SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE

(FORMERLY JESUS THE LOVING SHEPHERD CHRISTIAN COLLEGE)

Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur, Philippines
S/y 2021-2022

MODULE ON
CONTEMPORARY
WORLD

TOPIC: THE STRUCTURES OF

GLOBALIZATION
(Contemporary Global
Governance)

PREPARED BY:

LEE ANN O. DACER, LPT

INSTRUCTOR

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This Module exposes the learners to economic and political arenas as structures of
globalization. In section 1: The global Economy, the discussion focuses on the process of
making the world economy an integral element of a whole. Also, it elaborates on the
important players of economic globalization. Section 2: Market Integration covers the
position of international financial institutions in the global market integration. In section 3:
The Global Interstate System, the discussion tackles the consequences of globalization on
governments and institutions that govern nation-state relations. Section 4: Contemporary
Global Governance presents the United Nations’ role, function, and the challenges of
global governance.

At the end of the module, the students are expected to:

1. Identify the roles and functions of the United Nations (UN)
2. Describe the challenges of global governance in the 21st century; and
3. Explain the relevance of the nation-state in the midst of globalization.

Instructions: Complete the organizational chart, by providing at least three roles of the
United Nations that you have in mind.

2.

3.
1.

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 Today, global governance makes world affairs systematic, secured, and formulaic.
Weiss & Thakur (2014) describe global governance as the totality of norms, laws, policies,
and bodies that define, comprise, and facilitate transnational relations between citizens,
states, cultures, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations. Rules and norms
put everything in order. Though global governance is rule-based, it has no central authority.
However, there are systems for international relationships that bind the States, people, and
society together.
Since the United Nations
(UN) has the most number of
members among the established
global systems, this section
discusses its organs, roles, and
functions. UN is composed of six
organs. The General Assembly is
the central deliberative and the
only organ where all member-
states have equal representation in
discussion and consideration, and
policymaking. The Security
Councils the organ which has the commitment to preserve peace and security. The
Economic and Social Council is the main organ for cooperation, policy review, policy
dialogue, and advice on social, economic, and environmental issues. The Trusteeship
Council is the organ tasked to administer international oversight for 11 trust territories and
to make sure that adequate procedures are taken for independence and self-government.
The International Court of Justice is UN’s prime judicial organ. The Secretariat is the organ
tasked to execute the daily activities as assigned by the five other organs.
The United Nations was established after the Second World War with one central
mission—to maintain international peace and security. Currently, with the world being
faced with numerous issues that threaten peace, UN serves as an actor in confronting these.
In 1948, UN was responsible for bringing human rights into the realm of international law
through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UN is also a space for its members to
manifest their perspectives through its core organs and committees. The organization has
become an instrument for governments to identify spaces of agreement and resolve
problems collectively by enabling the exchange of opinions between and among its
members and by hosting consultations.
Aside from maintaining international peace and security and protecting human
rights, UN also carries the functions of delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable
development, and upholding international law.

