Migration Revision 

EQ1: What are the impacts of globalisation on 

international migration? 
Globalisation has caused extremely significant changes in the global economic system, changing the pattern 
of demand for labour. Much of the international migration is relatively regionalised where the largest labour 
flows are between neighbouring countries - e.g.. Mexico to US 
 
● Much of the migration has been drive by improvements to modern transport networks allowing 
labour flows to operate 
 
This has caused: 
● Rural-Urban Migration 
○ China 
■ The mass migration has been good news for China’s economy over all 
■ 55% of Chinese people now live in cities 
■ Relocation of 400 million rural people have many Chinese cities a site factor attracting 
FDI through a large cheap labour force 
■ Global shift to manufacturing to South and East Asia has created demand for this 
labour. 
■ Pull factors include higher wages and better quality of life 
■ Push factors include mechanisation requires fewer agricultural workers, wages are 
depressed. 
■ The Houku system however now restricts the movement of people. Moving to the East 
illegally means no protection from the government and have lost government funded 
benefits such as education, healthcare, retirement etc. 
● International Migration 
○ Between countries - The EU-Schengen Agreement 
■ Within the EU, free movement of labour has helped a core-periphery pattern to 
develop 
■ The core regions include England, France etc. Labour migration flows from eastern 
Europe 
■ National border controls with in the EU were removed in 1995 when the Schengen 
Agreement was implemented 
■ It mean passports didn’t always have to be showed at borders and visas were no 
longer required for EU citizens 
■ The UK did not however sign it. 
■ EU Country with the most migrants were Germany and Spain 
■ Fears of terrorism and uncontrolled refugee movements have let some to question 
the free movement agreement 
 
 
 
● Globally there are different policies relating to international migration and levels of engagement with 
the global economy 
● 3-4% of the world’s population live outside their country of birth 
● Migration Policies 
○ Australia 
■ Restrictive Migration Policies 
■ The country operates a points system for economic migrants called the Migration 
Programme 
 ■ Skilled migrants add $1.2 trillion to the economy 
■ In 2013, only 190,000 economic migrants were granted access 
■ The top 5 source countries included India, China the UK PHilippines and Pakistan 
○ Singapore 
■ It's 5 million people have great ethnic diversity due to its historical role as a British 
colonial port 
■ It is now the world’s 4 largest financial centre 
■ Many global businesses have located their Asia head offices in Singapore 
■ If a migrant is unemployed their work permit is removed and must leave within 7 days. 
■ Migrants can’t marry SIngaporeans without approval 
 
 
● Economic Migrants - A person who moves for employment opportunities or to be in a better financial 
situation 
● Refugees - Person who has moved after facing persecution in their home land - perhaps due to their 
gender, religion, ethnicity, political views etc 
● Asylum Seekers are people who are seeking international recognition and access into another country 
 
 
● Pattern of international migration will change due to environmental, economic and political events 
that affect both the source as destination of migrants 
○ Environmental 
■ Climate change is causing refugees to leave regions where agriculture is threatened 
○ Economic 
■ The Global Financial Crisis of 08 meant the world GDP shrank.  
■ Net migration from Poland to the UK fell to its lowest since the 1950s 
■ Often it is not the poorest who migrate, in fact it is rich people who tend to migrate 
given the expenses of international travel 
○ Political 
■ Political regimes changes have prompted ethnic groups to flee states 
■ 12 million people have been displaced by the Syrian War 
■ 70000 Muslims have fled Myanmar who later became stranded at sea in smuggler 
boats 
○ Social  
■ Family  
● Spices and children may follow workers overseas 
● Postcolonial migrant flows to the UK involved movement of large numbers of 
people from foreign colonies 
 
Mediterranean migration 
 
● There has been a recent growth of migrants from the Middle East and North Africa  
● Many have attempted to cross the Mediterranean dangerously in unsafe boats piloted by ruthless 
traffickers 
● Migrants have been known to pay well over £1000 to traffickers 
● By 2016, 1 million people had attempted to make the crossing 
● This region is home to both 
○ Economic migrants 
○ Refugees 
● 700 people have died when boat capsized in rough seas of the Italian coast in April 2014 
● Most Mediterranean migrants arrive in Greece or ITaly where EU rules require clients for asylum to 
be processed 
● Germany has taken in lots of migrants 
● Ethical implications 
○ A suicide bomber in the Paris attacks of December 2015 was relieved to be a Syrian refugee 
who travelled to FRance cia Greece 
○ Political debate has intensified over whether border passport checks should be reinstated 
 
