Globalisation: A Linguistic Approach...

According to many anti-globalists, globalisation, i.e. the breaking down of cultural and national boundaries, has led to 'cultural imperialism' by the West (particularly America) over the rest of the world i.e. dominance of Western culture over other cultures. These anti-globalists make certain valid points and point towards the proliferation of the English language when trying to illustrate the effect that cultural globalisation has had on the different cultures around the world, claiming that the spread of English world wide has undermined the plethora of other dialects that enrich the international tapestry of languages. However, this argument is reductionist in nature and does not entertain the notion that linguistic globalisation may also be a positive phenomenon.

 The nineteenth century was a time of Pax Britannica, with Britain dominating over other European powers and spreading it's culture (language being a part of this) through colonisation. The twentieth century was the age of Pax Americana, with the United States imposing it's military and political hegemony through out the world, spreading it's culture in the process. Thus, English has enjoyed a double tenure, first as the language of the British and then as the central language of American culture and the international proliferation of English has only been a natural consequence of the dominance of these two nations.

However, the spread of English has not led to the elimination of other languages but has rather resulted in rich blends of different languages with English, altering English to local dialects while at the same time making these dialects more easily understandable by the rest of the world. As the English intellectual, Charles Leadbeater says, "Many varieties and combinations of the language (English) have emerged. The pessimists' black and white world rules out the possibility of people reaching these fruitful combinations in language." The works of Salman Rushdie, who sews together English with Bengali slang in his fictional writing, and other Asian writers such as Anita Desai and Arundhati Roy, demonstrate how local languages and English can come together beautifully.

The United States itself is slowly becoming a multi linguistic society; with immigrants hailing from countless cultural and linguistic backgrounds and the American emphasis on equal rights for all this gradual shift to multi lingualism is only natural. Bhagwati, in his book, 'In Defense of Globalisation', points out that cash dispensing machines in American banks now 'talk' in multiple languages such as Spanish, Chinese and Gujrati, which signifies how America is a host to multiple dialects.

The local use of indigenous languages has even revived in spite of, and even in response to the spread of English. Globalisation has made people more acutely aware of this distinct values and norms of different cultures and has pushed people to more actively hold on to and flaunt Thieu distinctive cultural identities. This has lead to a resurgence in the promotion of local customs and languages, instead of undermining these as anti-globalists seem to believe.

Karachi: My City by the Sea...

A year ago, in the May 17^th issue of Time, Howard Chua-Eoan, while analyzing the attempted bombing in Times Square by Faisal Shahzad, called Karachi, “Pakistan’s dangerous port city.” These four words leave a heavy impact on the mind, painting a picture of a decaying city, torn by violence and plagued by crime. But though Karachi is indeed heavily burdened by terrorism and violence we are in no way a decaying city. Though dealing with poverty, over-population and crumbling infrastructure since my memory serves me, Karachi is a thriving city, a resilient city. It is bustling with life and filled to the brim with people who are strong and determined to make the best of their conditions. From the vendors on the streets, to the C.E.Os sitting in air conditioned offices the people in this city are determined to overcome the turbulence and turmoil that is a part of our everyday lives.

I have always loved Karachi, my chaotically beautiful city by the sea, and I would never want to live anywhere in the world but here. This is home. It is the land which has sustained me my whole life and I would never turn my back on it. I scoff at those people who aspire to establish their lives abroad and dream of greener, more peaceful pastures. I feel that they are trying to fool themselves; they don’t understand that no city in the world will accept them as their own… they can go to the other end of the Earth but they will always and forever be Karachites. I feel weary of those who continuously complain about the conditions of this city. There is beauty, I tell them, in this cluster and this pandemonium and it is up to us to dust away the bedlam to reveal this beauty.  

 It’s a lovely city, our Karachi. There’s no place in the world quite like it. No city which, despite the tragedy we face and the uncertainty we live in, manages to wake up every morning and get on with the day with the determination that we do.

South Asian society

South Asia is one of the richest regions of the world on two accounts; it is home to a variety of the world’s richest and most prominent cultures and is also a region abundant in natural resources and human capital. The region includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka amongst other countries, each of whom have very unique and dynamic cultures and histories. However, a key feature in all South Asian cultures is religion; faith is an imperative fabric of the social as well as political fabric of all the countries recognized as belonging to this region. Other aspects of South Asian cultures that make them stand out are the rich plethora of colors that are seen in every aspect such as traditional clothing and festivities; the Hindu festival of Diwali, most commonly practiced in India is, quite literally, a celebration of colors. South Asian food is also very distinguishable and is recognized the world over as being very original and full of flavor; from the delicacy ‘Lamprais’ to the Pakistani nation’s favorite dish of ‘Biryani’.

Over the past few decades South Asia’s economic growth and development have also boomed. The region includes one of the world’s fast growing economies i.e. India which is, along with China, Brazil and Russia, part of the ‘Big Four’ economies recognized as the four countries to have shown the highest rate of economic growth over recent decades. However, while literacy in some countries, such as Sri Lanka (which boasts a literacy rate of higher than 90%), is commendable, in most of the region the quality of education is abysmal with the majority of the population, in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, having no or little access to any education.

Poverty is also a major issue in South Asia which, instead of being successfully eradicated, has grown exponentially: the number of people in South Asia living on less than $1.25 a day increased from 549 million in 1981 to 595 million in 2005 and this number has continued to increase over the past five years. Millions of people are living in squalid living conditions with no access to proper nourishment and health care. I believe that there are two reasons for the poverty epidemic of the region: firstly, the economic growth in most of the region has been spurred greatly by the presence of multi-nationals and firms from developed countries investing in the region. This investment however is in terms of the manufacturing of labour-intensive consumer durables which employs cheap unskilled laborers at the lowest possible wage rates which are not even enough for the earner to gain access to basic necessities. Workers in Nike’s factories in Thailand are paid less than fifty cents per t-shirt… t-shirts which are then sold in Nike’s stores for over $50. Such economic growth, while appearing impressive when presented statistical data, does nothing to elevate poverty on the micro-level. Secondly, the countries of South Asia spend appallingly low portions of their government spending on social welfare; most government spending is squandered in the Defense budgets of these states or is used to sustain the corrupt bureaucratic institutions present in most of these countries and thus little is spent on the education, health and other aspects of the well-being of the masses.

