UNIT

UNDERSTANDING

GLOBALIZATIONN
,.

Lesson 11
Defining Globalization

LESSON OBJECTIVES
should be able to:
At the end of this lesson, you

1. identify the extent of globalization;

2. define globalization;
and
3. differentiate the competing conceptions of globalization;
the varying definitions of
4. identify the underlying philosophies of
globalization.

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Definition of Termns
Globalization is a process of expanding various sociocultural and socio
national to international and transcultural
ecological processes from
level (Al-Rodhan, 2006).
Global Connected Index (GCI) is a measurement of flows and
interconnections of a country to other global players through exchanges
in trade, capital, people, and information (Altman, et al., 2018).
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INTRODUCTION

Globalization has been a critical discourse in the international development

policy arena. There is an increasing number of books written about globalization
since the end of the 1980s (See Figure 1 below from Google Books Ngram Viewer,
search using the keyword: globalization). There are numerous definitions
of globalization, and one definition tends to focus on the economic side of

globalization.

1
 Nevertheless, it is a highly contested concept
PIke, ).
(Stiglitz and 200
aspect of globalization, but ie
economic it is
People commonly debate about the
Some authorS argue against th e
only aspect
one of the globalization agenda.
that comes with globalization. While otha
hegemony and power imbalance c o m m e r c e , and infórmation flou
impact on trade,
authors highlight its positive

o.000800%
o.000700% ,gobalzafion
0.000600%
o.oosco%
0.000400%-
o.000300s%
o 000200%

o 000100%

1998 1900 1992 1994 1908 2000

982 1084 1986
0.000000970 1872 1974 1978 1978 1980

Trends on the books written about globalization.

Figure 1.
(Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer)

In this section, unpack the concept of globalization by looking at

we will
the different views and definitions of
the current state of globalization, assessing
socioeconomic changes that
globalization and understanding the sociocultural and
Come with it.

EXTENT OF GLOBALIZATION

How connected are we activity that asks

with the world? We start with an

"How are you connected with the world?" Most of us might answer that
we

have family, friends, or relatives living in other countries. Modern technologies

and cheaper air travel made possible this connection and flow of people and
information. But how do we measure global connectivity?
 is the Globa
Global
One of the recent indicators of global connections
Connectedness Index (GCI)-a measurement of
flows and interconnections ofa

country to otherglobalplayers through exchanges in trade, capital, people, and

information (Altman et al., 2018).

Based the Global Connectedness Index 2018 report (Altman et al.

on
international trade, capital,
2018), the world's level of connectedness in terms of
information, and people is at itspeakin 2017. The report indicates that the
Netherlands is the world's most globally connected country, while Europe is the
in Southeast Asia
most highly globally connected continent. Also, economies
like Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have exceeded expectations
for global connectivity, particularly in trade flow. However, based on
this report,
the countries is exported from
only 20 percent of the global economic output of
countries
the home countries and only 3 percent of people are living outside the
are more within
they were born in. This shows that the material and social flows
and between countries rather than on a global level (Altman et al., 2018).
 What is globalization? There are numerous definitions of globalization in
the development literature. You may refer to articles like that Mir, et al. (2014)
Tor a literature review on the globalization discourse. Some definitions focus
events, decisions and
on the world'sinterconnectivity in terms of processes,
While others focused more on
(Albrow & O'Bryne, 2017; Friedman, 2006).
Other authors
economic and financial integration (Rodrik,
2008; Cline, 2010).
of globalization, and they
criticized the singular focus on the economic aspect
fabric of communities
transcends to the social
Contend that globalization's impact
& Kozul-Wright, 2005
Jones&Kierzkowski, 2004; and Bairoch
(Cerny, 1995; involved in the process of
the cultural processes
Also, Pieterse (2019) highlights
globalization.
A word cloud of
the different
definitions found in the literature was
desctibesmvemea
notl
do0ieties rr Mdul
generated. Keywords in
these definitiong
uniindete reletd
ecanomi
ausna include "movement" "integration," "free
trade" "capital," and "world" (Figure 2
Other keywords include "economies
"culture," "products," "process," and
"ideas." The definitions stated above

and the figure shows the different

eypecial dimensions of globalization. Hebron
tagping
aoceddes
iews ooesd and Stack (2016) noted that most ofthe
oma uegalton

definitions of globalization focus on the

lecinooU
lapstoe
horevetagile
moles
economic and trade dimensions of the
look
detanitonal concept. However, one needs to
apect
gence at the sociopolitical and sociocultural
global aspects of globalization (Steger,
2003;

