The Effects of Globalization in Latin America, Africa, and Asia: A Global South Perspective

In TheEffects of Globalization in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Kema Irogbeargues that the forces of globalization, which include the IMF/World Bank, WTO, and Western media technology, are subordinated to the interests of multinational corporations under the tutelage of a lone superpower in strangling the development efforts of poor countries. Irogbe subjects the operations and the existing relationships among these international governmental and nongovernmental actors to the test of empirical reality and logical plausibility by drawing from the experiences of a varied selection of marginalized countries, such as Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil in Latin America; Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana in Africa; and Iraq, Iran, India, Afghanistan, and Vietnam in Asia. The book argues that globalization is a sophisticated lexicon for the pursuit of a homogenized political, economic, and cultural world order, which is a recipe for unending global crises.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The Power of Multinational Corporations Chapter 3: The Craft of World Trade Organization Chapter 4: The International Monetary Fund/World Bank and the Odious Debts Chapter 5: Western Media Technology and Cultural Globalization Chapter 6: The Malevolent Lone Superpower Chapter 7: Conclusion

About the Author :
Kema Irogbe is professor of political science at Claflin University.

Review :
Kema Irogbe’s study of the effects of globalization on Latin America, Africa, and Asia, is an informative and interesting read. Prof. Irogbe shows the reader why free-market ideas—in the words of Nobel Prize Winner Joseph Stiglitz—are not only unfair, but also unwise. His book will be viewed as a provocation by the establishment, but will certainly be an eye opener to the thousands of 'aid' workers parachuted into the underdeveloped countries by the international and bilateral aid institutions, as well as by NGOs with the objective of 'saving' the world from its ills. The presentation of his arguments is powerful and founded on carefully researched materials collected over the last two decades. Irogbe shows clearly and in a verifiable manner that globalization contributes to the advancement of underdevelopment for the majority of people. His book is a must for all those who wish to understand the true power structure of our planet and sincerely want to make a difference towards creating a better and more just world for all. This book is a critical and uncompromisingly objective appraisal of the effects of globalization on nation-states—particularly, on the periphery countries. Not since Chinweizu’s The West and the Rest of Us (1975) has a book so vividly exposed the plight of the developing world at the mercy of the developed countries. This book provides a rude awakening and offers solutions to the congenital problems that cloud or hinder the good relations of the peoples of the developing countries and the global elite that control the destiny of those countries.