africa

"ISIS, NATO, and the violent imagination"- Falk

-nothing is worse for progressive politics than revolutionary means to exceed revolutionary means -civil war in Syria= 3 negative politica effects 1) neigoboring countries destabalized 2) unresolved Syrian struggle gave rise to various forms of Islamic extremism within Syria 3) atrocities of Assad gave licence to others in the region to commit crimes against humanity with the prospect of imputiny -in Afghanistan, results were a mixture of chaos, destabiization of Pakistan, and reemergence ofthe Taliban as a political force -3 real motivations for intervening: oil, arms sales, political economy of militarism, ensure desired strategic hegemony of American/Israeli partnership

"Turning the Tide"- Fujita

-observation of being in the ocean snorkeling, there is life everywhere -many ocean species on the verge of extinction as the result of human destruction of the environment -all consequences are connected, nothing is left unaffected -we need to foresee threats and implement policy of precaution -people need to be incentivized to care about saving the enviornment, including tax breaks for solar power -we need to build communities around environmental protection, we need new ocean ethics

"Global Warming's Terrifying New Math"- Bill McKibben

-the planet can only rise 2 degrees celsius more than it already has if we want to keep inhabiting it, many scientists say only 1 degree celsius, but oil companies and countries have already purchased and plan to born more fossil fuel than what would cause a temperture rise of 2 degrees celsuis, (equivalent to 656 gigatons, but amount of carbon already contained in the coal and oil reserves is 2,795 gigatons, 5x higher than is deemed feasible to the planet. -Germany is one of the only big countries that has actually tried hard to change its energy mix; one sunny day they nation generated nearly half their power from solar panels within their borders, demonstrating that we have the technology to solve our problems. But we lack the will. - this industry, and this industry alone, holds the power to change the physics and chemistry of our planet, and they're planning to use it. -a heavy tax needs to be put on gas and oil - If people come to understand the cold, mathematical truth - that the fossil-fuel industry is systematically undermining the planet's physical systems - it might weaken fossil fuel corporations enough to matter politically

"Overpopulation is not the problem"- Erle Ellis

-though many scientists believe the planet cannot sustain the current and growing population, this is nonsense - The conditions that sustain humanity are not natural and never have been. -Since prehistory, human populations have used technologies and engineered ecosystems to sustain populations beyond the capabilities of unaltered "natural" ecosystems. -evidenced in archaeology, by our ancestors in manmade technologies including cooking, grinding, and burning -world population is now estimated at 7.2 billion, current industrial technologies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates over nine billion people expected by 2050 as the population nears its peak could be supported as long as necessary investments in infrastructure, conducive trade, anti-poverty and food security policies are in place. -conclusion of these numbers is there is no "maximum occupancy" of the planet, we are not like bacteria in a peatree dish -Anthropocene- one species (humans) reshaping its own future and destiny of an entire planet -idea that humans must live within the natural environmental limits of our planet denies the realities of our entire history, and most likely the future. -Humans are creators. We transform ecosystems to sustain ourselves. This is what we do and have always done. -Our planet's human-carrying capacity emerges from the capabilities of our social systems and our technologies more than from any environmental limits. - the limits we really face: the social and technological systems that sustain us need improvement - no environmental reason for people to go hungry now or in the future