● Economic efficiency is maximized when: 
○ Goods (Free Trade) 
○ Capital - through deregulated financial markets 
○ Labour (open borders) 
■ Most EU states allow workers to migrate freely from peripheral to core regions 
● Can all move freely across international borders 
● A strong economic core developed fuelled by the in migration of people from peripheral regions of a 
state 
● This however poses serious challenges to national identity and sovereignty 
 
 
● The movement of labour is unrestricted within nation states to ensure allocation of resources as well 
as in some global regions but not yet apply at the global level 
○ Internal Migration within the UK 
■ The industrialisation of northern cities such as Liverpool triggered many young people 
to move to London and the SOuth East 
■ This trend has continued with London’s population reaching 8.7 million in 2016 
■ House prices have tripled in value since 1995 
■ Rising costs of doing business in the capital have triggered out migration of people and 
business 
■ Regenerated post industrial cities such as Bristol offer an attractive alternative to 
London 
 
Consequences of migration 
 
Migration changes the cultural and ethnic composition of nation states but the rate of assimilation of migrants 
varies from nation to nation especially when there are distinctive ethnic differences. 
 
● Migration inevitably changes the cultural and ethnic composition of nation states  
● Assimilation refers to the adoption of cultural trains belong to the a host community by a migrant 
○ Some groups bring cultural diversity - such as French or Irish migrants 
○ Some groups bring ethnic diversity  
■ Easierlier Jewish migrants have sometimes chosen not to assimilate to the same 
degree 
■ Places of worship achor some groups of people to particular places 
■ Muslims may want to live in close proximity to halal butchers 
 
There are inevitable differences in opinions on the impacts of migration 
 
Case Study: Migration across the Mexico-US border 
 
● The issue of illegal immigration across the MExican border has become a major policy issue 
● Obama called for work permits to be issued to many of the estimated 8 million unauthorized 
workers living in the USA 
● Trump wants to build a wall to seperate Mexico and the USA and decrease immigration flows 
● One reason why options varies between the country is based on their lived experience of 
immigrants. The South (e.g. Texas) hoses higher illegal migrants than northern states (North 
Dakota) 
 
Issues that divide US public opinion 
● Economic Impacts 
○ Some believe immigrants play a vital role in the US economy’s growth 
○ From restaurant kitchens to vineyards, legal migrants work long hours for low pay 
○ However, high unemployment has led to calls for American jobs to be given to American 
citizens instead 
 ● Social Impacts 
○ National Security issues 
■ The 9/11 attacks ushered an era of heightened security concerns 
■ Support has grown for anti immigration movement especially in the Republican 
party 
■ Donald TRump suggested that Muslims should be banned from entering the US 
given the global terror group IS pledge allegiance to Islam 
● Cultural Impacts 
○ Migrants change places when they influence food, music, language 
○ Hispanic population growth is affecting the content of US media programmes 
○ Spanish language soap operas have become common on Netflix 
● Demographic impacts 
○ The USA and other developed countries benefit from youth migrants who offset the effects 
of an aging population 
 
 
Opinions of migration in the UK 
 
● Right wing media outlets such as the Daily Mail tend to report the negative impacts of migration 
○ “How immigrants have cost Britain £140 million since 1995 
○ Daily Telegraph 
■ Immigrants from outside the Europe cost £120 billion 
● Financial Times 
○ EU migrants pay £20 billion more in tax than they receive 
 
● Migration is a very complex political and personal process 
● Political Process 
○ Governments dictate whether movement can occur freely 
○ Barriers such as fences, border controls are rising in places 
● Personal Process 
○ It is personal as each person’s decision to migrate is influenced by many factors 
○ The world’s poorest are least likely to be economic migrants 
○ Relatively few people have emigrated from LEEDs compared with energy economies such as 
Mexico and India 
 
   
EQ2: How are nation states defined and how have they 
evolved in a globalising world? 
● A nation is an area with a specific ethnicity 
● A state is a region where no other country holds power or sovereignty 
● Sovereignty refers to the idea of self governance without outside interference 
 
National sovereign states vary greatly in their ethnic, cultural and linguistic unity ( Iceland compared to 
Singapore); this results from their history of population growth, their isolation and the role of migration. (4) 
 
