Globalization: A Working Definition

Most accounts view globalization as primarily an economic process. When a newspaper reports
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. When activists refer to the "anti-globalization"
movement of the 1990s, they mean resisting the trade deals among countries facilitated and promoted by
global organizations like the World Trade Organization.

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 journalists and political activists, however, because they see
globalization in much broader terms. They view the process through various lenses that consider multiple
theories and perspectives. Academics call this an interdisciplinary approach, and it is this approach used
by the general education (GE) courses that you will be taking alongside this one.

The best scholarly description of globalization is provided by Manfred Steger who described the
process as "the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-space."
Expansion refers to "both the creation of new social networks and the multiplication of existing
connections that cut across traditional political, economic, cultural, and geographic boundaries." These
various connections global connections between people, while international groups of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) are networks that occur at different levels. Social media, for example, establish
new from different corners of the globe. In the story, Gio was able to connect a more specific group--
social workers and activists join a Model UN competition because his university was part of an
international network.

Intensification refers to the expansion, stretching, and acceleration of these networks. Not only
are global connections expanding their reach. For example, there has always been a multiplying, but they
are also becoming more closely-knit and strong financial market connecting London and New York.
With The final attribute of this definition relates to the way people perceive time and space. Steger notes
that “globalization processes the advent of electronic trading, however, the volume of that trade increases
exponentially, since traders can now trade more at higher speeds. The connection is thus accelerating.
Apart from this acceleration, however, as the world becomes more financially integrated, the intensified
trading network between London and New York may expand and stretch to cover more and more cities.
After China committed itself to the global economy in the 1980s, for example, Shanghai steadily returned
to its old role as a major trading post.

It is not only in financial matters that you can find these connections. In 2012, when the
monsoon rains flooded much of Bangkok, the Honda plant making some of the critical car parts
temporarily ceased production. This had a strong negative effect on Honda-USA which relied heavily on
the parts being imported from Thailand. Not only was it unable to reach the sales targets it laid out, but
the ability of the service centers nationwide to assist Honda owners also suffered. As a result, the
Japanese car company's global profits also fell."

The final attribute of this definition relates to the way people perceive time and space.Steger
notes that “ globalization processes do not occur merely at an objective, material level but they also
involve the subjective plane of human consciousness." In other words, people begin to feel that the world
has become a smaller place and distance has collapsed from thousands of miles to just a mouse-click
away. One can now e-mail a friend in another country and get a reply instantaneously, and as a result,
begins to perceive their distance as less consequential. Cable TV and the internet has also exposed one to
news from across the globe, so now, he/she has this greater sense of what is happening in other places.
 Steger posits that his definition of globalization must be differentiated with an ideology he calls
globalism. If globalization represents the many processes that allow for the expansion and intensification
of global connections, globalism is a 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.
It is a common belief forwarded in media and policy circles. In the next lesson, you will realize why it is
problematic.
For now, what is crucial to note is that when activists and journalists criticize "globalization, they
are, more often than not, criticizing some manifestations of globalism. Often, these criticisms are
warranted. Nevertheless, it is crucial to insist that "globalization" as a process refers to a larger
phenomenon that cannot simply be reduced to the ways in which global markets have been integrated

Conclusion: Globalization from the Ground Up

All this talk of large, intersecting processes may be confusing. Indeed, it may be hard to assess
globalization or comment on it because it is so diffuse and almost fleeting. Some scholars have, therefore,
found it 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 dimensions of integration that he calls “scapes.” An “ethnoscape," for example, refers to the
global movement of people, while a “mediascape" is about the flow of culture. A “technoscape” refers to
the circulation of mechanical goods and software; a "financescape" denotes the global circulation of
money; and an “ideoscape” is the realm where political ideas move around. Although they intersect, these
various scapes have differing logics. They are thus distinct windows into the broader phenomenon of
globalization.

Appadurai's argument is simple: there are multiple globalizations. Hence, even if one does not
agree that globalization can be divided into the five “scapes," it is hard to deny Appadurai's central thrust
of viewing globalization through various lenses.

Depending on what is being globalized, a different dynamic (or dynamics) may emerge. So while
it is important to ask "What is globalization?” it is likewise important to ask “What is/are being
globalized?” Depending on what is being globalized, the vista and conclusions change.

The structure of the lessons that follow will reflect this multidimensional understanding of
globalization. Each of the lessons will focus on a particular kind of globalization. Every one of them will
be about different networks and connections that are expanding and intensifying in the contemporary
world.

Treat each lesson not as an end in itself but as window to the broader phenomenon of
globalization.