SYSTEMS PLUS COLLEGE

College of ArtsFOUNDATION
and Social Sciences and Education

THE
Contemporary world

MODULE #1

PREPARED BY: Brian duela

SUBJECT: CCW EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spce.edu.ph

Introduction
The contemporary world is an ever-changing mix of social and political changes. While religious,
political, and ethnic conflicts continue, we are currently living in one of the most peaceful eras in
the history of the planet. Challenges of the 21st century include emerging technologies, health care,
overpopulation, climate change, poverty, illiteracy, disease, and migration. How we choose to deal
with these emerging frontiers will shape this unit for future generations. 1

Unit 1: The Structures of Globalization

This unit will introduce the student the various drivers of the globalization process, with specific
focus on economics and politics. Although it emphasizes student’s experience globalization on an
everyday level, also to realize that there are big institutions that create large-scale changes. This
unit will first trace the emergences of these institutions historically. It will then move on to explain
how they affect the countries and people today.

Major learning outcomes of this unit are:

1. Analyze the various contemporary drivers of globalization; and
2. Describe the emergence of Global economic and political systems.

Lesson 1: What is Globalization?

Learning outcomes:
1. Agree on a working definition of globalization for the course;
2. Differentiate the competing conceptions of globalization; and
3. Narrate a personal experience of globalization.

A. What Is Globalization?

Globalization is a process of interaction 2 and integration3 among the people, companies, and
governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and
aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on
political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-
being in societies around the world. Globalization is an elimination of barriers to trade,
communication, and cultural exchange. The theory behind globalization is that worldwide
openness will promote the inherent wealth of all nations.

1
https://www.freeman-pedia.com/today/
2
communication or direct involvement with someone or something: (oxford dictionary)
3
the action or process of integrating (oxford dictionary)
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 Most of the people view globalization as primary an economic process. When a newspaper
reports (layman’s term) that nationalists are resisting “globalization”, it usually refers to the
integration of the national markets to a wider global market signified by the increased free
trade.

Globalization scholars do not necessarily disagree with people who criticize unfair
international trade deals or global economic organizations. In fact, many are sympathetic to
the critique of economic globalization. Academics differ from journalist and political activists,
however, because they see globalization in much broader terms. They view the process
through various lenses that consider multiple theories and perspective and they call this an
interdisciplinary approach.

Manfred Steger, a Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, describes globalization:

1. The process of expansion of social relations and consciousness across world-time

and across world-space; and

Expansion refers to both the (1) creation of new social networks and (2) the
multiplication of existing connections that cut across traditional political,
economic, cultural and geographic boundaries.

2. The process of intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-

time and across world-space;

Intensification refers to the expansion, stretching and acceleration of created and

existing network. Not only are global connections multiplying, but they are also
becoming more closely-knit and expanding their reach,

Steger posits that his definition of globalization must be differentiated with an ideology he
calls globalism.

Globalization
Represents many processes that allow
for the expansion and intensification
of global connections
Globalism
The widespread belief among
powerful people that the global
integration of economic markets is
beneficial for everyone since it
spreads freedom and democracy
across the world.

B. Dimensions of Globalization

The three main dimensions of globalization are:

1. Economic Globalization

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 Economic globalization refers to the mobility of people, capital, technology, goods and
services internationally. It is also about how integrated countries are in the global
economy. It refers to how interdependent different countries and regions have become
across the world.4

Economic globalization may involve the financial and economic aspects of a nation
primarily, but its interdependent nature can inevitably affect a country’s lawmaking
system and cultural identity. Trading policies and tax treaties are created between
countries to regulate trade and protect either country from threats of terrorism.
Multinational companies are changing some cultural aspects of many countries; fast
food restaurants, for example, have changed the eating habits of Asian countries that
consider rice as a staple food. Fashion trends from European countries are also carried
over to the opposite side of the globe.

2. Cultural Globalization

Cultural Globalization refers to the rapid movement of ideas, attitudes, meanings,

values and cultural products across national borders. It refers specifically to idea that
there is now a global and common mono-culture – transmitted and reinforced by the
internet, popular entertainment transnational marketing of particular brands and
international tourism – that transcends local cultural traditions and lifestyles, and that
shapes the perceptions, aspirations, tastes and everyday activities of people wherever
they may live in the world’5

3. Political Globalization

Political globalization refers to the amount of political co-operation that

exists between different countries. The transfer of competences from national
governments to supranational organizations, the attempts to create international
justice and the increase of migrations are some of the characteristics of this
phenomenon.

C. Globalization from the Ground Up

Globalization in general is an intersecting process and can be confusing. Indeed, it may

be hard to assess globalization or comment it because it is so diffuse and almost
fleeting. Some scholars have, therefore, found it is simpler to avoid talking about
globalization as a whole. Instead, they want to discuss “multiple globalizations”,
instead of just one process.

For anthropologist Arjun Appadurai, different kinds of globalization occur on multiple

and intersecting dimension of integration that he calls “escape”.

