GLOBALIZATION

What Is Globalization? By Keri E. Iyall Smith

ISBN: 9780429493089
What Is Globalization? | 1 | Sociology of Globalization | Keri E. Iyal (taylorfrancis.com)

 Globalization and the processes of globalization are widely discussed—and widely

misunderstood. Sometimes people consider only the economic changes and processes.
Like globalization, global capitalism is global in scale, but the processes of global
capitalism are primarily economic. Global capitalism and Americanization are both one-
way processes. A single powerful body acts to change weaker entities in a process of
assimilation. Globalization is a two-way process. Local, or particular, practices influence
universal, or global, practices. Globalization is a conversation and it is expressed in
different ways around the world. In a BBC radio address, Anthony Giddens explores
globalization and the way it is changing lives around the world. Globalists argue that
globalization does exist—it is inevitable. Transformationalists argue that globalization is
not inevitable, but changes are occurring. Giddens presents two views about
globalization: the skeptical view and the radical view. The chapter also presents an
overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.