SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE

(FORMERLY JESUS THE LOVING SHEPHERD CHRISTIAN COLLEGE)

Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur, Philippines
S/y 2021-2022

MODULE ON
CONTEMPORARY
WORLD

TOPIC: THE STRUCTURES OF

GLOBALIZATION
(The Global Interstate System)

PREPARED BY:

LEE ANN O. DACER, LPT

INSTRUCTOR

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This Module exposes the learners to economic and political arenas as structures of
globalization. In section 1: The global Economy, the discussion focuses on the process of
making the world economy an integral element of a whole. Also, it elaborates on the
important players of economic globalization. Section 2: Market Integration covers the
position of international financial institutions in the global market integration. In section 3:
The Global Interstate System, the discussion tackles the consequences of globalization on
governments and institutions that govern nation-state relations. Section 4: Contemporary
Global Governance presents the United Nations’ role, function, and the challenges of
global governance.

At the end of the module, the students are expected to:

1. Explain the effects of globalization on nation-states;
2. Categorize the institutions that govern international relations; and
3. Differentiate internationalism from globalism.

Instructions: On the box provided, put a check ( √ ) if you think the statement is correct;
if not, put a wrong mark ( X ).
1. The Human Rights Watch is an international advocacy organization.

2. Internationalism and internationalization are two similar ideas.

3. The Asia Pacific Economic forum is an intergovernmental organization (IGO)

4. The United Nations Children’s Fund is an IGO that addresses worldwide health.

5. The internet is responsible for paving the way for the development of new
communication networks.

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 Weber (1997) describes the state as a compulsory political organization with a
centralized government that maintains the legitimate use of force within a certain territory.
On the other hand, the concept of nation emphasizes the organic ties that hold groups of
people together and inspire a sense of loyalty and belonging—i.e., ethnicity, language,
religion, and others (Schattle, 2014). Combining these two, a nation-state can then be
defined as a political community that emanates from civic society to legitimately execute
peace. Thus, the civic society is the basis of the people's oneness.
Though some scholars like Appadurai and Ohmae claim that globalization has
superseded the individual function and jurisdiction of nation-states, this is still arguable. In
fact, they still play vital roles in the way globalization establishes a borderless world.
Nation-states can manipulate competitive advantages with international and political
issues, transnational civil society organizations, and multinational companies. On the other
hand, they are also accountable for a host of international norms and standards, find
themselves in subordinate positions to protect their economy, and face new kinds of
pressures of supranational integration and focus of local fragmentation (Schattle, 2014).
However, if nation-states no longer have power in today’s globalized world, then why does
the United Nations (UN), with its increasing number of states, remain relevant in global
decision making? The 194 member States of UN prove that globalization has affected the
dynamics of nation-states in the context of their agency as legitimate holders of force in
their Jurisdiction. Globalization has, in a Way, reshaped the role and functions of nation-
states as governing bodies in their particular territories.
First, globalization is seen to impose a forced choice upon nation-states. Either they
conform to the neo-liberal ideas and free-market principles of deregulation, privatization,
and free trade or run the risk of being left behind in terms of development. Of course, the
nation-states, in this contemporary age, are forced to submit themselves to the demands of
globally accepted free-market principles. Friedman in Steger (2005) claims that nation-
states are in danger of losing important elements of economic sovereignty because of the
notion that neo-liberalism is beyond contestation as an aspect of globalization. In other
words, nation-states still exist but lose a part integral to their economic development and
let global corporations control their
economic movement. Though
government policies can be put in place,
nation-states are forced to realign their
policies to be congruent with the
principles of free trade because of the
pressures from global corporations. To
illustrate, the member states of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), including the Philippines,

