1. Power StrugglesRealities:- Struggles against occupation (eg Palestine, Western Sahara, Tibet, Chechnya, Kashmir, Basque Country, …)
- Struggles for democracy and good governance (eg North Africa and Arab world, Burma (Myanmar), Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, Nepal, …)
- Suppression of minorities (eg Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia, N.E.India, Pakistan, …)
- New forms of economic domination/control (Africa, Asia, …)
- World Economic Forum versus World Social Forum
Why?- Struggles for supremacy between countries (USA/Israel, Europe, China, BRICS, …), and within countries
- Struggle for control of resources (oil, minerals, …)
2. Economic Struggles
Realities:
- Poverty
- Inequality (between rich and poor people and rich and poor countries)
- Corruption
- Unemployment
- Global Meltdown
- Environmental Destruction/Climate Change
Why?- Greed
- Dispossession of Land
- Unbridled Capitalism
- Development and Profits at any cost
- Dependency on former “colonial powers” – aid that exploits or that promotes dependency
- Trade inequalities (Free Trade that benefits the rich)
- Neo-liberal economy favours imported goods which undermines local producers.
3. Human Dignity Struggles
Realities:- Discrimination against and abuse of Women
- Race supremacy
- Children abandoned/orphaned/aborted
- Dalits marginalized
- Indigenous/Tribals marginalized
- People living with HIV and AIDS stigmatized
- Foreigners attacked (Migration and Xenophobia)
- Religious discrimination – burning churches/blasphemy laws
- Discrimination against and abuse of Homosexuals
- Parental domination
Why?- The “Other” is perceived as a threat/the enemy – not worthy of the same dignity as me
- “I and mine are the real images of God
- This land is “Mine”.
- Individualism and group solidarity.
- System of Patriarchy (Males are believed to be superior to females)