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 The organization utilizes good offices, diplomacy, and mediation. It does
peacekeeping processes in countries with domestic conflicts and peace-building tasks in
countries freed from conflict, lessening the risk of reversing into conflict and setting the
groundwork for sustainable peace and development. It agrees on the global battle against
terrorism and works for the removal of nuclear weapons and other instruments of mass
destruction. All of these are executed to maintain international peace and security.
In order to protect human rights, UN scrutinizes situations and issues reported to
them and oversees the G exercise of international human rights agreements. It takes
responsibility for reviewing, monitoring, reporting, and commending human rights from a
country-based perspective. It approaches human rights energy within the UN development
system and boosts awareness of the reasons and acts of genocides, warns relevant players
where there is a danger of genocide, promotes, and mobilizes for relevant action.
Ultimately, it governs the conceptual, institutional, political, and operational advancement
of the Responsibility to Protect. In delivering humanitarian aid, UN is responsible for
coordinating responses to emergencies and supports rapid humanitarian response for
people affected by natural disasters and armed conflict.
The Millennium Development Goals was set to promote sustainable development.
In 2015, this was changed into the Sustainable Development, Goals (SDGs). These goals
are the blueprint to achieve a better and more Sustainable future for all. This collection of
17 global goals Covers social and economic issues including poverty, hunger, health,
education, global warming,
gender equality, water
sanitation, energy urbanization,
environment, and social justice.
In order for international laws to
be upheld, UN settles legal
disputes referred to it by the
member-states. It also accords
advisory opinions on questions
that are of legal nature submitted
by legitimate UN organs and
particular agencies.
The Security Council’s veto power over resolutions is one of the challenges that
UN has been facing since the organization’s foundation. For example, the UN resolution
in December 2017 that required US President Donald Trump to withdraw the recognition
of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel was vetoed by the United States in the Security
Council. In effect, the resolution was not passed. Some states refuse to adopt resolutions
and statements especially since the membership is on voluntary basis. The new government
of Lebanon openly defied the Security Council's many resolutions on the Israeli-Lebanon
conflict. In 2017, the Philippines voted against a United Nations General Assembly
committee draft resolution on the human rights crisis in Myanmar concerning the Rohingya

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people. These challenges seem to hinder some of the functions of UN. Furthermore, Weiss
and Thakur (2014), in their article titled, The United Nations Meets the Twenty-first
Century: Confronting the Challenges Global Governance, identify challenges confronting
UN based knowledge, norms, policy, institutions, and compliance:

1. In terms of knowledge, UN, is underappreciated regarding how its convening capacity

and mobilizing power are utilized to help funnel and consolidate knowledge from outside
and ensure its discussion and dissemination among governments.
2. The contrasting moral structures of social behavior in different member-states
complicate the formulation of a normative standard that can be applicable to all.
3. In formulating propositions, problems occur when only the member-states are heard. UN
belittle the helping hand of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the global public
opinion. Sometimes, recommendations are not executed.
4, Institutions can also be places where ideas are cornered and left behind. The modality
and processes for enforcing compliance with international norms and laws are not present.
In fact, some UN staff members violate, cheat, and challenge them.

Despite the establishment of global norms and international laws that nation-states
should follow, the nation-states are still relevant for there will be no intergovernmental
organization without them. Also, international and multinational agreements are designed
by the states and propelled by the initiatives that they undertake. As Bertucci & Alberto
(2018) affirm, the sovereignty of nation-states in the midst of globalization has not been
diminished for the cooperation and converted action among nation-states represent the
greater exercise of their sovereignty. Furthermore, the nation-states remain to be active
agents of local and transnational realms of concern.

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 To conclude, contemporary global governance defines the political scope of
globalization. Cooperation among nation-states is the only way to reform and advance
the roles and functions of interstate relationships despite real challenges being faced by
United Nations.

Instructions: Complete the table below.

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

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Instructions: Research on any agency or branch office of the United Nations in your
locality. In essay form, write a short description of its background, its objectives, and the
challenges that it has encountered in the Philippines. (minimum of 10 sentences)
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Instructions: Come up with a sketch that depicts the participation of the Philippine sin the
global community. Write at least five sentences to explain your sketch.

1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________

References:
The Contemporary World, Tumuroh C. Brazalote & Ryan M. Leonardo, Published in 2019
by C& E Publishing, Inc.
Dacles, Darwin, Don M. & Maslang, Kenneth L. (2018), the Contemporary World.
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya: SMU Publishing House
Haywood, A. Politics. London: Palgrave Mcmillan. 2012.
The-Contemporary-World.pdf (ched.gov.ph)

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Images:
https://www.chathamhouse.org/topics/united-nations-un

https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-1038195038-united-nations-waving-flag-national-
3d-un

https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-united-nations-still-so-misunderstood-59284

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