Challenges for Ethics in a Global Context

While public relations ethics are closely linked to the cultural and social environments, conceptualizing ethics in a global context could be challenging for the following reasons:

• Polarizations between local and global: The adoption of universal frameworks in conceptualizing global ethics is often resisted. Western imperialism is criticized for using international principles to rationalize the use of universal frameworks. Advocating for the global is considered another attempt to reproduce the imperialistic normative framework as a model for enhancing global and moral acceptance for Western imperialism. On the other hand, its counter-force advocates the use of cultural relativism. But this is also criticized for not addressing the problem that the interconnectedness of people and thus, the interconnectedness of problems, requires ethics to be applied transnationally. 
• Power in the development of global ethics: In spite of the polarization, there is a need to recognize the capacity to build universal or common understanding and logical reasoning to solve transnationally connected problems. It is true that ethics, as a study of moral values of human conduct, of rules and principles that govern it, can be influenced by social, religious, civic and cultural factors. Because the development of global ethics is also largely driven by the political, social and economic trends of globalization, one must acknowledge that power could come into play when conceptualizing ethics in a global context.
• Defining global ethics: The increasing global interconnectedness and interdependence has given rise to the discussion on global ethics. The focus of conceptualizing ethics in a global context should center on “seeking reasonable and responsible agreement on global problems, agreement based on possibly diverse moral grounds.” Yet, one major challenge is to determine what the boundaries are and what should be included and excluded. It is not just about adopting universal values applicable to all, but acknowledging globally connected obligations and responsibilities.
• Defining global publics: In addition to acknowledging global interconnectedness, the approach to global ethics must also acknowledge how this interconnection could cause global problems that require practitioners to consider how to go about solving the problems, why and by whom. Equal consideration should be given to all global publics concerned. The adoption of a global ethical framework is not justifiable if the values of only a few global publics are considered. Global inclusivity (i.e., considering everyone’s values and moral thinking) and global solidarity (i.e., showing equal concern for everyone’s well-being) should be considered when approaching ethics in a global context.
• Unequally shared global risk: Risk is shared in the global society – a future challenge is to connect political decisions with morality and connect rights with responsibilities. The approach to global ethics should respond to both nations’ self-interests and universal moral values. But in this respect, there is a hierarchy of values because global ethical principles contradict each other. Universal values are often brought in to justify worldwide responsibility for individual and institutional actions. Yet, it is a challenge to create a shared set of values accepted by actors around the world when the risk of their actions is not equally shared.

Building a culturally sensitive universal framework of global ethics? Whether it is possible to accommodate a diversity of practices within a culturally sensitive universal framework is questioned. “A global ethicist, or someone who does global ethics, explores and usually assumes and defends a particular global normative framework which she then applies generally or to particular areas of concern.” Because entities make actions for the sake of others elsewhere in the world which could harm them, the approach to global ethics should acknowledge the relations individuals have with other individuals in the world. This question should be raised: is the approach to global ethics developed based on some entities’ or groups’ norms and values in respect to the world or based on shared norms widely and universally held around the globe?