LESSON 9

The Intercontinental Drift: Culture, Media and Globalization

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Outline the dynamics between local and global cultural production.
 Examine how various media drive various forms of global interaction.
TIME FRAME: one week
INTRODUCTION
Globalization is “a process through which events, decisions, and activities in one part
of the world can come to have significant consequences for individuals and
communities in quite distant parts of the globe.”
ACTIVITY
Search for an act or an artist that became or is currently internationally trending and
prominent. Gather some information regarding it in order to answer the questions on
the Analysis. 5pts
ANALYSIS
Answer the questions directly.
1. Where did the act/artist originate from? 5pts.
2. In which countries did the act/artist became well-known?5pts.
3. How did the act/artist become so popular?5pts.

ABSTRACTION
Globalization creates an avenue
where the fraternization of cultures
become possible despite the
evident constraints due to
geographical segregation. Martin
Khor, the former President of the
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Malaysia, considers globalization as a form of colonization.
The fast paced import and export of products and services and of course the
prevalence of social media are some of the many obvious manifestations of this

1
diffusion of cultures. Everywhere you turn, people are always plugged in to the World
Wide Web. A wide array of information is made available at the palm of our hands.
With a simple tap of the finger, the world opens up offering infinite possibilities.
Globalization allows this penetration of one culture into another culture and
unknowingly, cultural exchange becomes a by-product of these progressions.
The Role of Social Media
Writers and academics alike consider the past, our history, as a proof that social
interaction is vital to the survival of mankind. Looking back to where we started from
simple tribes into cities to what we now recognize as nation-states. In each of these
developmental phase, people establish social infrastructures manifested through
community, government, and mass media to mention a few. These institutions enable
us to accomplish tasks we couldn‟t do for ourselves, under normal circumstances,
such as protection from foreign invaders and promote peace amidst all the chaos
happening all around.
At the onset of globalization, globalists
prophesized a world with permeable borders,
and connections unhindered by physical
difficulties. Coupled with technological
innovations like satellites, the internet,
computers, and mobile cellular phones, the
intercontinental exchange of ideas,
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philosophies and advocacies have been DbfsfOqx&ust=1606163342334000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCLC38_j-lu0CFQAAAAAdAAAAABA1

intensified a hundred folds. The predicted explosion of rapid interconnectedness of

peoples around the world is now a booming reality.
Function
The understanding of the relation between media and globalization should not be
restricted to the differences of internet speed among countries; it could as well be
which country is the leading giant in technology production; or to the number of
views a worldwide movie premiere has. Being active users of media, it is also our
duty to look into the effects of this consumerist attitude to our cultural identity,
ideology, and value systems. Aside from the evident „uneven‟ process of media
globalization occurring worldwide, which implies that its effects and consequences
are not identically experienced, globalists recognize a certain “power geometry” at
work. Accordingly, it talks about the idea that some groups are more in-command

2
than others in terms of the proliferation of ideas and to an extent specific interests - a
dictator.
More than Cultural Imperialism: Contra-Flows and Hybridization
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire, to some historians, support the birth of the
idea of cultural imperialism but it did not appear on scholarly articles up until the
1990s. Cultural imperialism as defined by anthropologist and sociologist, as “the
imposition by one usually politically or economically dominant community of various
aspects of its own culture onto another, non-dominant community.” With the
assistance from the different forms of mass media, it created a steady influx of ideas
which are usually western in nature, as argued by many reviews of globalization. It is
through media and advertising that people from all walks of life in the Philippines
came to know products such as iPhones, Nike, Starbucks, Samsung and other foreign
merchandises.
The global sphere is continuously being
bombarded and affected with media
messages carrying western ideology to
a point that, some would believe,
intimidates the rest of the world‟s
native thoughts and philosophies. Being
rational creatures faced with the real
threat of losing a nation‟s identity due
to cultural imperialism, several coping
mechanism come into play. One of
these movements is dedicated toward
opposing the blind acceptance of
foreign cultures is called contra-flows
and to better understand this concept,
let us consider the case of the music industry.
Just recently, a South Korean all-girls group known to many as Blackpink has taken
the global music industry by storm. Suddenly, the South Korean Popular Culture such
as their music, hairstyle, fashion, food etc., emerged and it found itself making a
scene in the global arena. The usual trend is to patronize western media, but with
rising acts coming from the east, it shows the capability of nations to challenge the
dominant mainstream media.