However, South Asia holds the capacity to successful conquer its setbacks; it is a region which has already fought off many impediments from a plethora of natural disasters to numerous autocratic ruling regimes. If the region learns to sustain itself by coming together and taking advantage of the many natural and human resources it holds it could gradually but steadily rise as the world’s most thriving and developed region. 

South Asian society...

The South Asian society is widely known and believed all over the world as a conservative and backward model to the world. The South Asian society majorly consists of nations such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. In order to erase their name from the list of conservative societies, these three countries have embarked on a journey to heighten their names in different fields of agricultural and textile exports. Each country has their own strengths. Pakistan is known to have stable nuclear power, whereas India is the home to the second largest navy, falling behind the British, and Bangladesh is ranked the eighth most populous country in the world and benefits from agricultural and textile exports.

In south Asian society, cultural, family and traditional values are most honored and valued. The people in this society are so closely knitted to each other that the pain of one becomes the pain of many. Happiness is spread and sorrows are shared. This society has been a recent target to claims such as terrorism and instability but has survived with great love and care that fills every other heart that beats in these nations.

South Asian society is supplemented with multicultural civilizations and values. The region is traditionally diverse as each region of every country in this block has different communities and religious preference; different communities’ has lived in harmony and peace. This cultural diversity has led to the development of new inclinations even in the fashion outlines. People in this region give great respect for their culture and drifts and have overwhelming admiration for their religion. The large populations of the South Asian block are more hard working and determined. The employments from the Asian block are more favored over any other realm because of this nature of people which is a great boon to employers across the globe

Middle East...

After a raging battle for the achieving the right for democracy and freedom, a judgment was passed upon. At the end of a dramatic day, Egypt’s willful protests finally took a turn as the powerful army promised to give them all they were fighting for. This raised high hopes as the people waited with baited breaths to hear the final verdict, that the president would end his 30 year rule. Instead, what met the ears of the people was not entirely good news. Mr. Mubarak instead said on television again that he would stay on till September.

This betrayal enraged protesters more and brought up protests from foreign powers, with the United States increasing international pressure on Mr. Mubarak to quit.

After the president's speech, Barack Obama released a statement demanding an "unequivocal path toward genuine democracy" in Egypt, which has long been supported by massive US aid.

"The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient," he said.

"Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world."

Hidden Face of Globalization...

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We wake up to the sound of our Nokia phones, we put on our Nikes and Levis and jump into Toyotas while sipping our Nescafe’s. Do our assignments through Google on our Hp computers. Watch our favorite movies on our Sony TV screens with Samsung DVD players, while having McDonald’s with Coca Cola. Globalization- we’re living it. Every day, all the time.

Do we ever stop to think who makes the products we buy? Do we spare a second to imagine the countless human faces behind these brands and labels? All across the developing world the workers who make our products are young people like us. 80 % of them are women 16 to 25 years old who are locked in factories and forced to work under hard, sweatshop conditions. Why? Because people like us need to have the best of everything, in all colors and sizes with all the right labels. They say the cruel and inhuman labor condition of the millions of workers around the globe is something the corporations have hidden from us. But I think we all see it and chose to ignore it.

Think about it: one day you read somewhere or watch a documentary about how children are forced to work in those factories with extreme heat, being paid starvation wages of hardly 17 cents an hour and living in misery, let alone poverty. The next day would you stop drinking Red Bull? Not buy the half priced pair of slippers from Wal-mart that everyone you know owns? Or stop watching television?

Globalization

The world seems to grow smaller and smaller. Here I sit in my room, write down a document and mail it to a friend to lives miles away. All I do is type it on a technological box called computer, upload it to the internet and press a button and my friend receives it. This same mail could be send to my brother who lives in a country thousands of miles away and even to my cousin who lives hundreds of countries away.

This is globalization. It has brought the world so close that the inter connections can never be cut off.

One country produces something on its land and the other day the stuff exported to another country miles away.

This sounds good to hear, but the greatest problem is we tend to ignore how this could be used by other evil forces at work. If a good can be traded so easily, how difficult would it be for a terrorist to smuggle arms and ammunitions, even bombs over boundaries? Are we ignoring the high smuggling to drugs all over the world? Drugs that are produced in African countries and then traded all over the world. How a terrorist leader hides insides the caves of Afghanistan and control a suicide attack in America?

If globalization has opened borders, it has done so for everyone. It is an irreversible process that is being now used by forces that tend to work to bring harm to the world and its inhabitants.

If one nation prospers, are we forgetting that it is doing over the suffering of another nation, simple economics, u take from one and give it to the other, stuff just doesn’t come out of nowhere.

The world has become a GLOBAL VILLAGE but do not butter yourself with the phenomena, it connects not only you but everyone and everyone does not work for the betterment of its inhabitants.

The South Asian society

The South Asian society known and believed all over the world as a conservative and backward model to the world consists of nations such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Pakistan, itself being a nuclear state, India ,having the second biggest navy in the world only coming second to the British, and Bangladesh, the eighth most populous country which has embarked its name in agricultural and textile exports.

It is this society in which cultural, family and traditional values are most honored and valued. It is this society in which people are so closely knitted to each other than the pain of one becomes the pain of many. Happiness is spread and sorrows are shared. Even though this society has been a recent target to claims such as terrorism but this society has survived with great love and care that fills every other heart that beats in these nations.

Even though Pakistan has had recent setbacks of terror attacks and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes on its land but it has survived for 65 years and with the heart and prayer of its people it will carry on to not only live but prosper. India is the fasting growing economy and the next “soft power” rising shoulder to shoulder with china, one of the most dominant economic and cultural nations of the world. These two nations have had their differences in the past and might be having them forever but great hope is being put together and talks have been channeled so that better for both nations could be sought out.

