REVIEW – NOVEMBER 07
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF STATE
FINANCE
{SYNOPSIS AND GENERAL OVERVIEW: THIS SECTION OF THE COURSE EXPLORED THE FUNDAMENTAL
CHANGES IN CAPITALIST MARKETS AND THEIR
IMPACT ON (1) THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES AND THE DIGITIAL COMMODIFICATION OF CULTURE (2) GLOBAL FINANCE AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN POLITICS, (3) GLOBAL FINANCE AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN GEOGRAPHY, AND (4)
GLOBAL SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
SYSTEMS [OF RACE, CLASS AND GENDER] IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSNATIONAL CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
{*THE SOCIOLOGICAL KEY ====> IN THIS
SECTION, OUR JOB AS STUDENTS HAS BEEN TO BEGIN TO MAP THE GEOGRAPHY OF
GLOBALIZATION AND ITS TRANSFORMATIONS
OF – CULTURE [THE AMERICANIZATION OF NORMS, BELIEFS AND VALUES?]; POLITICS[THE
INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE STATE?] NATIONALISM [NORTH
AMERICA WITHOUT {OR WITH
INVISIBLE} BORDERS?]; AND NEW SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION SYSTEMS [PATTERNS OF POWER AND
INEQUALITY THAT ARE
ROOTED IN PATTERNS OF MULTINATIONAL / TRANSNATIONAL PRODUCTION?]
PART I – THE TRANSFORMATION OF COMMUNICATION IN CANADA
QUESTION:
WHAT CAN A POLITICAL ECONOMY APPROACH CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE
ADVANCES AND EXPANSION OF MARKET POWER IN THE COMMUNICATION ARENA?
THESIS: NEOLIBERALISM IS FOUNDED ON THE RETREAT OF
GOVERNMENT FROM CRITICAL AREAS OF SOCIAL LIFE, INCLUDING THE COMMUNICATIONS ARENA, WHERE GOV'T HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF INFRASTRUCTURE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS, THE
REGULATION OF MARKET ACCESS, AND THE DIRECT
PROVISION OF SERVICES
THE PROCESS OF DIGITIZATION
AND COMMODIFICATION THAT UNDERLIE THE
ACCELERATION OF MEDIA CONCENTRATION ===è DIGITIZATION
REFERS TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOUNDS, INTO COMMON LANGUAGE – IT PROVIDES ENOURMOUS GAINS IN TRANSMISSION
SPEED AND FLEXIBILITY VER EARLIER FORMS OF ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION THAT WERE LARGELY RELIANT ON ANALOG TECHNIQUES {ONE LANGUAGE GOVERNS PRACTICALLY ALL ELECTRONIC MEDIA}==è COMMODIFICATION
REFERS TO TRANSFORMATION OF USE TO EXCHANGE VALUE – THE EXPANSION OF THE
COMODITY FORM PROVIDES THE CONTEXT FOR WHO LEADS THE PROCESS OF
DIGITIZATION AND HOW IT IS APPLIED. IT IS USED PRIMARILY TO EXPAND THE
COMMODIFICATION OF “INFORMATION” AND “ENTERTAINMENT” – TO ENLARGE MARKETS IN COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS; DEEPEN
THE COMMODIFICATION OF LABOUR INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND EXCHANGE OF COMMUNICATION; AND EXPAND MARKETS IN THE AUDIENCES TO RECEIVE AND MAKE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS.
THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION IN
COMMUNICATION IS THEREFORE BETTER DESCRIBED AS THE MUTUAL CONSTITUTION OF DIGITIZATION AND
COMMODIFICATION
THREAT TO PRIVACY AND TO THE PUBLIC SPHERE =è COMMODIFICATION IS
CHALLENGED BY ORGANIZATIONS DEFENDING BOTH THE PRIVATE SPHERE, PARTIULARLY THE
RIGHT TO PRIVACY, AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE, THE RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE IN AN
OPEN AND DEMOCRATIC FASHION – RESISTANCE:
(CONTESTED TERRAINS – EG. “THE BATTLE OF SEATTLE”) USING CYBERSPACE TO ADVANCE
THE POLITICS OF DEMOCRATIC COMMUNICATION {“THE CONVERGENCE OF LABOUR AND CONSUMPTION AND THE POLITICS OF CITIZENSHIP, WHICH SEEM TO MARK SO
MUCH OF WHAT GETS SIMPLEMINDEDLY CALLED THE ANTIGLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT, MAY BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FORM OF CONVERGENCE TO UNDERSTAND TODAY” PP. 305}.