"Women in poverty: A new global Underclass"- Buvinic

-women lack "slack" time to bring in needed income, lack access to ccommercial credit, and training in traditionally female-low-wage skills. -these obstacles differenciate work experiences of men and women, exacerbate women's poverty, and sustain cycle of poverty between generations - feminization of poverty should be considered legitimate foreign policy concern -US and other industrialized countries have tmuch to gain by reducing impoverishment of women in developed countries"shrinking foreign aids budget, high econ and social returns -UN development Human Development reported women's deprivation, 74 literacy for every 100 men, 77 mil girls out of school, only 52 million boys -women in poor households work more hours than men, the poorer the household, the longer women work -still there is evidence of substantial growth in well-being even for women, even in more impoverished countries, however they are falling behind in terms of income - women in rural communities are poorer than men in rural communities -% of households headed by women has increased in recent decades -cycle of poor women, they are unable to cope with too much work, hand over child-care responsibilities to eldest daughter, who then must drop out of school, leading to next generation of feminization in income poverty -especially in poor countries, female workers sought after for low paid postiions, therefore despite more women working, there is growing female impoverishment -households headed and maintained by women are generally more "resourceful", because when women control resources, they invest their scarce resources in child well-being -How to fix this cycle: -provide women with access to reliable credit and savings -expand womens access to family planning and reproductive health -education reforms to increase primary and secondary education for girls -increase incentives to private sector to expand access to agencies that offer credit and saving services to women, finance such operations -expand womens access to productive infastruture especially in rural areas -invest in employment opportunities for women -overhaul social security services to benefit women

"The failure of US foreign policy in the Middle East" -Falk

3 correctable mistakes of policy: -US has failed in its foreign policy in the Middle East -Tony Blair said West has tried all tacts, the outcome of which has been frusteration and failure -this is limited to basic military intervention as a tactic, without any consideration of diplomatic respect or dynamics of self-determination -the "we" in his comments is the west, mainly meaning US rather than UN or wider internatinal community -blair is exclusively concerned with whether Western policy achieved its goal or not, this is harmful to society 2) if US prriorities are oil, Israel, non-proliferation and containment of political Islam, then it has been very successful -Israel emerged as a valued strategic asset and partner 3) national failure of policy makers to learn from past

Achieving Workers Rights in the Global Economy-Applebaum

Bangladesh=world's second-largest apparel exporter, following China China also has labor practice flaws, emphasized in Foxconn suicides, as a result of this news getting out China moved it's factories to interior of the country, where lower wages are legal Many countries have signed an accord, but still aren't self-enforcing, and these labor practices are continuing. Nike says since many of its factories are privately owned, it is up to the them to figure out wages, working conditions etc. not the job of Nike

"Shaping Globalization: Why Global Futures?"- Nederveen Pieterse

Globalization makes citizenship not just national and defined within a nation-state anymore -emergence of a global public sphere, humanity has become collectively more aware of concerns that effect the planet environmental issues and population development, notably in the UN conference. However people's interests in this area are largely dispersed and diverse -project on Global Scenarios purpose is to plan for a sustainable future, by anticipating change not just reacting to it -the project is designed to help business people reach shared view of the future to ensure they're fostering sustainable development -this capacity to anticipate is crucial to business and financial markets, governments and international institutions - "colonization of the world"0-commodification, bureaucratization -to plan for the future-both local and global will require dialogue across groups, aligning concerns, and developing anticipatory sense and capabilities -previous calls for the "west" to be involved in things are outdated because of businesses transnationality -rejects the notion of upcoming "Asian century" for these reasons: -"asian values" authoritarian in intent, not taken seriously -Asian industries depend on technology from outside the region, paricularly the US, as does their export orientation -although the Asian economy is undoubtedly growing, it isn't sufficient to sustain the countries' exports. -deeply and advanced historical exchange between the east and west makes the two no longer meaningfully separated. - calls for ultimate balance and interdependence of local, national, regional and global engagements

"Responding to megaterrorism after Paris- Falk

One of the most important things to remember in the wake of situation is to be very careful to avoid Islamophobia, which often comes as a result of such situations as the Paris attacks. The Paris attacks of November13th in Paris pose perhaps a greater threat to the west than that of the September 11, 2001 al-!aeda attacks. Such attacks and violence have the effect of "blowback" when present acts have later consequence that make them not worth while to begin with. -Such consequences have helped contribute to all that makes up ISIS. Members of the ISIS in the Paris attacks represented an extended willingness of terrorists to sacrifice themselves for the sake of destroying the west and furthering the interests of ISIS. - ISIS doesn't seem to be intimidated by military threats and even action posed in response by Western countries. Francois Hollande, France's President made the grave mistake of declaring war on ISIS in response to the Paris attacks, much similar to the mistakes of George W. Bush. -It should be evident by now that war with such radical entities is not the effective response, nor the answer to these issues. Instead of immediately declaring war, Hollande could have called for international law enforcement changes to combat such terrorist organizations as ISIS. -An explemplary response to a terrorist attack was that of Spain in 2004, who enacted regime change and pulled Spanish troops out of Iraq in response to such attacks, rather than declaring war on the perpetrators. - Dealing with megaterrorism is especially difficult because following such devastating attacks, the public expects a drastic and immediate response, equal to the emotional devastation and toll they are feeling in response to such tragedy. -However, acting this impulsively presents problems in the long term and a solution to such complex issues deserves extensive consideration before a response is implemented.

"A Path Appears"- Applebaum

We have seen real progress in world issues, ex) Since 1990, 100 million children's lives have been saved through pretty basic interventions. -We saw a glaucoma operation that costs $40 and can be done by a nurse in 20 minutes that restored sight to a woman who had been blind for years. -Things like this make us optimistic about the world. We do have to acknowledge the challenges that exist, but it is also important to acknowledge that there really has been progress, and that we have a toolbox now of understandings that can enable us to address many of the remaining challenges. -Although successful charitable projects can't save everyone, they can provide a framework to the public about what works and what doesn't work, in the practice of fixing specific issues -advocacy is one of one of the most important parts of intervention and charity , in addition governments have to step up to the plate to help these issues in order for real change and effectiveness. -However, just becasue you can't save everyone with charity, doesn't mean you shouldn't save some ex) donating to a childs education, food, because this will change the life of that child who will in turn impact others -successful efforts in one country provides a demonstrable example for other countries about how to help themselves -For example, Rwanda has dramatically improved technology, agricultural development, and governance and other African countries have really taken note. It shows the region that they can have lack of corruption, and people realize they don't have to pay bribes everywhere they go -just as bad governance can be contagious, so good governance can be as well. -NGO's need to listen more to the countries they are representing - Regarding sweat shop worker conditions: the greatest need is for jobs, - risk of working in a sweatshop has to be solved by moving countries to more capital-intensive ways. For example, one of Africa's problems is that nobody wants to build sweatshops there; nobody wants to move manufacturing there. This is as great a problem as the sweatshops themselves. The only way this problem can be solved is that if countries get richer, as has happened in the West. -" One of the basic challenges we face in the US is an efficacy gap — people can be judgmental about the needy and step away from it. We need to counter this.

"The Year's Most Forgotten Humanitarian Crisis"- Strochlic

While the world media spotlights Ukraine and Syria, unspeakable genocide has been raging in Africa, receiving little to no media attention, though far more gruesome than the majority of issues being spotlighted in the media. The roots of this issue began when a Muslim rebel group took control of the Central African Republic, performing atrocious acts while seizing control including looting, and some of the must gruesome murder tactics imaginable. France sent aid to CAR and was shocked at the atrocious sights they witnessed upon arrival on the scene, including bodies being cut up while young children watched. The author presented a very valid and concerning point that while all this has been occurring in the past year, it is unlikely that a common fairly well informed citizen would know about the atrocities occurring, due to the lack of media attention. Due to the fact that this issue doesn't involve US interests such as oil, an ally, or war, they perhaps don't find a need to shed light on such issues and have their media

"Social movements, NGO's and Networks"- Kaldor

in 1990's, informal politics came to be dominated by NGO's on one hand, and nationalist and fundamentalist movements on the other -dissatisfaction with the term "civil society" as being too Eurocentric and "imperialistic' -"people struggling against authoritarian regimes demanded civil societies and got NGO's -in 199s grass roots groups and social organizations offered renewed hope, civil society provides platform for discordant and radical demands, making authority take them more seriously -Global civil society includes: INGO's, allies of transnational businesses, social movements, gives them a voice, representing a new form of global politics -the point of these movements and groups are that through access, openness and debate, policy makers are likely to act in the interests of humanity -the modern state is "too top heavy" therefore has difficulty adapting to unintended consequences of globalization and change -the interaction between these different actors will determine the future of the direction of globalization- will we return to inter-state relations, or even worse, anarchy?

"Human Rights as an ethics of progress"- Darian-Smith

in 19th and 20th century, schema based on eugenics legitimazed racialized hierchies of people -eugenics classified mankind on basis of genes, iproving humanity through selective breeding, sterilization, and other horrible social policies -"Universal Declaration" attempted to move human rights away dependence on nation states and grant power to the individual -these goals were furthered by the Geneva Convention and Helsinki Agreement as well as attention to human rights abuses in Latin Ameica and eastern europe -human rights rhetoric and its principles is largely a european/white project, and so its ideology is expressed -scholars point to values imbedded in human rights discourse which tend to compromise and marginilize non-western perspectives. there is historical evidence of this in the -enlightenment: argues universality of western law, therefore applicable to all colonized communities, denying history of colonialism and imperialism, which is hypocritical, why should the west determine the basis of human rights when they have historically abused human rights through things like colonialism and imperialism -relationship of "victim" and "savior" (global south vs. western nations) is marginalizes and degrades -today there is animosity between indigenous people and peasants because state provides rights and benefits to indigenous poeple , disregards the fact they are both equally oppressed and powerless minority groups Summary: while advances have been made in last decade for global equality, its not enough to rely on the human rights movement which may in a variety of ways be making social inequality worse and reinforcing inequality.

"Runaway population growth often fuels youth-drive uprisings" - Kenneth Weiss

life circumstances of young Afghan men that ultimately cause them to join terrorist organizations such as the Taliban. Young men with few prospects for jobs or opportunity of any sort are attracted to the Taliban because it offers pay uncomparable to any other ordinary work including work in the civil sector such as in the Afghan army or police. In addition, the population growth in Afghanistan leaves many young people in poverty with no jobs available, thus becoming more vulnerable to joining the Taliban. 80% of conflict in the world is based in places with such youth population bulges. A key point of this article as emphasized by Afghans themselves is that if there were jobs and opportunity for Afghans, they would not be resorting to violence and violence would not exist. It is only the result of being very desperate that poeple seek membership in the Taliban as a way to get by and be a part of something beneficial to them.

University Codes

o Full public disclosure of the name, address, and location of the entire supply chain • Applies to anything sold with the university logo • In the year 2000 this code of conduct was drafted o Living wage o Right to organize and bargain collectively • Often not honored, neither is living wage usually o Full compliance with local laws o Prohibition of child labor, forced labor, and forced overtime o Women protected against loss of job while pregnant o Unannounced, on-site verification by independent

PT Kizone

o In Indonesia, PT Kizone: factory closed, owed 2,700 workers $3.3 M severance; nike and Green Textile (buy agent) paid $1.5 M; adidas finally does also • The only people who could pay it were the companies who were using the factories, even though they had no obligation to pay • Adidas refused to pay until major universities threatened to cancel their adidas contracts

- Deglobalization: Walden Bello's vision for a more democratic world

o Walden Bello = sociologist from the Philippines o Founder of Focus on the Global South o Weaken (or eliminate) existing institutions of corporate globalization (WTO, IMF, WB, etc) • Radically reduce their power (ex: convert IMF into a research institution monitoring global capital flows) • Source locally, regionally - reduce the global carbon footprint o Strengthen other actors and institutions: • United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, International Labor Organization • Strengthen regional economic blocs to promote more localized trade o Key idea: do we really need to have globalization?

Scott Nova, Worker's Rights Consortium, an overview

over 20 mil poeple in the apparel sector, many are young women who migrate across or between countries to escape rural poverty then find themselves facing exploitation and abuse at the hands of the local contractors of US and European brands and retailers states that the worker rights crisis in third world manufacturing is one of the most significant human rights issues our our era WRC seeks to help workers advocate for their rights in the workplace and presses for systemic reforms in global supply chains. Governments in apparel exporting countries do little to compel factories to respect worker rights and the rule of law. -Global brands place tremendous and relentless price pressure on their contract factories, giving the factories overwhelming incentive to take advantage of the impunity offered them by the lax regulatory environment to slash production costs by ignoring the rights of workers -In Bangladhesh, over 3 three million apparel workers, most of them women. Wages are the lowest anywhere in the industry: a prevailing wage of 23 cents an hour when they try to strike against these wages they are often fired or even met with violent oppression -often the companies that are hired to come in and "inspect" conditions, are paid by these corporations themselves, and therefore are incentivized not to find anything wrong. -Many factories covered by one or more of the multi-stakeholder monitoring organizations. All were producing for brands and retailers that claim to be operating robust factory inspection programs. All were death traps. -WRC's long-term goal is to replace the failed model of corporate self-regulation with binding agreements between global corporations and labor rights organizations, including full 5 transparency and robust dispute resolution and enforcement mechanisms. In addition to establishing standards for factories, these agreements must include commitments from the brands and retailers to provide factories with prices and other commercial terms that make it financially feasible for them to produce responsibly. This will give factories both the wherewithal and the incentive to respect worker rights and applicable law. -these changes can't take place without the support and demand of consumers - WRC designed and promoted a comprehensive fire and building safety program for Bangladesh. The initiative calls for independent fire and building safety inspections in every factory (something that has never happened in most of these buildings), with public reporting of the results; mandatory repairs and renovations based on these inspections; financing from the brands and retailers to make these upgrades possible; strong protections for workers' jobs and income during renovations; and a vital role for workers and worker organizations in safety management on the factory floor. This program is a fundamental departure from the voluntary industry monitoring initiatives that have been utilized in Bangladesh for more than a decade and that have failed utterly to protect the safety of workers. It is a binding agreement between corporations and worker representatives, enforceable as a legal contract, that requires the brands and retailers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to convert death traps into safe factories. - WRC has helped deliver nearly $20 million in back wages and terminal compensation to workers since 2009 -Under an agreement with Knights Apparel, the company pays the factory a price for its goods sufficient to enable the factory to pay the living wage to every employee - more than three times the prevailing wage in the country - and comply with all other applicable laws and standards. The factory, called Alta Gracia (it is named after the town in which it is located), employs about 150 workers making university logo sweatshirts and t-shirts for more than 400 campus stores across the US. The wage, a little more than $3 an hour, has allowed for vast improvements in the nutrition, housing and educational opportunities of workers and their families. Meanwhile, the impact on the production cost of the garments is modest, about 5% of retail price - demonstrating that manageable increases in price are sufficient to facilitate large-scale changes in wages and conditions of work. In addition to the higher wages, the factory features state of the art health and safety programs, scrupulous compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and an atmosphere of respect and cooperation between management and workers -it's independence from brands and retailers enables it to be an honest and unbias investigator and an aggressive advocate for change -We concentrate in particular on protecting workers who are leaders - whether of workplace protests, organizing drives, or merely efforts to educate other workers about their rights - and who face retaliation from factory owners. Many of these leaders are women who are not just combating the hostility of factory owners, but are also challenging cultural norms under which it is rare for women to play a vocal leadership role in workers' movements. It is routine for factory managers to fire any worker who emerges as a leader of an effort to protest or challenge working conditions; often, such firings involve not just the leaders, but anyone in the factory closely associated with them. Such firings are intended to intimidate the remaining workers into giving up any efforts to change workplace realities and they are often highly effective. -WRC has also worked to end discrimination against pregnant workers, which is a common occurance in factories -The WRC's financial strength = annual fees paid by our 175 university and college affiliates, amount to more than $1 million in annual funding. Income = steady and increases year-over-year.