Like every society, even this society is been dismembered by forces that have been either created or fed by them. The serious lack of unity due to multi-cultures’ and different ethnic backgrounds has divided this society to extremes that the interaction of poles have rather become not impossible but improbable. The society faces diseases such as crime, corruption, inflational practices, overpopulation and the worst bad governance. These add onto make the society so weak that it is been looked down on by the western culture, and the worst that could happen to this society was the push by religious extremism.

Even though the society is weak, but is full of beautiful people with beautiful hearts, which is why it has the ever knowing ability to prosper. 

Globalization...

The world is now a Global Village is a cliché which is used to define Globalization most of the times. The way the world is now interconnected and in some cases interdependent and the influence of one country on another is what Globalization is all about. Culture invasions, creation of excess and mass demand, trends in the way of living, comparative advantage and Industrial revolution are some of the very distinct outcomes of Globalization.

The best example of culture invasion is the westernization of culture in the Asian countries. We see that over the years, way of living and culture has been heavily influenced by the western countries, in the form of the clothes we wear, the food we eat and even our recreational activities. This change in the way of living creates an excess of demand because the more we get exposed to the variety  of products and utilities that are offered the more the demand it creates and hence there is an excess of demand.

This is taken advantage of by large multinationals as they come and setup factories in developing countries  which have been the worst hit as they are the biggest importers of western products. This is because most developing countries have an absolute advantage in Agriculture and they concentrate on the production of agriculture and import industrialized products.

Globalization on the other hand also has its negative impact. The mass production of products has resulted in rapid depletion of the natural resources. It has created a huge market for the trade of Arms and Ammunition which has given rise to terrorism around the world. The race towards industrialization to take advantage of the mass demand has caused Global warming. This has resulted in drastic climatic changes giving rise to deadly natural disasters which remains to be a major concern throughout the world.

Middle-Eastern society...

Middle east has been a major concern in the global war against terrorism. There have been major terrorists attacks in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Israel which shows how terrorism can ruin lives. The active groups mainly comprise of  al-Qaida, Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), Hizballah, Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Ansar al-Islam (AI). A significant amount of counterterrorist movements have been made against them one of which is the removal of Saddam Hussein while conducting the US led operation, Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Governments throughout the region have shown a great interest in joining hands in the fight against terrorism and the eradication of terrorism from their own land. These countries worked in coalition for the Iraqi freedom project and are also working in coalition with US in Afghanistan. The United States provided training throughout the region to increase the capacity of these countries in the fight against terrorism. After Saudi Arabia suffered two major, horrific terrorist attacks during 2003, it joined hands with the US and started an aggressive campaign against Al-Qaida. Saudi and US started working hand in hand for intelligence information sharing and to hinder terrorist Financing that was being carried out from this region. The Saudi Government has also widely publicized a rewards program for the capture of the Kingdom’s most-wanted terrorist suspects. Saudi security forces arrested more than 600 individuals on counter terrorism charges following the attacks in 2003.

The Government of Yemen made a number of key al-Qaida–related arrests in 2003. The United States and Yemen continue joint counterterrorism training and cooperation, and there has been significant

progress on standing up the Yemen Coast Guard. The other states have also made important progress, particularly in locating and blocking terrorist finances, sharing information and intelligence on terrorists and terrorist groups and strengthening law enforcement cooperation.

Morocco stepped-up its counterterrorism actions after the suicide bombings in Casablanca. The Moroccan authorities took strict actions to identify the culprits and uncovered the involvement of several deadly terrorist groups and took decisive legal actions to address the threat. Egypt continued to be a leader in the counterterrorism fight and increased its dialogue with the United States on this issue.

Algeria also made regional counterterrorism cooperation, supporting Coalition efforts against al-Qaida while it acted against indigenous terror groups.

The Palestinian Authority on the other hand is being continuously blamed by the western countries for taking insufficient steps to stop terrorist operations. They blame Palestine and Lebanon for continuously hosting numerous terrorist groups and that they refused to take actions against certain terrorist elements in the country.

South Asian society...

South Asia comprises of a group of countries that have made the head line of many news papers around the world for good and bad reasons.  It includes Pakistan that has been the centre of attention for many western countries because of it being continuously blamed for terrorism. Then it has India which has economically out classed many countries by consistently trying to become self sufficient. Then there is Bangladesh which has made a mark in the textile and garment Industry.

South Asia is rich in culture and tradition. A set of unique languages are spoken in different countries for e.g. Hindi and Urdu which is a mixture of historical languages such as Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. Cultures and traditions followed in such countries have their own differences but generally they are the same. It is a fact that the culture over the years has been heavily influenced by the western countries yet there are certain things that remain the same. For example, the lack of rights and respect for women even though most of the beliefs followed in this sub continent preach otherwise. The ethnic back grounds that people belong to in this sub continent are also very unique in nature with very distinct languages and ways of living e.g. Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi and many more.

South Asia is also rich in agriculture with bumper production of crops such as wheat, sugar and rice which are exported throughout the world. Countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan are now trying to become more industrialized to overcome certain economic problems such as inflation and unemployment.  Even though literacy rates are low in this subcontinent, it still supplies a vast number of highly qualified professionals to the rest of the world for e.g. Doctors, Accountants and Engineers etc.

The term Globalization...

The term  globalization is a phenomena which is inevitable specially at this point and time. The world is largely becoming a global village and there is a rise in the interdepence amongst countries. One could say that the world is becoming more and more efficient as far as the usage of resources and production of products is concerned. Thus the world is evolving and becoming a stage where the survival of the fittest is the need of the hour.

Globalization has not only encouraged development and prosperity amongst nations but has also created an environment where specialization as well as quality control and development procedures have attained a lot of importance along with a lot of development in these fields has also taken place. For example now countries know their strengths and weaknesses specialize in those fields which would be beneficial for the growth of the nation.

But like everything globalisation also has some disadvantages. The world has become very competitive and the countries who own the resources dictate terms to the dependent partners. The war which had initially started to attain greater market access has eventually leaded to a war to attain resources. The greatest example is the United States which started the war against terror so that terrorism be eradicated but if one reads different analysts associated with different think tanks around the globe, there is a general perception that the war is just a way to get hold of the resources present in Iraq and Afghanistan. Former President George Bush and Vice President Dick Chenny have been associated with different scams in regard to the war on terror.

