T4- ME Globalisation & US in E PDF

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Tutorial 4: Globalization in the Middle East & US Regionalism in East Asia

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Globalization in Middle East o Article in 2004 highlighted a lack of development in the Arab world.  Illiteracy (especially women), youth employment rates, unemployment rates, poor GDP performance, growing poverty rates, mediocre access to technology & articulation of a desire by the majority of Arab youth to work in economies other than their own.  All problems facing the Arab world.  Due to globalization having a negative impact on the ME & making it harder for region’s population to keep up with new global tempo set by multi-national enterprises in North American and Europe. o Accelerating push for free trade, liberalization, investment & capital flows not only impacted on the economies of the region but has been accompanied by expectations of change within political systems aswell.  Emergent economic conditions & the responses of state elites in many Arab countries have resulted in lagging economic and political reform.  In the AHDR of 2005, 22 Arab countries criticized for failing to meet local aspirations for development and political freedom.  ‘Overall GDP at the end of the 20th Century was little more than those of a single European country such as Spain and much less than those of another European country, Italy’. o Market competitiveness, low inflation, foreign investment & new technology spur this economic process.  For majority of economies in ME has been a state-led resistance to such changes and globalization penetration by actors from outside the region has impacted negatively.  ‘The drama of globalization is a continuation of the colonial dialectic played out by earlier generations of the indigenous elite’. (Henry & Springborg).  Many contend the problem of resistance lies with elites of the region and dominant cultural trend of Islam.  Islam perceived by western economic exports as major restraint on market forces behind globalization. US Regionalism in East Asia o Focus on the region has emerged from an appreciation that the US will continue to reduce its presence in the area, thus providing opportunity for regional states (e.g. China & Japan) to emerge as leaders.  Never been any direct security ties between South Korea and Japan even though both have treaty links with Washington and American forces stationed on their territories. o For the 1980s, it was Japan’s trade with USA that showed greatest increase, and for the NIEs the most striking feature of the 1980s was the growth of exports by America.

o US security arrangements in Pacific Asia have overwhelmingly been bilateral & not multilateral. o Tokyo remained aloof from its neighbours, under the strategic umbrella of its US patron, with a stated commitment to separating economics from politics, and a determination to concentrate on its own economic development. o During Winston Lord’s confirmation hearing March 1993, the new US assistant secretary for E. Asia & Pacific Affairs signaled a shift in emphasis from the Bush era: most notably, a greater willingness to participate in multilateral forums.  Specifically noting ASEAN’s contribution to a process that could encourage sharing of information, easing of tensions, resolution of disputes & fostering of confidence. o Membership of new regional institutions have recognized the centrality of the US economy to Pacific Asia.  USA is vital to the export-orientated economies of East Asia. o Is being questioned whether USA will continue to act as a stabilizing power or will further retreat, and how punitively it will deal with its trading deficits with a number of E. Asian states. Tutorial Notes

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Drawing of borders following rise of colonialism & fall of Ottoman Empire. Duality of identities Artificial appointment of leaders to hold colonialism in the region; undemocratic? Idea of ‘Arab Exceptionalism’ Obstacle of Islam Political reform required o Regime change  “US, EU have rejected such scenario e.g. Saudi Arabia” Bottom-up regionalism and lack of bottom-up globalization Refugees crisis; Palestinians and Syria in recent times Lack of institutions; weak? o Compared to Asia e.g. ASEAN Pan-Islamism and pan-Arabism in Communist movements Diversity of wealth; centralization of oil within economies Homogenous region Rentier economy Big disparities in wealth between countries o E.g. Yemen compared to Qatar Spread of socialism & Marxism in the Northern Gulf states. Lack of self-sufficiency economies Lack of good governance Conflict in the region is still ongoing Mass colonial influence within the region Lack of a dominant state in the region. o E.g. Germany in Europe, USA in Northern America

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Lack of consensus towards a united ideology surrounding the process of globalization in the region o Are they already taking part when they dictate oil prices on a worldwide scale? o Lack of export = increase in price  Relationship between supply and demand....