GENERAL SHIFT IN PUBLIC
POLICY =è THE HISTORICAL SUPPORT FOR STRONG NATIONAL REGULATION OF CANADIAN
COMMUNICATION AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND CANADIAN CONTROL OVER AMERICAN CULTURAL IMPORTS HAS MOVED TOWARD ENDING DOMESTIC REGULATION AND IMPORT CONTROLS – THE MINISTRY OF HERITAGE (CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH
NATIONALIST POLICIES) ANNOUNCED A REVIEW OF ALL FOREIGN OWNERSHIP RESTRICTIONS ON NEWSPAPERS, RADIO, AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING ==è IN 1999, THE
CHIEF COMMUNICATION REGULATORY AUTHORITY FORMALLY RULED AGAINST REGULATION OF
THE INTERNET {THE IMPACT OF WHICH PROMISES TO BE PROFOUND, BECAUSE THE INTERNET
IS BEGINNING TO OVERTAKE CONVENTIONAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.}
{ASIDE: SOCIOLGIST
ULRICH BECK (2001) HAS REFERRED TO THE EVENTS OF 9/11 AS “CAPTIALISM’S
CHERNOBYL” =è THEY UNDERMINED FAITH IN NEOLIBERALISM, JUST AS THE NUCLEAR DISASTER AT CHERNOBYL UNDERMINED FAITH IN SOCIETY
COMMUNISM {9/11 EXPOSED THE VULNERABILITIES THAT FOLLOW DIRECTLY FROM A GLOBAL
POLITICAL ECONOMY ROOTED IN NETWORKS OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION}
PART II – GLOBAL FINANCE AND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE
NATION STATE
QUESTION:
DOES THE CANADIAN
STATE
HAVE AN INDEPENDENT ROLE TO PLAY IN GLOBAL FINANCE?
THESIS:
THIS ROLE IS BEING TRANSFORMED BUT STILL SHOWS SOME SIGNS OF INDEPENDENCE AND
AUTONOMY
COX
(2000) HIGHLIGHTED THE EMERGENCE OF A NEBULEUSE, A TRANSNATIONAL
PROCESS BRINGING TOGETHER PRIVATE FINANCIAL ELITES, FINANCE OFFICIALS, AND
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE DEGREE TO WHICH STATES
ADJUST TO THE NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY =è THE “INTERNATIONALIZATION
OF THE STATE” INVOLVES STRENGTHENING OF THE STATE’S FINANCE-RELATED
DEPARTMENTS, BUT ONLY THROUGH THEIR INTEGRATION WITH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS AND
THEIR ROLE IN GETTING CITIZENS TO ADJUST TO THE IMPERATIVES OF GLOBAL CAPITAL.
CANADIAN
STATE HAS
BECOME MORE ADEPT AT SUPPORTING INITIATIVES TO FACILITATE LINKAGES BETWEEN THE
CANADIAN AND
THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND
TO STRENGTHEN AND
IMPLEMENT DOMESTICALLY THE INSTITUTIONS AND
AGREEMENTS THAT CONSTITUTE GOVERNANCE IN GLOBAL FINANCE
• MAKING ROOM
FOR UNIVERSAL BANKS
• REINFORCING OLIGOPOLY: BANK MERGERS
• RESTRUCTURING CANADIAN STOCK MARKETS
• MAINTAINING GLOBAL
COMMITMENTS THROUGH BUILDING DOMESTIC STATE CAPACITY
MULTIDIMENSIONAL
STRATEGY AT DOMESTIC AND
GLOBAL LEVELS ====>
DOMESTIC FINANCE: ACQUIECE TO IMPERATIVES OF GLOBAL CAPITAL WHILE
SEEKING TO IMPROVE PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND PUT
IN PLACE A PROCESS FOR MERGERS
THAT WOULD INCLUDE CONSUMER INPUT ====> GLOBAL FINANCE: WORK(ED)
THROUGH THE G20 TO DEVELOP A MONTREAL CONSENSUS AS AN ANTEDOTE TO THE HARDER LINE
NEOLIBERAL WASHINGTON
CONSENSUS.
