THE GLOBAL DIVIDES: THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH abode of the four powerful permanent members of the

United Nations Security Council. It also refers to the

developed countries in Asia. Australia, and New
Since the process of globalization is uneven, it Zealand. As stated by Claudio (2014), the Global South
follows that there is an imbalance in the socio-economic "continues to be imagined and re-imagined by those
and political categories of the world. The world is who dominate it even as movements from below
divided into north and south, and first, second, and reshape these constructions through resistance."
third. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Europe, Although usually associated with developing nations,
Australia, and America tend to see the big difference the Global.
between the ways of living in the Philippines and in
South is also found in developed countries.
Western countries. Some of them come home as "one-
Economically poor families, underprivileged individuals,
day millionaires" giving out presents to their family,
unfair labor practices, and suppression of human rights,
relatives, neighbors, and friends. Although their
and other violations of basic rights in Europe, Australia,
incomes are relatively higher than if they work in the
US, and Canada are the pieces of evidence that people
Philippines, they realize that life is still tough despite the
from developed countries also share similar experiences
remittances they send to their families and the taxes
with people from developing countries. Conversely, a
that the country gains from these. Furthermore, they
trip to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Metro Manila by
cannot escape the reality that their occasional vacations
someone from Tupi, South Cotabato denoting high
in the Philippines are temporary because they would
standard of living, availability of better transport
need to go back to work in order to continue making a
system, prevalence of banking and financial institutions,
living in another country. This is a reflection of the
presence of big commercial establishments, and
global divide between the north and the south as
centrality of the national government is that person's
experienced by these Filipinos. The term Global South is
experience of the "Global North." The Global North,
a metaphor for interstate inequality and a product of
therefore, is also relatively experienced within the
Western imagination (Claudio, 2014). Historically, there
geographical boundaries of the Global South.
had been divisions and labeling among the different
nations of the world. Countries that were colonized by By now, one can say that the terms Global
the Spaniards in the southern part of the American South and Third World are conceptually the same. They
continent are collectively called Latin America. By virtue both refer to conditions usually found in developing
of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, the newly countries. But the term Third World is the antecedent
discovered lands outside Europe were divided into two- of Global South (Claudio, 2014). Arguably, the term
the West belonging to the Crown of Castile (now part of Third World ceased to exist when the Cold War ended.
Spain) and the East belonging to the Portuguese Historically, the world was once categorized based on
Empire. There is also a split based on labor-the core, the the economic ideology of Western capitalism against
semi-periphery, and the peripheries. From these the Soviet Union's socialism. As formal economies,
divisions, the Global South refers to the socio-economic capitalism sustains consumer choice. private property,
and political divide primarily focused on the southern and economic freedom while socialism is characterized
hemisphere of the 1569-designed Mercatorian map. It by state control of the means of production,
consists of Africa, Latin America, and Asia including the distribution, and exchange. Capitalist economies were
Middle East. These nation-states are deemed to be not considered First World and socialist economies were
aligned with nation-states located in the northern referred to as Second World. Those that did not belong
hemisphere that adhere to fair labor practices, rights, to either types of formal economies belong to the Third
free trade, reduced tariffs, and policies on sustainable World. The term Third World was initially used to refer
development. The Global South also connotes to the former colonies of European countries. To
developing countries as opposed to rich, industrialized, illustrate, India was considered a Third World country
and wealthy nations. On the contrary, the Global North for it was a colony of the United Kingdom. According to
is the home of all members of the Group of Eight (G8)- this categorization, the Philippines was classified as
Canada, France, Germany, Italy. Japan, United Kingdom, Third World. Later, the category was used to refer to
Russia, and the United States of America. It is also the countries that were neither capitalist nor socialist. Since
many countries were impoverished, the term was also even its military force. At the same time. Europe keeps
used to refer to the poor world. These countries were its strong relationship with Asian countries to expand its
considered to be non-industrialized and newly growing business in the field of medical science and
industrialized. They lacked the standard systems in research. It cannot be denied that Asia is gaining
banking, finance, and trade. worldwide attention.

Hence, it is outdated to say that countries in What makes Asian nations stronger than ever is the
Southeast Asia belong to the Third World for the term establishment of collaborations and cooperation based
has ended its usage after the Cold War. These countries on respect. For one, the ASEAN, as a regional bloc. pays
may be classified as the Global South though some of full respect for sovereignty and independence of its
their citizens experience the Global North within their members through consensus and consultation (Eliassen
territories. & Arnadottir, 2012).

