Unit 2 – A World of Ideas: Cultures

of Globalization

Sammy T. Perado, Ph.D., MMT, REB

stperado@firstasia.edu.ph

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Topics:
 How globalization affects religious practices
and beliefs
 Various religious responses to globalization
 Future of religion in a globalized world
 How various media drive different forms of
media integration
 > Social impacts of different media on the
process of globalization

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 Dynamic between local and global cultural
production
 responsible media consumption
 Media and its functions
 Global village and Cultural Imperialism
 Critiques of Cultural Imperialism
 Social Media and the Creation of Cyber
Ghettos

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 This second unit focuses on how the
globalization structures discussed in Unit 1 affect
various forms of cultural life.
CULTURE – refers to the daily practices of
people.

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Lesson 6
“THE GLOBALIZATION OF RELIGION”

Learning outcomes:
1. Explain how globalization affects religious
practices and beliefs
2. Identify the various religious responses to
globalization; and;
3. Discuss the future of religion in a globalized
world.

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 Religion has the most difficult relationship
with globalism.
RELIGION GLOBALISM
 concern with the sacred  Places value on material
 Follows divine wealth
commandment  Abides by human-made
 Possibility of a laws
communication with the  Its “yardstick” is how much
transcendent of human action can lead
 Yahweh, allah, God defines to the highest material
and judges human actions satisfaction.
in moral terms. EDUCATION FOR A FAST CHANGING WORLD
Religious people – less concern with wealth and
all that comes along with it.

Main duty – live a virtuous, sinless life.

 Detest politics
 Aspires to be holy

Both are on the process of globalization but

with a different agenda.

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 The globalist ideal is focused on the realm of
markets and it wishes to spread goods and
services while religion is concern with spreading
holy ideas globally.
Globalists are less worried about whether they
will end up in heaven or hell.
AIMS:
 Seal trade deals
 Raise profits
 Improve government revenue collection
 Protect the elite from government’s excessive
tax.
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 Others would isolate themselves to focus on
their beliefs.
 Followers of Dalai Lama – Tibet
 Buddhist monasteries
 Rizalistas of Mt. Banahaw
 Mormons from Utah

These groups believe that living among with

“non-believers” will distract them and abandon
their faith and thus become sinners.

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 The relationship of religion and globalism is
much more complicated.
Peter Berger argues that far from being
secularized, the “contemporary world is furiously
religious.”
Religion – foundation of modern republic.
e.g.
Malaysia – places religion at the center of their
political system.
The late Iranian leader- Ayatollah Ruholla
Khomeini – Islamic form is the superior system of
government.
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Nahdlatul Ulama – moderate muslim association

Pesantren – Islamic school

Religion has always been the center of

government and conflicts.
e.g.
King Henry Vlll – broke away from Roman Catholic
Church and established his own religion to
strengthen his power.

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Alexis de Tocqueville – French historian and
diplomat who wrote, “not only do the Americans
practice their religion out of self-interest but they
often even place in this world the interest which
they have in practicing it.”

Jose Casanova – religion – source of all political

conflicts

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 Religion – may dislike globalization but it is
using its resources to promote its cause.
 Technology
 Modern management and Marketing tools
 availability of English as a global vernacular

Religion may benefit from the processes of

globalization but its tensions with globalizations will
always be there.

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Activity #1

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LEARNING ACTIVITY:
What religion are you in?

Divide yourselves into groups. Each group

must be assigned one religion (Buddhism,
Catholic, Protestant, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam
etc.) Surf the web and research the history of the
assigned religion.

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Describe the following:
a. The religion’s concept of good
b. The religion’s concept of evil
c. The steps needed by a person to become
good and prevent himself from becoming evil.
d. Are they also engaged into politics?

Discuss the result of your research with the

class to determine the similarities and differences
between these religions.
NOTE: maximum of 15 slides
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