BUILDING GLOBAL
GOVERNANCE ====> GLOBAL GOVERNANCE AGENTS: THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY
FUND (IMF), THE GROUP OF SEVEN (G7), THE BASEL
COMMITTEE ON BANKING SUPERVISION (BCBS) AND
THE INTERNATIONAL ASSSOCIATION OF INSURANCE SUPERVISORS (IAIS)
====> THE FINANCIAL STABILITY FORUM (FSF) AND
THE GROUP OF 20 (G20)
PART III – GLOBAL AND
TRANSFORMATIONS IN POLITICS
QUESTION:
HAS
GLOBAL FINANCE TRANSFORMED NORTH AMERICA
INTO A PLACE
WITHOUT BORDERS, OR HAS
IT SIMPLY MADE THEM INVISIBLE?
THESIS:
THE ASSUMPTION THAT ECONOMIC INTEGRATION (FTA) WOULD RESUILT IN THE ERASURE OF
NATIONAL BORDERS WAS FUNAMENTALLY MISLEADING =è
THE ONGOING CONTINENTAL RECONFIGURATION HAS
NOT LED, AS PREDICTED BY THE LIBERAL PARTY IN 1988, TO THE ERASURE OF NATIONAL
BORDERS =è
STATES CONTINUE TO ASSERT AND
EXERCISE SOVEREIGNTY IN NEW
WAYS. BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY, THERE IS EVIDENCE OF NEW
TYPES OF TRANSBORDER RELATIONSHIPS, IDENTITIES, AND
ALIANCES THAT DO APPARENTLY SUGGEST MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS AND
THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACROSS TERRITORIAL BORDERS. SUCH
CONNECTIONS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT CITIZENSHIP PRACTICES
(PP. 215)
POLITICAL
ECONOMISTS [CONCERNED WITH THE INTEGRITY AND
ROLE OF THE CANADIAN NATION-STATE AND
NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY] HAVE CHARACTERIZED “NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES” IN TERMS
OF THE STUGGLE BETWEEN NATIONALISM AND
CONTINENTALISM èCONCERNS
ACCENTUATED BY GLOBALIZATION AND
THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001ON THE USA èECONOMIC
INTEGRATION HAS
PROGRESSED MORE RAPIDLY THAN EVEN ITS PROPONENTS EXPECTED, AND
A DEEPER FORM
OF INTEGRATION MAY
BE ON THE AGENDA {EX: “CONTINENTAL SECURITY PERIMETER” – BORDER-CONTROL AND
SECURITY MEASURES – “FORTRESS AMERICA”}
CONTINENTIALIST
VISION EMBRACED TRADE LIBERALIZATION AS A MEANS TO
ENHANCE CANADIAN PROSPERITY.
NATIONALIST VISION
ADVOCATED THAT STATE POWER BE USED TO PROMOTE GREATER CANADIAN CONTROL OVER THE
NATURE AND
SCOPE OF CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION.
ECONOMIC
INTEGRATION POSES A NUMBER OF DILEMMAS IN TERMS OF DEMOCRACY, POLITICAL
COMMUNITY, AND
CITIZENSHIP
COSMOPOLITAN
PROJECT è THE EMERGENCE OF TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
(BOTH CORPORATIONS AND
NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS) AND
ACTORS IS NOT CONFINED WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF A TERRITORIAL NATION-STATE è
THESE TRENDS HAVE CAUSED SOME SOCIAL THEORISTS TO RETHINK CONCEPTIONS OF
CITIZENSHIP AND
DEMOCRACY è {HELD ET AL 1999, 449} “IN THE MILLENNIUM
AHEAD EACH CITIZEN OF A STATE WILL HAVE TO LEARN TO BECOME A ‘COSMOPOLITAN
CITIZEN’ AS WELL:
THAT IS, A PERSON CAPABLE OF MEDIATING BETWEEN NATIONAL TRADITIONS, COMMUNITIES
OF FATE AND
ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF LIFE
… POLITICAL AGENTS WHO CAN ‘REASON FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF OTHERS’
WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO RESOLVE, AND
RESOLVE FAIRLY, THE NEW
TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUERS AND
PROCESSES THAT CREATE OVERLAPPING COMMUNITIES OF FATE.”