3
Another alternative to cultural imperialism is known as cultural hybridity or
hybridization, this perspective highlights the interface of globalization and
localization as traditions and other cultural forms diffuse with the mainstream. This
entails changing some of the aspects of mainstream culture to match the needs of
locality.
According to research, the following are the key features of hybridization:
A. Mixing previously separate cultural systems, such as mixing elite art of
opera with popular music;
B. Deterritorialization of cultural processes from their original physical
environment to new foreign contexts and;
C. Impure cultural genres that are formed out of the mixture of several
cultural domains.
But up to this point, the question that continues to baffle scholars is the extent of the
role of media in propagation of transnational cultures. Provided that cultures have
already come in contact through histories of trading, warfare, and bondage, aren‟t
cultures hybrid prior to the explosion of technology? Did media just amplify the
already existing process of cultural diffusion?

Reference:
Mendoza, Cheryl C. et al. 2019. “Worktext in The Contemporary World.” Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd

4
APPLICATION
The Intercontinental Drift: Culture, Media and Globalization
Name: ____________________________________Program/Year/Set: __________
Date Submitted: _______________________ Score: ____________

Multiple Choice. Instruction: Choose the correct answer from the given options.

1. Which of the following media includes books, magazines and newspaper?

A. Digital Media B. Print Media C. Broadcast Media D. Internet

Media

2. Which of the following media covers the electronic mail (e-mail), social media, internet
sites and internet-based video and audio?

A. Digital Media B. Print Media C. Broadcast Media D. Internet

Media

3. Which of the following media involves radio, film and television?

A. Digital Media B. Print Media C. Broadcast Media D. Internet

Media

4. Which of the following media includes internet and mass communication?

A. Digital Media B. Print Media C. Broadcast Media D. Internet

Media

5. This term refers to hired armies of social media to manipulate public opinion through
intimidation and spreading fake news.

A. Splinternet B. Cyber Warrior C. Trolls

D. Cyber Soldier

6. Which among the following can be an example of cultural imperialism?

A. Filipino youth admiring the OPM more than the foreign-composed songs.
B. A two-third of the Filipino teenagers preferred owning an iPhone cellular phone.
C. Filipino children enjoying the Larong Pinoy i.e. Patintero, Sungka compared to playing
online games

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D. Majority of the Filipinos loved to use Marikina-fabricated shoes.

7. As a Filipino, even before the proliferation of internet usage, which among the following
can be considered as a major factor for cultural imperialism among us ?

A. Western Ideologies B. Eco-tourism C. Asian Values D. Superstitious Beliefs

8. Which among the following can best portray cultural hybridization?

A. Mcdonalds, an American fastfood chain, offers rice meals in its branches in the
Philippines.
B. Cardo Dalisay migrating to Canada for a better opportunity.
C. Marga, who is a fluent Bisaya speaker since birth, went to Manila for a week and return to
Davao not knowing how to speak Bisaya anymore.
D. Dancing to the tunes of K-Pop songs as a stress reliever while answering modules.

9. It is a movement dedicated to to oppose the blind acceptance of foreign cultures.

A. Hybridization B. Contra-flows C. Popular Culture D. Social Media

Essay. Instruction: Explain your answer with a maximum of 30 words. 6pts

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect our Filipino culture?

6
 LESSON 10
Globalization of Religion
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Explain how globalization affects religious practices and beliefs.
 Analyze the relationship between religion and global conflict and,
conversely, global peace.
TIME FRAME: one week
INTRODUCTION
The link between religion and globalization is one of the most fraught and
contentious. The development of the latter that leads to the creation of a number of
influences on the former, which in turn lead to shifts in the characteristics of modern
society. In this lesson, we will learn how globalization affects religious practices and
beliefs, as well as how religion and modern state politics affect each other.
ACTIVITY
Instruction: Determine the two main religions that existed in each country.

1. India 2. United States 3. Thailand

______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________

4. Japan 5. Saudi Arabia

______________ ______________ ______________
______________ ______________ ______________

ANALYSIS
1. Give two examples of religious practices or beliefs from the major religions
mentioned above.
2. How do you think these practices and beliefs have influenced the present society of
each country?

