Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery

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Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 1 Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery. Anita Kelleher, MLM, MFS Supervisors: Principal: Professor Joanne Scott Associate: Adjunct Professor Sohail Inayatullah Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Arts and Business University of the Sunshine Coast 2012 2 Keywords. Bioregionalism, critical futures studies, decision-making, feminism, future, global governance, globalisation, globalism, Global Digital Democracies, image, international relations, metaphor, multilateralism, myth, partnerships, planetary civilisation, United Nations, United Nations reform, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, transformation, vision, world order, worldviews. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 3 Abstract. This thesis aims to bring unconventional perspectives to the global governance debates by developing multiple images of futures from contesting worldviews. Informed by futures research and the perspectives and stories of nations and peoples currently unrepresented in global decision-making forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, the thesis maps global governance philosophies, systems and structures, agencies, and their underlying worldviews and myths to produce possible futures for each of six actor groups contesting the current global governance system. The criteria used to construct these possible futures are then used to construct a model and story for the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (U.N.P.O.) using their materials, collected at their 2010 General Assembly, as content. The model and story represent the preferred global governance future for U.N.P.O. evoking an image of ‘One World’. The thesis in its entirety provides U.N.P.O. with the means to develop a positioning statement on global governance futures and to join the growing international conversation on this topic. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 4 Table of Contents. Chapter Content Page No. No. List of Tables and Matrices 7 List of Figures and Illustrations 8 Abbreviations and Key Terms 9 Statement of Original Authorship 10 Acknowledgements 11 Personal Preface 14 Quotations from the U.N.P.O. General Assembly 17 1 Chapter One The Core, the Periphery and the Need to Find Middle Ground 18 1.1 Fellow Passengers on Planet Earth 19 1.2 The United Nations: at the Core of Global Governance 22 1.3 Engaging with the Periphery: the Unrepresented Nations and 23 Peoples Organisation 1.4 Extending the Conversation 26 1.5 Methodological Overview 27 1.6 Outline of the Thesis 31 1.7 Chapter Summary 32 2 Chapter Two Globalisation, Planetary Civilisation and the Common Affairs 34 of the Human Family 2.1 Introduction 35 2.2 Societal Evolution to a Planetary Civilisation 36 2.3 Humanity’s Common Affairs 49 2.4 Globalisation Discourses 53 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 5 2.4.1. Globalisation: a Contested Phenomenon 53 2.4.2. Globalisation: a Multi-Faceted Domain 54 2.4.3. The Hegemonic Neoliberal Globalisation 56 2.5 The Exclusion Zone 61 2.6 Alternative Globalisations 66 2.7 Implications for Global Governance Futures 73 3 Chapter Three Global Governance Past, Present and Futures 74 3.1 Introduction 75 3.2 The U.N-Centric Global Governance System 76 3.3 Global Governance Futures Past 87 3.4 Contemporary Global Governance Futures 88 3.4.1 Assertive Multilateralism 92 3.4.2 Bioregionalism 96 3.4.3 Cosmopolitan Democracy 99 3.4.4 Grassroots Globalism 102 3.4.5 Global Digital Democracies 104 3.4.6 Planetary Partnerships 106 3.5 Chapter Summary 109 Chapter Four The Quilt Maker’s Journey: Research Design 112 4.1 The Apprentice Bricoleur 113 4.1.1 Futures Studies 114 4.1.2 Critical Globalisation Studies 117 4.1.3 Global Governance Futures Studies 118 4.2 Designing the Patchwork Quilt 118 4.2.1 Theoretical Framework: Critical Social Constructionism 119 4.2.2 Strategy of Enquiry: Participatory Action Research 121 4.2.3 Methods of Data Collection and Analysis 126 4.3 Chapter Summary 152 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 6 Chapter Five Donning the Pince Nez: Analysis of Findings 154 5.1 Introduction 155 5.2 Collecting the Materials: The Participatory Action Research 155 experience 5.3 Donning the Pince Nez 157 5.4 Stitching the Quilt: Global Governance futures 175 5.5 The U.N.P.O. Global Governance Story for 2062: ‘One World’ 182 5.6 Chapter Summary 191 Chapter Six Joining the Quilting Circle: Conclusions and Implications 193 6.1 Introduction 194 6.2 Conclusions About the Research Question 195 6.3 Research Contributions 199 6.4 Implications for Theory 201 6.5 Implications for Policy and Practice 205 6.6 Limitations and Areas for Further Research 210 6.7 Conclusion 211 References 216 Appendix 1 Interview Prompts and Questions, April 2010. 241 Appendix 2 The Anecdote Circles method and process notes. 243 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 7 List of Tables and Matrices. Table Description Page No. No. 1 Deconstructing the Twentieth Century View of Societal Evolution 37 2 Societal Evolution to the Planetary Phase: The Emerging Paradigm 41 3 Comparative Analysis of the Prevailing and Emerging Views of 48 Societal Evolution and Progress 4 A C.L.A. Matrix Summarising Selected Alternative Globalisations 72 5 A C.L.A. Matrix of the Current Global Governance System 77 6 Alternative Models of Global Governance Futures Constructed 91 in the Context of Alternative Globalisations 7 Nations and Peoples Participating in this Research 128 8 Analysis of U.N.P.O. Members’ Content by De-identified 159 Delegation 9 A C.L.A. Summary of the U.N.P.O. Preferred Global Governance 175 Future 10 Matrix of Preferred Global Governance Futures 176 11 U.N.P.O. Story Timeline 189 12 C.L.A. Matrix: Contrasting U.N.P.O. and U.N. Systems 190 13 Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Synthesis 191 14 Common Interests of U.N.P.O. and Others’ Global Governance 207 Futures ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 8 List of Figures and Illustrations. Figure Description Page No. No. 1.1 Map of the U.N.P.O. Membership Locations 25 1.2 Overview of the Research Design 29 2.1 The Rate of Change and Increase in Complexity of 48 Previous Societal Transitions 2.2 Hall’s Map of Time 64 3.1 Relationship Between Construction and Interpretation 130 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 9 Acronyms and Key Terms. C.L.A. Causal Layered Analysis G.A.T.T. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade G.D.P. Gross Domestic Product G.N.I. Gross National Income I.C.T. Information and communications technologies I.M.F. International Monetary Fund I.P.C.C. International Panel on Climate Change N.G.O. Non-government organisation O.E.C.D. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development R2P Responsibility to protect S.A.R.S. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome T.F.N. Transnational Feminist Network U.K. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland U.N. United Nations U.N.D.P. United Nations Development Program U.N. ECOSOC United Nations Economic and Social Council U.N.P.O. Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation U.S. United States (of America) W.E.F. World Economic Forum W.O.M.P. World Order Models Project W.S.F. World Social Forum W.T.O. World Trade Organisation State, Nation and Nation-State. A State (capital ‘S’) is a self-governing political entity. A nation is a group of people that shares a common culture. A nation-state is a nation that has the same borders as a State. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 10 Statement of Original Authorship. The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Signature: Date: May 18, 2012 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Transforming Global Governance: Contesting Images of the Future from People on the Edge of the Periphery 11 Acknowledgements. There have been times during this doctoral research project when I have felt a close affinity with Frodo Baggins, the Hobbit in Ray Holyoak’s Doing a PhD: a Lord of the Rings Analogy. Setting out alone on an exciting yet arduous journey into unknown
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