Prelim_L1_IntroductiontoGlobalization.pdf

Module 1. Lesson 1: Introduction to the Concept of Globalization Lesson Objectives: Identify the underlying theories, concepts, and varying definitions of globalization. Recognize specific instances when cultures spread globally. Determine how globalization affects the l...

Module 1. Lesson 1: Introduction to the Concept of Globalization Lesson Objectives: Identify the underlying theories, concepts, and varying definitions of globalization. Recognize specific instances when cultures spread globally. Determine how globalization affects the lives at the micro-level. Getting Started: Quick! List 3 things that you want to eat right this moment. Next, list 3 things that you would like to buy this minute. Lastly, list 3 of your most favorite movies or series. Look at your answers and take a moment to reflect. What do you think motivated or influenced you to want those things on your list? You might be surprised that the reason why you listed those things lies in a concept called “globalization”. Discussion: A. What is Globalization? Perhaps you heard the phrase “the world is getting smaller.” This is primarily because of the primary driving force of the contemporary world which is globalization. The concept of globalization is complex and multifaceted. It is a phenomenon that occurs at multiple levels and a process that affects people differently (Abinales & Claudio, 2018). Because of its complex and multifaceted nature, it has been defined in many ways by various scholars and authors. In 2006, the Geneva Center for Security Policy conducted a comprehensive study of 114 definitions of globalization. Some of these definitions are as follows: Globalization means the onset of the borderless world. – Ohmae, 1992 Globalization is a trans planetary process or set of processes involving increasing liquidity and the growing multidirectional flows of people, objects, places, and information as well as the structures they encounter and create that are barriers to, or expedite, those flows. – Ritzer, 2015 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 away and vice versa. – Giddens, 1990 Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |1 f// Globalization refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole. – Robertson, 1992 Globalization is the phenomenon by which markets and production in different countries are becoming increasingly interdependent due to the dynamics of trade in goods and services and the flows of capital technology. – OECD, 2002 Globalization implies the weakening of state sovereignty and state structures. – Beck, 2000 Globalization is the establishment of the global market free from socio- political control. – Nikitin and Elliott, 2003 Globalization is “de-territorialization” or the growth of “supraterritorial” relations between people. – Scholte, 2000 Globalization is a process of cross-cultural interaction, exchange, and transformation. – Cooppan, 2001 “The world is getting smaller”. Communication line became “borderless”. When was the last time you call someone in the other half of the globe? If you noticed, most of the definitions regarding globalization pertain to it as an economic process. Globalization is usually used to refer to the integration of national markets to a wider global market signified by the increased free trade. Anti-globalization movements usually mean resisting the trade deals among countries facilitated and promoted by global organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO). However, globalization is seen in much broader terms by academics and scholars. Globalization is much more than a mere economic process; it is a process that should be viewed through various lenses that consider multiple theories and perspectives (i.e., political, cultural, social). Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |2  The best scholarly description of globalization is given by globalization expert Manfred Steger (Abinales & Claudio, 2018). Steger described globalization as the “expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world- time and world-space.” Steger also notes that globalization also involves the subjective plane of human consciousness meaning people feel that the world has become “smaller” and the distance has collapsed from thousands of miles to just a mouse-click away. For anthropologist Arjun Appadurai, different kinds of globalization occur on a multiple and intersecting dimension of integration that he calls “scapes” about the following: 1. Ethnoscape refers to the flow of people across boundaries. While people such as labor migrants or refugees travel out of necessity or in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families, leisure travelers are also part of this scape. The World Tourism Organization, a specialized branch of the United Nations, argues that tourism is one of the fastest- growing commercial sectors and that approximately one in eleven jobs is related to tourism in some way. Tourism typically puts people from developed parts of the world in contact with people in the developing world, which creates both opportunities and challenges for all involved. 