Religion and Theology Global Culture and Ethics - Essay Example

Religion and Theology Global Culture and Ethics Part Universalism, Homogenization, Binaries and Cultural Difference: Cultural relativism, universalism, relating to the conflict between two different ideologies of human rights on a national scale has been considered as the most pertinent issues of the past few years. Universalism stands upon much more “primitive” cultures whereas the cultural activists standing on much more equal viewpoint about the unchangeable attitude of traditional culture. As a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS  to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration shall strive by teaching and education to promote salutation for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to safeguard their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of territories and among the peoples of Member States themselves which falls under their jurisdiction. The Declaration is introduced by a preamble describing the fundamental characteristics of the rights which are qualified as being "natural, unalienable and sacred" and consisting of "simple and incontestable principles" on which citizens could base their demands. In the second article, the subject matter was for the destruction of aristocratic privileges by proclaiming an end to feudalism and to exemptions from taxation, freedom and equal rights for all human beings (referred to as "Men"), and access to public office based on talent. The monarchy was restricted, and all citizens are allowed to take part in the legislative process. Freedom of speech and press were declared, and arbitrary arrests outlawed. The Declaration also asserted the principles of popular sovereignty, the rights of king in contrast to that characterized the French monarchy, and social equality among citizens, eliminating the special rights of the nobility and clergy. Historians have often sought to identify the sources that most influenced the words and political philosophy of the Declaration of Independence. By Jeffersons own admission, the Declaration contained no original ideas, but was instead a statement of sentiments widely shared by supporters of the American Revolution. Sue J. Kims Critiquing Postmodernism in Contemporary Discourses of Race exposes important interventions is to suggest that an uncritical celebration of difference for its own sake leaves no way to judge between varied expressions of difference. We become unable to discern which forms of resistance are more ethical or sustainable, by removing any ethics other than a privileging of heterogeneity. Kim notes further that indiscriminate valorization of difference opens up the discourse of multiculturalism and pluralism to its appropriation by hegemonic groups. In a society where individualism prevails such as the U.S., people regard themselves primarily as individuals; they can contribute to the community as and if they wish.  In a communitarian society like Japan, peoples opinions are just the opposite: People think of themselves as part of a group, and consider the community first since that is shared by many individuals.  In this aspect, Taiwan is more of a communitarian society, although the tendency is not as strong as in Japan. Part 2: Universalism, Homogenization, Binaries and Cultural Difference: According to Gloria Anzaldua there are different ways of construction of Identity in human interaction. Stuart Hall says, Ones status, rank and position in the great chain of being --the secular and divine order of things--overshadowed any sense that one was a sovereign individual. The birth of the sovereign individual between the Renaissance humanism of the sixteenth century and the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century represented a significant break with the past. As per the Stuart Hall, It is now a commonplace that the modern age gave rise to a new and decisive form of individualism at the centre of which stood a new conception of the individual subject and its identity. Identity as production is an ongoing process, it never stops as complete .Identity as representation Constructed through remembrance, portrayal, myth( "lost" Africa means to the black community), and Envisaged community(where we from, where we live, our country), The Authoritative regime of representation also came into the picture. Again identity as positioning means Different stage of one’s life, different placement of shifts the identity in different way. If talking about recognize it can be of own self, recognition of other identity are dissimilar from one’s own (doesnt mean it does not belong to the unify community) and one should appreciate and adopt the differences. (Welcome the other into ones home to engage the individualities of the other. As result of colonization, massive Diaspora lives all around the world. According to ”Diaspora” it seems to refer dispersion, diffusion and heterogeneity, migration movement and scattering the very term may enhance monolithic notions of culture and identity. Who can be called Diasporas? The issue here is not simply of ethnic affiliation and cultural movement but also a social position. For example, people can talk about African Diaspora but rarely talk about English Diaspora. The question is one of power. It is a spread of powerful colonizing people around the world as “an exile” although some may experience it as such. The pros and cons of multiculturalism (notes from the lecture notes) Pros: Cons: Celebration of diversity(ethnic, racial, cultural) Lack of integration Different communities coexisting peacefully and Equitably in a single community Lack of understanding of other cultures and differences. Difference as source of strength Difference as source of strife Cosmopolitanism: Cosmopolitanism is the term to illustrate a theoretical belief of how some think the world should be, where interstate boundaries are abolished and citizens become part of a global body.  