The other disadvantage could be the unequal distribution of wealth as the rich are becoming richer and richer while the suffering of the poor is increasing by every passaging of day. Some believe that it is the result of free trade which is a product of globalization which has adversely affected the small trading partner.

Having said that still the benefits comapred to the disadvantages of globalization are far more greater. The concept of world becoming a global village might eventually lead to an international government which would act like a regulator amongst different countries.

The interaction amongst different cultures and traditions is also on a rise which would eventually lead to a common ground where all segments of societies could meet and the differences amongst them would be eliminated and by this interfaith harmony would also be possible.

By this the world would become a better place to live……

Egyptian Crisis...

It had been almost thirty years that Egyptians were living under the rule of Hosni Mubarak, apparently a few months back Egypt as a state had refused to recognize Hosni Mubarak as their president and want immediate resignation from him. Renowned political parties and other media anchors said that it was because of his dictator attitude and unfriendly policies that had compelled people of Egypt to rebel against him. Furthermore he had always been a domestic dictator; he never led any political party to come in the lime light and work for the flourish and prosper of democracy. He kept suppressing and polluting political stability with his tyrant rule which became the major reason of his downfall. On the other hand his policies like banning the main Islamic opposition group and suppressing and holding back the voice of media made him appear bad character in front of masses. During his regime Poverty corruption unrest situations and unemployment flourished at its maximum. But the question that strikes every mind is that who were the protesters and how did it started and how it got quite heated up in such small span of time? Originally this was that young middle class social media group who started all of this protest. Their enthusiasm spread to all ages including people from civil society, politician’s media to raise their voice against unfair policies of eighty two years old dictator and finally asked for a revolution. Protests all over the Egypt started to emerge and people belonging from diverse sectors gathered together and compelled the dictator to resign. After weeks of protest in Cairo and other cities Hosni Mubarak, stepped down as president of Egypt and world witnessed a great revolution.

Globalisation – The Pros and Cons of the Global Village

Globalization has been there for many years. Before, people traded goods and travelling across immense distances. The modern globalization starts with the Industrial Revolution ; new machines were able to manufacture cheaper goods. Countries move about closer to each other. Natives, businesses and organizations in dissimilar countries can live and work mutually. We can trade goods, cash and ideas quicker and cheaper than ever before.

Numerous experts have said that we require a different kind of globalization in our world today. There must be customs to make certain that all countries profit from the superior sides of globalization. We ought to help inferior countries by giving them better education and viewing them how new expertise works.

Free trade has increased among nations. Corporations have bigger flexibility to function across borders. So far the flow of communications has increases which allows vital information to be shared amid individuals and corporations just about the world. Lessening of cultural barriers increases the global village effect, spread of democratic ideals to urbanized nations. International bodies like the World Trade Organization contravene on national and individual sovereignty. Globalization decreases in environmental integrity as polluting corporations take benefit of weak regulatory rules in developing countries.

In the previous few years groups against globalization have prearranged protest marches in addition to demonstrations to point out that not everybody is content with how the world's market is mounting.

Egypt Crisis...

The recent unrest in Egypt has made people wonder as to what are the causes to this sudden up rise. President Housani Mubarak, an American backed dictator, has been made widely unpopular as a result of this unrest in eygpt. The protestors only demand the removal of mr. Mubarak from the presidential office. They demand a free and fair election to be held as soon as poslb so that genuine leadership would emerge as well as the problems of the people could be addressed.

Anylst believe that the sudden change in white house policy towards the Middle East has made people wonder as to what is coming next. The reason behind this thinking is that this is a movement which is led by the local people as they have stood up against injustice corruption and poverty.

But this movement is termed to be a turning point as far as the history of the region is concerned as the dynamics are rapidly changing with the passage every second.

The people demand a government which is backed by them and should represent them rather than the foreign forces and this could be witnessed at the Tehreem Square where people are on their own and they are not backing Mohammad Al Baradi who is considered to be a US backed opposition leader.

This unrest has also made other countries in the region think on improving the state of affairs in their countries.  Jordan is the biggest example where the king has sacked his Prime Minister on the grounds of corruption.

It is also said that this movement might end up with a change in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which could chamge the entire dynamics of the Islamic world completely and due to this the Saudi government is still backing the unpopular Mubarak. 

How can the government improve gender related policies?

The government of every country plays an important role in framing the policies for the benefits if its citizens. One example of such policies is gender related policies. In many countries women are discriminated in all spheres and little or nothing is being done by the government in order to amend or improve these policies to promote gender equality at all levels.

It is seen that many women face discrimination at work and there is gender inequality. They cannot aspire to reach a good position at the work place, even though their skills, talents and abilities are similar to those men. A “glass ceiling” exists at the work place which acts as a barrier for women and limits their chances of women to rise within the hierarchy of an organization.  The sociological theory of Lisa Atkins also says that many women face sexual harassment at work and their complaints are not taken seriously by the employers.  I think that the solution to this can be that the policies should be framed in such a way that the government should take steps to frame policies that promote equality. Jobs should be based on skills and expertise and not on gender. Together with this, there should be equal opportunities of promotion for both men and women, and both should have a right to exercise their work according to their will. In households’ women play w very important role in domestic work and child rearing, but there work is not recognized because it is “unpaid”.  In order to make this work recognized, policies should be made that propose help in domestic work and child rearing by both parents. An effort should also be made by the NGO’s  to go from door to door and ask women about how they want their work to be recognized.

Like women, there are some policies that should also be made for men, so that gender equality is promoted. Like women, men should also get paternal leave from work. Also, it is seen that many people who are seen on the streets are men and not women. The reason for this being ,that men are not protected and given shelter like women, and so something should be done by the government to give shelter to homeless men.

Thus I think that in every country the government should make a conscious effort to make a list of policies that promote gender equality at all levels so there is no equality and all discrimination based on gender comes to an end.