7
ABSTRACTION

Religion, much more than culture, has the most difficult relationship with globalism.
Fist, the two are entirely contrasting belief systems. Religion is concerned with the
sacred, while globalism places value on material wealth. Religion follows divine
commandments, while globalism abides by human-made laws. Religion assumes that
there is “the possibility of communication between humans and the transcendent.”
This link between the human and divine confers some social power on the latter.
Furthermore, “God,” “Allah,” or “Yahweh” defines and judges human action in moral
terms (good vs. bad). Globalism‟s yardstick, however, is how much human action can
lead to the highest material satisfaction and subsequent wisdom that this new status
produces.
Religion and globalism clash over the fact that religious evangelization is in itself a
form of globalization. The globalist ideal, on the other hand, is largely focused on the
realm of markets. The religious is concerned with spreading holy ideas globally, while
the globalist wishes to spread goods and services.

Religion For and Against Globalization

There is hardly a religious movement today that does not use religion to
oppose ”profane” globalization. Yet, two of the so called “old world religions” –
Christianity and Islam –see globalization less as an obstacle and more as an
opportunity to expand their reach all over the world. Globalization has “freed”
communities from the “constraints of the nation-state,‟ but in the process, also
threatened to destroy the cultural system that bind them together. Religion seeks to
take the place of these broken “traditional ties” to either help communities cope with
their new situation or organize them to oppose this major transformation of their lives.
It can provide the groups “moral codes” that answer problems ranging people‟s health
to social conflict to even “personal happiness.” Religion is thus not the “regressive
force” that gives communities a new and powerful basis of identity. It is an instrument
with which religious people can put their mark in the reshaping of this globalizing
world, although in its own terms.
Religious fundamentalism may dislike globalization‟s materialism, but it continues to
use “the full range of modern means of communication and organization” that is

8
associated with this economic transformation. It has tapped “fast long-distance
transport and communications, the availability of English as a global vernacular of
unparalleled power, the know-how of modern management and marketing” which
enabled the spread of “almost promiscuous propagation of religious forms across the
globe in all sorts of directions.” It is, therefore, not entirely correct to assume that the
proliferation of “Born-Again” groups, or in the case of Islam, the rise of movements
like Daesh (more popularly known as ISIS, or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) signals
religion‟s defense against the materialism of globalization. It is, in fact, the opposite.
These fundamentalist organizations are the result of the spread of globalization and
both find ways to benefit or take the advantage of each other.
While religions may benefit from the process of globalization, this does not mean that
its tensions with globalist ideology will subside. Some Muslims view “globalization”
as a Trojan horse hiding supporters of Western values like secularism, liberalism, or
even communism ready to spread these ideas in their areas to eventually displace
Islam. The World Council of Churches –an association of different Protestant
congregations –has criticized economic globalization‟s negative effects. It vowed that
“we as churches make ourselves accountable to the victims of the project of economic
globalization,” by becoming the latter‟s advocates inside and outside “the centers of
power.”
The Catholic Church and its dynamic leader, Pope Francis, likewise condemned
globalization‟s “throw-away culture” that is “fatally destined to suffocate hope and
increase risks and threats.” The Lutheran World Federation 10th Assembly‟s 292-page
declaration message included economic and feminist critiques of globalization,
sharing the voices of members of the Church who were affected by the globalization,
and contemplation on the different “pastoral and ethical reflections” that members
could use to guide their opposition. It warns that as a result of globalization: “Our
world is split asunder by forces we often do not understand, but that result in stark
contrasts between those who benefit and those who are harmed, especially under
forces of globalization. Today, there is also desperate need for healing from
„terrorism,‟ it‟s causes, and fearful reactions to it. Relationships in this world continue
to be ruptured due to the greed, injustices, and various forms of violence.”

9
Globalization Engendering Greater Religious Tolerance
Globalization brings a culture of pluralism, meaning religions “with overlapping but
distinctive ethics and interests” interact with one another. Essentially, the world‟s
leading religious traditions –Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam –
teach values such as human dignity, equality, freedom, peace, and solidarity. More
specially, religions maintain the Golden Rule: “what you do not wish done to
yourself, do not do to others.” Through such religious values, globalization engenders
greater religious tolerance in such areas as politics, economics, and society.

