Identify one problem in economic, political, technological, scientific, artistic, literary life that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses. Then, in 100 words, explain the problem through the three lenses.
Identify one problem in economic, political, technological, scientific, artistic, literary life that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses.
Then, in 100 words, explain the problem through the three lenses.
As is true of all posts in this public class space, if for reasons of privacy, you prefer not to use your real name or other identifying information, you may choose to do so. You may also email your instructor about receiving credit without posting in this space.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEthical evasion can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses.
ReplyDeleteFrom a global lens, ethical evasion appears as a widespread pattern in which societies comply with formal rules while avoiding deeper moral responsibilities, particularly in areas such as discrimination, taxation, and labor practices. From an intercultural lens, these behaviors are normalized differently across cultures: practices seen as pragmatic or necessary in one context may be viewed as unethical or evasive in another, depending on social values and institutional trust. From an international lens, variations in legal frameworks, enforcement capacity, and economic inequality between countries shape how ethical evasion emerges and persists, revealing tensions between legality, morality, and justice across national systems.
I wrote at more length in the next question, but I want to affirm here how powerful this was for my students to discuss. I didn't realize how much working with students from USF would supercharge my class discussions.
DeleteThank you, David. The feeling goes both ways.
DeleteOne thing that often plagues young writers is the insecurity of lack of life experience impacting their writing. In a lot of old discourse in writing, it is presumed one only starts to get older they start naturally becoming a better writer, this process is expediated with more drastic things in their life. If we just look at the great amounts of great young writers and start thinking rationally, looking at life through the lens of strictly more experience amounts to better writing is absurd, the point of writing, and extended to any art is just expression, that is the most common amongst everybody in the art they produce. I can't help but also think this is a very western train of thought, as we have idealized life experience's as building character and achievements before death. A lot of cultures do not see death as just the end, and so to a point the idea of life experience becomes less important compared to expression.
ReplyDeleteI love this answer. The cultural ideal of "writer" twists and turns over time just within the European tradition. I can't imagine how complicated it would be to look at it with the eyes of global, international, and intercultural insights.
DeleteBeautiful. The concept of progress towards is vastly overrated
DeleteI chose social media because I do feel it's affecting us a lot. Globally, it spreads news around like wildfire. Something can happen in the news and within twenty minutes there's already memes about it, or Youtube videos discussing the topic. Inter culturally, it opens us all to viewing and learning about others from across the world in a very fast passed representation. It shows us different style trends, music genres or stereotypes. Internationally, I think it's doing the same as stated above. Social media is also a massive platform for product placement (like Shien and Temu that pops up adds on my Instagram every two seconds). and selling brands across the globe.
ReplyDeleteI love this answer, and this topic was on fire through these lenses when everyone was afraid that Tiktok was giving all our data to unfriendly Chinese forces. Thank you!
DeleteLove the idea of willd fire. It captures what is happening and is especially relevant (sadly) today.
DeleteOcean acidification is a growing issue caused by rising CO2 levels, which weaken marine species' shells, bleach and degrade coral reefs, and disrupt the function of entire ocean ecosystems. Our oceans take up the majority of the space on the planet, thus, the impact is felt in many ways across the globe. Island communities such as those in the Pacific, face threats to their traditions surrounding fishing. On a global scale, impacts are felt in the economy in the fishing industry as the shellfish populations decline. Tourism‑dependent regions are already seeing reduced reef health affect their economies. On an international level, this issue requires cooperation world-wide. Climate agreements are just one example of how to address ocean acidification in a way that involves many of the impacted nations.