South Asia...

South Asia basically consists of nine countries Pakistan India Sri Lanka Maldives Bhutan Iran Bangladesh and Nepal. All these countries have their own significant and considerable culture and values that they are attached with. South Asia makes over one fifth of the world population that’s why it is considered as one of the most populous and densely populated geographical region of the world. Talking about the culture of south Asian countries, it would not be wrong to say these countries are very much rooted with their history and olden times. People of this region are very firm on their religious believes, they feel proud and glory over their culture and they follow all the customs and traditions setup by their ancestors. The south Asian society is well hardworking. There is good potential and capacity just the unavailability of resources and lack of proper management distracts them a bit. However, south Asian, have made their name in many fields because of talent. These countries also have nuclear power which gives them the advantage over other countries and make them a prominent and an impactful region. They have abundant availability of natural resources and agriculture land which makes them an important player in world economics. Poverty and hunger is an issue that needs to be addressed in order to see south Asian societies flourishing in future. Due to uneven distribution of wealth and lack of economic opportunities people are heading towards crime offense and hunger. Politics and government dynamics in also an important aspect that needs to be sort out to make south Asia prosperous and affluent region in future.

Globalization...

They say that globalization is the reflection of relations between different regions of the world and the shared influence is what societies exert upon one another. But this general perception does not always capture the relationship between every region. Our knowledge and experience of the world reveals this reality to us that globalization is more or less a concealed term for westernization or Americanization. If we say for example that Hollywood is inspired by Massai then this statement might sound ridiculous but if we say it the other way round then this would certainly not sound as ludicrous although the fact that Hollywood is influenced by Massai is likely to be true. Even right now when I am using these terms like “Massai” Microsoft Word is marking it to be spell checked. The entire system of trade and decision making is based on the will of a single region to which other nations have to comply, in order to survive. This process, at least in South Asia, has started with our colonized mind sets through which we have warmly welcomed exploitation through globalization and many regions themselves have given up by choosing to become the “labour class” and letting the receiving region become the “capitalist”.

Turkey starts building ‘dam of friendship’ with Syria

In an attempt to strength relationships with Syria, Turkey has started the construction of a ‘dam of friendship’ with the country. The Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a groundbreaking ceremony this Sunday for the construction of a dam on a river that flows from Syria to Turkey known as the River Asi. This ceremony was held at the border province of Hatay, where the Turkish citizens were waving the Turkey and Syrian flags.

In his address, the Prime Minister said, “Turkey and Syria are two brothers, and friendly ties between the two will continue forever,” ‘Today, the Asi River ceases to be a border line that separates us, that sets us apart, as it becomes a border line that brings us closer.”

The beginning of construction of this dam, which is dubbed as “the dam of friendship” was a project long delayed project due to disagreements on technical details. On Jan. 7, 2010, it was announced that both countries agreed to build the dam. It has now been decided that the dam will be used exclusively for irrigation purposes and as a flood prevention barrier. After its completion, it will be possible to irrigate 13,334 hectares of land. However, it’s purposes are not just restricted to that. Erdoğan said Turkey and Syria will also jointly use the electricity that the dam produces. It will also be possible to carry out fishery activities and water sports and other recreational activities. The costs of the dam’s operation and maintenance will be covered by the two countries, and each will have an equal share of the responsibility.

Erdoğan, later flew to Aleppo to meet with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. There he mentioned his government’s policy of “zero problems with neighbors, that led to the construction of this dam and a radical transformation in Turkish-Syrian ties with cooperation in almost every field. He said “Turkey will be more peaceful as Syria becomes more peaceful, and Syria will become wealthier as Turkey becomes wealthier,”“We are nations that were made brothers by history. Our destiny has been one and the same for centuries.”

South Asian society- An overview...

South Asian countries consist mostly of countries that were previously British colonies. This advent of the British rule helped them move towards modernization and a huge wave of decolonization which swept over the South Asian countries in the middle of 20^th century left them like little nestling with no mother to take care of them. This is reinforced by their stature in the world as third world countries and status as developing. The South Asian countries are blessed with oil as is evident by many scientific research but unlike the middle eastern countries who are earning money off the oil the South Asian countries live happily of the pocket money they receive from powerful nations. Their character is still tainted with submission towards a power. Previously it was UK and now it is the US. What has been acquired can also be forgotten and slowly this attitude is changing. India, for one, is learning to stand upon its feet and has now a booming economy. But the problem is the many little South Asian feet. This region of the world is burdened with over population, which provides a strain to the already meager resources of the government. South Asian people keep their loyalties towards the state and not the government. Their loyalty comes out at different times and whenever it does forms and example for the whole world to learn from. The institutions in these countries are not well developed due the mishandling in the beginning when they achieved independence and the same traditions of mismanagement and money laundering are still being followed with utmost care to preserve, it seems, a national identity which everyone is aware of. The private sector on the other hand has done admirably well in the countries showing the creativity and hard work of the masses. The general population strives in its day to day activities and tries to make the society a better place, but these nations have a long way to go and they need proper governance and proper institutes.

Globalization, the new world order...

Globalization is the new world order. It is a phenomenon that is enveloping us all, and in almost all aspects of our life. And yet defining this concept is not simple. In the plainest terms, globalization is the emergence of the world as a global village; where connections are not only possible but very easy, quick and efficient. The advent and spread of technology to many regions of the world has made communication from across the sphere from the globe very effortless and potentially straightforward. Globalization now incorporates trade, economics, social and cultural spheres of a nation. A country could never exist solely in isolation and now it is even more impossible. Nations from across the world in engaged in political, economical and social ties with each other, and relationships have become an interconnected web supporting many different links. As with everything else, globalization and its consequent interdependence and linkages come with advantages and disadvantages. The greatest benefit of globalization is undoubtedly the spread of modern technological advancement to the developing countries. This promotes technological innovations in the developed countries and provides opportunities for the world as a whole to grow in the technology scale. Other advantages include the economics and trade markets. Trade has thrived in the competitive global market. Consumers are now presented with innumerable number of choices which allow them to opt for a lifestyle they want. The mixing and promotion of different cultures and tourism are also seen as desirable consequences. Social values are also being propagated and promoted; global forums and societies are working to raise awareness against global issues. The disadvantages include the usage of technology to form more advanced WMS. Arms trade between the countries has also increased and with that the black and grey markets are also thriving bringing small arms to the streets of developing countries. The concept of free market economy has made the global arena highly competitive, where survival is no easy task. It is not always possible for all nations and all companies to meet the stringent criteria for a high standard and other requirements. Similarly, the foreign substitutes in a nation result in the local products losing their market. Increased globalization is promoting a plan to change the map of the world by the superpowers known as New World Order which is more suitable for the world we are living in, as the state system is becoming less efficient now.

