THE

CONTEMPORARY
WORLD
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course introduces the students to the study of the
contemporary world through an analysis of the multifaceted
phenomenon “GLOBALIZATION”
ISSUES ON CONTEMPORARY
WORLD
GLOBALIZATION
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
THE CULTURE
A brief history of Globalization (add
◦Silk Road
◦Slave Trade
◦Opium Wars
◦Colonization
GLOBALIZATION
DEFINITION by authors
Globalization is first defined as “ the understanding of the world and
the increased perception of the world as a whole” – Roland
Robertson
It can also be defined as the intensification of social relations
throughout the world, linking distant localities in such a way that
local happenings are formed as a result of events that occur many
miles away and vice versa – Anthony Giddens ("The Consequences of
Modernity“)
Globalization can be defined as
(UNESCO):
a world environment in which there is relatively
free and frequent movement of goods, capital,
people, information and ideas internationally.
MAIN CONCEPTS OF
GLOBALISATION
◦the promotion of free trade
◦multinational corporations
◦Transport
◦media and communications technologies
◦consumerism
Source: www.unesco.org
1.)the promotion of free trade

Since World War II, and especially since the 1980s, governments
have reduced many barriers to international trade through
international agreements such as the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO)
These agreements have led to many initiatives to promote
what is called “free trade”, including:
1. The elimination of tariffs (taxes on imported goods)
2. The elimination of import quotas (limits on the amount of any
product that can be imported)
3. The creation of free trade zones where there are only small or
no tariffs as well as cheap land and skilled, but controlled,
labour
4. The reduction or elimination of controls on the movement of
capital out of a country so profits can easily be returned to the
base country or a tax-haven
5. The reduction, elimination, or harmonisation of subsidies for
local businesses so overseas companies can compete against
them without any support for local industry and employers
6. The establishment of local subsidies for global corporations so
that they can make things cheaper in oen country rather than
another
7. The harmonisation of intellectual property laws and cross-
border recognition of intellectual property restrictions (e.g.
patents granted by China would be recognised in the United
States and vice versa).
Significance of “free trade”
 Greatly increased opportunities for international trade and
investment.
 It promotes “Neo- liberalism”

ideology and policy model that

emphasizes the value of free market
competition.
Q: Where do you stand on the choice of “free trade” or
“fair trade”? Why? Where did the ideas behind your
position come from?
2.) Multinational Corporation (MNC)
 A multinational corporation (MNC) is a large company
engaged in international production and sales.
The largest MNCs have raw materials extraction and
production sites in many different countries, even often
manufacturing different components of a product in
different countries where it has a cost advantage.
Some examples of MNC’S
1. UNILEVER – The world’s biggest food and soap company with
outliets in 150 countries round the world, selling products as
diverse as Omo washing powder, Lipton tea, Dove soap and
Magnum ice-cream.
2. GAZPROM – The biggest company in Russia and the largest gas
company in the world – and only a decade old
3. LEVI’S – The company that invented jeans, and has been in
business for 150 years.
4. SHELL – The energy company that operates in 140 countries, and,
through chain of petrol filling stations, claims to run the largest
retail network in the world.
5. MCDONALD’S – The world’s best-known fast food brand with
over 30,000 restaurants in 120 countries.
 Transport
(“Transportation and Globalization”
Jean-Paul Rodrigue )

Transportation is one of the least visible, but critical

components of the global economy by supporting a wide array
of movements of passengers and freight between nations.
 The flow of goods are complemented by movements of people
between borders for a wide array of activities such as business,
tourism and even migration. The circulation of goods and
people within the global economy thus must be supported by
transportation.
Media And Communications Technologies
The rise of the Internet is only one of the many manifestations
of globalisation and communication technologies. The mass
media have and are having a major impact on linking people
and ideas around the world (newspapers, radio and television,
to Hollywood and Bollywood movies through to the Internet,
Google, Twittter, Facebook and free international telephone
calls via Skype.)
THE EFFECTS OF MEDIA AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
IT NORMALIZE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
IT OPENS THE MIND TO NEW IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES,
AND STRENGTHENING THE UNIVERSAL VALUES IN A
GLOBAL CULTURE OF PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING.
DECREASING DIVERSITY OF GLOBAL CULTURES.
CONSUMERISM
oThe theory that an increasing consumption of goods
is economically desirable

… the contemporary marketplace is shaped solely by the craven

needs of lowbrow consumerism …
— Thomas Byrne Edsall
CONSUMERISM IN GLOBALIZATION
AND MORALITY
ACTIVITY (1/2 SHEET OF PAPER)
WITH ALL THE DISCUSSION ON THE ELEMENTS OF
GLOBALIZATION; GIVE AN ELEMENT WHICH IS FOR YOU HAS
A BIG IMPACT IN THE GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT AND
WHY