2. Mediascape refers to the flow of media across borders. In earlier historic periods, it could take weeks or even months for entertainment and education content to travel from one location to another. From the telegraph to the telephone, and now the Internet (and myriad other digital communication technologies), media are far more easily and rapidly shared regardless of geographic borders. For example, Brazilian telenovelas may provide entertainment on long-distance African bus trips, Bollywood films are shown in Canadian cinemas, and people from around the world regularly watch mega-events such as the World Cup and the Olympics from wherever they may live. 3. Technoscape refers to the flows of technology. Apple’s iPhone is just one example of how the movement of technologies across boundaries can radically affect day-to-day life for people all along the commodity chain. Sales records are surpassed with each release of a new iPhone, with lines of customers spilling out of Apple stores and snaking around the block. Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |3  Demand for this new product drives a fast and furious pace of production. Workers who are struggling to keep up with demand are subjected to labor conditions most iPhone users would find abhorrent; some even commit suicide as a result. The revenue associated with the production and export of technological goods is drastically altering the international distribution of wealth. As the pace of technological innovation increases, so does the flow of technology. 4. Financescape. refers to the flow of money across political borders. Like the other flows discussed by Appadurai, this phenomenon has been occurring for centuries. The Spanish, for example, conscripted indigenous laborers to mine the silver veins of the Potosí mines of Bolivia. The vast riches extracted from this region were used to pay Spain’s debts in northern Europe. The pace of the global transfer of money has only accelerated and to day transactions in the New York Stock Exchange, the Nikkei index, and other such finance hubs have nearly immediate effects on economies around the world. 5. Ideoscape refers to the flow of ideas. This can be small-scale, such as an individual posting her or his personal views on Facebook for public consumption, or it can be larger and more systematic. Missionaries provide a key example. Christian missionaries to the Amazon region made it their explicit goal to spread their religious doctrines. Source: “The Five Scapes of Globalization” https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Courses/HACC_Central_Pennsylvania's_Community_College/ANTH_205%3A_Cultures_of_t he_World_-_Perspectives_on_Culture_(Scheib)/13%3A_Globalization/13.02%3A_The_Acceleration_of_Globalization B. Theories on Globalization: How does globalization take place? Theories on globalization see globalization as a process that increases homogeneity or heterogeneity. Homogeneity refers to the increasing sameness in the world as cultural inputs, economic factors, and political orientations of societies expand to create common practices, same economies, and similar forms of government. Homogeneity in globalization is associated with the following concepts. Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |4 1. Cultural Imperialism Cultural imperialism is a concept that means that a given culture influences other cultures. This pertains to the imposition by one usually politically or economically dominant community of various aspects of its own culture onto another non-dominant community. It is cultural in the sense that the customs, traditions, religion, language, social and moral norms, and other aspects of the imposing community are distinct from, though often closely related to, the economic and political systems that shape the other community. It is a form of imperialism in that the imposing community forcefully extends the authority of its way of life over the other population by either transforming or replacing aspects of the non-dominant community’s culture. Cultural imperialism became one of the primary instruments of colonization. While colonization was almost always initiated by some kind of military intervention, its full effects were achieved through practices of cultural imperialism. Fueled by a belief in the superiority of their way of life, colonizers used law, education, and/or military force to impose various aspects of their own culture onto the target population. Motivated, in part, by a desire to purge local populations of allegedly barbaric, uncivilized customs and mores, colonizers also knew that the best way to mitigate resistance by the colonized was to eradicate as far as possible all traces of their former way of life. During the 20th century, cultural imperialism was no longer so closely linked with military intervention but rather with the exertion of economic and political influence by some powerful countries over less powerful countries. (Tobin, 2007) “Streets of Madrid?” No, it is the Vigan Heritage The Sushi: who can say no to this famous Village, an example European influence in Japanese gastronomic treat? architecture. Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |5 2. Media Imperialism. This refers to the global flow of media imposed on developing countries by the West. It is a theory based upon an over-concentration of mass media from larger nations as a significant variable in negatively affecting smaller nations, in which the national identity of smaller nations is lessened or lost due to media homogeneity inherent in mass media from the larger countries. The rise of comic-book movies, saturated Netflix and the society. The popularity of this the show-business industries and affected software application creates the “image of the cravings of movie goers. exclusivity” of the subscribers. 3. Neoliberalism. This sees competition as the defining characteristic of human relations. It redefines citizens as consumers, whose democratic choices are best exercised by buying and selling, a process that rewards merit and punishes inefficiency. This will be discussed further in Lesson 2. 4. McDonaldization McDonaldization is the process by which Western societies are dominated by the principles of fast-food restaurants. This concept was developed by American sociologist George Ritzer which refers to the particular kind of rationalization of production, work, and consumption that rose to prominence in the late twentieth century. The basic idea is that these elements have been adapted based on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant—efficiency, calculability, predictability, standardization, and control—and that this adaptation has ripple effects throughout all aspects of society. Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |6  On the other hand, heterogeneity pertains to the creation of various cultural practices, new economies, and political groups because of the interaction of elements from different societies around the world. Associated with this is the concept of glocalization. Glocalization sees globalization as a process wherein global forces interact with local factors or a specific geographic area. The term is a combination of the words "globalization" and "localization." The term was coined in the Harvard Business Review, in 1980, by sociologist Roland Robertson, who wrote that glocalization meant "the simultaneity—the co- presence—of both universalizing and particularizing tendencies." In regards to a particular product or service, this means the adaptation of globally marketed products and services into local markets. A global product or service, something everyone needs and can get used out of, maybe tailored to conform with local laws, customs, or consumer preferences. Products that are "glocalized" are, by definition, going to be of much greater interest to the end-user, the person who ends up using the product. This is because while it's something that everyone can use and has used for, as a global product, its localization makes it more specific to an individual, their context, and their needs. (Hayes, 2020) Fast-food menu saves your time in the most convenient way creating enough time for other things to do at the same time creates business opportunities. These fast-food wars benefited us in many ways. C. Dynamics of Local and Global Culture: Perspectives on Global Cultural Flows Globalization is characterized by the movements and spread of various cultures globally. In the contemporary world, cultures flow through non-material digital forms (like different forms of media especially social media). There are three perspectives on how cultures flow globally: Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |7  1. Cultural Differentialism. This emphasizes the fact that cultures are essentially different and are only superficially affected by global flows. The interaction of cultures is deemed to contain the potential for catastrophic collision. (Note: This usually results in state wars and racial discrimination as well as culture clash) 2. Cultural Hybridization. This emphasizes the integration of local and global cultures. Globalization is considered a creative process that gives rise to hybrid entities that are not reducible to either global or the local. (Note: This is similar to the concept of “glocalization”. A new culture is made out of the local and foreign cultures. 3. Cultural Convergence. This stresses the homogeneity introduced by globalization. Cultures are deemed to be radically altered by strong flows, while cultural imperialism happens when one culture imposes itself on and tends to destroy at least parts of another culture. (Note: This perceives that the world is having a universal global culture that will eventually dissolve the local culture.) September 11, 2001 World Trade Center bombing, what are the reasons behind this attack? “Taglish language”; and The Olympic Games, creating the whole world connected temporarily. (Top left to right) D. The Roots of Globalization Although globalization is perceived to be a modern concept, its origins can be traced long before the European Age of Discovery and voyages to the New World. Large-scale globalization began in