lOMoARcPSD|35478070

Lesson 1 Introduction to the Study of Globalization

The Contemporary World (Pangasinan State University)

Scan to open on Studocu

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

Downloaded by Laddylyn Quiambao (laddylynq@gmail.com)
 lOMoARcPSD|35478070

Lesson 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF GLOBALIZATION

Prepared by: Joymee D. Mallo

Studying the Contemporary World

- Why do you need to study the world?

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Differentiate the competing conceptions of globalization.
2. Identify the underlying philosophies of the varying definitions of globalization.
3. Agree on a working definition of globalization for the course.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO STUDY THE WORLD?

1. Cure parochialism. From close-mindedness to stretched imagination, outlook, and concern. One's
concern is not only for their immediate context or environment.
2. It can teach you more about yourself. With knowledge about other countries, one can compare their
society's condition with that of other societies/countries. This comparison may point out uniqueness and
even similarities.
3. You are interacting with the world. As global citizens, being aware of what is happening with the world
is a given. With all the interconnectedness and interdependence, the events happening outside us might
bring a positive or negative impact.

Defining Globalization
How did Globalization Began?
 Trading of rare commodities like salt, spices and gold.
 In other words, there is exchange of goods among traders of different countries mainly because some of
these commodities and goods are not found in their own country.
Example: Silk Road (silk is a highly prized commodity) is an Asian ancient trade route that linked China and
Europe via an overland route to exchange silk, wool, gold, silver, jade, tea, spices, etc.
 Advancement in transportation and communication resulted to an easier and increased exchange of
information and goods easily.
- Geographical challenges are no longer an issue.

Globalization represents the global integration of international trade, investment, information technology and
cultures. Government policies designed to open economies domestically and internationally to boost development
in poorer countries and raise standards of living for their people are what drive globalization.

The literature on definitions of globalization revealed that definitions could be classified as either
1. broad and inclusive
2. narrow and exclusive
 Ohmae (1992) -..."globalization means the onset of the borderless worlds..."
 Robert Cox - "the characteristics of the globalization trend include the internationalizing of production,
the new international division of labor, new migratory movements from South to North, the new
competitive environment that accelerates these processes, and the internationalizing of the state...making
states into agencies of the globalizing word."

Downloaded by Laddylyn Quiambao (laddylynq@gmail.com)

 lOMoARcPSD|35478070

VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF GLOBALIZATION

Thomas Larson (2001) - "the process of the world shrinkage, of distances getting shorter, things moving closer.
It pertains to the increasing ease with which somebody on one side of the world can interact, to mutual benefit
with somebody on the other side of the world." (p.9)
Martin Khor, the former President of the Third World Network (TWN) regarded globalization as colonization.

World Health Organization:

Globalization is “the increased interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and countries, is
generally understood to include two inter-related elements: the opening of international borders to increasing fast
flows of goods, services, finance, people and ideas; and the changes in institutions and policies at national and
international levels that facilitate or promote such flows. Globalization has the potential for both positive and
negative effects on development and health.

Thomas Friedman
"The inexorable integration of markets, transportation systems, and communication systems to a degree never
witnessed before- in a way that enabling corporations, countries, and individuals to reach around the world
farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before"

GLOBALIZATION: A WORKING DEFINITION

Manfred Steger
 "The term globalization should be used to refer to a set of social processes that are thought to transform
our present social condition into one globality.
 "The expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-time and across
world-space."

GLOBALIZATION is the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-
time and world-space. (Steger, 2013)

EXPANSION refers to both the creation of new Different levels of connections:

social networks and the multiplication of existing
1.Social Media (establishing global connections between people)
connections that cut across traditional political,
economic, cultural, and geographic boundaries. 2.International groups of non-government organizations (NGOs)

INTENSIFICATION refers to the expansion, Expansion of global connections – with this connection,
stretching, and acceleration of these networks. transactions happen at a higher speed – integration of
economies, markets nation-states, cultures, institutions.

THE HUMAN PERCEPTION OF TIME AND SPACE;

Steger notes that globalization processes do not The perception that the world has become a smaller space and
occur merely at the objective, material level but distance has collapsed from thousands of miles to just mouse-
they also involve the subjective plane of human click away.
consciousness.