ASIAN REGIONALISM In this light, globalization, regionalization, asean and

regionalism are compared. Also, exposure to the
China is the home of more than 1.4 billion people based
different factors that bring about better
on the 2018 population projection of the United
homogenization of Asia and how member-states
Nations. In fact, it is becoming one of the economic
collectively and separately address the challenges they
super giants of the world. After the Second World War.
are facing are discussed.
Japan was able to adapt its policies to the dictates of
the West and consequently incorporated itself to the The terms regionalization and globalization are both
global economy. On the other hand, Singapore has related to integration. As defined in Module 1,
become one of the emerging centers of different globalization is the expansion and intensification of
cultures and has turned itself into a great cosmopolitan social relations and consciousness across world-time
city-state. All these countries belong to the continent of and world-space. Regionalization, on the other hand, is
Asia, a term that originated from the West, particularly "the growth of societal integration within a region and
from Ancient Greece. to the often undirected processes of social and
economic interaction" (Hurrel, 1995). In terms of scope,
Among all the continents, Asia has the biggest
it is very clear that globalization is borderless. It
population of at least two-thirds of the world's
happens around the world while regionalization
inhabitants. It is most probably because the continent
happens only in a specific geographical region. Social
comprises one-third of the world's land mass. In terms
and economic reciprocal actions of regionalization are
of economy, emerging and developing Asian countries
undirected because of diversity. This diversity comes in
and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 5 or the
different levels of development (from the rich Singapore
ASEAN 5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and
to the poor Laos), politics (from democracy to
Thailand) had an average of 6.3% and 5.1% GDP growth,
dictatorship. and everything in between), economics
respectively, compared to the world average growth of
(from free markets to capitalism and more), and religion
3.5% as of 2016 (Obiols, 2017). In 2016, China was the
(Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Shintoism, and
world's leading exporter of goods valued at $1.99
more) (Richter & West, 2014).
trillion, followed by the United States with $1.45 trillion
(Dillinger, 2018). Commonly confused with regionalization, regionalism
refers to regional concentration of economic flows
Since the European Union is in its mature state of
while regionalization refers to a political process by
regionalism, the world is now focused on Asia, Most
economic policy if cooperation and coordination are 2
countries want to have collaborations with East Asian
present among countries (Mansfield & Wilmer, 1993).
countries and the Association of Southeast Asian
Regionalism also pertains to the process of
Nations (ASEAN) members because economic and
intergovernmental collaborations between two or more
political growth in these regions have started to shape
states (Eliassen & Arnadottir, 2012).
up. As a result, the United States strategically takes care
of its allies in Asia to maintain and further enhance its Asian regionalism is a new concept among the
supply of raw materials, human technological skills, and continental communities. New to cooperation and
collaboration goals, it has the 50-year-old ASEAN group economies in Japan, China, South Korea, and other
and the failed East Asia Economic Group (EAEG). The Asian countries get the labor services of Filipino skilled
ASEAN community is comprised of three pillars-political workers. Southeast Asians market their goods within
security community, economic community, and socio- the region. Thailand exports its grocery products to 24-
cultural community. hour convenience stores. Vietnam and Indonesia sell
their bags and clothing to the region. It was only in
The political security community gives importance to
recent years that teamwork among Asian governments
human rights, drugs, foreign relations, defense, law, and
has been exerted, though with a certain distance.
transnational crimes. The association adheres to
prioriting asian countries.
significant roles of monitoring-economic ministers,
finance ministers, central bank governors, free trade Second, formal institutions such as the Asian
area, investment area, agriculture and forestry, Development Bank (ADB) were established. Conceived
transport ministers, telecommunications and in the 1960s, ADB promotes social and economic
information technology ministers, science and development in Asia. Composed of 67 members, 48 of
technology, energy, minerals, tourism, free trade which are from the Asia-Pacific region, the financial
agreements with dialogue partners, and sectoral bodies institution aids its members. and partners by providing
in the arena of economic community. In the socio- loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity
cultural community, there is an avenue for cooperation investments. Initially, ADB focused its assistance on
among the ministers responsible for culture and arts, food production and rural development to serve a
sports, disaster management, education, environment, predominantly agricultural region.
health, information, labor, rural development and
Third, economic grants and overseas development
poverty eradication, women, youth, and civil service
assistance are made available by better Asian
matters.
economies. For example, the Japanese International
ASEAN has also partnered with three East Asian Cooperation Agency (JICA) aims to work on human
countries-China, Japan, and South Korea. It is called the security and quality growth. The agency targets to
ASEAN +3. Its goal is to address the 1997 Asian financial promote international cooperation and the
crisis and help each other cope with the crisis. In this development of the Japanese and global economy by
context, ASEAN has concretized regionalism in the Asian supporting the socio-economic development, recovery,
region. or economic stability of developing regions.