ReplyDeleteA big issue I am concerned with is AI development within art and media. Specifically, problems arising from image generators assuming art and graphic artists’ positions/work, AI videos causing misinformation and paranoia in the political world, and text generators being preferred to authors and journalists. On an individual/intercultural scale, there are many artists and authors from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines whose work is being taken by AI models without credit or compensation. This increases the engines’ capabilities and makes it more enticing for larger corporations to generate art/writing via AI instead of employing artists who may already be struggling to get by. On a national level, social media is riddled with AI-generated, false political information and propaganda, which fuels the fire of an already dangerous landscape. This causes widespread paranoia, fear, and mistrust. On a global level, the energy and water it costs to generate a Chat-GPT query is astronomically higher than Google. Using AI in unnecessary contexts will only further the negative impacts of the energy crisis and global warming.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed this problematic which at the beggining would fool vulnerable people but nowadays the information, videos, pictures AI generated have improved so much their quality that it could spread false information around the world.
DeleteI am feeling very self-conscious about the image of the US around the world -- whether in Ecuador, as our ICE federal agents almost caused an international incident at the Ecuadorian consulate, or in Italy, as Italians are protesting the presence of ICE at the Olympics. Our image is already bad enough; AI cannot be helping.
DeleteAgreed. But fortunately, many people are gaining awareness of the stereotypes, fortunately, but unfortunately because the world is learning the hard way.
DeleteFast fashion is an economic problem because global brands maximize profit by outsourcing production to countries with low wages and weak labor protections. Politically, it reflects unequal power between nations, where governments compete for foreign investment by relaxing labor and environmental regulations. Technologically, rapid manufacturing, digital trend cycles, and global logistics accelerate overproduction and consumption. From an intercultural lens, fashion trends flow mainly from the Global North, while the Global South bears the social and environmental costs. Internationally, the problem is sustained by global trade agreements that prioritize speed and low cost over workers’ rights and sustainability.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate how clearly you show that fast fashion isn’t just a consumer issue but a system shaped by economics, politics, and technology working together. Your point about governments competing for foreign investment is especially compelling, because it highlights how responsibility is often displaced from corporations onto states with fewer options. One thing that struck me, though, is how normalized this imbalance has become. The flow of trends from the Global North to the Global South isn’t only about fashion influence; it also reflects whose tastes are treated as universal and whose lives are considered expendable in the production process. I wonder, too, how consumer culture in wealthier countries is shielded from the consequences you describe, allowing ethical concerns to feel abstract rather than urgent.
DeleteThe US and the UK have a long history of treating other nations as places where our cheap clothes can go to die. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaO9K7tGml8
DeleteBut UMD (from where my students and I hail) is working on a solution: https://lakevoicenews.org/revolutionizing-textile-recycling-university-of-minnesota-duluths-mechanical-innovation-in-fast-22eb7c16fedd
Thanks for the link
DeleteMutual Assured Destruction (MAD) is a political and technological problem that operates across global, intercultural, and international contexts. At a global level, it frames peace as a balance of fear, where survival depends on the constant threat of nuclear retaliation. From an intercultural perspective, MAD relies on the assumption that all societies interpret rationality, deterrence, and acceptable risk in similar ways, despite profound cultural differences shaped by history and collective memory. Internationally, the doctrine entrenches unequal power dynamics between nuclear-armed states and those excluded from deterrence, shaping diplomatic negotiations, security alliances, and the global nuclear order.
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in this topic -- I haven't thought about it in decades.
DeleteAnd those of us who are older and experienced the Cpld War (though I was very young of course) are beyond words distressed that this is happeneing again!
DeleteYour point is strong, especially the intercultural angle. One thing I’d add is that MAD also depends on communication and trust under pressure, not just “fear.” Globally, a single mistake, accident, or misread signal can create disaster, so the system is fragile even when no one “wants” war. Interculturally, different political cultures may treat saving face, ambiguity, or escalation signals differently, which raises the risk of miscalculation. Internationally, MAD can push some non-nuclear states to seek nuclear weapons for security, while others rely on alliances, which keeps the system unequal and unstable.
DeleteGentrification in small towns across the Global South is shaped by global, intercultural, and international forces. Globally, rising remote work, tourism platforms, and investment flows raise property values beyond local wages, pushing residents out. Interculturally, newcomers bring different tastes, languages, and expectations that can revitalize services yet dilute traditions and shift who feels “at home.” Internationally, migration policies, currency gaps, and foreign ownership rules determine who can buy land, how taxes are paid, and whether profits stay locally. The result is uneven development: prettier streets and new jobs alongside displacement, inequality, and cultural loss for generations to come.
