Good afternoon!
We want to show you some videos during our SSL tomorrow but probably we will not be able to see them all, just some parts. So here is the link for video of globalization:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmvksvSvtc

There are many interesting pages about globalization and as you will hear tomorrow it is difficult to find the best definition, here is the web where you can find many interesting facts about it, including tables and charts and articles:
http://www.globalpolicy.org/globalization.html

Our second part is about The World Bank.
We will tell you about structure, goals and strategies of this institution. Here is the link with the six strategic themes:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,contentMDK:20040565~menuPK:1696892~pagePK:51123644~piPK:329829~theSitePK:29708,00.html

The WB has large database of statistics about developing countries. You can find there different indicators. So maybe you will find it useful for example for your essays:
http://data.worldbank.org/

Thank you
See you tomorrow
Lenka & Oona

Global economy and globalization

Hello
Tomorrow Kamil and I will be given a presentation on the topic of global economy and globalization. At the beginning i will give a brief definition of the term globalization, then Kamil will be talking about IMF, World Bank and WTO. He will explain how this organizations work and therefore who is  running the global economy. After Kamil explanation I will give some arguments against and in favor of the premise that  can globalization solve the world's problem.
we will have some videos too to support our presentation. we hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xgxCf05Kmw 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ952ba75Yk&feature=related 

Marina

McDonaldisation

Hello everyone!
On Thursday me and Oona would like to tell you something about the Globalization and the World Bank as one of the most important institution of the world political economy.
 First we will tell you something about the globalization, if it can solves the world´s problems or not. There are many videos about it but I have decided to post this one for the beginning because there is an very interesting point about globalization. It´s the homogenization of Global taste. Big companies influence and shape consumers taste around the world. Do you agree with that? Here is short video that you might like...
Have a nice day
Lenka
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Echi6oMYEOM&feature=related

Make Poverty History

Make Poverty History

In 2005 the 'Make Poverty History' campaign was set up to last the full year in order to raise awarness worldwide, on the problem that was, and still is poverty.
Not only did the campaign raise the issue of cancelling debts carried by the poorer countries, it also raised the issue on unfair trading globally, and made clear that the explotation of the poorer countries benefitted the rich, and caused poverty to keep occuring. These are some of the points raised about unfair trading found on the campaign website:

Trade Issues
What’s wrong with the Global Trade System?

•  Unequal Partners: rich countries abuse the system and bully poorer countries into agreeing to rules which favour the rich. The benefits of trade will only reach the poor – at home and in the developing world – if international trade rules are deliberately weighted in favour of poor people and the environment.
• While international trade is worth $10 million a minute, poor countries only account for 0.4% of this trade - half the share they had in 1980.
• The so-called Doha Development Round projected that 2/3 of any gains would go to the richer countries.
• According to the New Economic Foundation (2010), for every $100 of growth, just 0.60 found it’s poverty reduction target and contributed to reducing poverty below the £1 a day.
• One size doesn't fit all: rich countries use trade rules to force poor countries to open their economies to goods from rich countries (known as “trade liberalisation”). But poor countries' farmers and industries aren't ready to compete. Decades of forced liberalisation has devastated many poor countries resulting in huge job losses, poor health care and less education. Trade “liberalisation” often comes alongside increased rights for foreign investors and pressure to privatise its economy.
• Do as we say, not as we do: rich countries such as the UK, the USA and the East Asian Tigers succeeded by protecting their farmers and industries, only opening up to competition once their industries were strong enough to compete. Rich countries are using trade rules to deny poor countries the same rights. For example, the average EU cow is subsidised to the tune of around $800. In Ethiopia, the average annual income per person is just $100.

This links in with one of this weeks quetions to consider;
What does work have to do with poverty?
From the above we can see that as a result of poverty, the poor are continued to be exploited in their work, unable to compete on the global scale with the rich. Work for those in the developing world is limited by the restraints forced upon them by the developed world. Therefore work and poverty are inter-related as a viciuos cycle occurs, lack of work and the lack of well paid work leads to poverty, and poverty can lead to a lack of capability to work.