Middle East crisis - will history repeats itself!

The present situation seems very familiar. Against the background of ever-rising inflation, the Middle East descends into chaos, sending the oil price surging and the global economy into recession.

Back in 1973-74, this is exactly what occurred as a result of the Arab-Israeli war, and the western regions boycott by producers in the OPEC cartel as well as a fourfold rise in the cost of crude oil. The crisis, however, had deeper roots: the inability of the US to secure the international financial system, given the cost incurred by the Vietnam War, a steady increase in price pressures over the previous half-decade, and the easy accessibiliy of credit as politicians worked to keep the long post-war boom going.

This trend has been present across the years; 1973-74 to 2010-11. The period since 2007 has witnessed an international financial crisis. The US has been severely impaired by the military over-stretch as well as the bursting of its housing bubble. The abundance of cheap money in the global market has quickened the economic recovery, but at the cost of record food prices, and others; copper at $10,000 a ton, and Brent crude back above $100 a barrel.

Now the scales are shifting across North Africa: yesterday it was Tunisia, today it is Egypt, and tomorrow perhaps it will be Algeria. These being the equally undemocratic regimes of the Middle East, sitting on a large chunk of global oil reserves.

If history repeats itself, the initial result will be higher inflation as companies increase their mark up prices and workers seek higher wages. This will be followed by deflation produced by a shrink on corporate profitability and consumer real incomes from dearer food and energy, united with a tightening of monetary policy as central banks seek to bring inflation down again.

Financial markets, it has to be said, appear remarkably relaxed about this entire scenario. Share prices are soaring up on the back of optimism about the growth prospects for the world's two biggest economies, China and the US. Bond markets also have apparently ignored the risk that policy-makers may soon start to increase the cost of borrowing.

But,however, for oil supplies to be seriously affected today, the unrest in the Middle East would have to spread to other regimes who are willing to use their crude stocks for political purposes. There has been a spike in the prices of oil, but for present that is all. There are long-term reasons explaining high oil prices, but no apparently obvious reasons to satisfactorily explain why events in Egypt should witness the price of crude  oil approaching the record levels of almost $150 a barrel seen in 2008.

The reasons for the high expense of oil reflects what is happening in China and the US rather than Egypt and Tunisia, but we should still be concerned. Why? Simply because each of the four major recessions since the early 1970s have been lead by a leap in oil prices.

Globalization...

It is an ongoing debate. Where perspectives shift based upon global position. This global position includes the geographical location; western world or the eastern, and the global status; super power, developed nation or a developing nation. But before the weighing the scales on this phenomenon, what does it actually mean? Globalization is the integration of the world into one small village. It is essentially a term that represents connections. The world is now connected with modern technology and internet providing instantaneous long-distance communications. Globalization has revolutionized the concept of distance; its meaning, its implications have now been challenged. The process or rather state of globalization which allows a global free-market trade, as well as exchanges of technology, culture and social values is assumed to be a positive thing. Obviously it is good if the world is coming together and there is interdependence and cooperation. Nations are linked in several ties with others, and each is helping the other to progress and advance towards betterment. This is the general idea that the seeming wonderful concept of globalization portrays. However, a closer look at our world today reveals a different picture. Poverty has increased, and continues to do so. More and more regions of the world are now coming under this label. Starkly contrasted to this is the fact that the wealthier regions of the world are as steadily becoming richer and richer. Is globalization indeed benefitting all? It is true that new and modern technology has reached the developing world, but the developed world still continues to remain the basis of comparison. And by comparison the developed world is still far behind. And this power imbalance and status quo will remain, for globalization is reinforcing it. Globalization is benefitting different regions at different paces and to different extents, if indeed it is benefitting all regions. Multinational companies such as Nike open up factories in poorer region under the pretext of providing employment and revenues while actually exploiting cheap labour. World organizations such as IMF and the world claim to help developing regions by monetary assistance, however in exchange of loans the nation has to agree to many conditions which are often detrimental to it, and furthermore, the superpowers feel that they have a license to interfere in the internal matters of a nation. The concept of free trade asserts that it provides everyone an equal chance to compete in the global market. However, it is a competition and like all competitions, the fittest win. The developing nations often fail to match the high standards of their wealthier competitors. Those who support it, associate the concept of interdependence with globalization. However, in most cases it actually translates into the dependence of the weaker nation and the domination of the wealthier. Instead of striving to be self-sufficient, globalization traps the developing nations to rely on the developed superpowers for their survival.

South Asian society...

South Asian countries which include Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are unique in many aspects. Though still developing nations, they are abundant in natural resources. The subcontinent region has been claimed to have the likelihood of oil reserves. These countries are also sprinkled with cave mines which contain valuable minerals. By the western world, they are viewed as the ‘other’ region, and yet their geographical location allows them to administer several trade routes connecting different regions of the world. Pakistan particularly is said to have position on the globe that can serve as a route linking the east to the west. South Asian countries are over populated, but the populace of this region is rich in its diversity. These countries have a rich heritage and a rich cultural diversity with several different ethnicities and languages. Pakistan alone has four provincial languages along with a national and an official language; each province has also has its own culture and set of traditions. For all their strengths, the population of these nations is not united. Their multi-ethnic and multi-lingual state which should be a cause of pride and a means of strengthening their internal ties is actually the source of their differences and feuds. Instead of working united for the benefit of their state, the minorities have been fighting for separation, such as Tamil tigers in Sri Lanka, Sikhs in India and the Pakhtuns in Pakistan. The divided people coupled with ineffective corrupt government’s forms the major reason of the under-development of this region. The governments that these poor countries have are usually ill suited to the task of running a country, and are also dishonest and disloyal towards their nation. Instead of tapping the resources of the country and develop it to its potential, these politicians and leaders busy themselves in filling their own pocket and turning a blind eye and a deaf ear towards the people and the problems of the country. The corrupt government is the reason for corruption being present in most institutes of these countries and as well as it seems a characteristic present in a great portion of the local people. South Asian countries have their irreplaceable place in the history and the geography of the world. This region has a great potential to improve, if only it is properly worked for.

