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Globalization: The Basics
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I. Identities
1. We are prone to defining ourselves, and others, in terms of a number of categories. Among these are:
Race
Class
Gender
Sexual orientation
Nation.
2. In fact, the last of these, the nation, constitutes the primary political loyalty of most people in the world. Nationalism can be defined as loyalty to and identification with the nation-state, or country. We will be discussing nationalism and the nation state in greater detail later in the quarter.
3. The point of this lecture, and most of the discussions that will be taking place this quarter, is to explore the degree to which traditional, or familiar, modes of identity have come under strain as a result of globalization. As pointed out in lecture 1 for this week, the fields of global studies emerged in the context of globalization.
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II. Globalization
Human interactions and political identifications around the globe are moving beyond traditional national boundaries and as such fundamentally transforming the way we think of ourselves and the world.
So what does “globalization” mean, and what are its implications for our identities and lives?
Globalization suggests the increasing integration of economics, communications, and culture across national boundaries.
It is mostly the product of technological changes that have rapidly expanded the speed with which merchandise, money, people, information, and ideas move over long distances.
Chapter 1 of An Introduction to Global Studies distinguishes between “What We Talk about when We Talk about Globalization” and “Dimensions of Globalization”.
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III. What We Talk about when We Talk about Globalization
Globalization as Series of Social Processes:
Globalization is characterized by “multiple, interdependent actions and operations.” (p. 5)
These processes are social in nature: They relate to society, its members (including you and me!), etc.
2. Deterritorialization:
Globalization disrupts traditional special boundaries.
We think about nation-states, or countries, as situated within definable, internationally recognizable boundaries. Globalization involves “networks of connections” that transcend these boundaries. (p. 5)
The internet is an example of how technology associated with globalization forces a receding of geographical and political boundaries: People can (relatively) easily communicate with each other across divides.
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3. Interconnectedness: The Local and the Global
vents in far off places have much faster, and deeper, impacts on our localities.
4. Compressing Time
Globalization disrupts traditional temporal boundaries. (p. 8)
There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, etc. However, our experiences of time are changing. It takes much less time to travel, wire money or communicate, for example.
People, money, culture, and knowledge have flowed across political borders since ancient times. What is different, though, is the speed at which globalization is now proceeding. Be it the Internet, jet travel, or some other advance, a great deal of this technological innovation is moving the world away from the national orientation that has dominated for several centuries and toward a growing global connectedness.
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5. New Phenomena or Old News?
When did globalization begin?
Some would suggest that it has been around for thousands of years. After all, movement of peoples, disease, and trade are not new.
For what it may be worth, I agree with scholars who argue that globalization is actually a relatively new phenomenon. Historical examples of interaction between people where at best prototypical of what was to come later with globalization. Here are my reasons for thinking this way:
(1) Earlier examples were typically regional or interregional, but not global.
(2)The technology associated with globalization has a much deeper global impact.
(3) Globalization takes place in the context of neoliberal economic theory and global capitalism. This was not the case in earlier times.
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IV. Dimensions of Globalization
1. Economics
Historical Roots of Contemporary Economic Globalization
Neoliberalism: The idea that government regulation is bad. The free market should be allowed to operate free of government intervention. Tariffs (taxes on imports) are therefore not good. The second reflection exercise for this week asks you to explore whether capitalism, and by implication neoliberal economic theory and globalization more generally, are to blame for the recent global economic melee.
Free Trade and Multinational Corporations: MNCs are typically based in more developed countries, but have bases of operation all over the world. As such, their operations impact lives and environments all over the world. Also, since they are not confined to one country, it is much more difficult to use traditional political tools to control them. (p. 13)
International Economic Institutions: Follow the following links to explore the institutions discussed on page 14 of An Introduction to Global Studies:
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2. Politics
The Nation-State
Global Governance
3. Culture
(1) Local and Global Cultures
Transnationalism is a concept that is closely identified with globalization. Transnationalism is attitudinal and includes a range of cross-border political identities and interactions. Transnationalism undermines nationalism (and its tangible manifestation, the national state) to a substantial degree by promoting cross-national political activity and even political loyalties.
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V. Two questions are worth reflecting on at this early stage. Both will be elaborated on further as the course progress.
1. The first question is whether globalization will lead to greater conflict or cooperation between people around the world. The text offers a concise summary of the argument by the late Samuel P. Huntington which centers on the “clash of civilizations” (p. 21-22) Compare this reading with an alternative perspective put forward by the late Edward Said. The latter argued that any future conflict in rooted in human ignorance and not globalization as such.
2. Another question involves our responsibility as people. The text introduced us to the concept of “global citizenship”. (p. 22-26) Food for thought: It strikes me that while this concept reflects good intentions, it is also potentially flawed. Note that most people in the world are having difficulties gaining full rights as citizens of the countries they are living in. Doesn’t the notion of a “global citizenship’ betray a certain privilege on our part as citizens of more privileged developed countries? If it does, then what might be an alternative, and less problematic term?
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