In political areas, globalization has built global political forums that integrate
cultural, ethnic, and religious differences –ideologies that were once perceived as
dividing the world –through a large number of international organizations such as
United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well regional
organizations like the European Union (EU), the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC), or the African Union (AU).
When discussing issues such as international peace and security, health issues,
poverty, and environment, these organizations generally share many of the same basic
commitments as religious traditions –mainly peace, human dignity, and human
equality, as well as conflict resolution in which they actively engage in negotiation,
mediation, and diplomacy.
In terms of economics, as the economy of the major countries of the world has
grown, the main religious of each of those countries have also grown financially,
providing more financial resources for religions to spread their beliefs. For example,
although it may seem as an old tactic, missionary work –especially in light of
globalization –is strong in many Third World countries where religious
representatives convert natives.
As the result, the major religions today have scattered across the globe –
Christianity turning “southern” and “black,” Islam turning “Asian,” and Buddhism
turning “white” and “western.” Still holding on to their original territorial spaces
where their shrines exist, religions are fulfilling their general purpose of spreading
their beliefs to people all over the world.
Religion has tremendously benefited from technological advancements. For
example, websites provide information and explanations about different religions to
any person regardless of his or her geographical location, as well as provide the

10
opportunity to contact others worldwide and hold debates which allow religious ideas
to spread. Furthermore, television allows for religious channels that provide visual
religious teachings and practices. Hence, by making the leap onto the information
superhighway, which brings religious teachings into every home and monitor in a
global setting, religions have come together into one setting.
What is Religion Nowadays?
 It is no longer a set of beliefs that people arrive by reflection.
 It is symbolic system which carries our identity and marks out social/ethnic
and other boundaries.
 It marks crucial moments in the life cycle with rituals.
 It provides powerful mechanism for psychological and social tension.

Looking around the world today, it is clear that religion plays a role in many of
the major conflicts going on at various levels. It is clear that religion plays an
important role in people‟s lives worldwide, and has become one of the major ways
people connect with each other across the globe. However, the role of religion in
contemporary societies is still not sufficiently understood in academic research and in
the work of policy-makers, NGO‟s and journalists.

11
 APPLICATION
Globalization of Religion
Group number and members:_________________________ Program/Year/Set: __________
Date presented: _______________________________ Score: ____________

Instruction: The whole class will be divided in to five groups. Each group must be
assigned one religion (Buddhism, Christianity-Catholicism, Christianity-
Protestantism, Hinduism or Islam). Conduct a research on your assigned religion‟s
history, and its relationship with politics. Then describe the following:
a. The religion‟s concept of God
b. The religion‟s concept of evil
c. The steps needed by a person to become good and prevent himself/herself
from becoming evil.
d. In what ways is it engaged in politics?
e. Why did its leaders decide to be involved in politics?
Note: The presentation of each group will be graded according to this rubric.

Criteria 3 4 5 Score

The presentation
Content The presentation had
had moments The presentation
Did the a lot of important
where valuable had significant
presentation and useful
information was information and
have valuable information and was
present, but as a benefited the
and significant very helpful to the
whole, content class.
information? class as a whole.
was lacking.
The teammates
The teammates
The teammates worked from
Collaboration always worked
sometimes worked others‟ ideas
Did everyone from others‟ ideas.
from others‟ ideas. most of the time.
contribute to the It was evident that
However it seems And it seems like
presentation? all of the group
as though certain everyone did
Did everyone members
people did not do some work, but
seem well versed contributed
as much work as some people are
in the material? equally to the
others. carrying the
presentation.
presentation.
Organization The presentation
There were The presentation
Was the had organizing
minimal signs of was well organized,
presentation ideas but could
organization or well prepared and
well organized have been much
preparation. easy to follow.
and easy to stronger with

12
 follow? better
preparation.
Group name/number:
Group members:

Comments: TOTAL

13
 LESSON 11
The Global City
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Identify the attributes of a global city.
 Analyze how cities serve as engines of globalization.
TIME FRAME: one week
INTRODUCTION
Images of trendsetters living the life, travelling from one well-known city to the next,
and tasting delicacies each has to offer can be lavishly seen in the internet and other
social media sites. Some of you might have already visited such places. Others may
have relatives living abroad who send them items in balikbayan boxes offering a taste
of how they live in the foreign countries. For some, these and other similar sights fuel
their desire to partake in what life has to offer. But have you once stopped and think
of why people prefer some cities over the others to go to and visit and eventually
migrate into? What makes these top destinations appealing and to a degree important?

ACTIVITY
Describe the municipality or city you are living in. What is your hometown best
known for and other interesting facts about it. Maximum of 50 words. 20pts

ANALYSIS
Answer the questions directly.
1. What is the reason why you or your family choose to reside in the place you are
right now? 5pts.
2. What are the challenges faced by your hometown? 5pts.
3. What do you think is the reason why people chose to settle in your hometown?
5pts.