ReplyDeleteThis is a problem here, too -- urban professionals sell their homes at urban rates, buying larger homes for a fraction of the cost, driving up the cost of rural housing beyond what most actual locals can afford. Their needs are different, and the rural community is warped, transformed, something like that. I am excited about this topic.
DeleteThanks for mentioning this. It brings up a significant though underappreciated form of distancing.
DeleteOne economic/political topic that is relatively important to me is wealth distribution, which has gotten notably worse following the latest election in the U.S. For context, by wealth distribution I mean the amount of money that is distributed between different economic classes of people. In the United States, the wealthiest 1% of Americans hold more wealth than the bottom 90%, which I think is an extremely big issue. Aside from this, the main thing that motivated me to write about this topic was because I recently read an article that pointed out how wealth of billionaires has increased three times faster in 2025 than it has in the last five years. This is quite concerning to me considering that I don't know if this trend will continue, and what exactly will be the full scope of consequences surrounding it in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis terrifies me. I don't have children, but I have stepchildren, and I feel sure that their future is not what I want it to be.
DeleteOne topic that I am interested in is deforestation especially for industrial reasons like mining or building factories. This issue is big in regard to international mindedness. I believe that as humans we have the responsibility to make our world better. Removing outdoor habitats is not beneficial to Earth. From a global competence point of view, it's important for us to understand how this will affect the whole world. There are better ways to mine than removing forests that keep our world clean and house animals. Removing forests is a bigger issue than animal habitats. It hurts humans' landscape too.
ReplyDeleteI really like your perspective on deforestation and human responsibility. You clearly show how this issue goes beyond animal habitats and directly affects human well being and the planet as a whole. I also agree that understanding deforestation requires a global and international mindset, since its consequences are felt worldwide. Your point about finding more sustainable ways to mine is especially important, as it shows that development and environmental care can coexist.
DeleteOne problem that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses is unequal access to digital technology. From a global perspective, the digital divide reflects economic disparities between developed and developing countries. Interculturally, differences in education, language, and cultural attitudes toward technology influence how communities adopt and use digital tools. From an international lens, government policies, trade regulations, and cross-border cooperation shape access to infrastructure, innovation, and digital rights. Understanding this issue through these three perspectives highlights the need for inclusive policies and culturally sensitive strategies to ensure equitable access to technology worldwide.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you and this is a global issue because of the different backgrounds but it affects how the different communities access and relate to digital tools. This can be seen as an inequality, which limits access to information, therefore it affects jobs and education too.
DeleteI think it is important how you highlight that the digital divide is not only about infrastructure, but also about education and cultural attitudes toward technology. In many communities, even when devices or internet access are available, people may not have the skills or support to use them effectively. I also agree that government policies and international cooperation play a key role in reducing these gaps and promoting more inclusive and equitable access to technology worldwide
DeleteI love this. People in Minnesota's government presume that all we need is internet and everything will get better. But if your only tool for internet access is a phone, you are limited. And some very rural communities still have copper wire phones alongside their internet access because a storm can wipe out one or the other for weeks, and no one wants to be without contact with the outside world.
DeleteOne family I talked to, they basically only used the internet to watch TV and listen to radio that they were outside clear broadcast signal for.
The Digital Divide is weirder than we think.
One thing that I am increasingly interested in is the decreasing literacy rates in children in the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 34% of fourth grade students are below the basic reading level, while an additional 31% are below the proficient reading level. However, according to UNICEF, global literacy rates have increased, from 87% in 2000 to 92% in 2020. While this is a marked improvement, there are still some shortcomings with literacy rates, as women continue to score lower than men on a global scale, often because in some countries they are not presented with the same opportunities and resources. This issue is based both on cultures and economic class, as countries with fewer resources for education are more likely to have lower literacy rates. This is also true for countries that operate with more traditional gender roles, with women being expected to perform domestic tasks rather than pursue an education. In the United States, it's my belief --based on what I've learned in my communications and media classes-- that increased screen activity is most to blame (though poverty and culture still play a role).
ReplyDeleteI am interested in this, because on the one hand, I want to celebrate increased screen activity is a form of literacy. On the other hand, lawyers still master the traditional form of literacy to work the wheels of power.
DeleteThanks for making me think!
My topic will be media addiction, since it is a subject I've dedicated a lot of scholarship to in my time at UMD, and I think it is the kind of issue that permeates countless other problems. The absolute integration of technology into our lives through smartphones, on-demand streaming, audiobooks, social media, etc., has created a completely new way in which the human brain has sort of rewired itself to always be consuming. Whether it is a TV show, scrolling social media, listening to music, or reading, we have created a system in which, during almost all of our free time throughout our already limited hours of the day, we find the act of creation and activity of our brains too laborious and instead opt to be inactive and consume rather than create. (Which I am constantly guilty of as a media addict myself.) What this causes in the individual is shortened attention-spans, a warped sense of reality, weakened relationships, and a lessened ability for creativity. Especially now in the age of AI, where even creation itself can be fast and automated, creativity is something of a dying trade.
ReplyDeleteGlobally, media addiction affects the entire world when entire nations of people across cultures, borders, and geographies have a lessened appetite for creativity and independent thought, and instead are inclined toward passive consumption, which can make them less involved citizens and less concerned with global issues and international affairs. However, while overconsumption of media can distract people from realities, it can also make them more aware of them. Social media can provide a platform for people to highlight global issues to others and allow them to share a country's struggles, independent of the coverage of a news organization.
This can also be interpreted through the international lens, where people's shared humanity can be shared among one another through the overuse of media. Being in a certain circle or bubble on social media can create certain views and stereotypes of people from other nations based upon a few videos, songs, TV representations etc. This can humanize them and make one realize their similarities and empathize with them, or it can create harmful views of these groups as "others" and isolate this person from international affairs. It's all luck of the draw in terms of what kind of content this person is offered and how they react to it.
Interculturally, media addiction can stunt a person's skills necessary for intercultural communication, since it can create biases, stereotypes, and assumptions that can be fostered through sustained consumption of certain types of media with specific rhetorics. This can affect a person's ability to communicate since it will be informed by these ideas and not so much by their own active thoughts.
I like this -- but can't some form of media exposure counter biases, stereotypes, and assumptions? All I know about farmers in the UK after WWII comes from a TV show, one that (I hope) depicted them gently and honestly.
DeleteGrrr. I need to think more.
A problem in the arts world I thought of was unequal global access to artistic platforms and recognition. International mindedness highlights how the global art world is interconnected, yet dominated by institutions in a few powerful countries, creating shared responsibility to support equitable cultural exchange. Global competence involves understanding economic systems, gatekeeping, and cultural capital that determine which artists gain visibility internationally. Intercultural literacy emphasizes recognizing diverse aesthetic values and storytelling traditions, rather than judging art through "Western centric" standards. Viewed through these lenses, unequal access is not just about talent, but about structural bias, cultural misunderstanding, and the need for more inclusive global networks that value artistic diversity across borders.
ReplyDeleteArt is not only about the quality of the work anymore. There are many artists with incredible technique, but I believe that is not enough. What matters is what a person wants to communicate through their work and how many people connect with that message, which is what can make it go viral, even going beyond ideas of power and money. In the end, I believe that making art is an end in itself, being able to live from it is a bonus.
DeleteIt feels like the two of you are pushing at the "art is no longer just art -- it is a business" model for understanding success. A hundred years ago, the business side was the responsibility of the gallery or agent. Now, artists have access to the tools, but it has changed their work. I think here of "Springboard for the Arts" -- they offer this book for free to help: https://springboardforthearts.org/resource-library/work-of-art-business-skills-for-artists-2/
DeleteOne of the problematics in the economic and political part is migration especifically for matters of work. Work related migration happens when people move to another country in search of better jobs and living conditions. From a global perspective, economic inequality between people pushes them to leave their countries, to migrate in order to support themselves and their families. From an intercultural perspective, migrants often face language barriers, discrimination and cultural differences that affect their integration and well being. From an international perspective, migration is influenced by labor demands, immigration laws, work visas and agreements between countries which determine their legal status, access to health care and labor protections. When these policies are weak or unequal, migrants are more exposed to exploitation, job insecurity and human rights violations
ReplyDeleteThis affects both the US and Ecuador. I am looking forward to discussing the issue and comparing situation (and also thinking of ways to take action)
DeleteIf you would like to read an old but powerful book about this, I love "A Seventh Man"
DeleteYou can see it free here: https://archive.org/details/seventhmanstoryo0000john/mode/2up
Tons of pictures. Moving.
One problem that can be understood through the three lenses is access to mental health care. From an economic perspective, millions of people around the world cannot afford psychological therapy. As a result, because of the limited economic resources, they prioritize other basic needs, and mental health is often not considered a top priority in their lists. This also relates to cultural beliefs about mental health; some societies value their well being, while others still see it as irrelevant, creating additional barriers to care. Finally, access varies depending on the country, as some governments have laws that provide free mental health services, while others don't really offer services or help at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, mental health is a crucial issue today, and governments often ignore it or fail to provide sufficient financial resources in this area. This can have serious consequences for their populations, especially young people, who are more susceptible to these kinds of problems. Therefore, mental health care should be more than just a privilege; it should be a right that people can access, just like medicine.
DeleteI agree with your point about access to mental health care being different across countries and cultures. I especially like how you connect economic limitations with cultural beliefs, because stigma can be just as strong a barrier as lack of money. In many places, even when services exist, people may not seek help due to fear of judgment or misunderstanding of mental health. I also think government involvement is key, since public policies can reduce inequality by making mental health services more accessible and normalized for everyone.
DeleteANy thoughts about how we actually get governments to do something? (and the situation is increasingly fraught).
DeleteHere in the US, we understand that the government is not coming to help us, and so we work on "upstream" options to prevent mental health crises as opposed to "downstream" crises (which are expensive and often result in harm).
DeleteSo, rural communities are intentionally engaging in outdoor rec, in social connections, even training people in "COMET" techniques to intervene before the crisis happens.
Because, again, the government isn't coming to save us.
The CRISPR technique is based on genetic modification and allows changes to be made to a person’s genetic code in order to obtain specific benefits or changes in gene expression. For this reason, this technique has attracted great interest not only within the scientific community but also in the field of medicine, as it works as a tool capable of modifying human genetics and could be used to treat hereditary diseases that are directly related to a person’s DNA (Mahmoudian-Sani et al., 2018).
ReplyDeleteFrom this perspective, CRISPR represents a significant innovation not only for science but also at a global level, as it has the potential to improve the lives of many people who suffer from diseases that traditional methods cannot resolve. However, this capability also requires careful moral consideration, since it involves the direct alteration of human genetics, which raises important debates in the field of bioethics (Brokowski & Adli, 2019).
This issue is also connected to the fact that some countries may accept and promote the development of this type of technology, while others may reject it, considering that it goes beyond conventional medical practice and approaches forms of experimentation on human genetics. Although these techniques can generate great benefits for humanity, many countries still lack appropriate regulations to control the use of this scientific power.
In addition, the economic potential of CRISPR techniques must be considered. As a highly innovative procedure, there is a risk that it may be exploited for economic purposes, transforming it not only into a scientific and medical model but also into a commercial advantage. This could lead to ethical conflicts, especially if its application expands to fields such as agriculture, livestock, and pharmacology, which may be affected in both positive and negative ways (Bartkowski et al., 2018). In this way, CRISPR techniques risk becoming more of a source of income than a tool for global benefit.
References:
Bartkowski, B., Theesfeld, I., Pirscher, F., & Timaeus, J. (2018). Snipping around for food: economic, ethical and policy implications of CRISPR/Cas genome editing. Geoforum, 96, 172-180. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016718518302215
Brokowski, C. y Adli, M. (2019). Ética de CRISPR: consideraciones morales para las aplicaciones de una herramienta poderosa. Revista de biología molecular , 431 (1), 88-101. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022283618305862
Mahmoudian-sani, M. R., Farnoosh, G., Mahdavinezhad, A., & Saidijam, M. (2018). CRISPR genome editing and its medical applications. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment, 32(2), 286-292. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13102818.2017.1406823#abstract
CRISPR is amazing and yet we need to think more about the ethical implications of its use.
DeleteI love this answer, because I learned about what you care about -- I wonder whether more of the international and intercultural could be pulled forward to see how you are wrapping your head around the problems CRISPR raises.
DeleteOne important problem that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses is access to healthcare in rural and urban areas. Economically, rural communities often have fewer hospitals and medical professionals due to limited funding. Politically, public policies tend to prioritize urban areas where population density is higher. Technologically, rural zones may lack advanced medical equipment or internet access for telemedicine. From a global perspective, this problem affects many countries, especially in the Global South. Interculturally, beliefs about illness and treatment influence how people seek care. Internationally, migration and inequality increase the gap between rural and urban healthcare systems
ReplyDeleteI love this -- and I want to add, telemedicine is not the fix-all that people, especially urban, people, think it is, because access is hard and because telemedicine feels different if you have met the doc in person first. :)
DeleteProblem: Plastic pollution
ReplyDeleteIntercultural: People handle plastic in different ways and often do not think about it or the damage it can cause once it is out of sight. Normalizing the problem to this extent is another issue.
International: Countries look for many ways to get rid of plastic waste, which leads to agreements with other countries or groups to dispose of it. This also results in new laws for people who work with plastics.
Global: Plastic pollution is a major problem due to how useful plastic is and how cheap it is, which has led to a large accumulation of plastic that does not have an optimal way to be treated.
Apparently, plastic is even in the fibers of our clothing and everytime we fast it, fibers are released into the water.
DeleteI am reminded, too, that Americans believe we are recycling plastic when in fact we are shipping it to other countries without concern for what they do about it.
DeleteOne problem is the global digital divide (unequal access to internet, technology, and digital skills). The digital divide is a global problem because unequal access to technology affects economic development, education, and participation in the global market. Through an intercultural lens, the divide grown between cultural groups, limiting representation, preservation of languages, and access to knowledge shaped by diverse cultural perspectives. Through an international lens, it reflects disparities between countries, where wealthier nations advance technologically while developing countries struggle with infrastructure and affordability. Together, these lenses show that the digital divide is not only a technical issue but also a social justice problem influencing power, opportunity, and global cooperation.
ReplyDeleteHealthcare access for migrants is a major problem that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses. From a global lens, migration happens worldwide and many migrants cannot get basic care due to cost, lack of insurance, or weak health systems. From an intercultural lens, language barriers, different health beliefs, and fear of discrimination can stop migrants from seeking care, even when services exist. From an international lens, migration is shaped by cross-border forces like conflict, labor markets, and human rights agreements, and countries must balance national policies with international responsibilities to protect health.
ReplyDeletePaul, this question has never mattered more to me than it has since the US has started monkeying with its borders and starting wars abroad. :(
DeleteThrough a global lens, Ecuador has become a "superhighway" for the world's drug trade
ReplyDeleteInternational cartels use the country's ports to ship cocaine to other continents. From an intercultural perspective, gangs have created "criminal governance" in prisons and Indigenous lands. This replaces local traditions with violent gang rules, which hurts the identity and safety of these communities. Through an international lens, the crisis has led to joint military operations with the U.S. These actions have started a global debate about using anti-terrorism laws and whether these measures protect or hurt human rights.
I did not know this. Most of what I think I know about this topic, I am afraid, comes from movies and TV.
Delete