GLOBALIZATION (process) vs. GLOBALISM (ideology)

If globalization represents the many processes that allow for the expansion and intensification of global connection,
globalism is a widespread belief among powerful people that the global integration of economic market is beneficial for
everyone, since it spreads freedom and democracy across the world.

Downloaded by Laddylyn Quiambao (laddylynq@gmail.com)

 lOMoARcPSD|35478070

GLOBALIZATION (Steger, 2014)

As Economic Process As Political Process As Cultural Process
- How the evolution of -The implication that economic -Confronted with the question of
international markets and globalization might be leading to the whether globalization increases
corporations led to an intensified reduced control of national cultural homogeneity or it leads to
form of global interdependence. governments over economic policies. greater diversity and
heterogeneity.
- The notion that globalization - Political globalization as a process
involves the increasing linkage of
intrinsically connected to the - Viewing globalization not as a
national economies through trade,expansion of markets. one-dimensional phenomenon, but
financial flows, and foreign direct as a multidimensional process
investments. - The central role of politics – involving diverse domains of
especially the successful mobilization activity and interaction, including
- The premium put on free trade. of political power – in unleashing the the cultural sphere.
forces of globalization.
- Two most important aspect of - Increasing network of complex
economic globalization: - The continued relevance of cultural interconnection and
1. changing nature of the conventional political units, operating independence.
production process, either in the form of modern nation-
2. liberalization and states or global cities. - Culture no longer remains tied to
internationalization of fixed localities such as town and
financial transactions. - The need for effective global nation, but acquires new meaning
governance structures as a that reflect dominant themes
- Emergence of transactional consequence of various forces of emerging in a global context.
financial system. globalization.
- Concept of ‘globality’, referring
- Creation of international - The gradual process of relative to the experience of living and
financial markets. deterritorialization that facilitate the acting across borders.
growth of ‘super territorial’ relations
between people.

GLOBALISM versus GLOBALIZATION

www.PEDIAA.com

GLOBALISM GLOBALIZATION
Globalism is an ideology based on the belief that Globalization is the spread of technology, products,
people, information, and goods should be able to cross information, and jobs across nations.
national borders unrestricted.
The ideological component of globalization. Involves increasing interconnection between people
and regions throughout the world.

Downloaded by Laddylyn Quiambao (laddylynq@gmail.com)

 lOMoARcPSD|35478070

Anthropologist Arjun Appadurai (1996) identifies multiple and intersecting dimensions of global cultural flows
he calls 'landscapes' or 'scapes' (Steger, 2014: 13).

These five conceptual dimensions are:

1. Ethnoscape. Flows of people. The movement of people.
2. Technoscape. Flows of technology. Development and boom of technology that facilitates cross-border
connections and transactions. E.g. the internet, information technology, and engineering.
3. Finanscape. Flows of money. The flow of global capital. International banking and cash systems allow
this to happen. E.g. credit card systems.
4. Mediascape. Flows of information. The production and dissemination of information through electronic
means. The access of people to modern popular culture. E.g. access to international entertainment like
Hollywood films, K-drama, and anime; media such as newspapers, magazines, the social network.
5. Ideoscape. Flows of ideas. Ideologies of state, and social movements. E.g. posting of your views on a
certain event or human reality on Facebook; religious missionaries spreading their doctrines to other
regions or countries; environmentalism.
(Globalization occurs at multiple intersecting levels)

HOW CAN WE APPRECIATE THESE DEFINITIONS?

HOW CAN THESE HELP US UNDERSTAND GLOBALIZATION?

1. The perspective of the person who defines globalization shapes its definition.

"Globalization is a 'world of things' that have different speeds, axes, points or origin and termination, and varied
relationships to institutional structures in different regions, nations, or societies””. - Arjun Appadurai (as cited in
Chowdhury, 2016, p. 137)

2. Globalization is a debate and the debate is globalization.

- It is an uneven process that affects people differently.

3. Globalization is reality.

Downloaded by Laddylyn Quiambao (laddylynq@gmail.com)