National sovereign states vary greatly in ethnicity, culture and linguistic unity. This is a result of: 
● Population Growth 
● Physical Isolation 
○ ICeland's North Atlantic location was a barrier to migration for many centuries 
● Migration 
○ North Korea’s political isolation limits citizens interactions with the outside world 
 
 
Case Study: Iceland vs Singapore 
 
ICELAND 
 
● Physical isolation in Iceland ensured the population has a sense of common identity and cultural 
homogeneity 
● Many traditions due to hardships in earlier times have survived to the present day 
● Persisting traditions help foster community cohesion 
○ ICelandic people like to share Greenland shark.  
○ Naturally it is poisonous as it contains chemicals needed for the freezing temperatures. To 
make the meat safe, Icelanders centuries ago used to bury the meat for months at a time 
before eating as the fluids would frain from the shark making it safe to eat 
○ Modern iceland's no longer need to rely on it for survival yet it remains a popular food and 
valued tradition 
● In 2008, Mcdonald's closed its restaurant in ICeland as the high prices deterred customers 
 
SINGAPORE 
 
● Singapore is a cultural melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences 
● From 1926 to 1946, Singapore played a key role as a military and trading hub under British 
administration 
● The decision to make it a port where no taxes were collected ensured migration from China, India, 
Indonesia etc. 
● After independence, Singapore rapidly grow as the financial hub of the world as today it has the 
world’s 3rd largest GDP per capita 
● As a result of its prosperity, it attracts waves of migrants who bring customers, religions and ideas 
wit them 
 
Causes of borders 
 
● Physical Geography 
○ Mountains and rivers formed natural barriers to population movements and provided the 
basic geometry for nations to develop in particular places - e.g. the Himalayas 
● Historical Development 
○ Some borders develop through political alignments where long settled groups form a strong 
association with their land 
○ A european geopolitical map roughly corresponds with cultural and linguistic map 
 ● A result of colonia history which may not take account of different ethnic or religious groups 
○ Many lines in Africa were drawn by European superpowers during the 19th century 
○ The line between Egypt and Sudan is a simple straight line 
○ This paid little to no consideration for people living their 
○ Some long established ethnic regions were split into two or more parts 
 
 
Case Study: Rwanda 
 
● European powers colonised Africa to extract raw materials and water resources 
● There was little productive investment in African countries 
● The DRC is home to over 240 ethnic groups which gained independence in 1960s 
● The geographical regions traditionally occupied by Tutsi and Hutu people became fragmented 
● Conflict in Rwanda between Tutsi and Hutu people in the 1990s spread quickly to neighbouring 
Uganda and DRC 
● Over 5 million people have died in conflict 
 
There are many contested borders ( Ukraine/Russia) and not all nation states are universally recognised as 
such ( Taiwan) which can lead to both conflict and population movements. 
 
Contested Borders 
 
 
Case Study: Ukraine/Russia 
 
● The boundaries of Russia have changed several times 
● Russia annexed part of Ukraine and Crimea in 2014 
● Putin believed that ethnic Russians live in Ukraine 
● In 2014, a brief period of civil conflict in Crimea ended with a territory being annexed by Russia 
● The international community condemned the action, 
● For Russia, annexation ensures a sea port that is not frozen year round 
 
 
Case Study: Recognition of Taiwan 
 
● China has claimed sovereignty of Taiwan since 1949 
● The issue of Taiwanese sovereignty has strained relations between China and other superpowers  
● The dispute originates to 1949, when following a communist victory, two million chinese nationalists 
fled to TAiwan and established a government for their own on the island 
● Taiwan claims independence as a distinct state and wants to be recognised by all UN nations 
● China believes that Taiwan is a part of CHina and that countries can only recognise one China 
 
Nationalism and the development of the modern world 
 
● Nationalism refers to the idea that for people belong to a nation, their own interests are more 
important than those of people belong to other nations 
● Nationalistic outlook of European powers was demonstrated through the colonisation of Asia and 
Africa 
 