THE EMERGENCE OF
CROSS-BORDER ACTORS AND
IDENTITIES REQUIRES ANALYSTS TO MOVE
BEYOND THE INSIDE-OUTSIDE DICHOTOMY TO MORE FLUID AND
SOPHISTICATED MODES OF ANALYSIS.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO
EMBRACE A VISION OF COSMOPOLITAN CITIZENSHIP? è
WHILE COSMOPOLITIAN APPROACHES MAY
BE TOO
IDEALISTIC, WITH INSUFFICIENT APPRECIATION OF THE BARRIERS TO GLOBAL
CITIZENSHIP, AT THE VERY LEAST THIS STUDY OF CHANGING FORMS OF POLITICAL
IDENTIFICATION IN NORTH AMERICA SUGGEST THE WEAKNESS OF THE TRADITIONAL
NATIONALIST/CONTINENTIALIST DIVIDE AS A WAY OF INTERPRETING CANADIANS’ PLACE IN
THE CONTINENT.
CONCLUSION:
THE COSMOPOLITANS’ PROFOUNDLY LIBERAL IDEAS LACK SENSITIVITY TO THE
PROBLEMS THAT STEM NOT FROM THE NATION-STATE
SYSTEM BUT FROM THE PATTERNS OF POWER AND INEQUALITY THAT ARE ROOTED IN PATTERNS OF
PRODUCTION AND
THE SPREAD OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS.
THE POINT IS NOT
AS THE COSMOPOLITAN FORMULATION MIGHT SUGGEST, TO REPLACE THE OLD NATIONALIST
IDEOLOGY WITH A NEW,
DEMOCRATIZED, CONTINENTALISM BUT RATHER TO RECOGNIZE THAT STATE
BOUNDARIES ARE FORMS OF POLITICAL ACTION ARE BEING TRANSFORMED UNDER THE
PRESSURES OF GLOBALIZATION IN COMPLEX AND CONTRADICTORY WAYS.
NEW
WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING POLITICAL IDENTITY, COMMUNITY, CITIZENSHIP, AND
SOVEREIGNTY MUST THEREFORE BE DEVELOPED.
PART IV – SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
OF RACE, CLASS AND GENDER
{SPECIAL NOTE:
WE HAVE LEARNED IN THIS COURSE THAT CAPITAL ACCUMULTATION IS
THE PROCESS WHEREBY ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES BECOME CONCENTRATED AND
CENTRALIZED IN FEWER AND
FEWER HANDS è THIS TOPIC IS THE BRIDGE TO THE SECOND
SEMESTER è ALL
SUBJECTS AND
SOCIAL ISSUES IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE COURSE ARE
ADDRESSED AS STUDIES IN SOCIAL STRATIFICATION [SEE ANALYTIC TOOL BOX]
OR “PATTERNS OF POWER AND INEQUALITY ROOTED IN GLOBAL PROPERTY RELATIONS”}
1) IMMIGRATION STREAMS
QUESTION: WHO GETS IN {IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION}?
THESIS: IMMIGRATION IS A
STATE APPARATUS ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE OUT OF CANADA, AND TO RELEGATE NEWCOMERS OF COLOUR TO THE REALM OF
“DIRTY WORK”.
THE THREE PILLARS OR STREAMS OF IMMIGRATION
ECONOMIC CLASS - (A) ENTREPRENEURS
(B) INVESTORS
(C) SELF-EMPLOYED
FAMILY CLASS - (A) FAMILY SPONSORSHIPS
(B) INDEPENDENT IMMIGRANT APPLICATIONS
*(INCLUDESASSISTED RELATIVES/ SELECTED WORKERS = TECHNICALLY ECONOMIC CLASS)
HUMANITARIAN (A)
REFUGEES (PERSECUTED ON THE BASIS OF (i) POLITICAL ASSOCIATION, (ii) MEMBERSHIP IN A SOCIAL GROUP, (iii) RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION,
(iv) NATIONALITY, OR (v) RACE).
