Running head: GEOGRAPHIES OF CRISIS AND TRANSFORMATION

Geographies of Crisis and Transformation

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Economic globalization refers to the ever-increasing interdependence of world economies

due to the expansion of cross-border trade of services and commodities, flow of both

international financial and labor capital, and the rapid and widespread of digital, production and

other kinds of technologies (Shangquan, 2000). Economic globalization reflects mutual

integration and continuing expansion of markets, and it is driven by heightened marketization

and increasing significance of information in all productive activities. The phenomenon creates a

global geography defined by urbanization, free trade, and movement or capital or corporations

across borders.

Economic globalization is witnessed in financial markets, labor markets, commodity

markets such as those for oil, and credit and money markets. Economic globalization of finance

markets is seen in finance capital being expanded in new spheres of markets and investments like

private equity (Peet, 2011). In labor markets, economic globalization happens when corporations

move their production to economies where the cost of labor is cheaper for example Apple

Company moving production of the iPhones to China. In commodity markets, an example of

economic globalization is when the U.S sought to liberate Iraqi oil in the early 2000s as a

strategic geopolitical move to ensure control over the price and flow of oil and in the process

keep US economy strong.

The process of economic globalization engenders interconnection across societies but

also creates destructive environmental change and economic inequality. Various groups are

protesting or opposing economic globalization or some of its aspects through various ways. First,

pushing for governments and corporations to recognize and respect civil rights by people

(Giroux, 2015).
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Recognition of civil rights stems from the need for equal distribution of wealth and desire

to equal access to employment opportunities. For example, the Occupy Wall Street protests were

against global economic and social inequality that results in the disenfranchisement of people of

their civil rights. Racial equality movements have sprung up to protest economic equality. The

Black Lives Matter movement has been developed to agitate for recognition of the value of black

lives in the global economy (Yancy & Butler, 2016). Furthermore, movements agitating for

climate justice are another way of protesting against economic globalization. Climate justice

movements actively monitor the impact of globalized economy, cultures, politics to the

environment and purpose to take action. These movements view global warming as a political

and ethical issue that needs a quick remedy.

Movements that protest or oppose economic globalization utilize space to their

advantage. Civil rights movements rely on public spaces to push for action on their grievances.

Protests staged on public spaces such as city squares and marches on main roads are meant to

block traffic and normal business in an area so that the grievances of the protests can receive

attention from the decision makers. An example of the use of public spaces to stage protests was

the Occupy Wall Street protests in the Wall Street financial district, the descending of protestors

in Tahrir Square, Cairo, during the Arab Spring in Egypt. Moreover, movements use territories to

stage protests against economic globalization. Staging of protests in territories is meant to

paralyze business or production activities that are deemed exploitative or unfriendly to the

environment. Furthermore, the internet has gained prominence as a useful space for mobilizing

people and giving a voice to citizens impacted by economic globalization. For example, the

Black Lives Movement has been using the internet to mobilize protesters through social media

(Harris, 2015). In addition, whistle-blowers such as Edward Snowden who agitate for the respect
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of civil rights by exposing corporate spying and government lawlessness rely on the internet

space.
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References

Harris, F. C. (2015). The Next Civil Rights Movement?. Dissent, 62(3), 34-40.

Peet, R. (2011). Contradictions of finance capitalism. Monthly Review, 63(7), 18.

Shangquan, G. (2000). Economic globalization: trends, risks and risk prevention. Economic &

Social Affairs, CDP Backround Paper, 1.

Giroux, H. A. (2015). Totalitarian paranoia in the post-Orwellian surveillance state. Cultural

Studies, 29(2), 108-140.

Yancy, G. & Butler, J. (2016). What's Wrong With 'All Lives Matter'?. Opinionator. Retrieved 8

December 2016, from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/whats-wrong-

with-all-lives-matter/?_r=1