TCW-Globalization-Definitions.pdf

READINGS Giddens (1990) points out that 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. In a conference in 2000, Giddens explained, “globalization is not a single...

READINGS Giddens (1990) points out that 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. In a conference in 2000, 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. In other words, it is a wholly contradictory process. It is not just about fragmentation. I see it more as a shake-out of institutions in which new forms of unity go along with new forms of unity go along with new forms of fragmentation.” 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. For 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). Simply, 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. One of the most popular definitions of globalization is provided by Steger (2009) which defined globalization as a set of social processes that appear to transform our present social condition of weakening nationality into one 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 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. On the other hand, globalism means globalization as an ideology reflecting shared ideas, norms, values accepted as truth. He adds that there are three kinds of globalism namely: 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. The global economic order emerged after World War II, when the Bretton Woods Conference laid the foundations for the IMF, World Bank, and WTO. In the 1980s neoliberalism liberalized financial transactions. However, this unstable growth led to the Great Financial Crash, where banks traded toxic assets without regulation. Transnational corporations rival nation-states in economic power, and have had a profound effect on the structure and function of the global economy. The Washington Consensus was drafted to reform indebted developing countries, but it has thus far rarely helped countries develop. Political: The political dimension of globalization’ looks at political arrangements beyond the nation-state. Traditional politics harboured an ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality. Contemporary globalization has led to a permeation of those borders. The modern nation-state came into being after the Protestant Reformation, characterized by centralized government and selfdetermination. The rise of organizations such as the United Nations has threatened the nation-state, according to globalization sceptics. However, national governments still hold significant powers. 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’. However, advocates say that globalization reinvigorates niche cultures instead of eliminating them. 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. Some say that it leads to protection of native tongues. On the other hand, some foresee the rise of a ‘Globish’ language. 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. However, there are still debates about the seriousness of ecological issues, and, whilst progress has been made, few multilateral measures have been implemented. Furthermore Cox (1999) provides the characteristics of globalization trend: internationalizing of production globalizing of finance and securities trading changing international division of labor vast migratory movements from South to North competitive environment that accelerates these processes internationalizing of the state making states into agencies of the globalizing world REFERENCES AND READINGS Albrow, Martin (1990). Globalization, Knowledge and Society. London: Sage. Giddens, Anthony (1990). The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press. Holm, Hans-Henrik and Georg Sorensen (1995) “Introduction: What Has Changed?” in HansHenrik Holm and Georg Sorensen, eds., Whose World Order? Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War (Boulder, CO: Westview), 1–17. Kanter, Rosabeth Moss (1995). World Class: Thriving Locally in the Global Economy (New York: Simon and Schuster, as cited in J. A. Scholte, “The Globalization of World Politics”, in J. Baylis and S. Smith (eds.), The Globalization of World Politics, An Introduction to International Relations. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Khor, Martin (1995). "Address to the International Forum on Globalization," New York City. Mcgrew, A. (1990). A Global Society: Modernity and its Futures as cited by Brazalote and Leonardo (2019) The Contemporary World: Outcome-Based Module. Quezon City: C & E Publishing Inc. Steger, Manfred. B. (2009). Globalization: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wallerstein, Immanuel (1974). The Modern World-System: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century. New York: Academic Press.