UNESCO Bangkok Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy and Human Rights Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy and Human Rights Editors: Darryl R.J. Macer and Souria Saad-Zoy Published by UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110, Thailand © UNESCO 2010 All rights reserved ISBN 978-92-9223-313-6 (Print Version) ISBN 978-92-9223-314-3 (Electronic version) The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Edited by Darryl R.J. Macer Design/Layout by Alessandra Blasi (cover) and Darryl R.J. Macer, Raine Boonlong and Sirasak Chaiyasook Cover photo by © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Printed by UNESCO Bangkok Printed in Thailand SHS/10/OS/021-1000 CONTENTS Preface .........................................................................................................................................................v Beyond Minimal Democracy: Voices From East and West ........................................................1 Fred Dallmayr, USA Poverty and Globalization ................................................................................................................. 12 Ali Benmakhlouf, Morocco Philosophical Concerns in Understanding Democracy and Sustainable Development ......................................................................................................................................... 16 Sivanandam Panneerselvam, India Philosophy, Dialogue and Difference ............................................................................................ 21 Philip Cam, Australia Globalization .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Issa Abyad, Jordan Globalization, Localization and Hybridization ........................................................................... 31 Rainier A. Ibana, The Philippines Public Debate, Shûra, (overlapping) Consensus, Ijma’: Toward a Global Concept of Democracy .............................................................................................................................................. 38 Soumaya Mestiri, Tunisia Between Cultural Exchange and Globalization: a Reading of Arabic Mirrors for Princes ...................................................................................................................................................... 42 iii Syrine Snoussi, Tunisia Philosophy in the Context of Globalization ................................................................................ 47 Daniel Nesy, India Philosophy: A Challenge to Globalization and Democracy .................................................. 50 Abdessamad Tamouro, Morocco Philosophy and Multiculturalism .................................................................................................... 51 In-Suk Cha, Republic of Korea Problems of Citizenship and Human Rights in the Modernization of Japan .................. 56 Naoshi Yamawaki , Japan Asia-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy Dialogues on Globalization, Philosophical and Human Rights Asia-Arab Citizenship as a Learning Process: Democratic Education without Foundationalism ................................................................................................................................... 59 Gilbert Burgh , Australia Islam and Modernity ........................................................................................................................... 70 Abdessalam Benmaissa, Morocco A Philosophical Concern in Understanding Democracy and Sustainable Development in the Global Context ............................................................................................. 73 Sivanandam Panneerselvam, India CONTENTS The Method of Description in Comparative Philosophy: Justice and Recognition ...... 75 Ali Benmakhlouf, Morocco In Search of a Philosophy of Life in Contemporary Society: an Introduction ................. 77 Masahiro Morioka, Japan Conditions of Women and Their Philosophical Interpretation ............................................ 80 Tran Han Giang, Viet Nam The Feminist Concept of the Self and Modernity ..................................................................... 86 Xiao Wei, People’s Republic of China What Philosophical Practices are Conducive for Philosophy Education for Democracy? ............................................................................................................................................ 93 Clinton Golding, Australia Doing and Teaching Philosophy in the Cambodian Context .............................................106 Chanroeun Pa, Cambodia Philosophy Education for Democracy: From Theory to Practice .......................................109 Philip Cam, Australia Education, Democracy and Philosophy .....................................................................................114 Daniel Nesy, India Status of Philosophy Education in Thailand .............................................................................117 iv Plubplung Kongchana, Thailand Reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ...............................................124 Souria Saad-Zoy, UNESCO Rabat Bioethics in the Transformation of Democratic Public Policy.............................................127 Darryl Macer, Japan; UNESCO Bangkok About the Contributors ...................................................................................................................130 Asia-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy Dialogues on Globalization, Philosophical and Human Rights Asia-Arab PREFACE Globalization affects us all across the planet. In this volume philosophers from across the Arab and Asia-Pacific world consider issues including globalization, democracy and human rights. Dialogue is essential for developing a better understanding of not only others, but even ourselves. Dialogue is an exchange between different peoples, communities, and entities. The papers in this volume are written by individuals expressing their own opinions at conferences convened in the context of dialogues between philosophers in the Asia-Pacific and Arab regions. Their publication is aimed to broaden intercultural communication, to strengthen the role of philosophy in public policy, and to promote the teaching of non-Western philosophies around the world. These dialogues have been held over the past five years in Seoul, Rabat, Hiroshima, Paris, and Bangkok. These dialogues occurred with the coordination of the Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP) at UNESCO Bangkok, UNESCO Rabat, and UNESCO Paris, and the efforts of academics throughout the world. The Interregional Philosophical Dialogue project was born from a resurgence of interest in and a strengthening of philosophy within UNESCO, supported by member countries. As people in many countries of the world express dismay at the directions that their society is pursuing some are reminded of the former important roles of philosophers as navigators of the courses that societies should take. There have been five working groups established in the Asia-Arab Interregional Philosophical Dialogues, including: 1. Challenges of globalization to philosophy and democracy; 2. Philosophy facing the challenges of modern technology; 3. The roles of philosophy in war and peace; 4. Human dignity and philosophy; 5. Philosophy and environmental ethics. In this volume we especially thank the assistance of Ms. Raine Boonlong, Mr. Jonathan Kougl, Mr. Leonard Leblanc and Mr. Dieter Schlenker in the preparation of the edited volume. v Darryl Macer Souria Saad-Zoy UNESCO Bangkok UNESCO Rabat Asia-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy Dialogues on Globalization, Philosophical and Human Rights Asia-Arab Beyond Minimal Democracy: Voices From East and West Fred Dallmayr, USA Heraclitus notwithstanding, history is not just random flux. Apart from its great or memorable events, every historical period also pays tribute to certain guideposts or guiding ideas—what skeptics call its “idola fori” or idols of the market place. Looking at our contemporary age, it is not difficult to pinpoint a guiding, and probably the guiding idea endorsed almost universally by people around the world: that of “liberal democracy”. Although originating in Western societies, the idea today is circulating as an orienting loadstar among people in Africa, the Middle East as well as South and East Asia. As can readily be seen, the guidepost is actually a composite phrase combining the two terms “liberal” and “democracy”. Yet, despite the possibility of differentiation, the two terms in recent times have been basically conflated or amalgamated—with the result that, in the view of both ordinary people and leading intellectuals, the “democratic” component has become