Topic 1 What is Globalization

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Topic 1 What is Globalization?

• A Setting the Context
• B Representations of the World
• C The Processes of Globalization

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Conditions of Usage

• For personal and classroom use only
• Excludes any other forms of communication such as
  conference presentations, published reports and
  papers.
• No modification and redistribution permitted
• Cannot be published, in whole or in part, in any
  form (printed or electronic) and on any media
  without consent.
• Citation
• Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. of Global Studies
  Geography, Hofstra University.

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A Setting the Context

• Globalization as a Process
• When Globalization Began?
• Imperialism, Mercantilism and Capitalism
• Globalization Elements of the Debate

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Globalization as a Process

• Many views, many definitions
• A process it is dynamic.
• Geography is less constraining.
• People, governments and corporations become
  increasingly aware that the world is getting
  smaller and act accordingly.
• Main forms of globalization
• Cultural / social globalization (homogenization).
• Political globalization (transnational
  agreements).
• Economic globalization (new markets, new
  products).

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Globalization as a Process

• Main causes of globalization
• Voyages of exploration.
• Spread of ideologies (religions, democracy).
• Communication technology (mass communication,
  internet).
• Transport technology (air transport,
  containerization).
• Commercial policy (free trade).
• Expansion of trade and markets (global brands).
• Supra-national regulation (institutions
  facilitating international exchanges).
• Scientific standardization (measures, time
  zones).
• Development of global events (Olympics, World
  Cup).
• Environmental consciousness (climate change).

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When Globalization Began?
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Early Forms of Globalization Empires
Han Dynasty in China (2nd century BC to 3rd
century)
The Roman Empire (1st century BC to 5th century)
Islamic Golden Age (8th century to 13th century)
Mongol Empire (12th century to 13th century)
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Intermediate Globalization The British Empire,
1897
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Advanced Globalization Major Economic Blocs, 2007
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Imperialism, Mercantilism and Capitalism
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Roman Empire, Second Century AD
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Dutch East India Company, Trade Network, 17th
Century
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Cost and Production of Ford Vehicles, 1908-1924
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Globalization Elements of the Debate
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B Representations of the World

• Knowledge about the world
• Needs to be expressed and stored.
• The map was traditionally the main tool for such
  a purpose.
• Globalization
• Growing quantity of knowledge available.
• Easier to transmit this knowledge (mass media,
  IT, language).
• Four major evolutionary phases
• Antiquity
• Middle Ages
• Age of Discovery
• Modern Era

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Antiquity

• Herodotus (circa 450 BC)
• Inspired by Pythagoras (530 BC) and his geometry.
• Father of geography.
• Basic physical and human geography.
• Exploration and travel instead of geometry.
• Coined the terms Europe, Asia and Africa (Libya).

Accuracy
Trade route
Distance
Familiar
Accounts
Legends
Terra incognita
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Herodotus (450 B.C.) (recreation)
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Antiquity

• Aristotle (circa 350 BC)
• Considered physical elements such as the
  temperature and winds as factors of the human
  habitat.
• Division of the world in 3 climatic zones.
• Relationships between the environment
  (temperature) and human habitat.
• One of the first physical geographer.
• Judged impossible to cross to torrid equatorial
  zone and reach the antipodes.

Frigid
Temperate
Torrid
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Antiquity

• Eratosthenes (circa 250 BC)
• Formally assumed the earth was round.
• Calculated the circumference of the earth.
• 40,572 km versus the exact figure of 40,091 km.
• Developed the concepts of parallel and meridian.
• Consequently introduced the concept of
  geographical location.
• Created modern cartography (cartographic plane).

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Eratosthenes (194 B.C.) (reconstruction)
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Antiquity

• Ptolemy (circa 150 AD)
• Refined the coordinate system.
• Inventory of population and resources.
• Describing the world.
• 8,000 entries.
• Relationships between the physical and human
  elements.
• Created map projections.
• His map would remain the most accurate until the
  age of discovery.

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Ptolemy's (150 AD) Ulm edition world map, 1482
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Middle Ages

• Period of decline
• Cartographic and regional approach was lost in
  Europe
• Representation of the world was Christianized.
• Orthodoxy replaced objective observation and
  analysis.
• T and O Maps (Orbis Terrae)
• T is the Mediterranean ( Nile and Black Sea).
• O is the surrounding ocean.
• Greek and Roman knowledge kept by the Byzantine
  Empire and by the Arabs.

T-O map from the Etymologiae of Isidorus, 12th
Century
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St. Sever World Map after Beatus, 1030 AD
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Age of Discovery

• Exploration and innovation
• The 15th and 16th centuries were characterized by
  numerous maritime explorations.
• A commercial expansion of European nations.
• Several technical innovations
• The compass, more precise maps.
• Larger ships (they passed from 200 to 600 tons
  during the sixteenth century), better ship
  structures and the rudder.
• Insure a safe, fast and therefore profitable
  maritime navigation.
• Creation of the first accurate world maps.

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The Americas, 16th Century
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World Map, circa 1700
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Modern Era

• A complete world map
• Early 20th century.
• Complete and accurate view of the world.
• Coordinate systems.
• National inventories of resources.
• Widely available atlases.
• Information technologies
• Use of remote sensing (aerial photographs and
  remote sensing).
• Digital maps.
• Mass diffusion through online accessibility.

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Satellite Composite Image
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A Virtually Navigable World
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C The Processes of Globalization

• Globalization and its Transformations
• Global Convergence
• Global Divergence

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The Flows behind Globalization
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Days Required to Circumnavigate the Globe
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Globalization and its Transformations
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World Exports of Merchandise, 1950-2007
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Major International Migration Patterns, 1990s
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Diffusion of Telecommunication Services,
1985-2006 (in millions)
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Global Convergence
Multinational corporations Privatization
Economic
Industrial
Financial
Liberalization Free-trade agreements
Consumption goods (brand names)
Global Economy
Media
Political
Social
Labor market Culture
Transportation and Telecommunication Networks
Containerization and Information highway
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Global Convergence

• Global Consumer Culture
• Many global goods originated from the western
  world
• Many key technologies.
• The United States has been a powerful influence
  on various other cultures.
• Clothing, food, movies, music.
• Hybridization
• When elements of two cultures are melded
  together.
• Often took place in the past (e.g. the American
  melting pot).
• Accelerated by globalization.
• Commonly a voluntary process when people are
  willingly adopting new practices.
• A form of cultural evolution.
• Can cause social tensions
• Between traditional cultures (at least the more
  conservative elements) and new external
  influences.

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A Paradoxical and Complex Cultural Landscape
Hong Kong
Rome
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Global Divergence
Pollution, resource depletion
Environmental
Poverty
Corruption
Drugs, pornography,prostitution, gambling,SPAM
Refugees, illegal immigration
Global Economy
Inequalities
Crime
Social
Terrorism, conflicts
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Global Drug Trade
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Global Divergence

• Divergence from the nation state
• The power of state intervention is becoming more
  limited.
• With globalization many corporate, financial and
  media spheres diverged.
• Face increased competition, but have more liberty
  to fix their operating conditions.

Global Economic Sphere
Corporate sphere
Nation State
Financial sphere
Media sphere