Globalization

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Globalization

• Sarah Witham Bednarz
• Texas AM University
• S-bednarz_at_tamu.edu
• Notes included in NOTES view

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Globalization

• The way the world is today
• How we got here developing a world-system
• Implications

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The World Today

• Places and regions are part of a world-system
  (Wallerstein)
• Interdependent system of countries linked by
  economic and political competition
• Highly integrated, interdependent, connected
  through commodity chains
• Networks of labor production processes from raw
  materials --gtfinished products (commodities)

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The World Today

• Commodity chains managed by transnational
  corporations (TNCs)
• Companies with interests that span international
  boundaries connections in multiple nations
• TNCs use new technology systems that allow
  flexible patterns of investment and production

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The World Today

• This world is structured into three tiers
• Core Regions
• Semi-Peripheral Regions
• Peripheral Regions

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Core Dominate and control world-system
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Core Regions

• Dominate world trade
• Control the most advanced technologies
• Have high levels of productivity and diversified
  economies
• Characterized by the highest standards of living

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Triad of North America, EU, and Japan
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Periphery dependent trading relationships
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Peripheral Regions

• Slow World
• Low levels of technology
• Underdeveloped or narrowly specialized economies
• Low levels of productivity
• Low standards of living

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Semi-periphery In-between
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Semi-Periphery

• Able to exploit peripheral nations
• Exploited by core nations
• Once were peripheral but changed status
• The tiers are fluid

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The World Today

• Advanced stage of globalization fostered by
• International agencies and institutions
• Global networks of communication
• Standardized system of global time
• International competitions and prizes
• International laws
• Internationally shared notions of citizenship and
  human rights
• International television

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The World Today

• New international division of labor
• Post-industrial United States
• Japan and EU still manufacturing powerhouses
• Most manufacturing in low-wage areas of periphery
  and semi-periphery
• New patterns of global trade

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The World Today

• Internationalization of finance
• Global banking and financial markets
• Increased investment from core regions to semi-
  and peripheral regions

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The World Today

• New technology systems
• Solar energy, robotics, biotechnology,
  microtechnology, genetically modified foods,
  digital telecommunications, computerized
  information systems, improved transportation
  systems, improved communication systems, fax
  machines, Internet, global mobile phones

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The World Today

• New international consumer markets
• Homogenous
• Similar social processes producing similar
  consumer tastes--gtworld products
• New international culture of materialism
• People save less
• Borrow more
• Defer parenthood
• Indulge in material goods

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Signs of Globalization?

• Commercial aspects
• American style popular culture and consumerism
• Spread of English as a second language
• Commodity chains of TNCs
• Global issues related to economic globalization
• Impact on the environment

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Signs of Globalization?

• Growth of global organizations and alliances
• Professional associations and conferences
• Web-based international communities
• NGOs e.g., Greenpeace
• Local outcomes
• Resource depletion in some places ecotourism in
  others industrialization in others
• Culture clash
• Mingling of cultures

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How Did We Get Here?

• 15th century exploration
• 16th century new technology of shipbuilding and
  navigation
• More and more people became exposed to one
  anothers technologies and ideas
• Depending upon resources, societal structure,
  culture, places regions became core or
  peripheral

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17th century World-system consolidated with
stronger economic ties between regions
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How Did We Get Here?

• Industrial Revolution
• Capitalism becomes the world-system
• New technologies expand the search for resources
  and markets
• Colonialism and imperialism accompany expansion
  of the world-system

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Implications?

• Problems associated with cultural mingling and
  convergence
• Fundamentalism
• Intensification of differences between core and
  periphery
• Contrasting life styles and levels of living
• Loss of cultural uniqueness, national identity

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