14
ABSTRACTION

Prior to the existing competition among major cities of the world to reign supreme
and be branded as the most powerful, the study of global cities has its humble
beginnings. It arose in the 1980s when researchers concerned themselves with
identifying common attributes found among cities considered as front liners in
development. Compared to the rural areas of nation-states, cities are seen as the
avenues where global networks and transactions transpire. It is where financial cash
flows of massive scales take place attracting companies and multinational
corporations to invest in infrastructures and other business endeavors which in turn
generate employment opportunities for their citizens. Other individuals become
attracted as well to migrate into these global cities because it comes with a promise of
a better life than that of which they already have.
Global City refers to an urban centre that enjoys significant competitive advantages
and that serves as a hub within a globalized economic system. The term was first used
by a sociologist named Saskia Sassen in 1884; she primarily used economics as the
main criteria for determining which of the cities all over the world is to be labelled as
such. In her research in the said period, she was able to identify three cities considered
as centers of capitalism and global financial transactions: London, Tokyo and New
York. In support to this selection, Manuel Castells stated that:
“...London because it is the world’s leading financial market as far as transactions
are concerned and also constitutes a crucial airport node and is one of the ends of the
economic backbone that crosses Europe; New York for being the main receiver of
capital flows and service exporter; and Tokyo for being the greatest capital lender
and the headquarters of the most important banks in the world, as well as an
international center in the economy of services, education, advertising, and design.”

15
However, several changes have occurred since the time the term was coined. Such
changes includes the development of improved transportation, telecommunications,
production, science, warfare, the internet, other technological innovations, migration,
cultural exchanges - all of which were not included as criterion in determining global
cities. The fact is the world today is characterized mainly of unrelenting progress in
numerous aspects of human life. This basically makes it difficult to have just one
definition of what a global city is. So in going about this endeavour of determining
which city or cities belong to the cluster of global cities let us examine some of its
indicators.
Sassen is not mistaken for considering economics as a major determining factor of a
global city as this primarily becomes the most appealing feature that attracts people
from all walks of life to move in.
The then list of characteristics and attributes that made a city a forerunner in the
global scene has transformed and within it included other criterion such as the
occurrence if an international population based. Global cities now become melting
pots of international culture and cuisine. In the image below, a Mongolian BBQ shop
is cozily located in the heart of Dublin. This and other similar establishments offering
products are a familiar scene for a vast majority. As explained in previous chapters,
this is made possible because of globalization.
Global cities are also has the greatest number of business infrastructures housing
international organizations, and business alike. They undoubtedly become seats of
power where political, economic, cultural and religious engagements are overseen. To
make this characteristic clearer, let us consider the United Nations, a powerful
organization capable of providing international humanitarian aids to countries in need.
Its headquarters is strategically located in New York. As with London who has
advantageously positioned itself as a global banking and financial center, they are also
centers of innovation and higher learning. Global cities boasts having the world‟s top
universities like Boston‟s Harvard University and Cambridge University in England.
These and several other features make up the characteristics of what a global city
must have.

16
Challenges to Global Cities
By this time, you might have an idea of what a global city is and so we move to the
next challenge of carefully examining the challenges that comes with the rise of
global cities.
The first of these challenges is the significant rise in the city population as people
flock towards cities trying their luck to improve their financial status. However, not
all who migrates to cities are rewarded, for many ends up contributing to the slum
populace. Globalization creates a rush of high paying jobs within global cities
creating a chain reaction demanding low income employment to attend to their
growing needs. These low income jobs comprise of domestic helpers, maids, cooks,
food attendants. Thus implying that flocking to global cities does necessarily mean a
good life for everyone.
With the significant rise in the population, several other issues spring out which leads
us to the next challenge which is food and water shortage. Researches reveal that 2.5
billion individuals have no access to clean water and sanitation. Many people still go
hungry as food is unevenly distributed all over the world bringing into question global
food security.
Lastly, the problem about climate change and rising temperatures. Cities are
considered as the greatest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change
affects more people than others for some are more equipped to handle the effects
more people than others for some are more equipped to handle the effects of climate
change.

Reference:
Mendoza, Cheryl C. et al. 2019. “Worktext in The Contemporary World.” Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd

17
APPLICATION
The Global City
Name: ____________________________________Program/Year/Set: __________
Date Submitted: _______________________ Score: ____________

Multiple Choice. Instruction: Choose the correct answer from the given options. You can
research before answering the questions.

1) It refers to the increasing number of people that live in urban areas. It predominantly
results in the physical growth of urban areas, be it horizontal or vertical

A. Urbanization B. Population C. Migration D. Overpopulation

2) The condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration,

an impaired quality of life, or a population crash

A. Urbanization B. Population C. Migration D. Overpopulation

3) It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international

public health.

A. SEATO B. WHO C. FAO D. UNICEF

4) A city that is declared by World Health Organization as one of the most polluted cities in
the world

A. Riyadh B. Manila C. Tokyo D. Gaborne

5) It represents the fifth largest stock market in the world.

A. New York Stock Exchange C. Tokyo Stock Exchange

B. Shanghai Stock Exchange D. Hong Kong Stock

exchange

6) It is defined by the United Nations as a city which has a population of 10 million or more
people

A. Urban B. City C. World City D. Megacities

18
7) It refers to people moving from one area to another within one country

A. Internal Migration B. International Migration C. National Migration D. Local

Migration

8) Which among the following statements described global cities as the sites and medium of
globalization?

A. Global cities are the material presentation of the phenomenon

B. Through global cities we see the best of globalization
C. Global cities create a fusion of ideas and culture
D. All of the option given

9) In the Philippine setting, which among the following cities can be best describe as a
global city?

A. Tagum City B. Pasay City C. Panabo City D. Samal City

10) The sociologist who coined the term “global city” in 1884

A. Karl Marx B. Harriet Martineau C. Saskia Sassen D. Marie Curie

19
 LESSON 12
Global Demography
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Shed light on demographic transition as it affects global population.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the global migration.
 Discuss the causes and effects of global migration.
 Display first-hand knowledge of the experiences of OFWs.
TIME FRAME: one week
INTRODUCTION
According to UNICEF, an estimated 353,000 babies are born each year around the
world. It is estimated that 4.3 infants are born every second. In ten years, you may
find yourself contributing to the world's growing population. You might have even
started your own family and built a private townhouse. Future ambitions that may
bolster your drive to excel in school and get a couple of degrees. In several highly
developed countries, married couples choose to have one or two children because they
spend the majority of their time saving money to pay for their children's needs.
Having fewer children ensures that the majority, if not all, of their demands are
addressed adequately. Demography studies numerous components of population such
as population size, mortality rates, income, disease incidence, and fertility rates, all of
which have a direct impact on the society's complicated makeup. Is there a cost to not
checking and controlling world demography? Is it good for society to have a large
elderly population? Is a rising migrant intake an indication of a growing economy?
These are only a few of the issues that we hope to address in this lesson.
ACTIVITY
Watch the video entitled Overpopulation: The Human Explosion Explained from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsBT5EQt348. Write a one-page summary of
what did you understand from the short film.
ANALYSIS
Answer the questions directly.
1. What is your stand/opinion with regards to the saying, “As the population
increases, the value of life decreases”. Explain your answer. (10pts)

20
ABSTRACTION
History of man is speckled with stories of people migrating from one place to the next
either in search for food, escape raiders, conquest or for pleasure. Possibly in this
point in your life, some of you may have plans of pursuing a career abroad attracted
by the sights and sounds of the city life. Perhaps, you may have lured by friends and
families who have successfully rooted themselves in a foreign land. Such is the nature
of man -- to be mobile. Demography is the study of population based on elements like
age, race and sex. With the migration and unrestrained increase in the population, the
natural order of things gets upset, and changes have to be made in order to offset these
imbalances. For example, if people flock to the cities, more food, basic commodities
and employment are required to accommodate these migrants, if the growing
population is kept underfed, undernourished afflicted with sickness, the future
manpower of the society may not be as effective. Lawmakers and policy makers alike
consider the demography of their nation when drafting bills, acts and ordinances to be
executed for the maximum benefit of the people.

Countries all over the world experience the entry of foreigners at an unprecedented
rate. Surveys show that more than 160 million individuals live out of their country of
origin. Factors accounting for this transition can range from simple employment
opportunities to flight from human rights abuses and political repression. Motivations
for migration have been categorized into either the Push Factor or Pull Factor.

Push Factor
Survival for themselves, or for their family, is one of the most obvious motives which
explain migration. Escape either from man-made disasters, civil war and decline of
economic opportunities threatening them of starvation can be prime motivators. They
leave their land in order to secure safety for themselves because their communities
can no longer sustain life for its people.
To put it simply, push factors refers to causes that drive droves of people to abandon
their residences.

Pull Factor

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In highly industrialized countries, fertility levels still continue to decline posing a
possible collapse in the population in the times to come. European countries suffer an
aging population meaning fewer people are able to work given the circumstances.
Immigration, or the movement of people in the country, may help ease the labor
deficiency but not enough to solve this persistent problem. Nonetheless, it serves as a
gateway for employment seekers to benefit from it.
In the contrary, continents like Africa and parts of Asia with high fertility rates create
emerging communities unable to cope with the demands of the population like
employment, health, services, and education. People opt to leave these densely
populated areas and take their chances elsewhere.

Global Demographic Issues

The following are listed as the leading global demographic issues facing the world
today. They become problems because they are the outright consequence of
globalization and uncontrolled economic growth and decline.
A. Uneven Population Growth Worldwide
Because of the lack of population growth control mechanisms, education and
freedom to decide for themselves, some developing countries‟ population like Niger
and Tanzania tend to grow at an alarming rate. Africa has one of the highest incidents
of birth rates with an average of 6.49 children per mother. It has been projected that
Africa‟s overall population would have exceeded Europe‟s in 2050.
Many of developing countries in Asia rely on agriculture, as the major driving
force of the economy thus having more number of children is necessary to maintain
farm operation. On the contrary, residents of high income and developed countries
tend to limit their progenies to one or two. Aside from the abundant supply and
selection of birth control methods, parents in this part of the world tend to focus their
attention to saving enough money for future needs such as medical expenses,
insurances, matriculation and retirement funds to mention a few. Meaning having
more than two children can become too expensive.
To put it simply, there is a converse relationship between the economic level
of a country and its population. In poor countries, birth rates lean towards being high
whilst in rich countries, birth rates tend to decline. Though some policy makers put
forward solutions like one child policy, legalization of abortion and other sterilization

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process to restrain population, differences in belief and cultural practices make it
impossible to come up with a single answer.

B. Demographic Pressures on the Environment

Demographers and researchers alike agree in saying that the existing and still
growing number of people in the world surpasses the maximum number of inhabitants
that the planet can actually sustain. Naturally, people need resources in order to
survive. Resources that only nature and the environment could provide. Man,
millenniums ago, discovered agriculture which enabled him to exploit the land
towards his own benefit. Being able to produce food for himself eventually resulted to
the increase in population. Nowadays, technology even furthered such developments
in agriculture including livestock raising, creating a variety of produce, increasing the
yield and producing food for consumption. However, nature has its limits and over
exploiting it can have a catastrophic consequences. With the substantial use of
fertilizers and other detrimental chemicals with the goal of increasing food
production, land and water resources becomes polluted giving rise to a great number
of global concerns. Nature is unable to heal herself because of the relentless desire of
man to satisfy his needs and wants.

C. Slum Urbanization
Whilst globalization stirs the flow of financial capital generating income and
wealth, not all individuals are given a fair share in these riches. Wealth tends to
accumulate on the upper strata of the social hierarchy benefiting a specific social class
of the society making upward mobility impossible and widening the gap of social
inequality. So what happens when people move into cities and they don‟t find jobs to
support themselves, they become an addition to the people living in slum areas. These
shanty towns are a common sight in areas like Manila, and places in India.

D. Spread of Diseases
Generation and spread of diseases and other terminal illnesses, like
HIV/AIDS, also hasten keeping pace with globalization. However, international aids
and programs have been organized in order to extend help and contain the further
creation and circulation of an epidemic.

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Migration

Migration means crossing the boundary of a political or administrative unit for a

certain minimum period (Boyle et al. 1998, chapter 2). It is classified as either
internal migration which refers to a move from one area (a province, district or
municipality) to another within one country or International migration which means
crossing the frontiers which separate one of the world‟s approximately 200 states
from another. Many scholars argue that internal and international migrations are part
of the same process, and should be analyzed together (Skeldon 1997, 9-10).

Migration is thus both a result and cause of development. Development leads to

migration, because economic and educational improvements make people capable of
seeking better opportunities elsewhere. It simply means that people from different
walks of life, either for purposes of business opportunities, family affairs or even
unwanted reasons, are experiencing migration as agents of cultural or political
change. As history will tell us, migration has already been a practice ever since the
world began.
One of the reasons of migration is disparity in levels of income, employment and
social well-being between differing areas. With a family to feed or responsibility to
earn, the individual is keen to exert the effort to look for better jobs with better pay.
Thus in his search for the greener pasture, he becomes motivated to relocated himself
whatever it might cause him. In his search, he will find himself in a certain

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neighborhood that has been the center of immigrant settlement, with significant
business openings, services and convenience which are not usually found in their
place of origin. Significantly, these new place houses everything, from the places of
worship, ethnic groupings and socio cultural linkages, thus no new immigrant is left
out because he can easily blend in. a new perspectives set in where women are
likewise given the same opportunities as that of men thus female migration is
accommodated as they moved in independently or as heads of households.

