The Urgency
With access to technology causing massive shifts in power worldwide, experts agree that globalization has replaced the Cold War in defining international relationships. Today, international commerce accounts for nearly a quarter of the American economy. A third of recent U.S. economic growth and a quarter of new job creation are due to exports. But as U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, reminds us: "Unless the basic principles of equity and liberty are defended in the political arena and advanced as critical conditions for economic growth," the rewards reaped from a global economy will be limited."Informed citizens worldwide are beginning to articulate wider principles, policies, and politics of "global awareness."
Central to these efforts is the belief that trade, investment, and technology are not ends in themselves; they are tools for promoting the ideals of equality, democracy, good jobs, a clean environment, and healthy communities. Communications technology is a key component of global awareness. According to John Naisbitt, "Communications technology has empowered individuals and communities through instant access to information of all kinds. With that access comes responsibility. Are we up to the task?" (1994, p.193).
