What Questions Can We Ask About Globalization?
Since you’re going to be writing about globalization, it’s important first to understand what the term means and then, what kinds of questions we might ask.
Globalization itself is a debated term, but our first definition will be “the expansion and intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-time and world-space,” or put more simply, “growing worldwide interconnectivity” (Steger). In other words, globalization is a process that involves the rapid flow of people, goods, ideas, and cultural practices across national boundaries.
Some people think of globalization as an ancient phenomenon, dating back to the Crusades, or perhaps to the colonization of the Americas. Others believe global integration (rather than distinct regional integration) only begins with the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of European imperialism into Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Finally, others think that the single world system arises once technological innovations (such as the airplane, shipping container, telephone) expand almost everywhere, perhaps as late as the 1970s. Coupled with the quick overseas transport of goods, this period also witnesses the rise of neoliberal economics and the idea that barriers to capitalist expansion should be done away with.
Contemporary globalization thus raises many complex questions. Many think of globalization as an overall beneficial trend, bringing capitalist growth, democracy, higher standards of living, and modern technologies to more and more people. These people would argue that it creates the possibility for a truly “global citizenship,” united by the political claims of liberal democracy. Skeptics counter that globalization tends to homogenize people, replace local traditions for Western ones. Globalization itself might be the new face of imperialism. Further, they would argue that it creates a “race to the bottom” in which countries with fewer economic and environmental protections attract multinational corporations. Meanwhile, industry in the Global North vanishes and workers in the Global South face increasing poor working conditions.
So I want you to ask the following questions (and any others that interest you):
· How evenly are the benefits of globalization distributed, and, how might we change this inequality?
· Does globalization threaten to make us all the same (wearing Nikes, using Samsung phones, shopping on Amazon) or does it open new, hybrid forms of culture, from French-Algerian hip-hop to Korean tacos and Thai Westerns?
· Should we strive toward a cosmopolitan, global political order or are social problems best addressed nationally, or even locally? How can climate change be dealt with at both levels?
· To what extent do global technologies help improve living standards and to what extent does it threaten traditional ways of life?
· How will the rise of ethnonationalism exemplified by Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in 2016 shape the future of global integration? How will the future of immigration look?
· Uh, coronavirus?
Which of these sounds most exciting? What others can you think of that we should talk about about? Let me know in the comments below!
Works Cited
Steger, Manfred. “Globalization: A Very Short Introduction” Oxford UP, 2013.