For better understanding, the migrants come now with different criterion. (Stephen
Castles, 200)

1. Temporary labor migrants – they are popularly known as overseas contract

workers who migrate for a limited period in order to work and send remittances
to their families at home.
2. Highly skilled and business migrants – they are the people with special skills and
qualification who seek employment through international labor markets for
scarce skills.
3. Irregular migrants (also known as documented or illegal migrants): people who
enter a country, usually in search of employment, without the necessary
documents and permits.
4. Refugees – is a person residing outside his or her country of nationality, who is
unable or unwilling to return because of a „well-founded fear of persecution on
account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or
political opinion‟ (1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees)
5. Asylum-seekers – people who move across borders in search of protection.
6. Forced migration – this included not only refugees and asylum-seekers but also
people forced to move by environmental catastrophes or development projects.
7. Family members (also known as family reunion or family reunification migrants)
– migration to join people who have already entered an immigration country
under one of the above categories.
8. Return migrants: people who return to their countries or origin after a period in
another country.

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Migration may assist or hinders development

Remittances are considered one of the many massive contributions to the national
accounts of many emigration countries. Through the money that they are sending, the
government earns a bulk that helps finance the development investment of the
country. Emigrants are given the opportunity to travel aboard and to be able to learn
other people‟s culture, history and environment. They became adaptive with the place
where they are in and were able to obtain additional knowledge and insights which
cannot be learn thru books but only by interactions. Countries are mandated to
observe international cooperation to help ensure orderly migration and to heighten the
involvement of migration to development.
One on the main disadvantage brought by migration is the “brain drain”. Brain
drain is a problem for many poor countries losing skilled workers to richer countries.
The most skilled and most talented workers of a certain less developed country are
bound to look for better job opportunities or employment in developed countries
considering work guarantee and better lives conditions for himself and that of his
family. However, the country where he came from is to settle with those who are left
as its workforce but cannot do anything because it has no remedy to the situation. It is
to add further that the regulation of emigration from less-developed countries is often
ineffective thus allows exploitative employment and abuses. Many of the emigrants
has stories to tell when it deals with abuses, cruelty and violence. Crimes like women
and child trafficking, smuggling, drug related cases and other forms of crimes are
being charged to them or they became victims of such. For these reasons, the
government must create and have strong teeth for its implementations of policies and
laws that prevent abuses or exploitation of their citizens while they are abroad. If the
government will be able implement the policies and laws, it will guarantee the safety
and well-being of its citizens. In addition to these, the government must provide
assistance in cases of death, illness, accidents and other similar cases of same nature
to its citizens. It is a way to show the gratitude of the government as to help these
emigrants are doing for the economic growth of the country.
Many of the emigrants who finds good paying employment abroad still wishes to
come home to be with their families. The money acquired or have been saved from
work abroad used as an investment for a new business or enterprise. However, many

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countries do not have policies to assist returning migrants to start anew in their own
country. Usually, they are left on their own on how to manage their own affairs. Some
become successful but majority suffers from major setback. They will settle in finding
a job but face difficulty in finding a job commensurate with the skills they have
acquired abroad. Thus will eventually decide to go back abroad and leave again their
families. To avoid such chain, the government should institutionalize a plan of action
that will benefit the returning emigrants, for them to be given better options in staying
in country than going back.

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APPLICATION
Global Demography
Name: ____________________________________Program/Year/Set: __________
Date Submitted: _______________________ Score: ___________

Instructions: Find and conduct a short virtual interview with a former or current overseas
Filipino worker that you know. Use the questions below as your interview guide.
Interview Guide

1. States the reason/s why the OFW decided to leave the country.

2.What are the problems encountered in the country they went to?

2. What are the benefits they obtained in the country they went to?

3. What are the significant differences as well as the similarities with the country
they went and our country?

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4. If they are given the choice, would they still leave the country? Why and why
not?

-------------------- DNSC Social Science Faculty A.Y. 2020-2021----------------------

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