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established the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1999. Its goal is to encourage the
member-states to deepen their commitments in investment, trade, and industrial
collaboration to brace them for the increase in the region’s economic activity.
The second effect of globalization on nation-states is the establishment of economic
and political integrations. One good example is the European Union (EU) and the North
America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). EU has become a supranational body with 28
members. It has a single currency and monetary system among 17 states, parliament with
legislative powers, with common citizens’ rights to live, work, vote, and run for office,
with developed collective mechanism to resolve crises and assist those in need, and with
intercontinental jurisprudence in the case of the European Court of Justice and the
European Court of Human Rights. The statehood of the members is not dissolved, what
has changed is only how the nation-states function, in terms of economy and politics, as
part of a whole (Schattle, 2014).
The third effect of globalization is the establishment of international laws and
principles. This is observable in the establishment of the UN that operates as a forum for
nation-states to air their differences and try to resolve them. The UN Security Council has
powers that include the creation of peacekeeping operations and international sanctions
and the authorization of military
action. Also, UN's International
Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutes
individuals accused of crimes
against humanity such as genocide.
The founding of ICC is based on the
adoption of the Rome Statute of
International Criminal Court in
1998, with the vote of 120 to 7, with
21 abstentions. It began functioning
in 2002 when the statute officially
came into force. However, the
United States, China, and India are not signatories. Thus, the treaty is not binding to these
economic powers. Moreover, there are also universal principles that are adopted by nation-
states in relation to the dynamism of globalization. Two of them are the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that affirms an individual's rights and the other is the United
Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea that defines the rights of nation-states on the use
of the world’s oceans.
These three mentioned effects are vertical effects. Aside from this, globalization
also has a horizontal effect which can be observed in the formation of transgovernmental
Networks (Slaughter, 2004). National government offices connect with their counterparts
in other nation-states in order to establish linkages that would benefit all parties. These
linkages are informal institutions that connect legislators, finance ministers, and other
valuable individuals who are significant in carrying out various aspects of global

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governance. As institutions, policies are agreed upon and individual state-participants are
conscious that their home country policies should not be violated.
The fourth effect of
globalization is the rise of
transnational activism (TNA).
Such happens when activist groups
of nation-states connect with their
counterparts in other states. For
example, an advocacy-based
organization in the Philippines may
connect itself with and get support
from other human rights groups in
Europe to pressure the Philippine
government to realign its stance
and actions in upholding human
rights. When a nation-state recognizes international interventions and changes its behavior
in response to international pressure, it reconstitutes the relationship among the nation-
state, its citizens, and international actors. (Keck & Sikkink, 1998).
The fifth and last effect of globalization is the creation of new communications
network. Globalization binds communities through digital media. With new technologies
in communication, political interaction can happen in a virtual sphere. People can exchange
political perspectives through the internet, therefore stirring political discourse on an online
platform. Because of the so-called network society (Castells, 2009), nation-states must
reshape themselves to become part of global networks in the arena of finance, education,
science, technology, arts, and sports. This can be seen in the proliferation of online
education from universities outside the Philippines. Conversely, Philippine universities
offer online courses to non-Filipinos. Thus, digital media has become the platform for
strategic communications at home and abroad wherein the nation-states can utilize the
internet to gather feedback from the citizens. Social media gives people the power to air
their sentiments, and also, serves as an avenue to discuss issues. Government websites can
also be avenues to formally forward concerns to particular government offices. Many
nation-states also establish their own state-funded television networks for information
dissemination as alternative to the well-established privately-funded news networks. In the
case of authoritarian and repressive states like China, Russia, and North Korea, the
governments make use of media technologies to filter content that can be viewed by their
citizens. On the other hand, digital media can also be used by governments to gain public
support in their campaigns. Thus, social media, in particular, can become an alternative to
mainstream media that advances its biased perspective.
In order to facilitate connections among nation-states, intergovernmental
organizations (IGOs) were established. Their aim is to foster strong economic, political,
cultural, educational, and technical intergovernmental relationships. The Association of

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Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Union (EU), and World Trade Organization
(WTO) are examples.
Established in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) now has 10
member states. Its aims are:
1) To accelerate economic growth,
social progress, and cultural
development in the region.

2) Promote regional progression.

3) Advance peace and sustainability.

4) Promote active and beneficial

cooperation and mutual assistance
on matters of common interest in the
economic, technical, cultural,
administrative, and scientific fields.

5) Provide assistance to each other in the framework of training and research installations
in the educational, professional, technical, and administrative spheres.

6) Work hand in hand for more effective and greater use of agriculture and industries.

7) Advance southeast Asian research.

8) Preserve close and beneficial collaboration with current international and regional
institutions with similar aims and purposes (asean.org). Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia are the
members of ASEAN.