4
https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/economic-globalization/
5
https://revisesociology.com/2017/05/25/cultural-globalization-definition-examples/
SUBJECT: CCW EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spce.edu.ph
 Kinds of globalization according to Arjun Apparudai:

Ethnoscape global movement of people

Mediascape flow of culture
Technoscape circulation of mechanical goods and software
Financescape global circulation of money
Ideoscape political ideas move around

Summary
Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and
governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided
by information technology. When we speak globalization the first thing comes to our mind is the
exchange and integration of national market to a wider global market as it signified by the increase
free trade. Globalization scholars see globalization is much broader terms. They view the process
though various lenses, the three dimensions of globalization: economic, economic, cultural and
political. The best scholarly description of globalization is provided by Manfred Steger who describes
the process as “the expansion and intensification of social relation and consciousness across the
word-time and across the world-space. In general globalization can be confusing and difficult to
assess, as such, Arjun Appadurai discussed globalization into a multiple and intersecting dimension
that he called escape, ethnoscape, mediascape, technoscape, finanscape and ideoscape.

GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. How you experienced globalization?
2. Why it is crucial to emphasize that globalization is uneven?
3. What is the difference between globalization and globalism?

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 Learning Activity 1
GUIDE QUESTIONS

Briefly answer the following questions.

1. How you experienced globalization?

2. Why it is crucial to emphasize that globalization is uneven?

3. What is the difference between globalization and globalism?

SUBJECT: CCW EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spce.edu.ph

 Learning Activity 1.2
The Pros and Cons Of Globalization6

A story in the Washington Post said “20 years ago globalization was pitched as a strategy that
would raise all boats in poor and rich countries alike. In the U.S. and Europe consumers would have
their pick of inexpensive items made by people thousands of miles away whose pay was much
lower than theirs. And in time trade barriers would drop to support even more multinationals
expansion and economic gains while geo political cooperation would flourish.”

There is no question that globalization has been a good thing for many developing countries who
now have access to our markets and can export cheap goods. Globalization has also been good for
Multi-national corporations and Wall Street. But globalization has not been good for working people
(blue or white collar) and has led to the continuing deindustrialization of America.

Pros
1. Free trade is supposed to reduce
barriers such as tariffs, value
added taxes, subsidies, and other
barriers between nations.  about free trade where all barriers
2. The proponents say globalization
represents free trade which
promotes global economic growth;
creates jobs, makes companies
more competitive, and lowers
prices for consumers.
3. Competition between countries is
supposed to drive prices down. In
many cases this is not working
because countries manipulate
their currency to get a price
advantage.
4. It also provides poor countries,
through infusions of foreign
capital and technology, with the
chance to develop economically
and by spreading prosperity,
creates the conditions in which
democracy and respect for human
rights may flourish.
5. There is now a worldwide market
for companies and consumers
who have access to products of
different countries.  exploitation of labor.
6
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikecollins/2015/05/06/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization/#27f598e5ccce
SUBJECT: CCW
Cons
1. Globalization made the rich richer
while making the non-rich poorer.
2. Globalization is supposed to be
are eliminated but there are still
many barriers.
3. The biggest problem for
developed countries is that jobs
are lost and transferred to lower
cost countries.
4. Workers in developed countries
like the US face pay-cut demands
from employers who threaten to
export jobs.
5. Large multi-national corporations
have the ability to exploit tax
havens in other countries to avoid
paying taxes.
6. Building products overseas in
countries like China puts our
technologies at risk of being
copied or stolen, which is in fact
happening rapidly.
7. Globalization is also leading to the
incursion of communicable
diseases.
8. Globalization has led to
EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spce.edu.ph
 6. Gradually there is a world power 9. Multinational corporations, which
that is being created instead of were previously restricted to
compartmentalized power sectors. commercial activities, are
Politics is merging and decisions increasingly influencing political
that are being taken are actually decisions.
beneficial for people all over the 10. Multinational corporations
world. This is simply a are accused of social injustice,
romanticized view of what is unfair working conditions
actually happening.  (including slave labor wages,
7. There is more influx of information living and working conditions), as
between two countries, which do well as lack of concern for
not have anything in common environment, mismanagement of
between them.  natural resources, and ecological
8.  There is cultural intermingling damage.
and each country is learning more
about other cultures. 
9. Socially we have become more
open and tolerant towards each
other and people who live in the
other part of the world are not
considered aliens.
10. Labor can move from country to
country to market their skills.

Globalization is a complicated issue. It is necessary to evaluate the pros and cons before drawing
any conclusions. Analyze the above listed Pros and Cons of globalization and give at least 1(one)
example for each.

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 REFERENCES

Claudio, Lisandro and Abinales, Patricio.2018.The Contemporary World. C&E Publishing, Inc.

https://www.freeman-pedia.com/today/

https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/economic-globalization/

https://revisesociology.com/2017/05/25/cultural-globalization-definition-examples/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikecollins/2015/05/06/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization/#27f598e5ccce

SUBJECT: CCW EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spce.edu.ph