Globalization...

Globalization happens to be one of the most interesting phenomenons that shape our lives today. It basically means the crossing of boundaries that were once created to separate. Globalization creates a global village that brings people together, countries together and simply makes the world a boundary free world. However the debate remains whether globalization is indeed a benefit to this world or simply a blanket cover for making the rich richer.

Globalization helps us by bringing the world closer. The gap between cultures and languages is closed and a much more synchronized state of living is organized. However, critics argue that this very synchrony tends to over shadow the weaker cultures or those that are not very proliferated. One culture emerges as the stronger one to over shadow and eventually infiltrates the weaker culture leaving it no longer the same and simply a part of history. Thus we see the polarization of the western culture and an eastern culture with no specificity in between that once littered the world.

Apart from that globalization has succeeded in making trade easier. What was once only available in one part of the world is now a worldwide commodity. There is no longer sovereignty in trade and being the jack of all trades is a much easier option. While this point may prove that globalization has indeed worked some magic, on the other hand this very diminishment of trade barriers had led to first world countries having the upper hand in trade and finance all the time. Smaller nations, who once capitalized on their own special trade items, are now unable to earn their due place in the world market due to homogeneity.

Also while globalization may have brought countries together, it has given the powerful nations a chance to freely infiltrate weaker nations and dictate their policy. Globalization has in a way legitimized the interference of nations amongst each other. This policy is detrimental to smaller nations that need their own space to grow. Instead they are manipulated for the interest of powerful nations.

Conclusively, globalization while removing boundaries has crippled the world of its differences which were once celebrated. 

Globalisation...

Globalisation as a social policy phenomenon has added a new paradigm to politics, economics and international relations. Competition and intercountry relations have drastically changed. 

More competitve industries; as the competition increases, efficiency also increases benifiting the economy and consumers with a variety of goods to choose from with higher added value. Improved lifestyle of standards of living; As variety of goods and quality increases, this also increases the standards of living of individuals.

Flow of capital investments; seeking new buisness ventures, hot money can flow into the economy to use the resources; minerals, diamonds etc. This brings the economy some benefit.

Green energy;  The use of eco-friendly tools is encouraged as groups internationally stand by and fight for these anti-eco friendly chemicals.

 Outsourcing  of labour; 3^rd world countries gain employment as it becomes cheaper. This is another way of increasign the economies labour force.

 Cultural exchange and acceptance; Media and other sources encourage the culture and heritage this way the countries intrinsic value also increases.

Technological transfer and advancements; With time, technology advances and leading companies send their teams to update in return of efficient means of production. This aids lowering cost and increasing profits.

With all these advantages, we also have to face many drawbacks too. Some of which may be;

 Soveignty of government

   Interference into international affairs;  Countries that have little say also have the right in the UN and thus it causes complications to a simple dual country issue.

Import of luxury items; Economies like Pakistan, has lower local produce and imported goods causes more money to flow out of the economy. This eventually is bad for the economy.

 Interdependence of  fragile structure of economy

 Unemployment; Countries that outsource increase unemployment in their economy, and this causes a lot of redundancies.

Globalisation – The Pros and Cons of the Global Village

We have come to a platform where the word ‘globalisation’ comes under
attack from all, varying under the social context of who its being
told to. The reason is simple. It is ignorance that forces someone to
judge that which they do not know. If you are to evaluate or assess
something, you must know what it is, what it entails and everything in
its reach.
The founding’s of Globalisation were based on a pure intention.
Because it really is not something enforced or shelved out, but rather
is an inevitable state showing the constant changes of our world, “It
is a term used to describe the changes in societies and the world
economy that are the result of dramatically increased cross-border
trade, investment, and cultural exchange”.
Personally speaking, I have more negative points about globalization
than positive. For the sole reason, that it enforces capitalistic
material ideals on people and promotes this specifically western type
of lifestyle. Im not saying there’s anything wrong with adopting
foreign values but they should be ones that are positive for the
outlook Of the nation and not vice versa. Globalisation allows
countries with a stronger industrial power to utilize the large, cheap
labour of the third world countries, and burdens their own local
produce.
On the other hand, it allows people from developing countries to
compete with the rest as an impetus for progress. It also gives way to
more employment opportunities that way.
I am not saying that globalization is a negative turn of events in
this time. I just propose that to lessen the burden it puts on third
world countries (often the victim of its consequences) certain
compromises and cooperation need to be made to make it a safer and
less volatile state for them.

Pros and Cons of Karachi Society...

Pros and Cons of Karachi Society

It’s said that one can judge a society and the nature of it’s people from the way it’s traffic goes about. That means not only if the traffic follows the rules of the roads, but also how the traffic goes about and how the people react to each other within the traffic. So let’s apply this concept to Karachiites and see the “unwritten” rules that the citizens of Karachi follow while in traffic.

RuleNo.1

Don’t ever look back. Rear view mirrors are back, just concentrating on what’s in front of you.

We see this happening among the people who fail to look to the past to learn anything. People just look toward the future without looking back and learning from the past. Everyone wants to concentrate on getting ahead without any consideration for the people that are behind them.

Rule No.2

Honk a lot. It’s the only way you’ll get your way.

This means that people love to talk, talk about what’s going wrong, whine about issues and problems. But nobody is willing to get up and actually do something about it.

Rule No.3

The best car rules the streets.