The European Union (EU), an IGO with 28-state members, was established in
November 1993. Its goals are 1) to promote peace, its values, and the well-being of its
citizens; 2) offer freedom, security, and justice without internal borders; 3) uphold
sustainable development based on balanced economic growth and price stability; 4) combat
social exclusion and discrimination; 5) promote scientific and technological progress;6)
enhance economic, social, and territorial cohesion and solidarity among member countries;
7) respect A cultural and linguistic diversity; and 8) establish an economic and monetary
union (europa.eu). The World Trade Organization (WTO) has 164 member-states. It is the
sole IGO that caters to rules of trade on a global scale. Its objective is to ensure that trade
runs as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible. It also encourages trade by lowering
trade barriers that may hinder how products and services flow from nation to nation.
Some other examples of IGOs are the International Criminal Court (ICC), North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

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(OPEC). All IGOs serve purposes based on the common interest of their member-states
that is deemed beneficial to all parties involved.
The intensification of relations among nation-states gave birth to the idea of
internationalism and globalism. The former is the theory and practice of interdependent
collaboration while the latter is an attitude. Internationalism is basically anchored on the
opinion that nationalism should be outrun because links that bind people of different
countries are more powerful than those that disconnect them (Anora, 2014). Moreover, in
order to avert wars, Immanuel Kant (1795) stated that agreements among nations must be
reached. He conceptualized the idea of liberal internationalism which proposes that nations
must give up their freedom and submit to a larger system of laws that is embodied by
common international principles. He believed that a form of global government is needed
to create and enforce these laws. On the other hand, Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)
assumed that nationalism and international cooperation complemented each other. He
believed that cooperation among nation-states is essential. Equally, US President Woodrow
Wilson (1856-1924) thought that nations were subject to the universal laws of God that
could be discovered through reason. He adopted the principles of self-determination,
democratic government, collective security, international law, and a league of nations in
his concept of internationalism. Socialist internationalism, on the other hand, contradicts
liberal internationalism. This form of internationalism is based on the view that capitalism
is a global system and that the working class must unite as a global class to forward the
struggle against capitalism. The notion of socialist internationalism is linked to the goal of
a world revolution—to end class struggle globally. The Second International (1889-1916),
the original socialist international, was an organization of labor and social parties
established in Paris in 1889. It is best known for declaring the International Worker's Day
(May 1) and International Women’s Day (March 8) and for initiating the campaign for the
eight-hour work day.
On the other hand, globalism emerged as an attitude that seeks to understand all the
interconnections of the modern world and to highlight patterns that underlie them. It
pursues to describe and explain a world that is characterized by a network of connections
that span multi-continental distances.

Overall, the global interstate system is a facet of contemporary political

globalization that seeks to form collaboration among nation-states through the
establishment of intergovernmental organizations. It is rooted on the idea of
internationalism. Experts on interstate relations cannot discount the numerous effects of
neoliberalism on the rise of new communication networks utilized by governments.

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Instructions: Complete the organizational chart below by supplying the objectives, roles,
and functions of each.

• Objectives:
• Roles:
International
• Functions:
Criminal
Court (ICC)

• Objectives:
North
• Roles:
Atlantic
• Functions:
Treaty
Organization
(NATO)

• Objectives:
Asia-Pacific • Roles:
Economy • Functions:
Cooperation
(APEC)

United • Objectives:
Nations • Roles:
Children's • Functions:
Fund
(UNICEF)

• Objectives:
Global • Roles:
Environment • Functions:
Facility
(GEF)

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Instructions: On the blanks provided, explain the given statements. (minimum of 5 and
maximum of 10 sentences)

1. “The establishment of intergovernmental organizations is proof of the interstate

system.”
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2. “Globalization binds communities through digital media.”
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3. “Globalization is seen to impose a forced choice upon nation-states.”
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References:
The Contemporary World, Tumuroh C. Brazalote & Ryan M. Leonardo, Published in 2019
by C& E Publishing, Inc.
Dacles, Darwin, Don M. & Maslang, Kenneth L. (2018), the Contemporary World.
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya: SMU Publishing House
Haywood, A. Politics. London: Palgrave Mcmillan. 2012.
The-Contemporary-World.pdf (ched.gov.ph)

Images:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/20/revealed-the-biggest-companies-in-the-
world-in-2016/

https://www.careeraddict.com/biggest-companies

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/19/21/world-bank-begins-managing-bangsamoro-
trust-fund

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