What is Globalization?

#1

    The author answers to the question "What is Globalization?". According to the author, the general sense of the term 'globalization' includes various topics such as global governance, global citizenship, human rights, migration, and etc. However, it is important to understand that globalization is an essentially contested concept. Then the author explains about Velho's globalization paradigm. How Velho saw globalization as an object, a perspective and a horizon. Then the author explains how globalization grew with capitalism and how the theory seeing world as a 'single place' affected so much on social science. 

    In the next paragraph, the author says that it is very widely misunderstood that the most important single feature of globalization is 'increasing connectivity'. He points out the combination of both subjective and cultural factors should be considered which is 'consciousness'. He says consciousness relatively gets neglected in favor of connectivity. Author brings Samuel Huntington's theory, explaining how Huntington predicted the major world conflicts would be focused on civilizational issues after the end of the Cold War. Then the author explains about the conflict between West and Middle Eastern Islam based on Huntington's argument.

    In 'Dimensions of Globalization', author says there are three major dimensions of globalization which are the economic, the political, and the cultural. The cultural has become fore part because of the concern with economic globalization. He gives us an example of McDonaldization by Ritzer. McDonaldization argues how McDonald's, Nike, Starbucks, and etc spread from the US to the rest of the world, contributing in economic globalization. However, the theory argues it is necessary to adapt brands to the local circumstances in order to success explaining how homogeneity and heterogeneity coexists in globalization. Then the author points out how social dimension of globalization is neglected by sociologists. 

    Now he explains about the form of globalization which was raised mostly by Immanuel Wallerstein. Wallerstein said that the world has not become a single place under a particular religious institution. The world could become singular through ideology such as Soviet Communist Party. From Wallerstien's point of view, the present world system has been produced primarily by the expansion of capitalism. Then the author explains about the pattern of the process of globalization. First, international-systemic aspect. Second, humanity. Third, individual selves. Last, nation-state. Then the author argue whether nation-state should be included in the process of globalization. Many contributors in this debate argues that globalization has been challenged by nation-states. On the other hand, other contributors say that the nation-state should actually be regarded as an aspect of globalization. Next, the author explains about the inclusion of selves. Saying Individualization isolate the individual and makes he or she more responsible for his/her actions. At the same time, the identity of selves becomes differentiated in a various forms and modes such as 'racial', 'national', 'class', and etc. And there is the paradoxical convergence of similarity and uniqueness. The author says that individuals exhibit their uniqueness through fashion. 

    In this paragraph, the authors argues about 'globalization' and 'globalization'. He says globalization has become a central concept in recent years. He puts in that the relationship between local and global is like the different sides of a same coin. Author also says that the concept of globalization is in fact, inevitably self-limiting process.    

    Finally, the author explains the characteristics of globalization that he explained above. 

#2

    As we all know, the term 'globalization' is very familiar. We can see it being used on everywhere. However, through this article, I was able to learn the history of the term and the different perspectives that has been studied through lots of debates. The fact that globalization is based on wealthy countries' perspective was very interesting. Also how capitalism effected the spread of globalization and how companies need to adapt to the circumstance was interesting as well. 

#3

    Can the term 'globalization' refers to 'the world as a one singular place' in the future? How will the definition of globalization change?