Figure 2.
Hebron and Stack, 2016; Vadlamannati,
Word cloud of definitions of globalization. 2015).
(Created in www.wordclouds.com)

trade,
Globalization is the process that focuses on the movement of
seen as
traded
definitions emphasize "what is being moved or
capital, and ideas. These
across borders?" and "how it
could integrate diverse economic processes,
of these flows of goods
cultures and worldviews?" One critical characteristic
and culture. In
and information is the integration of different markets
services,
these definitions, the down of territorial boundaries is eminent.
breaking
and
against just
authors argue the focus on the linear
However, some
from
globalization. These authors distinguish globalization
spatial dimensions of
that globalization
deterritorialization and westernization. Scholte (2005) argues
6 A COurse Module for The Contemporary World
 but is also about changes
is not just about going beyond territorial boundaries, of
of people. For instance, news from other parts
in the temporal connections
as well
in real-time through mainstream
the world could be readily accessible about
contends that globalization is not merely
as online media. Elden (2005)
have not been always from the
westernization. Naval voyages and early trade
connections, which could be dated
West. An example is the China and Philippines
as far as the Neolithic period and grew
in the 10th century AD (Fox, 1967).
back

Socioeconomic Changes in Globalization

in a globalized society
Scholte (2005) identifies macro-structural changes
value chains,
such as product and services integration through commodity
and growth of supra-
emerging institutional arrangements, pluralistic identity,
territorial relations. Also, he identifies four key shifts in society:

growth of trans- and supra-territorial connectivity

the shift from capitalism to hyper-capitalism
focused on production

a move from nationalism toward identifying pluralism and hybridity

from rationalism toward knowledge reflexivity

Factors Driving Globalization

and factors drove globalization. One of the facttors

that
Different sources

drive globalization is the reduction of trade

barriers. In 1947, richer countries
tariffs under the General
banded together to reduce taxes on imports or
which was later transformed to the World
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT),
Husain (2011)
Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994 (Koopman & Hancock, 2019).
driver of globalization
also identified modern technology developments as key
a

data or information. This

that facilitated faster communication and access to
further promoted the development of an information society (Castells,
2000).

Views about Globalization

literature and based on your
If you look at how globalization is defined in the
there views about globalization (Stiglitz and Pike,
diverging
activity above, are

2004). Some authors highlight the positive impacts of globalization

economic
trade (Kriesler and Nevile,
Such as on the level of employment and balance of
of globalization,
2016). On the other hand, some highlight the negative impacts
between the rich and the poo.
specifically the inequity among countries and
Unit UNDERSTANDING GLOBALIZATION 7
 Vandermoortle (2002), for instance, that though
exponential growth, theoretically, couldargues globalization
reduce poverty, it does not
and
nations. Sub-Saharan Africa, benefit all
where almost half of the world's
population lives (living below extremely poor
US$1.90/day), has been especially marginalized by
globalization (World Bank, 2019). Nevertheless, Beck (2018) contends the
dimensionality of globalization. These include the economic, political, multi.
ecological dimensions (Steger, 2017; Beck, 2018). Note that these Cultural,
will be extensively discussed in dimensions
the next section.

COMMUNICATE.
You and your friends/classmates could form two teams. One group wil
discuss the advantages and benefits of globalization, while the other group
will focus on the disadvantages and negative impacts of globalization. Note the
main points of the pros and cons of globalization discussed during the debate

SUMMARY
In this lesson, we first identified the extent of globalization. Several indexes
measure the extent of globalization, one of which is the Global Connectedness
Index (GCI). This index measures the flow of trade, capital, information, and
people across countries. Based on the 2018 Global Competitiveness Report
(Altman et al., 2018), the level of connectedness is lesser compared to what
is perceived by the public. This report also shows that most of the globally
connected countries are developed countries based in Europe, but countries
from Southeast Asia have exceeded expectations for global connectivity.
Second, we discussed the diverse, often disparate, and mostly contested
is
globalization. The disparate conceptualization of globalization
definition of
based on the dimensions highlighted. There are different focuses on globalization
cultural.
such as economic, financial or industrial, political, informational, and
debate. One
These differences in definition also extend to the globalization
while the other
views globalization as a positive driver of economic growth,
the=
the criticism against cultural integration disregarding
spectrum highlights
culture.
diversity and uniqueness of each
includ
factors that drove globalization. These
also identified some
Third, we
an
environment that lessens restrictions and
flows in trades
enabling policy
on modernization of transportatio
goods, infrastructural investments such as
telecommunications.
systems, and modern

World
8 A Course Module for The Contemporary