Globalization

Task 1:

Read the interview and look up the meaning of unknown words and phrases in the dictionary

Kofi Annan of Ghana is the seventh person to hold the post of U.N. Secretary General since 1946. Yet he was the first secretary general ever to be elected from the ranks of the United Nations staff. Prior to his appointment, he served as Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations. Mr. Annan lays out his thoughts on the importance –and limitations –of globalization.

What is your view on globalization?

“It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.”

How critical is the role of governments?

“We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature, because they have to build political support for every step.”

How important are global markets?

“Open markets offer the only realistic hope of pulling billions of people in developing countries out of poverty, while keeping prosperity in the industrialized world.”

What are the limits of the global market?

“We must ensure that the global market is based on broadly shared values and practices that reflect global social needs, and that all the world’s people share the benefits of globalization.”

How can one make the global market more attractive?

“We have to choose between a global market driven only by calculations of short –term- profit, and one which has a human face.”

What needs to happen to make the global village a reality?

“Business, labor and civil organizations have skills and resources that are vital in helping to build a more robust global community.”

How strong is the global economy?

“Globalization is a fact of life. But I believe we have underestimated its fragility.”

How important are women in bringing about global change?

“There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole – women and men alike- than the one which involves women as central players.”

“More countries have understood that women’s equality is a prerequisite for development.”

Where do you see the primary role of the U.N.?

“If the United nations does not attempt to chart a course for the world’s people in the first decades of the new millennium, who will?”

What is the major challenge for the UN?

“We have the means and capacity to deal with our problems, if only we can find the political will.”

(On the UN’s goal of cutting the level of global poverty in half by 2015)

Task 2:

Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases:

Благосостояние; политическая воля; краткосрочная выгода; общие ценности; занимать пост; недооценивать; выгодный; обязательное условие; изложить мысли; медленно действующий; равенство; жизненно важный; вытащить из нищеты; средства и силы; хрупкость; решать проблемы; десятилетие; законы земного тяготения; по природе.

Task 3:

Complete the following statements using the active vocabulary/

1) We have to choose between global markets only by……

2) Arguing against globalization is like arguing….

3) We have the means and capacity…….

4) Women’s equality is………

5) Governments tend to be slow moving…….

6) Open markets offer the only realistic hope of…….

7) We shouldn’t underestimate……

Task 4:

Give your answers to the questions that Mr. Annan was asked.

Task 5:

Questions for discussion.

1) What are shared values? What shared values can you think of?

2) What to your mind did Mr. Annan mean by “a global market which has human face”?

3) What skills and resources do you consider vital “in helping to build a more robust global community”?

4) Why do you think Mr. Annan is worried that the frugality of the global world is being underestimated?

5) Can the United Nations really influence the direction of globalization?

Task 6:

Read the interviews and look up the meaning of unknown words and phrases in the dictionary?

Women are playing a central role in contributing to the growth of global economy. This is increasingly true in business and in politics – two realms traditionally dominated by men. Some of the global economy’s leading women thinkers lay out their views.

Are the fruits of globalization available to all?

“It would be wrong to be blind to the economic benefits that globalization has brought to some. The real question is how can we humanize globalization, how can we shape it in such a way that it can benefit all –instead of some.”

(Mary Robinson, UN high commissioner for human rights)

What risks come with globalization?

“Polarization rather than progressive globalization, that is the future – unless corrective actions are taken in time.”

(Chandrica Badaranaike Kumaratung,Sri Lanka’s President, on unchecked economic liberalization)

What is an example of this polarization?

“My 26 year – old daughter in London is earning almost as much money as I do- and she is just working as a secretary.”

(Helen Clark, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, on why many professionals leave New Zealand for good)

How can globalization be made to work for all?

“Globalization could be the answer to many of the world’s hard problems. But this requires strong democratic foundations based on a political will to ensure equality and justice.”

(Sharon Burrow, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, on globalization)

How does one succeed in the business world today?

“You shouldn’t have a long – term strategy anymore, because you won’t be able to move fast enough.”

(Orit Gadish, chairman of Bain & Co.)

Task 7:

Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Принимать меры; долгосрочная программа/стратегия; приносить пользу; основа; требовать; выгода/польза; справедливость; область/сфера; обеспечивать; способствовать; вносить вклад.

Task 8:

Agree or disagree with the following statements.

Agreement: Yes, I agree with you. / I can’t agree more. / Absolutely. / It’s obvious. / Exactly

Disagreement: I’m afraid I can’t agree / I’m sorry but that’s not quite right / To my mind it’s wrong

1) There is no denying that globalization will bring economic benefits to all.

2) Globalization does not carry any risks.

3) Globalization could be the answer to many of the world’s hard problems.

4) To ensure equality and justice strong democratic foundations are needed/

5) You won’t be able to move fast enough in a modern world.

6) Women are playing a central role in contributing to global economy.

7) Business and politics are two realms that are dominated by men

Task 9:

Questions for discussion

1) What role do women play in the modern world? Is this role changing?

2) Are the fruits of globalization available to all? Can it bring real benefits to poor nations?

3) What risks can globalization bring?

4) Why do you think women are not still fairly represented in the global economy?

5) Do you think globalization is a natural process?

Task 10:

Translate the following texts into English

Приведёт ли глобализация к более справедливому распределению богатства в мире? Независимо от того, что могут говорить критики глобализации, она, скорее всего не приведёт нас к неравенству. Если же такое случиться, то глобализация потерпит неудачу.

В эпоху глобализации возрастёт роль ООН и некоторых региональных организаций в улаживании внутренних конфликтов, так как ведущие державы в силу своих собственных проблем, отсутствия доброй воли или ограниченности ресурсов постараются минимизировать своё прямое вовлечение во внутренние конфликты других стран.

Однако глобализация может ослабить некоторые страны. Дело в том, что распространение рыночных отношений опережает возможности некоторых стран, где отсутствуют рыночная экономика, адаптироваться к этим отношениям. Тем более глобализация не может влиять на политические системы этих стран.

Task 11:

Comment on the quotation:

“Peace can’t be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.”

(Albert Einstein)

Task 12:

Make a presentation on the topic below and answer the questions of the audience/

How does globalization affect Russia?

Task13:

Read the text and answer the questions on it

‘Color - blind’ France is failing its immigrants

France has ailed miserably to integrate the millions of Arab and African immigrants who have settled in the country since the 1960s, according to two reports this week.

The findings, by the state court of auditors and senior business leaders, confirm a reality that is familiar to everyone in France and highlight the bankruptcy of a state policy that denies the existence of ethnic communities.

France’s longstanding policy has been to promote a “color – blind” republic with notionally equal opportunities for all. Under left and right –wing Governments the State has refused to acknowledge the existence of serious obstacles to integration.

The state’s refusal to accept reality and help minorities is promoting Islamic extremism. The political leaders of the state have to accept the fact that the system of integration in France has broken down and the model of integration has failed. France faces a crisis situation that is not the result of immigration but the way that immigration has been treated.

Arab and African immigrants and their descendants have too often been shunted into ghetto –like housing estates and discriminated against over housing, jobs and education. The state’s refusal to gather statistics based on ethnic origins made it hard to analyze the lot of immigrants.

The French immigrant population is estimated at about seven million out of 60 million, most of them originally from France’s former colonies in north Africa.

The business leaders’ report, drafted for Jean –Pierre Raffarin, the Prime Minister, said that France was not only inflicting injustice on generations of ethnic minorities but also depriving itself of a vital economic resource.

According to the report, young people of Arab and African origin are five times more likely to be unemployed than the rest of the French population. In education the number of Arabs and Africans gaining access to top university courses and the elite “grandes ecoles” is decreasing, while problems at primary and secondary level schools are “incapable of ensuring basis literacy among non- French – speaking immigrants”

The report called for far more active measures to help minorities, but stopped short of supporting the idea of race quotas.

Such “positive discrimination” was enthusiastically backed my M. Sarkozy but was opposed by most of the political world as contradictory to France’s doctrine of the homogenous, egalitarian Republic.

Les grandes ecoles - the great higher education schools like Oxford or Cambridge in the UK or Ivy League universities in the US.

Task 14:

Reading between the lines:

1. Why did left and right – wing Government refuse to acknowledge the existence of serious obstacles to integration? What may such obstacles be? Why? How do such obstacles arise?

2. What is racially – integrated society? Can you give any examples? What country do you think has succeeded in creating a color – blind society?

3. Is reality more conservative than ideology? Reason out.

4. Does patriotism help to create an integrated society? Reason out.

5. Are multi-racial societies more prosperous? Why? Why not?

6. Do you agree that nationalism is the bane of our age? Reason out.

7. Do you think that nations are, primarily, geographical notions?

8. In what countries is it easier to create a racially –integrated society? Why?

9. Where do you think, it is easier to create a racially – integrated community: in a country, a town or a small village? Reason out.

Task 15:

Comment on the following:

1.”We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizons.”

Konrad Adenauer