What is Globalization?

Globalization is a broad term mostly people linked to economic aspect; the integration of
national economies into international economy by trading, foreign investment, flow of capital resources,
movement of people or migration, the proliferation of technology and presence of military. This
consequently pertains to the aspects of our society manifested by globalization. Moreover, it is mostly

identified to be powered by combination of economic, technological, socio-cultural, political and

biological aspects.

The term “globalization” can be tracked back to the early 1960s. In the book of Roland
Robertson, Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (London: Sage, 1992) “globalization refers
both to the compression of the world and intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole.”
“Compression” meaning the world turns small in which everything is not far to reach and accessed by

everyone in the world. Furthermore, it is a process that breaks the gap, boundary or barriers between
nation-state to create common consciousness. “Intensification” means the extent and strength of
consciousness or practice not limited to a specific geographical place but is able to cross the boarders of
nation-states. Consider this example, the use of Nike products, many people not only Filipinos are
consumer of these American products. Your favorite Guess products are sold in worldwide

markets and even in internet.

As espoused by Ritzer (2015), “globalization is a trans planetary process or a set of processes

involving increasing liquidity and growing multidirectional flows of people, object, places, and
information as well as the structures they encounter and create that are barriers to, or expedite those
flows…” So how is it happening?

Because of globalization movement of people, products and ideas are increased in various
directions that reach consumers easily and quickly. On the other hand, the emergence of hindrances
limit and diminish the flow of people, products and ideas.

Globalization on the description of Manfred Steger (2009) states that “it is the expansion and
intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-time and across world-space.” When
you say “expansion” it relates to making a new connection of social network and further multiplying it
that expands across political, economic, cultural and geographic borders. Meaning, globalization creates

a wider opportunity for social relations among nation-states. But how can social relations or connections
may happen? The use of social media for example, could create global connects between individuals.
Another is when a nation-state like our country the Philippines joins or registers as member of
international organization like United Nation or ASEAN. Meanwhile, Steger referred intensification as
expanding, stretching, accelerating the presence of connection or network a nation-state to

another nation-state. Steger (2009) also cited that globalization has four main dimensions:

economic, political, cultural, and ecological, with ideological aspects for each category.

1. Economic - Economic globalization is the intensification and stretching of economic interrelations

around the globe. It embraces such things as the occurrence of a new global economic order, the
internationalization of trade and finance, the dynamic changing power of transnational corporations,
and the greater role of international economic institutions.

2. Political - Political globalization is the intensification and expansion of political interrelations around
the globe. It comprises the modern-nation state system and its changing place in today’s world, the role
of global governance, and the path of our global political systems.

3. Military - Military globalization, as subdomain of political globalization, is defined as the

intensification and stretching of military power across the globe through numerous means of military
power (nuclear military weapons, radiation weapons simply weapons of mass destruction). This

form of globalization occurs across offensive and defensive uses of power and survival in international
field. Beyond states, global organizations such as the United Nations also extend military means globally
through support given by both Global North and South countries.

4. Cultural - Cultural globalization is the intensification and expansion of cultural flows across the globe.
Culture is a very wide-ranging concept and has various facets, but in the argument on globalization,
Steger means it to refer to “the symbolic construction, articulation, and dissemination of meaning.”

Topics under this heading include discussion about the development of a global culture, or lack thereof,
the role of media in shaping our identities and desires, and the globalization of languages.

5. 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.

Furthermore, Steger also posits that his definition of globalization must we separated with an
ideology he termed globalism. Globalization refers to the process and direction of change over time,
globalism refers to a set of ideologies ranging from the worship of the free-market to global jihadism,
and globality is a “single socio-political space on a planetary scale.” It is a wide spread belief among

powerful people that the global interaction of economic market be beneficial for everyone (Paul, 2013).

Disclaimer: The article you are reading was taken from the Module for The Contemporary World written by Dr. Evaline L. Apura
This is for ISAT –U use only.