 
Case Study: The British Raj in India 
 
● The British Empire was the world’s largest superpower 
● The Sun Never set on the British Empire - illustrating its extent 
● IT controlled ⅓ of the world land surface and ¼ of the population The Empire was a way for the 
 diffusion of English language and British laws, customers, art and sports on a global scale 
● The British Empire was founded on exploration including sea power 
● It was founded on communication technology too such as the Telegraph 
● Many ex-british colonies voluntarily chose to remain the Commonwealth 
● Several states around the world still reflect the past by featuring the Union ?Jack in its flags 
including Australia, Fiji etc 
 
Since 1945, many new nation states have emerged as empires disintegrated ( 1960s ‘wind of change’ in Africa); 
this has caused conflicts that were costly both environmentally, economically and in human terms ( Vietnam 
or Sudan) 
 
● Why empires collapsed: 
○ After the end of world war 2, many empires could no longer be sustained, after the global 
superpowers were crippled with debts from war 
○ Growing resistance to foreign rule 
○ Growing concern for injustice in colonial rule among young European citizens 
○ Europe’s shift towards post industrial economic activity - as they become less dependent on 
raw materials 
● Latin American countries like Brazil gained independence from Portugal and Spain 
● Between 1945 and 1970 most colonised nations were free and became independent sovereign states 
● Decolonization occurred rapidly causing a power vacuum 
● In many countries, power was sized by the army or by ethnic groups who worked alongside colonia 
powers 
● This led to non represented social groups sowing the seeds for future conflict 
● Interference between the USSR and USA exacerbated post colonial instability further 
 
Case Study: Africa - Winds of Change movement 
 
● The Democratic Republic of Congo had enormous raw materials but this was exploited by various 
people 
● History 
○ Colonised by Belgium until 1960 
○ Independence after Mobutu took power and renamed the country to Zaire 
○ Mobutu was removed from power and renamed it to the DRC 
○ Un peacekeepers have tried to bring stability. The world Bank has approved $8million in 
debt relief 
● Economic costs 
○ The GDP per capita is only $435 per year despite rich resources 
● Environmental Costs 
○ Conflict in the 19990s led to abandonment of farmland and regrowth of secondary forest 
○ Loss of vegetation occurred around refugee camps and poor sanitation allowed disease to 
thrive 
● Human Costs 
○ DRC has one of the lowest HDI scores 
○ Life Expectancy is just 49 
○ Many people die to to infectious disease and malnutrition linked with poor health services 
and food security 
 
 
Case Study: Vietnam 
 
● During the second world war, it was invaded by Japan 
● With the defeat of Japan in 1945, a communist liberation movement occurred 
● The french started a campaign to reclaim lost territory 
● Vietnam was split - The North was communist and the south was capitalist 
● Backed by China and the USSR, the North started a campaign to infiltrate and capture South Vietnam 
● In 1964, South vietnam was at risk of being overrun but the USA was persuaded to come to the 
 rescue 
● The Vietnam war continued forming a proxy war between the USSR and the USA 
● US eventually withdrew its troops from Vietnam. Communists forces size control and consequently 
the country became reunited in 1976 as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 
● More than 3 million people died. More than half of these were innocent Vietnamese civilians 
● Strategic bombing destroyed Vietnam's industrial infrastructure 
● Heavy artillery and bombing left huge environmental degradation 
● Napalm a flammable liquid was widely used to burn vegetation  
● The costs were estimated to be around $950 billion 
 
● Patterns of migration between former colonies and the imperial core country are still evident 
● Between the 1950s and 1970s, the UK received migrants from former colonies including Jamaica, India 
Pakistan and Bangladesh 
● The movement of australians to the UK is a post colonial migration tool 
● The movements increase cultural heterogeneity (a society with high cultural diversity), especially in 
London 
● The migrants filled specific fabs in the labour force 
● The populations of ex-colonies spoke English and showed affinity with the British way of life 
● Many doctors travelled to the UK from India. Medical schools to India used the same textbooks as 
British teaching hospitals meaning Indian dfo cots were sure to fit in well the way of medicine 
practised in the UK 
 
