LESSON 1: 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.
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 familiar with the dimensions and characteristics of globalization
HELPFUL POINTS
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 definition 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 self-determination. 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
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 Hans-
Henrik 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
