The
Contemporary
World
An Introduction
to the Study of
Globalization
Jhanssen T. Tan, MBA, PCDEB, PSBE
“What is happening with automation and
globalization — it’s not going away.”
-Campbell Brown
Why study this course?
1. To avoid
Parochialism.
Why study this course?
2. The world teaches
us more about society.
Why study this course?
3. Filipinos are
increasingly interacting
with the world.
Why study this course?
4. “The world has
shrunk.”
Why study this course?
5. There’s no turning
back from the ideology
of globalization.
This Course’s Approach
•Globalization is
inherently
interdisciplinary.
•To see the
contemporary world
through a broader
perspective.
•Allow us to examine
various globalizing
processes.
•Forces us to ask
questions and
challenges what we
know.
For the The Different
Academic
Definitions of
Scholars:
Globalization
For the Political
“Expansion and • The Academic Scholars
Scientist:
• The Political Scientists
intensification •
•
The Sociologists
The Economists
of social
“The expansion
relations and Additionally, for the
of a global Political Scientist, the idea
consciousness
political system, of globalization is a
across world
and its challenge to the nation/
time and state and the regional
institutions, in
across world blocs.
which inter-
space.” -
regional It could mean an
Manfred Steger
transactions are emergence of different
managed.” - local or MNCs.
William
And a challenge to the
Thompson current political norms.
For the The Different
Sociologists:
For the Economists:
Definitions of
“On going Globalization
process that “It is the increasing • The Academic Scholars
involves economic •
•
The Political Scientists
The Sociologists
interconnected integration and • The Economists
changes in the interdependence of
national, regional,
economic,
and local economies
cultural, social, Additionally, for the scholar
across the world
and political through an
of culture and
spheres of communication, there is
intensification of always the ideology that:
society.” - Nicki cross-border
Lisa Cole movement of goods, 1. The world is shrinking.
services, 2. There is a “Global Village”.
technologies and 3. Cultural Imperialism will
capital.” - Rakesh live on.
Mohan Roshi
The Global
Village
“Today, after more than a century of electric technology, we have extended our central nervous
system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both space and time as far as our planet is concerned.”
Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) predicted
and popularized the concept of a Global
Village, a world interconnected by an
electronic nervous system.
Cultural
Imperialism/
Forced
Acculturation
The imposition by one usually politically or
economically dominant community of
various aspects of its own culture onto
another, non-dominant community.
“It is a process and
condition that involves
increasing
interconnectedness of
different parts of the
world through
common processes of
economic, political,
environmental, and
cultural changes.” Knox, Marton, Nash, (2010)
Connectivity
Connectivity can be Connectivity can be
diverse. (e.g. enabled by various
economic, political, factors such as the
social, cultural) media.
•NGOs
•Friendships/
Relationships
Intensification •Government
Associations
Refers to the •MNCs
Expansion and
expansion, stretching, Stretching
and acceleration of
these networks. Not
•From Snail
only are global
Mail to
connections
Facebook
multiplying, but they •Live
are also becoming Television
Acceleration of
more closely-knit and •Increased Social Exchanges
expanding their reach. Travel and Activities
It Occurs Subjectively
Globalization processes do not occur immediately at an
objective, material level but they also involve the
subjective plane of human consciousness.
“We think about
the world.”
…but do we
…really?
It Occurs Subjectively
GLOBALIZATION PROCESSES TEND TO BE UNEVEN!
Three Main
1. Goods and Aspects of
Services Globalization
Increased
Trade
Pool of Skills
and
Professions
Three Main
2. People
Aspects of
Globalization
Immigration
and Culture
Jobs
Three Main
3. Capital
Aspects of
Globalization
Money
Investment
The Circular Flow Model
GLOCALIZATION
Being GLOBAL, but
thinking LOCAL.
McDonaldization
Developed by American Sociologist George
Ritzer in 1933.
It is a phenomenon that occurs when society,
its institutions, and organizations are adapted
to have the same characteristics as in fast food
chains: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability
and Standardization, and Control.
Advantages of Globalization
1. Free Trade/Reduced
Barriers
2. Promotes Economic Growth
3. Competition between
countries drive prices down
4. Cultural Intermingling
5. Increased Labor Pool
6. Ease of transport,
communication, &
information.
Disadvantages of Globalization
1. Creates problems for developed
countries because jobs are
transferred to lower cost countries.
2. Labor exploitation.
3. MNCs tend to influence political
decisions.
4. Rich, richer; poor, poorer.
5. Experts think that it also leads to
the incursion of communicable
diseases.
6. Environmental crises.
How about you?
Are you globalized?
What is your
globalization story?
Sources
Claudio, Lisandro E. & Abinales, Patricio N. (2018). What is Globalization? Accessed from: The Contemporary World, pgs.
x-xii, 2-10.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/cultural-imperialism
https://www.livinginternet.com/i/ii_mcluhan.htm