Tax Havens  
 
● Low tax areas provide profits for TNCS and homes for wealthy exparriates 
● Some European TNCS have relocated to IReland, Switzerland, Luxembourg etc whether corporate 
taxes are low - in the UK its 20%, twice that of Switzerland's 
● Some TNCs do not relocate because: 
○ BRand authenticity 
○ Corporate responsibility 
○ Public Perceptions  
○ Security  
■ TNCs sometimes look to governments for support during a financial crisis,s or when 
their oversea asses are threatened by conflict or nationalisation 
■ The Royal Bank of Scotland had to be bailed out the UK Treasury 
● Instead of moving, some transfer price to reduce their tax burden - where profits are related to co 
secondary companies in low tax states such as IReland 
● 40 Tax havens offer 0% tax rate 
● Some are sovereign states such as Monaco 
● Cayman Islands is a overseas territory in the UK that has its own tax-setting powers 
● Corporation tax play a key role in funds for health, education, welfare and defence spending 
● When TNCS try to minimise taxes, states suffer economically 
● Several NGOs, such as OECD and G20 want to see stricter regulations 
○ OECD member shave closely monitored offshore tax havens that have facilitated $7 trillion tax 
evasion on global TNC profits 
○ A G20 Project meant 60 Governments agreed to get tougher on tax evasion and profit sharing 
○ Firms have become more conscious of public perceptions and the risk associated with being 
seen to be avoiding taxes - customers may boycott their products 
○ NGOs target specific organisations 
■ UK Uncut started numerous high street demonstrations to pressurise the government 
to clamp down on tax avoidance 
■ Both Starbucks and Google volunteered to pay taxes to the UK government following 
protests 
Alternative Economic models 
 
● Bolivia's Evo Morales has spoken against global capitalisms equality 
 ○ The Charity Oxfam reported that the richest 1% possess 99% of the global wealth 
○ The Global financial crisis questioned the competency of WEstern Powers to shape global 
market 
○ The lack of environmental sustainability of global economic growth 
 
 
Case Study: Alternative Models in Latin America 
 
● Rather than adopt free market capitalism followed by the US, countries have followed socialist 
principles where possible 
● Ven Azalea has larger proven fossil fuel reserves than another OPEC member state 
● VEnceslau has been able to assign a large part of government spending to education, health 
employment etc 
● The socialist policies helped Chabex to victor in many elections 
● Venazaleu has rejected IMF and World Bank offers of support 
● Chavez nationalised oil projects previously owned by TNCs like Exxon Mobile 
● Chavez has worked closely with other socialist nations and provided Cuba with free oil supplies for 
many years 
● Chavez died in 2014 
● Massive overspending and the collapse of world oil prices in 2015-16 lef the government unable to 
fund social spending 
 
Ben Vivir ideology 
 
● Buen Vivir describes a way of doing things that are community centric, ecologically balanced and 
culturally sensitive 
●  
 
 
   
EQ3: What are the impacts of global organisations in 
managing global issues and conflicts? 
See Superpower notes 
 
1. Global organisations are not new but have been important in the post-1945 world. 
a. The United Nations was the first post-war IGO to be established and has grown in importance; 
its role in global governance is affected by the different geopolitical visions of members of the 
Security Council and its multiple functions in managing global environmental, socio-economic 
and political problems.  
b. Interventions by the UN through the use of economic sanctions and direct military 
intervention have been made in defence of human rights but have a mixed record of success. ( 
Trade Embargo Iran or UN forces in Congo).  
c. Some member states (US, UK, Russia) have operated independently of the UN in intervening in 
‘failed states’ or to conduct a ‘war on terror’ with profound impacts on geopolitical relations 
and global stability. 
2. IGOs established after the Second World War have controlled the rules of world trade and financial 
flows 
a. The IMF, WB and WTO were established by the WWII allied nations and have been important in 
maintaining the dominance of ‘western’ capitalism, global economic management and trade 
policy (free trade) 
b. Membership of global trade and financial IGOs is almost universal, as a result of the 
dominance of these organisations, but regional groupings have emerged in the form of trading 
blocs ( NAFTA/SEATO) and in some cases (EU) there has been a movement to closer political 
unity 
 
 
Global borrowing rules and trade policies have been especially effective in delivering growth to the developed 
world, but the impact of Structural Adjustment and HIPC policies on the developing world’s economies and 
economic sovereignty is disputed ( Jamaica’s structural adjustment programme) 
 
