REVIEW – NOVEMBER 07

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF STATE FINANCE

 AK/SPPA 4115 6.0A

 

{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 OFCULTURE [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.