the 1820s. In the late 19 th century and early 20th century, the connectivity of the world’s economies and cultures grew very quickly mainly because of discoveries in science and technology that allowed for more efficient transportation and Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |8  communication systems that break international barriers. Below is a timeline of notable events in the development of globalization: 1897 – Charles Taze Russell coined a related term - “corporate giants” that refers to the largely national trusts and other large enterprises of the time. 1930 – the word “globalize” as a noun appeared in a publication entitled Towards New Education where it denoted a holistic view of human experience in education. Late 1980’s – the word “globalization” was coined by Theodore Levitt. 2000 – the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified 4 basic aspects of globalization (trade and transactions; capital and investments; movements and migration; and knowledge and dissemination) Application (10 points) Which of the three perspectives in global cultural flow you think is the most accurate based on what you observe from what is happening these days? Scoring Rubric: Quality and Organization of Ideas – 6 points / Grammar and Sentence Structure - 4 points = 10 points Summary of the Lesson: Globalization is the primary driving force of the contemporary world. It is a process that is complex and multifaceted that occurs at multiple levels and affects people differently. Although perceived to be primarily an economic process, it should be viewed through various lenses that consider multiple theories and perspectives. Globalization theories see it as a process that can either increase homogeneity or heterogeneity. Concepts associated with homogeneity are cultural imperialism, media imperialism, neoliberalism, and Mcdonaldization. On the other hand, heterogeneity is closely associated with glocalization. Meanwhile, global cultural flows are perceived to take place in the form of cultural differentialism, cultural hybridization, and cultural convergence. Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e |9 Enrichment Activity: “How Globalized is Your Home?” (10 points) Go to your room and do an inventory of everything you have in your possession. You will find out that the most essential among the “things” in your room are footwear, clothes, gadgets, gadget accessories and electronic appliances. Since you are a student, you may also notice books and school supplies. Organize your inventory into two categories: first, things that are made locally in the Philippines and second, those that are of foreign brands. List the countries of origin of the foreign brands (see sample table below). After doing the inventory, discuss the following in 5-10 sentences in one paragraph: 1. Are most of your things local brand or foreign brand? 2. Are you aware whether the brands of the items that you buy are local or foreign? Scoring Rubric: 1. The list is comprehensive and clearly presented. – 5 points 2. The explanation is clear and concise. – 5 points (Source: The Contemporary World, page 11, Abinales & Claudio,C&E Publishing, Inc.) Suggested Links: McDonaldization: Definition and Overview of the Concept. Ashley Crossman. 2020. https://www.thoughtco.com/mcdonaldization-of-society-3026751 Cultural imperialism. Theresa Weynand Tobin(2007). https://www.britannica.com/topic/cultural-imperialism References/Attributions: Abinales, P.N. & Claudio, L.E., (2018). The Contemporary World. Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc. Aldama, P. R. (2018). The Contemporary World. Manila: Rex Bookstore. Ariola, M.M. (2018). The Contemporary World. Manila: Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing Inc. “The Five Scapes of Globalization” https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Courses/HACC_Central_Pennsylvania's_Community_College/ANTH_2 05%3A_Cultures_of_the_World_- _Perspectives_on_Culture_(Scheib)/13%3A_Globalization/13.02%3A_The_Acceleration_of_Globaliza tion “Borderless World”/https://blog.riamoneytransfer.com/share-ofw-life-abroad/ Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e | 10  “Streets of Madrid?”/https://www.tupanggala.com/vigans-vintage/ “The Sushi” /https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0000370/ “Comic-book movies”/https://www.looper.com/196008/all-avengers-5-rumors-and- spoilers-leaked-so-far/ “Netflix and the Society”/https://spinach.com.au/news/riddle-me-this-netflix-why- partner-with-barb-if-not-for-ads/ “Fast-food Wars: /https://aycw.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/audit-finds-almost-more-than- half-of-fast-food-outlets-exploit-workers/ “September 11, 2001, World Trade Center Attack”/ https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/09/911-the-day-of-the-attacks/100143/ “Taglish”/ https://www.eaglenews.ph/taglish-or-mother-tongue/ “The Olympics”/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/a62eef95a8ae-breaking- news-ioc-says-tokyo-olympics-cancellation-is-only-speculation.html Th e Co n te mpo r ary Wo rld Mod ule 1. Le sso n 1 P a g e | 11