The growing consolidation of multinational corporations is controlling economic activity and health at the global level. Central to globalisation has been the privatisation of services, deregulation, fabrication of consumer needs and consolidation of consumer markets with devastating effects on public health. Through effective socialisation and psychological rewards, globalisation facilitates the willing adoption of prescribed behaviours, even behaviours that hurt our best interest, e.g. smoking, drinking, sexual objectification of the human body. The emerging monoculture, is perhaps most evident among youth. Globalised themes which shape youth culture include crass materialism & conspicuous consumption, immediate gratification of personal desires, the body is an object for sexual pleasure, sex is a commodity, and violence and sexual aggression are legitimate measures of maturity. Prevailing values in popular youth culture impact SRH in the following ways: diversion of individual and national income for investments in health; premature initiation of sex; unplanned sex and its related problems; diminished self-esteem when bodies do not fit the “sexy body” stereotype; tendency to act out sexually to affirm sexual prowess; displacement of blame for sexual aggression on victim’s body type; sex as tool for manipulation; coercion & rape as a rite of passage; reinforcement of gender inequality; and trust required for healthy sex partnerships undermined
Learning Objectives: To examine "youth culture" as a medium for transforming personal values To increase awareness of the ways in which globalised youth culture impacts SRH To explore strategies for mediating negative health impacts of a globalised youth culture
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.