　Although Make Poverty History came to an end in 2006, the events of 2005 helped inspire various members to work together on further campaigns. These took place as the UK platform of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
The white band continues as the joint symbol of the fight against poverty, wear yours to continue support for the fight.

Thankyou
Lucy Hoyle　

Contrasts in development within individual countries in the developing world

I just came across this article about development and health from the BBC, which I found very interesting and fitting into our topic. On page one the question of 'what is development' is raised, the next page shows the models of development, mentioning Rostow's model as well as comparing South Korea and Burkina Faso. Page three and four are about using development indicators and development differences between countries, providing questions for the reader to think about.

Focus on page five, there you will find a video showing a case study of Brazil, which is a good example of a country which has wide regional variations in development.The video shows the dimensions of development; how different development can be, to which extent it can vary in one country and, that it certainly does vary in most of the countries. Besides, it shows that the gap between rich and poor still exists and probably is going to stay.

For them who would like to test what the learned and already knew about development and health care, try your best making this quiz.

Definition of Development:
Development could be explained as “fierce” process, with “Blood, sweat, and tears”. It is the world in which wisdom demands toughness. (Amartya Sen, Development as freedom, chap2.)

According to Anna Dickson, Development is “an ongoing process of qualitatively ameliorated social, political, and economic change” (Robert O’Brien, Marc William, Global Economic Change).

Characteristics:

• Political freedom (free and fair elected Institutions, Humans rights)
• Economic Facilities (Production, consumption, Exchange)
• Social Opportunities (Good jobs, Higher Education, Health Care)
• Transparency guaranty (No corruption or Fiscal Paradise)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

There are many different definitions of sustainable development.

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meets their own needs.”

There are three interdependent pillars of sustainable development: 

1. Environmental
2. Economical
3. Social

Source: World Commission on environment and development, Oxford University Press

more about Sustainable Development: 
http://povdev-salford2012.blogspot.com/2012/02/sustainable-development.html

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT

The United Nation has promoted Political and Economical Institutions and

Values. Democracy, the market, protecting human rights. Egalitarianism as the

Route of the prosperity to the rest of the World. (Culture, Democracy and

Development by Deepak LAL, IMF, september20, 1999).

The relationship between Politics Is the Policies of the IMF and the World Bank in Africa.

In Sub-Sahara Africa the IMF politics of Development achieved growth rates during 1995-1997:

• Reducing and containing inflationary pressures.
• Increasing ratio of domestic saving to GDP.
• Strengthening Fiscal Performance
• Increasing private sector Investment
• Improving Export performance
• Restructuring public expenditures

(International Monetary Funds, August 2000) 


Example of the World Bank – Mauritania: Women Microfinance
Mauritania is helping its tens of thousands of urban poor by creating job opportunities where there once were none. A microfinance program is giving small loans to inner city residents to start small businesses, most of them run by women.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffDu_EWLWc


by Djibril 

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/02/28/corporate-rights-and-human-rights/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1

Corporate Rights and Human Rights

DEBATERS

• 

  A Permissible and Effective Way

  OONA A. HATHAWAY, YALE LAW SCHOOL
  There is no need to fear that a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in Kiobel will flood the courts with lawsuits.
• 

  It’s Up to Congress to Decide

  ILYA SHAPIRO, CATO INSTITUTE
  If we want to punish corporations for human rights abuses, then we must ask Congress to amend the Alien Tort Statute.
• 

  The Right Thing To Do

  VINCENT WARREN, CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
  Through Citizens United we gave corporations extensive rights, now we must enforce their responsibilities.
• 

  Liability for Harms

  SUSAN FARBSTEIN AND TYLER GIANNINI, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
  Corporations should not receive greater legal protections than people.

INTRODUCTION

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum over whethercorporations can be sued for human rights violations overseas. The plaintiffs filed suit in the United States under the Alien Tort Statute, a law enacted by Congress in 1789, that empowers the federal courts to hear cases by foreigners bringing a civil suit for wrongs committed “in violation of the law of nations.”

Should the Alien Tort Statute hold corporations liable for heinous crimes? Is there a more effective way to do this?