Global Inequality and a media example of Environmental Injustice in Bayelsa, Nigeria
Export-oriented capitalism is a global economic system that produces and perpetuates both poverty and inequality and accumulates capital for the already wealthy and privileged as well as mirrors colonization in the world. Similarly, stratification
exist among nations whereby inequality from colonization, ideological
influence, and economic powers is enforced by the developed nations over the
developing world to access their raw materials. Consequently, the global media
plays a significant role in the projection of narratives of western values and
neoliberal principles as superior to increasing the dependency of low-income nations. For instance, the World Bank and IMF loans are given to projects in
low-income countries with compound interest rates and conditions. Furthermore, development aid by
International NGOs, multinational organizations, United Nations, and SDGs use developing countries as a profitable market
for development where indigenous raw materials become products. Also, Multinational
corporations situated in developing countries continue to exploit local
communities and workers under unhealthy and degrading conditions with no
environmental protection. Moreover, the
political and economic relationship between the United Nations, multinational
corporations, and powerful governments have more to do with the problem of
producing economic inequality than solving it in today’s world as seen in the media example about the experiences of the indigenous people of Niger Delta in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
The media video example
above shows the environmental injustice and pollution caused by Shell and other multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where the Indigenous
people of the Niger Delta narrate how oil is gotten from their lands yet they never
benefit from it. How their livelihoods as farmers and fishermen have
been affected by the devastating effects of raw crude oil spillage, gas pollution
that has created health problems, no clean water, no jobs, unemployed
youths are lured into criminality, and underdevelopment. Despite the challenges since 1956, Bayelsa remains
marginalized, the multinationals abandon these communities with dangerous and harmful
substances with no good clean-up because they are aware of the global
inequality that exists between Nigeria, as a developing nation based on the gross domestic product and gross national product.
When we think
about development aid in developing countries, we believe it is our hope to
become a developed nation. This week’s readings highlight development as
capitalism that produces and reproduces subjects in need of aid, as well as its
intersections with colonization, gender, patriarchy, and inequalities that exist
in governance and economic systems. In other words, the recipients’ voices are
not included rather they are socially constructed with stereotypes of being
uneducated, lazy, criminals, weak, and needing help in the form of development.
Meanwhile, development, humanitarianism, and foreign aid can be described as a business that offers a social, political, and economic
tool to generate or secure wealth, power, and socio-political influence by the western powers. Personally,
I believe decolonizing the development in these communities will empower local voices and
indigenous knowledge of the people of Niger Delta at the receiving end to be included in the development process and ownership of innovations in their indigenous lands.
Reference
Newman, D. M. (2015). Sociology:
Exploring the architecture of Everyday Life. SAGE Publications.
ICERM. (2022, January 26). Hold
Oil Companies Accountable for the Destroyed Lives and Environment in the Niger
Delta [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/ASVBqdYV8eQ
Trauger, A., & Fluri,
J. (2019). Engendered development: Capitalism and inequality in the global
economy. Routledge.
Dear Ijeoma, I am impressed by how you describe this article's issues. I loved your conclusion about "decolonizing development" because it relates to transforming traditional structures and the complete notion of development. The problems related to oil in Nigeria are very similar to what Ecuador is suffering as well. What catches my attention is that indigenous communities are the most affected in both countries. So I want to comment on the oil companies' issue and add something related to indigenous women. Reading Radcliffe's analysis of indigenous struggles adds more arguments to call attention to the international community about the post-colonialist actions and how corporations are reinforcing colonialism systems, racial exclusion, and perpetuating class and regional income disparities. Oil companies are not only powerful but influential in every country they land. They are critical participants in the economic sector but still not recognized as an active actor, so that they can get away with it. Their lack of social and environmental responsibility strengthens injustice towards indigenous communities. As Radcliffe says, "indigeneity was constituted as subjects whose rural locations, and culture… are placed beyond the limit of inclusion as full citizens." Sadly oil corporations manipulate these social systems to affect the environment and keep lowering the quality of life of indigenous people because their needs and discourses are ignored. Besides, indigenous women are far more affected because they represent the "last link in the chain of exploitation and given the hardest and least dignified tasks." In conclusion, the economic dependency on fossil fuels is affecting the planet and exacerbating intersectional disadvantages where indigenous women are being highly excluded because they keep being a non-dominant group whose interests are still invisible or less critical.
Dear Ijeoma,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by how you describe this article's issues. I loved your conclusion about "decolonizing development" because it relates to transforming traditional structures and the complete notion of development. The problems related to oil in Nigeria are very similar to what Ecuador is suffering as well. What catches my attention is that indigenous communities are the most affected in both countries. So I want to comment on the oil companies' issue and add something related to indigenous women. Reading Radcliffe's analysis of indigenous struggles adds more arguments to call attention to the international community about the post-colonialist actions and how corporations are reinforcing colonialism systems, racial exclusion, and perpetuating class and regional income disparities. Oil companies are not only powerful but influential in every country they land. They are critical participants in the economic sector but still not recognized as an active actor, so that they can get away with it. Their lack of social and environmental responsibility strengthens injustice towards indigenous communities. As Radcliffe says, "indigeneity was constituted as subjects whose rural locations, and culture… are placed beyond the limit of inclusion as full citizens." Sadly oil corporations manipulate these social systems to affect the environment and keep lowering the quality of life of indigenous people because their needs and discourses are ignored.
Besides, indigenous women are far more affected because they represent the "last link in the chain of exploitation and given the hardest and least dignified tasks." In conclusion, the economic dependency on fossil fuels is affecting the planet and exacerbating intersectional disadvantages where indigenous women are being highly excluded because they keep being a non-dominant group whose interests are still invisible or less critical.