Mexico - Blog

Cultural And Biodiversity

4/6/2015

It is no secret that there are dozens of plant and animal species that are extinct or at risk of being extinct. This has come to be a great issue amongst biologists because things such as global warming, deforestation, and man's carelessness towards the environment has put the world's biodiversity at risk. It is a nations biodiversity and land capabilities that allows for cultures to grow and develop. The decline in biodiversity around the world has put cultural diversity at risk too, but cultural diversity is also at risk due to the lack of cultural awareness and acceptance. I believe that the culture of a country is what defines the country itself, thus cultural diversity is what makes each country unique and I also believe that we are all citizens of the world. As the TED talk states, we all sing, we all dance, we all have art, but it is the rhythm of the song and dance that makes a culture unique. Just as various parts of the world vary in biodiversity, various parts of the world also vary in cultural diversity, making culture just as important as biological diversity.

The TED talk states that the Ethnosphere is at risk because there is a belief that the world must be a cohesive whole that should speak the same languages and believe in the same things. Realistically speaking not only is this impossible, but it is to put it simply a huge misconception. I feel like the world will not be a better place if we all spoke the same language, practiced the same religion, or dressed in the same way because that would mean abolishing cultures that have been around for thousands and thousand of years (besides how would anyone even decide which culture would be the one to keep, thats just asking for trouble).

In the sense of cultural diversity acceptance, I think Australia is a model country that all should follow. The governments involvement in policy making and funding has helped create a country that is accepting towards all. This being said, I believe that government officials should be actively involved in the making of legislation to create a country and a world that is more accepting and culturally aware. Involving the government in topics such as these can have its risks. There are many people who are against changed and opposed to opening their doors to those who have a different way of life, so involving the government can cause great political controversy. Like the TED talk said, politicians will never accomplish anything, and I can't help to believe that it is because addressing the issue of citizenship, and culture will put their reputations at risk. But what is more important, a person's political position and power, or a region's uniqueness and cultural identity? We simply can not sit idly by as entire cultures begin to disappear due to the lack of awareness and concern. Yes involving the government and politicians can have its risks, but to me the larger risk is losing the characteristic that makes earth so unique, which is the abundance of human life and the great cultural differences each and everyone of us have. We can not allow cultural diversity to continue to suffer just as biodiversity is suffering.

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Globalization and global interdependence

3/31/2015

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Income fared relatively poorly in the parts of Mexico that experienced little of the effects of globalization when compared to the so-called high exposure states of northern Mexico whose export-oriented industries have been magnets for foreign investors,” (Davis)

Mexico experienced what some call the decade of globalization. During the 1990’s Mexico opened up its trade restrictions and signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Canada. This agreement allowed Mexico’s gross domestic product (GPD) to go through the roof and triple what it had been decades before. As a whole, the country has had a positive experienced with globalization because globalization has increased economic growth, it has helped expand the country’s trade network, and it has reduced the taxes that are imposed on imported goods. However, the positive effects of globalization have not reached all Mexican citizens.

The country of Mexico has always suffered from inequality between high social classes, and those of the lower middle class and below. Globalization has had two different effects on the country, one that is drastically more positive than the other. Due to the high inequalities present in the country between social classes, it appears that people who live in rural areas with little to no exposure to globalization are trailing behind states that have had a full forced globalization experience. When addressing the two different classes and globalization experiences, Mexico is divided into two regions, the north which is referred to as the “high exposure states” and the south, which is known as the “low exposure states”. The amount of exposure to the different areas of the country are what has caused a debate on whether or not Globalization has helped or hindered the country. Those who have experienced the positive outlook on globalization argue that globalization raises wages and the standards of living, which ultimately increases economic growth. However this is only one part of the country's opinion, those who are opposed to globalization argue that globalization undercuts labor and the lifestyle of the working people further increasing the large gap between the wealthy and the poor. Examples of this are brought upon by Mexican corn farmers who are being put out of business by NAFTA because said farmers cannot compete with the cheap US-grown corn market. In conclusion, it can easily be said that globalization in the country of Mexico benefits some while it greatly harms others.

The concept behind interdependence is that one nation of the world relies on another for goods. The relationship between Mexico and the United States can be said to be the most interdependent international relationship in the world. This being said, there is great global interdependence between the Mexico and the United States economically, politically, and culturally. Culturally, Mexico and the United states are interdependent in many senses, this type of interdependence is heavily present in the border Mexican/U.S. border states. Northern Mexico, and the southern part of the United States are more alike than most people think. Cultural exchanges have been taking place in these regions, many of the northern Mexican states have more in common with Texas and other US states than they do with Mexican states. The presence of Hispanic culture is also seen all over the southern United States, making the the cultural exchanges a two way street. Politically however, the interdependent relationship between Mexico and the U.S. is a little more rocky, especially when it comes to immigration laws and procedures around the border. To address this issue both countries are now working together in a project known as “Border 2020” which was created to clean up the area around the U.S/Mexican border that directly affects 4 U.S. states and 6 Mexican states. Perhaps one of the greatest ways in which Mexico and the United States are interdependent with one another, is through economic related topics. Mexico heavily depend on the United States as a labor provider one more than just one way. Not only does the United States serve as “go to” nation for work to the Mexican people, but it also provides in house labor and work opportunities for Mexican citizens who choose to stay in their native lands. The US has many factories and developmental plants in Mexico that produce electronics, automotives , and other goods specifically for the US. The factories and plants, provide a significant portion of the labor market that is available in Mexico. The NAFTA agreement is also a way that Mexico and the United States are interdependent with one another. NAFTA benefits both countries because they both import and export much needed good from one another, and they lower tariffs.

Works Cited

Globalization and Poverty in Mexico. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.nber.org/digest/apr05/w11027.html

Globalization in Mexico, Part 1: Economic and Social Effects - BORGEN. (2013, April 26). Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.borgenmagazine.com/globalization-in-mexico-part-1-economic-and-social-effects/

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Status of Education

3/24/2015

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I just finished creating a report on the status of education in Mexico which you will find on my Political and Economics page. I invite you to make comments on this report.

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Gender Roles in Mexico

2/24/2015

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            Traditional gender roles in Mexico can often be distinguished in spatial terms one of them being la calle (the street) and La Casa (the home) (UND). This means that men are free to leave the family home as they chose, whether it is to work, or for pleasure. Women on the other hand are ideally placed in the home as amas de la casa (housewives/homemakers). The women takes care of the children's wellbeing, and the wellbeing of the home. Symbolically la calle is considered to be the man’s space. A woman seen “en la calle” (on the street) alone are reprimanded for being there without the presence of their husband. Men however are able to leave the home often because part of their gender role is to the support system of the family by providing income and putting food on the table (UND).
             Machismo and marianismo are two other gender role descriptions used within the Mexican culture to describe gender roles. These descriptions “dictate certain expectorations for members of the community,” (Global Security). Machismo places a high value on manliness. Men are expected to be independent and the dominant figure in the family. Machismo is also a way of asserting the power of men over women, but it is also a way in which men assert power amongst themselves. One of man’s greatest offenses could be to not be macho (not act like a man), so men use machismo to show their masculinity. Studies have shown that machismo has much to do with men who suffer from job insecurities. “Men suffer from job insecurities and compensate for their feelings of inferiority by exaggerating their masculinity and by subordinating women,” (Global Security). Marianismo on the other hand refers to femininity and to the ideals that women are modest, restrained, virtuous, and nurturing. This term also refers to a women’s role as a mother, which is viewed as more important as her role as a wife because in the Mexican culture, women are to be the caretakers for the entire family before putting themselves ahead. Some women are said to support machismo by being submissive to men, dependent to them, and passive.
            Although a women’s gender role still hold similar values as it did decades ago, their role in society and in the family dynamic are changing and evolving with time itself. Although much of the gender role ideal still remain prevalent in Mexican culture, immigration and time itself has evolved the ideals. The demographics of women has been changing in the Mexican work force. Immigration has had a great impact on this because as men migrate to the United States in search of employment, more and more women are being left alone in their native. This allows them to take on the responsibilities of the men while they are away from home. Time itself has also changed gender roles but has not completely abolished them. There are now modernized gender roles due to the modernization of society. Modern influences for both men and women has encouraged individuals to shift their gender roles to less prevalent and it has given both men and women the opportunity to expand their horizons.
            Being that I grew up in a family that has had both Mexican and American influences, I feel as though has been the main factor in the evolution of gender roles. Mexico is far more traditional country than the United States and that has reflected the way my mother and father have expressed their gender role “duties”. For example, my father is the main provider for our household which is traditional in Mexican culture, but my mother also does her part in providing for me and my siblings, something that was unheard of decades ago in the Mexican community. I think that those families who have emigrated from Mexico to the United States have had a better chance to explore and take on roles outside of those that are accepted in the Mexican community.
             I am surprised to learn how machismo has more to do with a man insecurities than it does with his masculinity. I find it ironic that because of their sensitivities and insecurities, men developed machismo (something that defines manliness and denies a man’s sensitivity) as a way to show others that they are big and mighty. I feel as though that idea in and of itself contradicts the true meaning of machismo.

                                                                                Works Cited
Military. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2015, from Global Security http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/mexico/machismo.htm

Women Men and the Changing Role of Gender in Immigration. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2015, from University of Notre Dame https://latinostudies.nd.edu/assets/95245/original/3.3_gender_migration.pdf

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Cultural And Biodiversity

Globalization and global interdependence

Status of Education

Gender Roles in Mexico

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