GLOBA L I Z A T IO N

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson you are expected to:
 Describe the contemporary world.
 Craft one’s own working definition of globalization based on the
different meaning of globalization
 Differentiate the meaning of, globalization, globality and
globalism
 Be familiarize with the dimensions and characteristics of
globalization
 WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION?

Different scholars have different viewpoints of what

globalization is. Some would view globalization as a
positive phenomenon some would see its detrimental
effects on society which cannot be separated from issues
of global economic and cultural imperialism.
Globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link
distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events
occurring many miles and away. (GIDDENS 1990)

Giddens explained, “globalization is not a single set of processes and

does not lead into a single direction. It produces solidarities in some places
and destroys them in others. It has quite different consequences on one
side of the world from the other.
Wallerstein (1998) believes that Globalization is a reflection of
the triumph of a capitalist world economy bonded by a global
division of labour.
Khor (1995) in discussing the world politics expressed that Globalization has
long been experienced by the Third World called colonization.

Mcgrew (1990) Globalization is composed of multiple sameness and

interconnectedness that go beyond nation states where individuals and
organizations in one part of the world is affected by the activities, affairs, and
convictions on another part of the globe.
Holm and George (1998) described Globalization as the intensification of
economic, social and cultural relations across borders.

Similarly, it is the processes by which the peoples of the world are

incorporated into a single world society, global society (Albrow, 1990)

Kanter (1995) said that it is a condition where the world is becoming a

global shopping mall in which ideas and products are available everywhere
at the same time.
Steger (2009) which defined Globalization as a set of social processes that
appear to transform our present social condition of weakening nationality into
one of globality. It is about the unprecedented compression of time and space
as a result of political, economic and cultural change, as well as powerful
technological innovations.

Manfred Steger further differentiated globalization, globality and globalism.

While globalization is a process, globality signifies a future social condition
characterized by thick economic, political and cultural interconnections and
global flows that make currently existing political borders and economic
barriers irrelevant.
 STEGER THREE KINDS OF GLOBALISM
 Market globalism advocates promise a consumerist, neoliberal, free-market
world. This ideology is held by many powerful individuals, who claim it transmits
democracy and benefits everyone. However, it also reinforces inequality, and can
be politically motivated.
 Justice globalism envisages a global civil society with fairer relationships and
environmental safeguards. They disagree with market globalists who view
neoliberalism as the only way.
 Religious globalism strives for a global religious community with superiority
over secular structures.
 Steger (2009) further defines Globalization as the expansion and intensification
of social relations and consciousness across world-time and world space. He
explained that globalization has several dimensions:
 Economic: ‘The economic dimension of globalization’ explores how the way people
have undertaken economic production has changed. Transnational corporations
rival nation-states in economic power, and have had a profound effect on the
structure and function of the global economy.
 Political: The political dimension of globalization’ looks at political arrangements
beyond the nation-state. Traditional politics harboured an ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality.
The rise of organizations such as the United Nations has threatened the nation-
state, according to globalization sceptics. There has been a rise in the number of
supra-territorial institutions, operating from the local level all the way to the global
level
 Cultural: The cultural dimension of globalization’ explores the intensification
and expansion of cultural flows across the globe. Critics of cultural globalization
claim that the world is being homogenized or ‘Americanized’.
 The existence of the global imaginary is linked to the rise of global media networks. These networks
are owned by a small group of transnational corporations, which can affect journalistic integrity.
Several different hypotheses exist about the effects of language globalization.

 Ecological: ‘The ecological dimension of globalization’ examines the effects of

global alliances on ecological issues. There is an inexorable link between all
humanity and the planet Earth.
 The Industrial Revolution has caused many ecological problems, including, resource and food
shortages, overpopulation, reduced biodiversity, pollution, and climate change. All these problems
are global — the result of aggregated human action — and require a coordinated response.
 ACTIVITY:

LET’S ALL WATCH THE SHORT FILM ENTITLED:

“THE BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT”
 Globalization as an Uneven Process

Steger reminds the learners and scholars alike that Globalization is an uneven
process. Around the globe, people are “affected differently by the gigantic
transformation” that globalization brings. Steger also points out that being an
uneven process, it is also geographically limited. Not everyone experiences that
same kind of globalization. Areas, particularly in the Global South or what used to
be termed the “Third World”, do not have the same access to the growing global
networks and infrastructures. Thus to say that globalization is only about
economics or only about culture or politics, only gives us a perspective of one part
of the phenomenon and not the entire picture of it.