Controversial borrowing rules 
 
● The IMF and WB funds have helped many states develop 
● The MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey group have received large loans, 
● Tougher loans with conditions were introduced called Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs)  
○ Borrowing countries are required to make concessions in return for new lending.  
○ This may involved privatising poorly run government services 
○ Withdrawing costly state support for inefficient industries.  
○ Due to its neoliberal background, some argue that these concessions exacerbate poverty 
instead of solving it.  
○ Many Sub Saharan African economies failed to take off despite policy reforms 
○ In Latin America, there have been economic crises, accumulation of external debts and 
dependence on core world regions. 
○ SAPs require poor countries to reduce spending on things like health, education and 
development, while debt repayment and other economic policies have been made the priority. 
In effect, the IMF and World Bank have demanded that poor nations lower the standard of 
living of their people. Because SAPs hurt the poor most, because they depend heavily on these 
services and subsidies.  
○ To be attractive to foreign investors various regulations and standards are reduced or 
removed. 
○ They also undermine the economic sovereignty of borrowing states.  
 ○ SAPs to some feel like a way for developed countries to maintain influence over how the 
global periphery develops by making developing nations dependent on developed nations 
● HIPC Policies - Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative was lauded in 1996 by the World Bank and 
IMF to ensure no poor country faced burdens it couldn’t manage It must commit to poverty reduction 
through policy changes 
● Borrowing countries have to agree to concessions in return of new lending. This may include providing 
government services or reducing state support for inefficient industries 
 
Case Study: Structural Management programmes in Jamaica 
 
● Jamaica was in a poor economic situation as fiscal imbalances made government welfare policies 
had to sustain 
● The economy was a highly export dependent natio 
● High taxes, and large foreign borrowing in the 70s did not help 
● It took loans through the Structural Management Programmes 
○ The number of nurses fell by 60% 
○ Wages were kept low 
○ Spending on health, education and housing was cut 
○ Little progress was made in reducing hunger or meeting increasing basic water and 
sanitation provision. 
● The government still owes $7.8 million due to accumulated interest payments. It is not eldredge for 
debt relief as middle income country 
 
 
The Role of IGOs 
 
e global environmental issues concerning the quality of the atmosphere and biosphere ( Montreal Protocol on 
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer) and biosphere ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES). (7) 
 
● The UN has tried to manage many of the world’s pressing environmental problems with varying 
degrees of success 
● Atmosphere 
○ Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 
■ The UN Environmental Programme called for international response to the issue of 
ozone depletion caused by use of CFCs in fridges, aerosols etc 
■ The Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987 creating remarkable agreement of the 
number of individual governments that were prepared to back an important global 
goal 
■ CFCs was hapsed out rapidly as a result of international cooperation 
○ Climate Change Agreement 
■ Kyoto Protocol was not signed by the US, hindering its progress 
■ The Paris Climate Deal was thought to bring new progress 
■ Critics argue the pledged were made to reduce CO​2​ emissions do not go far enough 
■ They pledges were also not binding 
● Biosphere 
○ CITIES 
■ Banned trade of threatened species and products 
■ Adopted by 181 countries and has saved some species but not all 
■ Success stories include the saving of the Arabian Oryx 
■ More than 35000 species of animals and plants are now given varying degrees of 
protection 
■ Rising wealth in China and Indonesia has increased illegal trade in prohibited 
substances like ivory. This problem can be thought of as new money, same problems 
● Managing Oceans 
○ UNCLOS 
 ■ Global treaty covering navigational rights, territorial sea limits, economic jurisdiction 
and legal status of seabed resources, protection of marine ecosystems 
■ Protection of biodiversity 
● IWC guidelines reducing hunting of wales and have helped numbers to recover 
● IWC issued a ban on commercial whale hunting 
● Japan defied international whaling laws and continues to slaughter whales 
● Norway objected on the grounds that whale hunting is part of its culture 
■ EEZ 
● Area of water extending 200 miles of coastline 
● Within it, the state has the right to exploit, develop, manage and conserve all 
resources including biotic (fish) and abiotic (oil,gas) resources 
■ REgulation of global shipping flows 
● 90% of all trade between countries involved sea travel between countries 
involved sea travel 
● There has been retirement of single hulled oil tankers after the PRestige went 
down off the coast of Spain in 2002, causing damage to ocean spicers 
● International Rivers 
○ Water Convention refers to the protection of transboundary water resources and ensure 
quantity, quality and sustainable use of resources 
● Environment State 
○ Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 
■ International collaboration meant to popularise the ecosystem services approach to 
biodiversity management 
■ A financial value is calculated for threatened biomes and species, strengthening the 
rationale for their preservation 
● Antarctic Treaty System 
○ Nobody owns Antarctica 
○ 27 Countries have scientific bases 
○ Considered a continent of peace and science 
○ Mining was banned under the Madrid Protocol  
○ In 1991, 24 nations added a treaty prohibiting oil exploration 
○ As non-renewable sources become exhausted, global pressure could begin to exploit the coal, 
oil, copper known to lie beneath   
EQ4: 4: What are the threats to national sovereignty in 
a more globalised world? 
Hyperglobalist propose that the relevance and power of countries will reduce over time as global flows of 
commodities and idea lead to a shrinking and borderless world 
 