The people who are the most well dressed, prettiest and most presentable are the ones that rule the stage. Those who lack looks sometimes don’t get as far as those with looks go.

Rule No.4

Money can break the rules.

Karachiites, along with the rest of the Pakistanis, know that they can get away with any rule with money.

Rule No.5

Be impatient. Your right always comes before anyone else’s.

People believe that they come before everyone else. Whether it is those who deserve more, it doesn’t really matter. As long as they’re getting out of any mess safe, it’s all good. If they’re stuck, then everything else must go down.

Globalization...

Globalization is a phenomenon that is affecting the world over, whether it be a small developing country somewhere in Africa, or a super power, well established developed country like the US. But what is globalization? Simply defined, globalization is the process of fast paced communication. Today, we see that one can easily talk to a person sitting in China or UK the same way in which we can talk to a person in our neighborhood. MSN, email, Skype, Facebook are all parts of globalization. In the same way, the fact that a person living in Karachi can go to a McDonalds for a Big Mac or have an account in HSC are also part of globalization because it means that we all have homogeneous products that the whole world can use. Now that we have a general concept on what globalization is about, let’s discuss short pointers on the pros and cons of it as well.

Pros:

• Free buying and selling between nations Increased.
• Worldwide mass media connects the world.
• Increased flow of communications by allowing information sharing between persons and organizations around the world.
• People are exposed to culture and because of this they can discovery new ways to improve themselves.
• Greater simplicity and pace of transporting goods and services.
• Companies have greater flexibility to operate across borders
• Decrease of cultural barriers give rise to global community effect
• Products or serves for selling have a huge market.
• Decrease the probability of war between developed nations
• World is now close and now every thing about one another
• Increased number of jobs world wide.
• One has a greater access to the world


Cons:

• Some people might lose their cultural traditions due to the existing ruling culture.
• As organizations want cheap labor so globalization increased transfer of skilled and non-skilled jobs to developing from developed countries. Thus, the greater developing countries become dependent on the already developed countries rather than becoming independent. The laborers are often also completely misused and exploited
• Spread of a worldly lifestyle and approach International figures like the World Trade Organization violate national and individual control
• Greater risk of viruses being transferred accidentally between nations.
• Because of Globalization Human resource control and span increases as well. 

South Asia, The star studded region with its own strengths and weaknesses...

South Asia is an important part of the continent Asia. Gems of people who are not only hardworking and dedicated in nature but are also the inheritors of rich culture and civilization which have roots embedded in loaded history. Its geopolitical location, rich natural resources, and cultural variety make it occupy an economic proposition in this world.

South Asia has its own strengths and weaknesses too, such as its rich in resources such as several land mines, wide seas, and trade links etc. which altogether occupy exceptional geographical locations, are positioned here. People living in South Asia are, be he Chinese, Indian or even Pakistani; are demanded all over the world because of their dedication and perseverance. Places like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Iraq or Iran; all are places which possess cultural diversity which altogether are exciting and colorful in their own sense.

But where we talk about strengths, we need to talk about South Asia’s weaknesses too. Firstly, we observe that South Asian society lacks unity, faith and discipline as quoted by Quaid-e-Azam. If there is turmoil in one country we tend to blame the other neighboring countries for any anarchy prevailing in any part of South Asia. We tend to think Big but practically do less, as in we do future plan but implementation is done on a snail pace. We see the problem of over population being very critical as we don’t have proper infrastructure and allocation of resources, then over population becomes a problem, and leads to an increases in illiteracy rate. And when illiteracy is so common, the illiterate masses lead to frustration and crime in societies, therefore the top most priority of South Asian societies should be to provide free and good education to the citizens. The main problem which I think that South Asian people have, is that South Asians lack self-confidence and have a sense of inferiority complex too, which do take roots from previously being colonized and we are still indirectly controlled by the West.

Therefore I feel if South Asian societies revive their culture and take the maximum benefit from their resources, and also work on the literacy and to provide basic necessities to the citizens without any corruption involved, then definitely in no time south Asia will take its mark of its own, and stand out to be the preeminent of all regions.

Job Creation...

Job creation is the process by which jobs are created in the sense that employment

opportunities are provided to the citizens of the country where this process of job

creation is carried out. In other words job creation is basically the provision of employment opportunities to the people of the country where job creation occurs. I think that job creation is the duty of the government of a country which has to provide jobs to its citizens by practicing different policies. I will like to mention two types of policies in this article which help governments in creating jobs. These policies include economic policies and security policies. All these policies have to be executed by the government in a manner that employment is generated for its citizens. I think that the economic policies for the provision of jobs and creation of employment opportunities include the promotion of tourism by the government in it’s country. Promotion of tourism here means investing in the tourist industry for improving the tourist spots by building motels that can provide residence to tourist and by building infrastructure in the areas that have not become tourist spots because of lack of facilities. I think that promotion of tourism by means of investing in tourist industry can provide employment opportunities to the indigenous people of the tourist areas as the building of infrastructure and the building of motels will require labor so jobs will be created and I think that here the government should provide these jobs to the local people.

Not only jobs would be created in this manner but I think that jobs of tourist guides will be created as tourist would come to those areas after motels and infrastructure building. Another economic policy by which employment can be generated is that the government should encourage the inflow of foreign direct investment into economy of  the country .By inflow of foreign direct investment I mean the inflow of  investment carried out by multinational companies which help in creating jobs as when multinational companies set up their production units in a country they create employment opportunities for the local people which are useful for their operations as local people are aware of local conditions and environment. I think that the government can encourage the inflow of such foreign direct investment into the country by making policies that attract multinationals as the government can provide tax incentives to multinational companies and build infrastructure for providing facilities to multinational companies.

Now I will like to discuss the security policy that can help in job creation. By security policy I mean the policy that focuses on the law and order maintenance in the country. I think that the government can also create jobs for its citizens by law and order maintenance as I think for providing jobs investments in the country need to be made secure to prevent the outflow of investment from the country. By securing investments I mean that government should be able to maintain law and order in the manner that violence is eliminated from the country.