CHAPTER 1

DEFINING GLOBALIZATION
Introduction
· Over the last century, there have been tremendous changes in human society. One
might claim that globalization is one of these significant shifts. For instance, via Google,
a person from the Philippines may learn what is occurring in the rest of the globe thanks
to the Internet.
· What then is globalization? Many academics have offered and attempted to develop its
definitions. It cannot be encompassed by a certain period of time, all individuals, or all
circumstances. There are several processes related to economics, political institutions,
and culture that are part of globalization.
· Globalization now carries various meanings related to advancement, development, and
integration across time. According to Swedish journalist Thomas Larsson, globalization is
"the process of the world shrinking, of the distances being shorter, and of the things
moving closer". Some believe it happens as a result of and in conjunction with instability,
colonization, and regression.
· Its conceptualization challenge displays a range of viewpoints. Different metaphors will
be used to help students understand the subject more fully. An overview of globalization
theories will be covered in the final lesson of this chapter.

The Task of Defining Globalization

· Since its first appearance in Webster's Dictionary in 1961, many opinions about
globalization have flourished. Definition of globalization could be classified as either (1)
broad and inclusive or (2) narrow and exclusive. However, it does not shed light on
implications of globalization due to its vagueness.
·

 Narrow and exclusive definitions are better justified but can be limiting, in the sense
that their application adhere to only particular definitions. Robert Cox's definition suits
best in this type: "the characteristics of the globalization trend include the
internationalizing of production".
 The concept of globalization is complex and multifaceted as the definitions deal with
either economic, political, or social dimensions. The sheer number and complexity of
definitions do not mean that there is a remarkable improvement in every definition
given by scholars. This is in relation to what some academics have claimed about
defining globalization.
 Globalization is often defined in terms of people, objects, places, and information as
well as the structures they encounter and create that are barriers to, or expedite,
those flows. These blocks could slow down one's activity in another country or could
even limit the places a person can visit.
 First, the perspective of the person who defines globalization shapes its
definition. For example, if one sees globalization as positive, the person can
say that it is a unifying force. On the other hand, if it is deemed as creating
greater inequalities among nations, globalization is negatively treated
  Second, to paraphrase the sociologist Cesare Poppi: Globalization is the
debate and the debate is globalization. One became part and parcel of the
other. In a sense,the meaning of the concept is self evident, in another, it is
vague and obscure.

 The future of globalization is more difficult to predict than that of the past 50 years.
What we could expect in the coming years is what has happened over the last 50
years: fluidity and complexity of globalization as a concept, which made more
debates, discussions, and definitions than agreements.

 Overall, globalization is a concept that is not easy to define because in reality,

globalization has a shifting nature. It is complex, multifaceted, and can be influenced
by the people who define it. Moreover, the issues and concerns

 The task of defining globalization should stimulate more discussions about it. The
fact that we experience globalization should give one the interest in engaging in the
study of it. In his article, "The Globalization of Nothing," Ritzer (2003) said, "attitudes
toward globalization depend on whether one gains or loses from it".

Metaphors of Globalization

In order for us to better understand the concept of globalization, we will utilize metaphors.
Metaphors make use of one term to help us better understand another term. In our case, the
states of matter-solid and liquid—will be used. In addition, other related concepts that are
included in the definition such as structures and flows will be elaborated.

Solid and Liquid

 Solidity refers to barriers that prevent or make difficult the movement of things.
Examples of natural solids are landforms and bodies of water. Man-made barriers
such as the nine-dash line in China's claim to the South China Sea are examples of
modern man-made solid.

 Liquidity refers to the increasing ease of movement of people, things, information,

and places in the contemporary world. Zygmunt Bauman's ideas have much to say
 about the characteristics of liquidity. Today's liquid phenomena change quickly and
their aspects are in continuous fluctuation..
·
 Liquidity and solidity are in constant interaction. However, liquidity is the one
increasing and proliferating today. Therefore, the metaphor that could best describe
globalization is liquidity. Liquids do flow and this idea of flow (Appadurai, 1996; Rey
and Ritzer, 2010) will be the focus of the next discussion. Also, it should be expected
that this concept will appear in the succeeding lessons. The literature on globalization
makes use of the concept of flows.
Flows
Flows are the movement of people, things, places, and information brought by the growing
"porosity" of global limitations. Think of the different foreign cuisines being patronized and
consumed by the Filipinos. Another example of flows is global financial crises.