Pros Cons Care of others as much as care for yourself Precondition: Tolerance, mutual respect Understanding of the diversity as part of your own In reality (limited in engagement) Culture. In reality it is impossible for everyone to travel and engage with diversity. As opposed to this monocultural idea of fantasy, Gloria Anzaldua pointed out that in reality the world is a mixed, hybrid, and what she called Mestiza (Liminal subject who lives in borderlands between cultures, races, languages, genders, Half-Half). In order to embrace the diversities first of all has to deconstructing Euro-Anglo ways of knowing the world which mean get rid of the white supremacy.Moreover, weakening the literary canon, in which centers the education system, get rid of the superficial way to think about the multiculturalism. Instead of treating the multiculturalism as "periphery", look at it as a core understanding of how we framed the world. Part 3: Colonialism, Cold War, Violence, Peaceful Coexistence Colonialism is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition, and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous population. Fanon recognized that race Violence, colonialism though two viewpoints like, White Master is not seeking recognition from the slave places negative characteristics of humanity on slave whereas Slave Finds no liberation in work only alienation, they does not see white master as object, Fixated with while master’s subjectivity desire, it Remains an animal, dehumanized. Structure of colonialism created the reciprocal homogeneity and led to violence and counter-violence deviding the world into various hierarchies through cold world. Global divided into 3 worlds- United States, Western Europe, Industrial capitalism and democracy which are known to First world countries, followed by Second World- Soviet Union and Satellite nations (i.e. Poland, Romania), China, Cuba (Socialism) and by Third World- Everyone else (African, Latin America, Asia) Non aligned nations. After the cold war the World divided between two opposing forces, where Two superpowers divided ideologically, Easter Bloc and Western Bloc, The Struggle between communism and capitalism Struggle for global influence, to gain ideologically win came out prominently , Global phenomenon; global superpower also arose brightly. And gradually all the countries came into Peaceful co-existence where Communism and capitalism could peacefully coexist ,Accommodation with the west and Reduced tension and hostility between the eastern bloc and western bloc, between the ideologies of communism and capitalism. The term Globalization emerged since the last two decades. Suddenly revolution in internet world and rising amount market expansion all around the world made the process of knowledge sharing, trading and capital transfer easier today. As per the world renowned and Nobel Prize winner economist, Amartya Sen, “globalization has enriched the world scientifically and culturally, and benefited many people economically as well” (The Economist, 2013). According to the United Nation in twenty first century to eradicate poverty globalization is one and effective solution. But other economist like Joseph Stiglitz and Ha-Joon Chang said globalization is the reason behind inequality among the nations for its free trade rules and regulations. Globalization is a means for bringing the world at a common place. In this context Gunn rightly stated that “the key to bridging the distance between the self and the other may come through seeking the conceptualization of a common world, rather than a common human nature”. Here Gunn expressed the idea having a common world since human beings and their nature vary from person to person and the only means for bridging the gap is globalization. In the words of Ignatieff, a global ethic indifferent of the race, class, color, creed etc. is a significant need for the survival of the human race since it eradicates unjust practices like colonization and supports practices like “equal inclusion”. This means equal right for all and no differentiation which is the actual purpose of globalization and thus globalization does not only unite people rather it unites minds and helps in removing boundaries of culture, ethnicity and of course the unjust treatment of the powerful on the weaker sections of the society. Hence understanding globalization is important for every human being who is a part of this global revolution. Read More