Similar to the goal of ASEAN in achieving greater Fourth, production networks have expanded.
integration within the region, other countries form Economies are mainly on comparative advantage
groups for various reasons. The North American Free through the regional division of labor. The Philippines'
Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a free trade pact between major exports are electronic products and copper
Canada and the United States (now including Mexico), products to name a few. Indonesia sells palm oil,
was created to help reduce trading costs, increase rubber, and natural gas within the region. South Korea
business investment, and help North America be more produces machinery products and motor vehicles.
competitive in the global marketplace (NAFTA, 2018).
Fifth, cooperation among the ASEAN and East Asian
On the other hand, the European Union (EU) is a countries ensued the ASEAN +3 Financial Ministers'
political and economic established to ensure free Process that established two economic structures-the
movement of people, goods, services, and capital within Chiang Mai Initiative and the Asian Bond Markets
the EU's single market (EU, 2018a). Initiative. The process aims to strengthen policy
dialogue, coordination, 4d collaboration on common
Moreover, there are some aspects that led to a greater
financial, monetary, and fiscal issues.
Asian integration. First, integration has been market-
driven. Within Asia, there are a variety of systems, Last, if EU is rules-based, ASEAN follows a consensus
institutions, procedures, social relations, and rule as an approach to decision making. This process
infrastructures that are put into place for countries to prevents collision of cultural beliefs and economic
engage in exchange. Emerging and developing
policies that are understandably not easy to unite Another reaction comes from China, India, and Japan as
because of the region's diversity of archipelagic lives. important regional players. They initiate concrete
dialogue in formulating visions, shared goals, and
roadmaps for regional cooperation in Asia.
In facing the challenges brought about by globalization,
Reaction to globalization (and the West) also gave rise
Asian countries have responded with regional
to terror groups, like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
alternatives as big group, small group, and local
(ISIS) which has spread to the Muslim communities in
communities.
Southern Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. To
As a big group. Asian countries established their own combat global terrorism, these countries made use of
Asian Development Bank (ADB) that is more focused on their available resources to minimize and ultimately
Asia and the Pacific as a reaction to global economic stop the effects on civilian-victims such as displacement
integration. Japan, the forerunner of the institution, and suffering. More so, they reached military
believes that investments can be a factor to social multilateral agreements to address this common
development. Consequently, Japan is a major problem. In 2017, the Philippines, Indonesia, and
contributor to ADB. Asian nations work in the form of Malaysia had a trilateral security meeting wherein they
loans, grants, and information sharing on topics such as agreed that they need to conduct joint navy patrols
terrorism and regional security. within their boundaries to prevent the entry and exit of
the terror group (Antiporta, 2017).
The establishment of the ASEAN is also another initial
reaction to globalization. It fosters the spirit of Other reactions to globalization came in the form of
regionalism and oneness of Asian nations. As a group, it disengagement from globalization that transpired
sets out in the ASEAN Declaration the following aims locally. Santi Suk village in Thailand created its own
and purposes: 1) to accelerate economic growth, social currency, called the bia, that was regulated by a 6
progress, and cultural development in the region; 2) to central bank in a village. This homemade currency can
promote regional peace and stability; 3) to promote only be used in participating villages, and cannot be
active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters exchanged for Thailand's baht. This trend is a
of common interest; 4) to provide assistance to each manifestation of self-sufficiency movements that
other in the form of training and research facilities; 5) to emerged after the Asian financial crisis of 1997. Other
collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization forms of disengagement appeared in the formation of
of their agriculture and industries; 6) to expand trade, self-sufficiency groups, community-owned rice mills,
improve their transportation and communications and cooperative shops; the gathering of traditional
facilities, and 5raise the living standards of their people: herbal practitioners; and the preference for local
7) to promote Southeast Asian Studies; and 8 to products (Kimura, 2014).
maintain close and beneficial cooperation. To conclude, globalization and regionalization are the
More so, Asian countries respond to globalization as a same for they refer to integration. Their difference lies
small group. Asian regionalism lacks institutions and on the scope. Globalization is worldwide, while
bureaucratic bodies to serve the region unlike the regionalization focuses on a specific geographical
European Union model of single market in goods and region. As a response to world homogenization and
services. As a result, individual countries do bilateral or division, regionalism that comes in various forms of
multilateral agreements. For example, the Philippines regional alternatives to globalization spawned within
has standing bilateral agreements with China in trade, and among regions in Asia. Asian integration did not
defense, infrastructure, transnational crimes, tourism, happen based only on one historical event for there
education, health, and many others. In fact, in the were different factors that led to this alliance.
recent visit of current Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte to China, Chinese leaders expressed their
support for the president's campaign against illegal
drugs and terrorism, among others.
 television. The wide reach of these media continues to
open up new perspectives in the economic, political,
and cultural processes of globalization. Radio was the
avenue for global products to be advertised like
Marlboro and Coca-Cola. Television, the analogue type,
was primarily used so countries could watch US
WORD OF IDEAS: GLOBAL CULTURE AND MEDIA Presidents' delivery of speeches and UN Security
Council meetings. Both radio and television became
medium to observe international events.
Culture refers to the unified style of human knowledge, The last stage is the digital media which relies on digital
beliefs, and behavior from which people learn, and the codes. It can be created, modified, and stored in any
ability to communicate knowledge to the next digital electronic device. Digitalized content is
generations. Its development has been mainly transmitted over the internet and computer networks.
influenced by media. In politics, candidates use this media to campaign and
Historically, media underwent five stages of advance their platforms. In economics, it allows the
development from the earliest forms to the complex advertisement of products and online business
one. These stages affect globalization progressively transactions.
(Lule, 2014). Media is a carrier of culture. It is a tool for the
It all started with oral communication. Language interaction of people with different cultures. However,
allowed humans to communicate and share the real media is the people. Marketing people seek the
information. Moreover, language became the most world for their cultural products, and managers
important tool for exploring the world and the different facilitate interactions of culture for profit. Others bring
cultures. It helped people move and settle down. Oral cultural exchanges of beauty and power. These
communication led to markets, trade, and cross- interactions result in the integration of cultures.
continental trade routes. Pieterse (2004) asserts that the only outcomes of the
influence of globalization on culture are cultural
The next stage is the invention of script. Distance differentialism, cultural convergence, and cultural
became a hindrance to oral communication. Script hybridity.
allowed humans to communicate over a larger space
and for a much longer duration. It allowed the Cultural differentialism views cultural difference as
permanent codification of economic, cultural, religious, immutable. As the West and non-Western civilizations
and political practice. Knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors interact or are brought in contact through globalization,
were written and made available for transmission to the clash of civilizations such as that of the West and Islam
next generation and to other nations and cultures. logically follows.

