Online Lesson

EconomicsMinute
Is Globalization a Dirty Word?

Key Economic Concepts:

• Economic Growth

Description:

Is globalization a dirty word? Well not according to a recent study conducted by the World Bank. The report, entitled Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy, makes the case for globalization as a method for easing poverty in the world’s poor countries. What do you think? In this lesson you will access several types of information about the World Bank report, including a video file, a PowerPoint slide show, and a press release. Your objective is to determine the benefits of globalization and also to consider the costs of globalization.

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

• Define globalization, growth, and poverty.
• Analyze data regarding the connection between poverty reduction, economic growth, and globalization.
• Summarize the benefits and costs associated with an increasingly global economy.

Introduction:

Is globalization a dirty word? Not according to a recent study conducted by the World Bank. The report, entitled Globalization, Growth, and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy, makes the case for globalization as a method for easing poverty in the world’s poor countries. What do you think?

In this lesson you will access several types of information about the World Bank report, including a video file, a PowerPoint slide show, and a press release. Your objective is to determine the benefits of globalization and also to consider the costs or disadvantages of globalization.

Resources:

Materials:

Teacher's Versions

• PDF Questions - Supplementary questions to the Video, PowerPoint Presentation and Overview Article in the activities below.

Students' Versions

• PDF Questions - Supplementary questions to the Video, PowerPoint Presentation and Overview Article in the activities below.

  You may want to print these files before starting the lesson.

Internet Sites:

• "GLOBALIZATION, GROWTH, AND POVERTY" http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGGP/Resources/Globalization_PRR_Presentation.pdf
  Accesses an overview article on the World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty to determine the causes of concern.
• "Globalization, Growth, and Poverty:Building an Inclusive World Economy" www.worldbank.org/research/global/slides/PRR/index.htm
  Accesses The World Bank provides a brief PowerPoint slide show highlighting important points of the report on globalization, growth, and poverty.
• "World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty" www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/video/vnr/vnr12052001.ram
  Accesses a video on the World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty to determine the causes of concern.
• "Globalization Must Work for the Poor, Says New Research Report" http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK
  :20034434~menuPK:34465~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:
  4607,00.html
  Accesses a seven-point plan of action that aims to strengthen the benefits of globalization for poor people and to help those countries that have not benefited from globalization.

Follow-up Internet Sites:

• "Global Trade Watch" www.publiccitizen.org/trade/
  Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch leads the way in educating the American public about the enormous impact of international trade and economic globalization on our jobs, the environment, public health and safety, and democratic accountability.
• "FREE TRADE FUELS RISING POVERTY AND GROWING RICH-POOR GAP: World Bank's Claims of Success are Challenged" www.citizen.org/trade/fasttrack/ftarchive/workers/articles.cfm?ID=6300
• "Economic Policy Institute" www.epinet.org/
  The Economic Policy Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy.
• "Global Policy Network" www.gpn.org/
  The Global Policy Network (GPN) provides information to the general public on the state of working people in the global economy
• "Fair Labor Association" http://fairlabor.org/
  The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is a nonprofit organization established to protect the rights of workers in the United States and around the world.
• "Workers Rights Consortium" http://workersrights.org/

Process:

Activity 1:

If the students have not already, have the students print off the accompanying worksheet. The students will encounter a term in the video clip below that is critical to their understanding. That term is integration. Consider the word integration, how would students define it? The American Heritage Dictionary provides several definitions. Review the three definitions below; then as students listen to the clip, have them determine which definition most accurately fits the information provided.

1. to make whole by bringing all parts together
2. to join with something else; unite
3. to open to people of all races ore ethnic groups without restriction

Have the students click on the link below to access a video file introducing the World Bank report on globalization. As the students watch and listen to the video, have them answer these the question for Activity 1. Hint: the students may use the pause key on RealPlayer to write down their answers and then click play to continue.

www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/video/vnr/vnr12052001.ram
Accesses a video on the World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty to determine the causes of concern.

Activity 2:

Now that your students have been introduced to the World Bank report, let’s deepen their understanding of the terms globalization, growth, and poverty. The World Bank provides a brief PowerPoint slide show highlighting important points. The students will access the slide show and consider the following questions, as well as defining for themselves the terms globalization, growth, and poverty.

Click on the link below to access the eight PowerPoint slides in the presentations and consider these the questions in Activity 2:

www.worldbank.org/research/global/slides/PRR/index.htm
Accesses The World Bank provides a brief PowerPoint slide show highlighting important points of the report on globalization, growth, and poverty.

Your students have just investigated many of the points about the value or benefits of globalization. Have the students write one sentence that summarizes the main point of the World Bank report allowing them to utilize at least three out of the five following words: globalization, integration, poverty, growth, non-globalizers. [Globalized countries experience less poverty than non-globalizers; or Integration into the world economy appears to be a key component toward poverty reduction; or Economic growth is stronger in globalized countries than non-globalized countries.]

Activity 3:

We have seen, based on the research conducted by the World Bank, how beneficial globalization can be for poor countries. Why is it, then, that globalization is so controversial to some people? In this activity you will access the World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty to determine the causes of concern. Have the students click on the link below to access the Overview of the report.

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGGP/Resources/Globalization_PRR_Presentation.pdf
Accesses an overview article on the World Bank report on globalization, growth, and poverty to determine the causes of concern.

The students should read pages 15, 16, 17 and consider these the questions in Activity 3.

Conclusion:

The students have investigated how globalization has helped reduce poverty in a number of countries around the world. They also have also noted some of the controversies that surround globalization.

Assessment Activity:

To conclude this lesson on globalization, have the students click on the link below and locate page four of the article. Out of the seven agenda items listed, have the students select the two they believe are most important and write a brief statement of support for the two items they selected.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK
:20034434~menuPK:34465~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:
4607,00.html
Accesses a seven-point plan of action that aims to strengthen the benefits of globalization for poor people and to help those countries that have not benefited from globalization.

Extension Activity:

Have the students expore one of the following links and then write a brief summary of the reaction of this particular group to the World Bank.

• "Global Trade Watch" www.publiccitizen.org/trade/
  Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch leads the way in educating the American public about the enormous impact of international trade and economic globalization on our jobs, the environment, public health and safety, and democratic accountability.
• "FREE TRADE FUELS RISING POVERTY AND GROWING RICH-POOR GAP: World Bank's Claims of Success are Challenged" www.citizen.org/print_article.cfm?ID=6300
• "Economic Policy Institute" www.epinet.org/
  The Economic Policy Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy.
• "Global Policy Network" www.gpn.org/
  The Global Policy Network (GPN) provides information to the general public on the state of working people in the global economy
• "Fair Labor Association" http://fairlabor.org/
  The Fair Labor Association (FLA) is a nonprofit organization established to protect the rights of workers in the United States and around the world.
• "Workers Rights Consortium" http://workersrights.org/

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