Nationalism is reinforced through: 
● Education 
○ History and Citizenship play an important cultural and political role in national state building in 
schools and in the UK 
○ History passes on traditions to the next generation 
○ Citizenship educations people about their legal and human rights and about their 
responsibilities as citizens of a state 
● Sport 
○ PEople often dress up and paint their faces for sporting events 
○ Many people want to celebrate their national identity visibly 
○ Supporting of nation states are complex given that sometimes people in the UK support 
England, Britain, the UK 
● Political parties 
○ Policies can be created to enforce British Values 
○ The recruitment of young British muslims by ISIS has been blamed on the state’s failure to 
promote British values 
 
Identity and loyalty might be tied to distinctive legal systems, methods of governance, national ‘character’ or 
even a landscape ( The English Countryside). 
 
● Identity and loyalty are sometime stied to legal systems and methods of governance 
○ US Citizens have a common identity through the US Constitution BIll of Rights. The First 
Amendment establishes freedom of speech, the SEcond is the right to self defence 
○ A legacy of the French Revolution if freedom. 
○ The burqa was banned in France in 2009 because it was seen as a symbol of oppression 
● It's important to note that national identity in England is dynamic and constantly changing 
○ In the UK: 
■ High levels of Anglican or Catholic church attendance has decreased 
■ Global varied tastes of food now are prefered 
 
 
Case Study: The English Countryside 
 
● Representations of rural life and landscapes play a role in the the spreading of English culture 
● Economic English classical music like the hymn Jerusalem is linked with pastoral images of the 
countryside. This song is sung or heard aat national sporting events 
● The rural paintings of Turner portater beautiful places. The landscape was used by the government 
during WW2 to foster patriotic feelings in behaviour 
● Rural landscapes providing a comforting sense of the past in people's imagination sparking 
nostalgia 
 
Questioning of identity in a globalised era 
 
● USA 
○ National identity is very complex given the varied histories of people who live there 
○ White European, Hispanic, Asian, Black Americans have developed distinct cultures from 
another, making it hard to generalise about a single American culture 
 ● UK 
○ Important over time to distinguish political identity and cultural identity 
○ Political identity refers to british values  
○ Cultural identity may have values and beliefs derived from their own family heritage 
 
Challenges to national identity 
 
Many UK companies are now foreign owned. It might be: 
● Overseas owners - e.g TNC, 
○ The USA’s Kraft bought Cadburys in 2010 
● A foreign government through Sovereign Wealth Funds 
○ China and Qatar have enormous wealth funds that let their governments draw on assets in 
other areas 
 
Case Study: The UK car Industry 
 
● Rising production costs and competition from Germany and Japan led to dwindling mass car 
production under UK domestic ownership during the 70s-80s 
● Recently car manufacturing has been stimulated under foreign ownership making iconic Made in 
Britain brands complicated 
○ Jaguar Land Rover is under the control of Indian Tata Motors who bought the company for 
£1.6 billion in 2008 
○ German BMW have seen the rebirth of the Mini 
○ The Bentley brand is produced by German Volkswagen 
 
‘Westernisation’ is often dominated by US cultural values through the operation of large corporations in both 
retailing and entertainment; this, in turn, promotes a distinctive view of the benefits the dominant capitalist 
mode 
 
● TNCs often promote European and North American cultural values through a process called 
Westernization 
● When solely US cultural values are promoted, it is called Americanisation 
● TNCs bring cultural change to places as they expand into new markets 
○ Walt Disney 
■ World largest TNC with earnings exceeding $50 billion 
■ In Disney movies, Asian people people are exposed to western traditions such as 
Christmas and HAlloween 
○ MTV 
■ 360 degree strategy of global marketing delivering Anglo-American music to every 
continent including Africa 
■ Pop music spread Western cultural traits including American fashion and English 
■ By promoting strong female artists, MTV promote greater gender equality 
○ Apple 
■ Subtly promote western Culture - e.g. St Valentine's Day is mentioned on the calendar 
 