(B) PERSONS ELIGIBLE UNDER SPECIAL HUMANITARIAN
MEASURES.
TEMPORARY (A) WORK VISA
RESIDENTS
- (B) DOMESTIC
(C) STUDENT
(D) VISITORS
2) THE SOCIOLOGY OF IMMIGRATION
A) INSTRUMENT
OF NATION-BUILDING == THEORETICAL èUNDERPINNINGS; CANADIAN SOCIETY'S AVOWED COMMITMENT TO
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY PLUS COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY TO THOSE IN NEED OF PROTECTION AND SANCTUARY.
B) POLICIES AND PRACTICE ==
FILM: “WHO GETS IN.” è ECOMONIC, FAMILY AND HUMANITARIAN
C) RELATIONS OF POWER AND SOCIAL STRATIFICATION è{REFLECTED IN SOCIAL PROBLEMS LIKE “FOREIGN CREDENTIALISM;” WOMEN OF COLOUR “JOB-GHETTOS”.
D) PARADIGM OF
TRANSNATIONALISM {READINGS} è EXAMINING THE NEW PROCESSES OF IMMIGRATION SETTLEMENT,
ADAPTION AND INTEGRATION.
3) CRITIQUES OF IMMIGRATION: INTERROGATING THE SOCIAL FACTS
A) THE IMMGRATION AND REFUGEE SYSTEM AS SEXIST,
RACIST AND CLASSIST.
B) THE
CANADIAN STATE APPARATUS IS
ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE OUT OF CANADA,
CONTRARY TO ITS THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS AND/OR AVOWED PRINCIPLES.}}
[SYSTEM DISCRIMINATORY - NOT NECESSARILY EXPLICITLY OR DELIBERATELY
BUT THROUGH APPLICATION OF SEEMINGLY NEUTRAL RULES THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT
THE MOST VULNERABLE]
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
MIGRANT (SOMEONE WHO COMES TO
CANADA TO WORK == EX:
AGRICULTURAL WORKERS; LIVE-IN CAREGIVERS)
IMMIGRANT (PERSON BORN
OUTSIDE CANADA (“FOREIGN BORN”) SEEKING OR HAS RECEIVED PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS.
CONVENTION REFUGEE (ANY
PERSON UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION RELATEDTO THE
STATUS OF REFUGEES SIGNED AT THE GENEVA CONVENTION ON JULY 28, 1951, AND INCLUDES THE PROTOCOL THERETO SIGNED AT NEW YORK ON JANUARY 31, 1967) è {POST-WORLD WAR II EUROPEAN MODEL WHILE TODAY
REFUGEES COME FROM THE DEVELOPING WORLD}
LANDING (MEANS LAWFUL
PERMISSION O COME INTO CANADA TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT RESIDENCE)
CANADIAN CITIZEN (MEANS A
PERSON WHO IS A CITIZEN WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT.
CANADIAN CONTEXT FOR IMMIGRATION:
CONTEXT: IMMIGRATION IS
NECESSARY TO ECONOMY --- {“RESERVE ARMY” COMPRISED OF HIGHLY SKILLED AND TECHNICHAL WORKERS, ON THE ONE HAND è AND ON THE OTHER HAND, A LARGE SEGMENT OF NEWCOMERS
WHO TEND TO BE RELEGATED TO THE REALM OF “DIRTY WORK” {WORK CANADIAN CITIZENS DON'T WANT TO DO} ---
(I) UNSKILLED (AGRICULTURAL WORKERS, LIVE-IN
CAREGIVERS),
(II) UNDERGROUND – BLACKMARKET-- WORK THAT KEEPS THE ECONOMY AFLOAT, AND
(III) VULUNERABLE-INDENTURED WORKFORCE (SWEATSHOPS LABOUR, IN-HOME
LABOUR AND “SEX-TYPE” LABOUR. [EX: THE CONTROVERSIAL “STRIPPER
VISA PROGRAM” THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO RECTIFY A SHORTAGE OF EXOTIC DANCERS
IN CANADA. RECORDS SHOW THAT MORE THAN 550 TEMPORARY VISAS WERE GRANTED TO ROMANIANS IN 05 —
MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THOSE WHO QUALIFIED UNDER THE PROGRAM.]).
