MODULE 5: GLOBAL POPULATION AND MOBILITY

http://www.albiladdailyeng.com/these-six-men-have-as-much-wealth-as-half-the-worlds-population/

Lesson 1 : The Global City

Learning Outcomes:

 Identify the attributes of a global city;

 Analyze how cities serve as engines of globalization; and

 Explain how multinational corporations influence the development of global

cities.

Activity 1.1.

What makes a city “global’? Explain your answers.

Images of trendsetters living the life, travelling from one well-known city to the next,
tasting delicacies each has to offer litter the internet and other social media sites. Some of
you might have already visited some of these places. Others may have relatives living in
London and New York who send them items in balikbayan boxes offering a taste of how they
live in those areas. 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 so me
cities over the others to go to and visit and eventually migrate into? What makes these top
destinations appealing and to a degree important?

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 1980's 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 p ace 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 which they already have.

According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, a global city is 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 sociologists 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 labeled as such. In her research in the said period, she was able to identity 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."

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 endeavor of determining which city or cities belong to
the cluster of global cities let us examine some 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 of 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 foreign 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 businesses alike. They undoubtedly become seats of power
where political, economic, cultural and religious engagements are overseen. To make this
characteristic more clearly, 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 centre. 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.
 https://www.e-zigurat.com/blog/en/smart-cities-urbanization-challenges/

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 end 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 reveals 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 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 of climate change.

Activity 1.2.

Tara Na Byahe Tayo!

You will be assigned a global city to discuss and research on. You shall present an
imagined group educational tour in the global city showing pictures of the places you visited
in the fictional tour. Your output should include answers to the following guide questions:

1. How would you describe your city?

2. What is your city best known for?

3. What makes your city a global city?

4. What are the challenges these cities are facing?

Lesson 2

Global Demography

Learning Outcomes:

 Identify the different international issues and trends in global population;

 Synthesize the concept of globalization in relation to demography and population;

and

 Explain demographic transition as it affects global population.

Activity 2.1.
Choose one among the political cartoons given and explain its connotation.

A.
B.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/513058582526652406/

C.

https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/p/popul
ation.asp
 https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/07/17/population-a-problem-but-also-a-blessing/

The UNICEF estimates the all around the world, an estimate of 353,000 babies are born
each year. That's an approximate of 4.3 babies being born in every second. Ten years from
now, you might be contributing to the world's increasing population yourself. You may have
started your own family of procreation and even built a private townhouse. Future plans
that may further fuel your desire to do well in school and earn a degree or two. Married
couples in several highly developed countries opt to have one or two children as they focus
most of their energy saving money to provide for their kids need. Having less number of
children would ensure that most, if not, all of their needs are satisfactorily met. An ideal
number to progenies may have also come into your mind as prices of basic commodities
seem to increase steadily for the past years. Demography, basically looks into the different
elements of population like size, mortality rates, income, incidence of diseases, and fertility
rates for these have a direct relationship with the quality of the society's complex makeup.
Are there consequences if global demography is not checked and controlled? Is having a
majority of old population beneficial for the society? Is an increased influx of migrants a sign
of a booming economy? These are but a few of the questions that we intend to shed light on
with this chapter.

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 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 Factors.

Push Factor

Survival for themselves, or for their family, is one of 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 refer to causes that drive a number of people to abandon
their residences.

Pull Factor

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 solution 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
rapidly emerging communities unable to cope with the demands of the population like
employment, health services, and education. People opt to leave these densely populate
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
offspring 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 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 researches 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, millennia's 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 incl ding 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 catastrophic consequences.
With the substantial use of fertilizers and other detrimental chemicals with the goal of
increasing food production, land and water resources become 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
addition to the people living in slum areas. These shantytown are 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 circulate and create an
epidemic.

Activity

Population Roller Coaster

Direction:

Explain your own take on the premise “As the population increases, the value of life
decreases.” You should write down your arguments whether you take pro or con
perspective.

Lesson 3

Global Migration
 https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/drawing-for-change-analyzing-and-making-political-
cartoons/

Learning Outcomes:

 Demonstrate an understanding of the global migration;

 Discuss the causes and effects of global migration;

 Analyze the political, economic, cultural, and social factors underlying the
global movements of people; and

 Display first-hand knowledge of the experiences of OFWS.

Activity 3.1.
 https://account-master.com/blog/filipino-values/

Given 2 choices, one is to pursue your career abroad some time in the future, and the
other is to work in your own country. What will you choose and what are your reasons?

This lesson will discuss about the impact of global migration in each country as well as
its causes and effects. The lesson will emphasize that global migration has always been and
will be forever part of globalization. That there is nothing wrong nor evil of it, but it will
however give us a clearer picture of the phenomena and will give as a better understanding
of its occurrence and effects.

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 migration are part of the same process, and should be analyzed together
(Skeldon 1997, 9-10).

Migration is thus both a result and a 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 reason of migration is disparity in levels of income, employment and social
well-being between differing areas. With a family to feed or a responsibility to earn, the
individual is keen to exert the effort to look for better jobs with better pay. Thus in his search
for a greener pasture, he becomes motivated to relocated himself whatever it might cause
him. In his search, he will find himself in a certain 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, ethic 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, 2000)

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 left
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 undocumented 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 includes 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 of origin after a period in
another country.

Migration may assist or hinder development

Remittances is 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 a 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 children 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 in a way to show the gratitude of the government as to the 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 is
used as an investment for a new business or enterprise. However, many 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 a 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 their country than going back abroad.

Activity

OFW Interview

Direction:

Interview a former or current OFW (face-to-face or online). Your interview should

answer the following questions.

1. State the reasons why the OFW decided to leave the country.

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

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

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

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

References:

S. Amer Ahmed. (2015). How are global demographics changing? Retrieved April 9, 2019
from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/how-are-global-demographics-changing/.

Charnock, Greig. Global City. (2013). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/global-city.

Demographics. Planetary Project Serving Humanity. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
http://planetaryproject.com/global_problems/demography.
Essays. UK. (2018). Effects of Globalization on Migration. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://ukesays.com/essays/cultural-studies/migration-in-the-era-of-globalization-cultural-
studies-essay.php?vref=1.

Kiprop, Victor. (2017). What is A Global City? World Atlas. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-a-global-city.html.

La Croix, Summer, J., Mason, A., and Abe, S. Population and Globalization. Retrieved April 12,
2019 from https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/population-and-globalization.

The New Challenges of Global Cities. (2018). Barcelona Centre for International Affairs.
Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://www.cidob.org/en/events/issues/global_cities/the_new_challenges_of_global_cities
.

Sadles, Stephanie. (2014). What makes a Global City? The Global Educational Network.
Retrieved April 12, 2019 from https://www.capaworld.capa.org/2014/03/12/makes-global-
city.

Sassen, Saskia. Global City: Introducing a Concept. Retrieved April 12, 2019 from
https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/the-global-city-introducing-a-concept/.

World Population Projections. Retrieved March 12, 2019 from

http://ww.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population/world-population-
projections.