More and More, We are Interconnected

Serafin D. Talisayon

Professor, Technology Management CenterUniversity of the Philippines

Director for R&DCCLFI.Philippines

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected EcologicallyEcologically

Spread of HIV-AIDS in Africa, 1984-1999

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected EcologicallyEcologically

Global Warming

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected EcologicallyEcologically

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected EcologicallyEcologically

Spread of cholera in

Latin America

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected FinanciallyFinancially

The World is More and More The World is More and More Interconnected Interconnected PoliticallyPolitically

Powerful Centripetal Forces Powerful Centripetal Forces towards Planetary towards Planetary OrganicityOrganicity

• Global environmental crisis

– Scope of action must match scope of problem

– Most environmental problems have planetary scope

– Ecological flows: independent of man-made political-administrative boundariesboundaries

• Information/communications revolution

– Interlinked “global villages” and global e-commerce

– Internet � Teilhard de Cardin’s “noosphere”

• Globalization of trade and manufacturing

– Conflict modality: from ideological/military to technology/trade

– Planetwide acceptance of market systems

– Interlinked production systems across the planet

– From above: need to join or adhere to international organizations and protocols

– Across: diminishing control over large and rapid

Erosion of National Erosion of National BoundariesBoundaries

– Across: diminishing control over large and rapid transboundary flows of information and money

– From below: pressure from emerging civil societies/peoples who are more and more educated, aware and vigilant

– Highly interconnected global system is vulnerable to individuals/groups which “think locally but act globally”: hackers, virus engineers, terrorists, drug dealers, etc.

– Dominant cultures overwhelming others: loss of cultural diversity or

Risks in a Globalized Risks in a Globalized WorldWorld

– Dominant cultures overwhelming others: loss of cultural diversity or “clash of civilizations”

– Increasing financial vulnerabilities and instabilities

(e.g. banking crises had increased in 1990s over 1980s)

– Slow development of adequate global arrangements and institutions to address equally global problems

(e.g. technological innovation outstrips legal regimes).