B) NEXT, WE CONSIDER {FILM/READINGS} THE WAYS THE CANADIAN STATE APPARATUS IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP
THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE OUT OF CANADA, CONTRARY TO ITS
THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS AND/OR AVOWED PRINCIPLES.
STRATEGIES OF EXCLUSION
I) REFUGEE DETERMINATION
(PROCESS AS) EUROCENTRIC AND ANDROCENTRIC BIAS;
II) VISITOR'S VISA
REQUIREMENTS COUNTRIES LIST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES};
III) GOVERNMENTAL INTERDICITON
{FINES FOR AIRLINES/ UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS};
IV) ADMISSIBILITY
CRITERIA/REQUIREMENTS;
V) VISA OFFICE/EMBASSY
PLACEMENTS
ARBITRARINESS OF THE SYSTEM[[?]]
I) REFUGEE
DETERMINATION – EUROCENTRIC AND
ANDROCENTRIC FRAMEWORK IS ABSENT TO ISSUES OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER,
ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER/DISLOCATION, WAR DISLOCATION, ETC. – THESE ABSENCES MAKE IT HARDER FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO COME
TO CANADA BY “DELEGITIMIZING” THEIR PLIGHTS {BOGUS REFUGEES}.
II) FAMILY
CLASS – “FEMINIZED” BY VIRTUE OF FACT THAT THE SPONSORED NEWCOMER IS USUALLY A WOMAN == MALE SPONSORS FAMILY, LEAVING WOMEN
FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON MALE SPONSORS è THE UNBALANCED POWER RELATIONSHIPS IN SPONSORSHIP
PROGRAM PUTS WOMEN AT RISK.
III) INDEPENDENT
CLASS – “MASCULINIZED” BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT A POINT SYSTEM THAT EMPHASIZES ADMISSION CRITERIA (AGE/ EDUCATION/ LANGUAGE/ WORK
EXPERIENCE/ ADAPTABILITY, ETC.) THAT ARE THE PURVIEW OF “MALE ROLES” IN MANY SOCIETIES.
SOME EFFECT OF SEXIST, RACIST AND CLASSIST IMMIGRATION
POLICIES
(I) BARRIERS CREATE
ILLEGALITY AND MAKE THE VULNERABLE HAVE
TO TAKE BAD JOBS.
(II) THE PHENOMENON OF GLOBAL
MIGRATION IS CAUSED BY FOREIGN POLICY, IMPERIALISM AND GLOBLAL CAPITALISM.
[I + II ='S VICIOUS SPIRAL]
STRATEGIES OF RESISTANCE
[WAYS PEOPLE RESIST THE DRACONIAN ASPECTS OF
CANADIAN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM] ===
(I) INTERNATIONAL ACTIVIST MOVEMENTS
(E.G., “OPEN BORDERS” POLICY/ PHILOSOPHY).
(II) LOCAL COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS (E.G., CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES {PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES/ RESEARCH} --- CANADIAN
CHURCHES “SANCTUARY” ISSUES/NEGOTIATIONS WITH MINISTER AND GOVERNMENT)
D) PARADIGM OF TRANSNATIONALISM
I) SOCIAL
PRACTICES OF IMMIGRANTS AND ETHNIC GROUPS SEEM INCREASINGLY TO REFLECT A
TRANSNATIONAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL LIFE AND CITIZENSHIP.
