How the World Works: The Anthropology of Consumption and Globalization is one of my favorite courses that I have taken at UGA. Not only was I able to fulfill the social sphere requirement for the Sustainability Capstone, but I also gained insight into how our changing world is affecting cultures. Throughout the course, we learned about the interconnectedness of our world today and the impacts globalization has had on patterns of consumption for many communities. I gained insight into how globalization and consumption has affected different cultures across the world in both positive and negative ways.
Our main focus in the class was on integrative problem-solving. Dr. Brosius’ research that formed the basis of the course was centered around the Penan people of Indonesia. I become educated on how their culture and environment has been impacted by global demand for palm oil. Because of capitalism and the growing need for resources, many Indigenous communities like the Penan are being taken advantage of in the name of economic growth. We learned that in order to rectify the unequal distribution of power between Indigenous groups and governments or corporations, Indigenous voices and needs have to be included in decision making. It is imperative to include as many stakeholders as possible when making choices so that the needs of all different groups can be met.
Although sustainability is often only equated with the environment, the concept of sustainability can be used for social and cultural resources as well. As we learned in Consumption and Globalization, almost every culture in the world is now connected in some way. If we want to ensure that the cultural diversity found in the world will be there in the future, we must do our best to meet the needs of all communities, regardless of socio-political power. We have to find a balance between the economic, environmental, and social needs of all of the diverse people across the globe.