● Anglo-american TNCS have gained new ideas from local cultures. 
● Japanaese, India ifnleucnces drive innnovation in global creative industries.  
● FIlm music and food industries are thriving du eot Asian, South American and African influences with 
European and American ideas 
● The Western cultures that travel furthest generate profit for businesses and help the dominant 
capitalist global system to prosper 
 
   
Property and place identity 
 
● Foreign ownership of property is seen as a threat to national identity 
● This occurs unevenly across the UK 
● In the UK, non-national ownership of property affects London disproportionately 
● Even within London, foreign buyers are attracted to particular neighbourhoods and postcodes 
 
Case Study: Non national ownership of London Property and neighbourhoods 
 
● Competition from wealth overseas burgers have been a huge driving force to the 
stratospheric rise in London property prices since 2000 
● Russian boogers have driven up prices in Mayfair and Kensington 
● In 2014, one house attracted 6 bidders who offered more than £100 million 
● A record sale prices for a £140 million priced home was achieved in London’s fashionable 
One Hyde Park development 
● Subsequently, the neighbourhood is changing 
○ Restaurants serve pickled herrings, snails and other non British menu items 
 
 
● The UK’s citizens are equally responsible for changing identity in the MEdieratinain. Areas in Spain 
have experience in migration from British retirees and sun seekers. Visible landscape changes are 
shown when Spanish landscapes are replaced by a new British ethnoscape 
 
Consequences of disunity 
 
There are strong nationalist movements seeking to create independent, smaller states whilst remaining within 
larger trading group such as the EU 
 
 
Case Study: Scotland and the UK 
 
● Scottish people chose to remain in the UK but only by a small margin 
● 45% of people who voted for independence indicated they would much rather be self governed 
● Various views:  
○ Some dislike how their destiny is controlled by English politicians in Westminster 
○ There is little support for the Labour Party of the Conservatives in Scotland 
○ In the UK 2015 election, virtually every MP elected in Scotland was a member of the SNP 
who supported full independence 
○ Some Scots believe in the economic benefits of independence however most criticise the 
source of income as its mainly from oil and gas exports which may not be sustainable 
○ Many Scottish nationalist want to create and independent small state while remaining within 
the larger trading area of the EU 
 
 
Political tensions in the BRIC due to inevitable winners and losers of globalisation 
 
● Brazil 
○ The Football World Cup 2014 proved to be a disaster causing division sin Brazilian society 
○ $22 billion was spent on infrastructure which could have spent on education, healthcare etc 
○ Large scale protests occurred 
○ Poor public services, high food prices, rampant corruption cripple Brazilians 
○ Displacement of people for the construction of homes has caused serious devestations 
● Russia 
○ Russia has many ethnic groups spatially and socially distant from Moscow 
○ This has led to conflicts within the country as well as abroad, illustrated by the annexation of 
Crimea 
 ● India 
○ Religious division between Muslim and hindus has caused division 
○ Many muslims in Kashmir would like to break away from India irrespective of its impressive 
economic growth 
○ The rush to industrialize has left many Rural indian people far behind 
○ 500 million people still live in abject poverty and lack proper sanitation despite the high levels 
of billion wealth in India and its space programme 
○ The caste system segregates members of society 
● China 
○ China’s hokur system has meant rural migrants living in urban areas feel deprived of the full 
benefits of Chinese citizenships 
○ For some this means they are unable to gain a school place for their children 
 
Failed States 
 
The role of the state is variable and national identity is not always strong, especially in ‘failed states’ where 
there are stark differences between the politically and economically powerful elite, foreign investment groups 
and the wider population. (). (10) 
 
A failed state is a region where a government has lost political control and is unable to fulfil basic 
responsibilities 
 
● Sudan 
○ Sudan has lacked internal cohesion ever since independence in 1955 due to its large size 
○ An ethnically and culturally diverse nation has mean there is a lack of internal cohesion and 
separation between northern and southern regions are rapant 
○ 2 million people have died from conflict 
○ Sudan divided into two where a new state of South Sudan was created 
○ South Sudan has some of the worst health and development indicators in the world 
○ Less than 1% of girls go to school 
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