This month, Claudia Lopez de la source, winner of the 19th edition of Literary Excellence, reflects on two highly topical issues: globality and otherness. Claudia gives her opinion on the impact of these global processes at the cultural level and tries to answer this hotly debated question: Do globality and otherness mean enrichment or loss?

"Globality and otherness are strange concepts, at first glance they seem to contradict each other. In the field of intercultural relations, we could say that globality is what all countries have in common, while otherness refers to all their differences. This allows us to understand that they are opposites, right? So the questions that may arise are: Do they bring us something? Are they an enrichment or a loss? In my case, I consider that it is an enrichment because it unites us, distinguishes us and allows us to move forward.

First of all, it unites us. Otherness reminds us of who we are from many points of view. To put it another way, it reminds us of the role we play in a group, what our function is and why we are necessary. Taking it to the global arena, we can say that it is the small cultures that make up the world. They are all equally important, because if one of them did not exist, the world would be different. In addition, globality holds that no country can live apart from the others, therefore, we become a group, we unite.

Secondly, it distinguishes us. If we talk about culture, globality highlights otherness; that is, those cultural aspects that are different. This is how we identify ourselves within the world, with our peculiarities and traditions. Both globality and otherness promote diversity, which makes us learn from other countries, have a wider range of points of view and feel useful in interplanetary relations.

Finally, it allows us to move forward. By knowing what is common and what is different, we can bring together similarities and differences to make progress. New medical treatments, the advancement of communications, the invention of new methods of transportation... All of these improvements have been brought about by the cooperation of many countries around the world that have left their mark. Thanks to relationships, we can talk to friends who are thousands of miles away, cure ourselves of diseases whose treatment is developed in other countries, or travel at speeds that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago.

In reality, the concepts of globality and otherness are not opposites, but complementary. So, when asked whether they are an enrichment or a loss, I believe that they are beneficial to the world, since they enrich us as citizens. We have spoken of union, it makes us interdependent and useful; of distinction, it values our particularities and allows us to learn from those of others; and finally, of advancement, it allows us to live in a world that progresses.

Globalization and otherness are undeniable and inevitable processes, if you will. It could be said that they are unmanageable issues because of how forceful they are; however, through small reflections such as the one at proposal by Claudia López, it is possible to formulate an opinion that gathers others and that, little by little, gets closer to the reality that is globality. And you, do you think that these concepts have been and are an enrichment or a loss? We would like to hear your opinion.

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