Ideological Dimension of Globalization

IDEOLOGY
- a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the
basis of economic or political theory and policy.

- a set of fundamental beliefs & values about how human

affairs should be managed (originally mostly class-based)
or: the whole worldview built mostly around several specific
ideas.
The Four Functions of an Ideology:

1. EXPLAIN - Ideologies help to explain political phenomena; Why are there

wars? Why are there conflicts between nations, social classes, races?

2. EVALUATE - Provide criteria for evaluation; Help people determine what is

right/wrong, good/bad

3. ORIENT - Ideologies help to orient people, Gives people a sense of who

they are and where they belong in society; n Act as a social/cultural compass;

4. PROGRAM - Provide a political program for people to follow; What is to be

done? Who is to do it?
 Four Dimensions of Globalization
Manfred Steger

Economic
Political
Cultural
Ecological
 Four Dimensions of Globalization
Manfred Steger

ECONOMIC
Economic globalization is the intensification and stretching of
economic interrelations around the globe. It encompasses such
things as the emergence of a new global economic order, the
internationalization of trade and finance, the changing power
of transnational corporations, and the enhanced role of
international economic institutions.
 Four Dimensions of Globalization
Manfred Steger

POLITICAL

Political globalization is the intensification and expansion of

political interrelations around the globe. Aspects of political
globalization include the modern-nation state system and its
changing place in today's world, the role of global governance,
and the direction of our global political systems.
 Four Dimensions of Globalization
Manfred Steger

CULTURAL

Cultural globalization is the intensification and expansion of

cultural flows across the globe.
(the role of the media in shaping our identities and desires, and
the globalization of languages)
 Four Dimensions of Globalization
Manfred Steger

ECOLOGICAL

Topics of ecological globalization include population growth,

access to food, worldwide reduction in biodiversity, the gap
between rich and poor as well as between the global North and
global South, human-induced climate change, and global
environmental degradation.
 Three Main Types of Globalism
Manfred Steger

 Market globalism - seeks to endow ‘globalization’ with free-market norms and

neoliberal meanings.
 Justice globalism - constructs an alternative vision of globalization based on
egalitarian ideals of global solidarity and distributive justice.
 Religious globalisms - struggle against both market globalism and justice
globalism as they seek to mobilize a religious values and beliefs that are thought to
be under severe attack by the forces of secularism and consumerism.

Egalitarian – relating to believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal
rights and opportunities.
Secularism – indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations