Global society studies

Globalisation: the Life-Cycle of a flip-flop

This group of our Social Sciences students have explored Globalisation and World Systems Theory through the Life-Cycle of a Flip-Flop, where they learned of the impact that global trade has on the environment, migration and economic development and the inequalities that are created. In understanding such occurrences, they note that Wallerstein’s ‘World-Systems Theory’ can be adopted, which explains global development through the use of core and periphery nations and the inter-dependencies of each.

In examining environmental, economic and people factors, and using Immanual Wallerstein’s ‘World-Systems Theory’ to analyse the global impact of the production of flip-flops - allowing a consistent overview of the exploitation of periphery nations to the benefit of core nations - they concluded that economic disparity and instability are caused by the use of cheap raw materials from nations such as sub-Saharan Africa. This continues with the use of cheap labour in ‘semi-periphery’ nations such as South Korea and China for the assembly of the product, before being sold on to ‘core’ nations for use. Their study has highlighted the damaging environmental impact of this capitalist global trade model and has highlighted some of the migration issues that have also been caused.

Students: Keri Wild, Annie O’Hear, Caitlin Lee, Daniel Hutchison, Adam Paterson

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IMF/World Bank Hindering Africa’s Evolution

These UWS Social Sciences students explored that, following WWII, the allied nations came to an agreement at the Breton Woods conference, USA to produce organisations that could rebuild Europe's economy and stabilise failing economies in the future. Some years later, the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund) then started offering conditional loans to under-developed countries and implementing policies that gave western corporations access to their raw materials and markets. The loan conditions came with Structural Adjustment Programmes that required already struggling governments to dramatically cut public spending. This resulted in cuts to subsidies for food, education and medical care.

This student group presented that these SAP’s and loan conditions had caused major challenges in numerous countries, including Greece and Iraq, but that the hardest hit continent was Africa. Examining a variety of micro and macro-economic factors, and with particular case-study focus on Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe, these students investigated whether the IMF and World Bank are helping to evolve the continent.

Students: Sean Myerscough, Manmeet Kaur, James Lambie, Jamie McLaughlan

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‘Glocalisation’ of McDonald’s in India

This group of students examined the premise of ‘Glocalisation’ - the process of global brands altering their products to suit the different cultures across the globe. They noted (from Kumar 2007) that “The concept of glocalisation is particularly important to the food and agribusiness industry because of the seamless challenges this industry faces due to the typical differences that exist in the food habits of people belonging to various regions/religions/cultures across the globe.”

The students noted that with many religions in India such as Hinduism, Sikhism & Jainism, the general consensus is that cow meat is not eaten. Therefore, McDonald’s have adapted their menu in India to suit a variety of religious and cultural preferences. This study examined the Impact and Sociological Theories of Glocalisation, providing case-study examples of the menu changes which McDonald’s made within their outlets in India.

Students: Charlotte Ross, Eve Kilkie, Shantell Mbui, Emma Tobiasson, Elisse Porter, Emma Gray, Athol Bond

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