II) IMMIGRANTS
ARE INCREASINGLY CHARACTERIZED NOT AS BEING UPROOTED
BUT RATHER AS MAINTAINING LINKS TO THEIR HOMELAND THROUGH DEVELOPED NETWORKS,
ACTIVITIES, PATTERNS OF LIVING AND IDEOLOGIES THAT SPAN NATIONAL BORDERS (BASCH, SCHILLER AND BLANC 1994)
III) RESULT: ISSUES OF ETHNIC AND RACIAL INEQUALITY, EXPLOITATION, AND DISCRIMINATION HAVE BECOME MORE COMPLEX AS THE CLASS, ETHNIC AND RACIAL COMPOSITION OF IMMIGRATION FLOW TO CANADA HAS BROADENED è [THEREFORE, IT IS SUGGESTED, WE AS STUDENTS NEED A
BROADER LENS TO INCLUDE ISSUES OF TRANSNATIONAL CITIZENSHIP AND IDENTITY {TRANSNATIONAL- ENTREPRENEURSHIP, -MEDIA, -TERRORISM, GLOBALIZED/ORGANIZED
CRIME {DRUG TRADE / WEAPONS TRAFFICKING /MONEY LAUNDERING / BANK FRAUD
/MIGRANT SMUGGLING , ETC} –
RESEARCH THAT LOOKS BEYOND THE BOUNDRIES OF CANADA]
3) RACE AND RACISM
QUESTION: DO RACE PROBLEMS
BEGIN AS LABOUR PROBLEMS?
THESIS: THE ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM MUST BE LINKED
TO THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESS OF CAPITAL ACCUMULATION (PP. 180 BOLARIA – SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: CLASS AND RACIAL
INEQUALITY).
I) FORMS OF RACISM
RACISM {AS A PROCESS} =’S
PREJUDICE + DISCRIMINATION + POWER [TO CONTROL, EXCLUDE AND/OR EXPLOIT]
RACISM – {AS AN ACT} IS THE DENIAL OF EQUAL TREATMENT OR
ACCESS TO VALUED RESOURCES ON THE BASIS OF RACE (PRECEIVED PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS)}.
MOST PEOPLE TEND TO THINK OF
RACISM ONLY IN TERMS OF AN "OVERT ACT" OF INTOLERANCE AGAINST PEOPLE
OR PROPERTY, LIKE A "HATE CRIME" -- EX: ANTI-SEMITIC OR ANTI-BLACK
BEHAVIOR.
BUT, SOCIOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND
THAT RACISM OPERATES IN MANY FORMS [MULTIDIMENSIONAL], AND AT COVERT AND OVERT LEVELS:
(A) EXPRESSIONS CAN BE WILFUL, DELIBERATE, CONSCIOUS, OR THEY CAN BE
INDIRECT, UNINTENTIONAL, AND UNCONSCIOUS.
(B) THESE
EXPRESSIONS ARE REFLECTED IN INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES AND BELIEF SYSTEMS AND IN INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIETAL POLICIES AND REGULATIONS.
SOCIOLOGIST SPEAK OF THESE
DIFFERENT FORMS OF RACISM AS:
(1) INDIVIDUAL
RACISM: IS A FORM OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION THAT STEMS FROM CONSCIOUS,
PERSONAL PREJUDICE. (EX: SLURS, DEROGATORY BEHAVIOURS).
(2) EVERYDAY
RACISM -- INVOLVES THE MANY AND SOMETIMES SMALL WAYS IN WHICH RACISM IS EXPERIENCED BY PEOPLES OF COLOUR
IN THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE DOMINANT WHITE GROUP. (EX: GLANCES, GESTURES,
FORMS OF SPEECH AND PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS).
(3) CULTURAL
RACISM -- MEANING BASICALLY THAT WE CAN CONCEIVE OF DISCRIMINATION ON THE
BASIS OF ONE'S CULTURAL IDEAS, NORMS, VALUES AND MORAES.
(4) SYSTEMIC RACISM:
(A) INSTITUTIONAL
-- IS MADE UP OF THE RULES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES THAT DELIBERATELY PREVENT MINORITIES FROM HAVING FULL AND EQUAL INVOLVEMENT IN SOCIETY.
(B) STRUCTURAL
RACISM -- INEQUALITIES ROOTED IN THE SYSTEM-WIDE OPERATION OF A SOCIETY THAT EXCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF MEMBERS OF
PARTICULAR GROUPS FROM SIGNIFICANT PARTICIPATION IN MAJOR SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS.