A brief introduction to global challenges, local responses, and the role of Anthropology.

1. THE ROLE OF
ANTHROPOLOGY
IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD

2. GLOBAL
INTEGRATION
• Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have
experienced dramatic changes in:
• how we live (i.e. more electricity, resources, and
nuclear toxins)
• means of transportation (i.e. increased use of fossil
fuels)
• distance between destinations (i.e. international and
space travel)
• These changes have a negative impact on the
environment
• Excessive pollution
• Resource degradation
• As such, these massive environmental changes
brought on by humans (since the Industrial
Revolution) has been defined as it’s own geologic
epoch called the Anthropocene

3. THE
ANTHROPOCENE
Anthropomorphic changes
are happening at an
expedited rate due to
globalization
The increased rate at which
humans destroy the
environment is possible
because of structural
violence

4. STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
MILITARY POWER ECONOMIC POWER THE GLOBAL MEDIASCAPE

5. GLOBAL INTEGRATION
ECONOMIC POWER
• Large corporations monopolize on resources, and
means of distributing resources, which widen the
inequality gap
• Local markets collapse because disadvantaged groups
abandon local farming to export crops for cash
• Big corporations outsource goods and services to fuel
their own interests (and not those who supply
goods/services)
• Megacorporations are not regulated by international
policy, and are based in secrecy

6. GLOBAL INTEGRATION
MILITARY POWER
• World leaders in military power use money as an
instrument of coercion and intimidation
• Have the most nuclear weapons
• Have the highest budget
• Can manipulate the foreign political landscape
via invasion, armed intervention, or imposing
trade embargos
• Powerless groups have resorted to guerilla tactics,
insurgencies, and terrorism
• Military power destroys traditional culture, social
organization, and natural habitats

7. GLOBAL INTEGRATION
MEDIASCAPE
• The global mediascape is a tool for harnessing soft
power
• Influence public opinion and perception
• Take political action
• Advertise products
• Move capital
• Gain prestige
• Leaders in the global mediascape seek to dominate,
profit, and benefit from the transmission of
information

8. GLOBAL INTEGRATION
• Cultures make changes (adaptations) to goods
and services integrated from outside
• Language
• Type of resources
• Methods of production and use
• A transnational culture will be difficult to attain
(and maintain)
• Revitalization movements work to preserve
cultures
• Traditionalism focuses on returning to how life
used to be

9. GLOBAL CHALLENGES
OVERPOPULATION
• Increased population leads to a growth in the
scale of hunger/malnutrition and pollution
• Adequate nutrition is required to resist disease
MALNUTRITION
• Starvation/obesity caused by:
• Environmental calamities
• Warfare
• Collapse of local markets caused by foreign
imports
• Massive job cuts
• Growing poverty rates
• Raising cash crops for export
• Availability of processed foods

10. GLOBAL CHALLENGES
VIOLENCE
• Due to ethnocentrism, nationalism,
extremism, etc.
• Large numbers of people are
displaced
Multiculturalism – public policy for
managing cultural diversity in multi-ethnic
societies, officially stressing mutual resect
and tolerance for cultural differences within
a countries boarders

11. GLOBAL
CHALLENGES
• Approaching a transnational
culture
• Eliminates uniqueness
• Favors the dominant
• Requires rearranging
human relations
• Requires restructuring
cultural systems

12. ANTHROPOLOGY
Consider
Consider cultural factors and
views for a holistic
perspective to problem
solving
•Show how issues relate to each
other
Explain
Explain cultural features and
structures that may not be
obvious to experts in other
disciplines
Help
Help shed light on already
identified problems
•Human rights for indigenous
peoples
Identify
Identify patterns and trends
that may help foresee future
consequences