Next followed the printing press. The introduction of Cultural convergence suggests that globalization
the printing press allowed the continuous production, engenders a growing sameness of cultures. However,
reproduction. and circulation of print materials. Written the culture of powerful and progressive countries
documents were mass produced which gave everyone becomes culture. Take the example of K-pop culture.
access to information that was once available only to Some teenage Filipinos prefer to dress up like their
the rich, powerful, and religious. This period of media South Korean 2 dols. A lot of them have also joined fan
development affected globalization by transforming clubs in support of Koreanovelas, Korean boybands,
various institutions such as schools, markets, among others. Ar the same time, many Filipino music
businesses, churches, governments, and armies, among bands are influenced by jazz and the reggae music of
others. the West.

Another stage is the emergence of electronic media as Cultural hybridity suggests that globalization spawns
characterized by its use of electricity. Electronic media an increasing and ongoing mixing of cultures. An
includes the telegraph, telephone, radio, film, and example of this is the Chabacano, a Spanish-based
creole language of the Zamboanga City and of some
parts of Cavite, which exemplifies hybridity in language
prompted by the merging of two cultures. This trend
will further bring about new cultural forms, not only in
language but also in food, fashion, arts, music, among
others.

These outcomes set the dynamics between local and

global cultural production. Globalization, coined from
globalization and localization, is a rather new concept
brought about by the increased frequency of contact
among cultures. This reinforces the fact that local
cultures are not weak, static, or fixed; they are built and
understood anew each day in a globalized world (Lule,
2014). Local cultures continue to accommodate and
assimilate cultures of the world due to globalization.

All in all, the five stages of development of media have

greatly influenced the globalization of culture. From
pamphlets to Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat, media
has produced and reproduced cultural products around
the globe. Moreover, the increase in cultural
interactions generated by media results in outcomes
that exhibit the vigor of local cultures influenced by the
global culture.