Globalization: Liquidity and Weightlessness

Globalization: A Basic Text

Introductory textbook on globalization, cross-referenced with Readings in Globalization

Globalization

Examines major issues and events in history, core concepts

Readings in Globalization

Anthology introducing major concepts, key debates, and disputes

George Ritzer

Author of Globalization: A Basic Text and co-editor of Readings in Globalization

Wiley-Blackwell

Imprint of John Wiley & Sons, publisher of Globalization: The Essentials

2011

Year of first publication for Globalization: The Essentials

Bretton Woods

Post-WWII economic system with GATT, IMF, and World Bank

Neo-Liberalism

Economic ideology emphasizing free markets and limited government intervention

2009

Year of publication for Globalization: A Basic Text

2010

Year of publication for Readings in Globalization

Multinational Corporation (MNC)

Company operating in multiple countries, influencing global economy

Global Value Chains

Networks of production and distribution spanning multiple countries

United Nations (UN)

International organization promoting peace, security, and cooperation

Civil Society

Non-governmental organizations advocating for societal interests

Media Imperialism

Dominance of media content by powerful nations, influencing global perceptions

Cultural Hybridization

Blending of diverse cultural elements to create new cultural forms

McDonaldization

Standardization and rationalization of processes, inspired by fast-food chains

Deterritorialization

Breaking traditional ties of culture to specific geographic locations

Cricket

Sport with local, global, and global aspects, reflecting cultural globalization

Migrants

People moving from one place to another, such as illegal Mexican migrants to the US.

Migration

The act of moving from one place to settle in another, as seen in the flow of migrants to and from the US.

Remittances

Money sent back by migrants to their home country, supporting families and economies.

Diaspora

Scattered population with a common origin, like the Mexican diaspora in the US.

Illegal immigrants in Europe

Individuals residing in Europe without legal permission, such as in Great Britain and Switzerland.

Global Environmental Flows

Movement of resources, pollutants, and impacts across borders, like the flow of greenhouse gases.

Collapse

Sudden failure or breakdown, as seen in the decline of fish populations.

Toxic Chemicals

Harmful substances that can cause environmental damage, like pesticides and industrial pollutants.

Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to climate change and rising temperatures.

Population Growth

Increase in the number of individuals in a population, impacting resource use and environmental stress.

Carbon Tax

A fee imposed on the carbon content of fuels to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

Hybrid technology

Combining different power sources, like gasoline and electricity, to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.

Economic Issues

Challenges related to financial systems, trade, and resource allocation, influencing global environmental policies.

Dangerous Imports

Products or materials that pose risks to health, safety, or security when brought into a country.

Borderless Diseases

Illnesses that can spread easily across borders, such as HIV/AIDS and Avian Flu.

Terrorism

The use of violence and intimidation for political aims, posing threats to global security.

War

Armed conflict between nations or groups, leading to destruction and loss of life.

Global Military Structures

Organizations and systems for defense and security on an international scale.

Information War

Conflict involving the use of information and misinformation to influence opinions and actions.

Gender and the economy

The impact of gender roles and inequalities on economic opportunities and outcomes.

Global care chains

Networks of care workers moving across borders to provide services, affecting global labor markets.

Rural

Relating to countryside areas, often facing challenges like limited resources and infrastructure.

Urban

Related to cities and densely populated areas, experiencing issues like pollution and social disparities.

Dealing with Globalization

Strategies and actions to manage the impacts and challenges of global interconnectedness.

Transnationalism

Processes connecting individuals across geopolitical borders, fostering new social identities.

Baseball as Transnational Sport

Fundamentals and players circulate among select nations

Baseball vs. Soccer Globality

Baseball transnational, soccer present in most world areas

Globality

Omnipresence of globalization process

Metaphors in Understanding

Using one term to explain another

Globalist Perspective

Belief in the reality of globalization

Solidity in Globalization

Entities harden over time, limited mobility

Fluidity in Globalization

Increased movement and adaptability

Solidity vs. Fluidity

Solid barriers vs. adaptable movement

Elite Mobility

Ease of movement for privileged individuals

Information Mobility

Ease of information dissemination over distances

Transportation Technologies

Advancements like ships, automobiles, and airplanes facilitating movement.

Lord Elgin

In the early 1800s, dismantled parts of the Parthenon in Greece for transport to London.

Solid to Liquid Metaphor

Concept of people, objects, and places transitioning from solid to liquid states.

Karl Marx's Analysis

Capitalism transforming solid feudal structures into liquid forms.

Zygmunt Bauman

Scholar emphasizing increasing liquidity in the global age.

Liquid Phenomena

Elements associated with globalization that lack fixed shape, space, or time.

Global Finance

Financial transactions emphasizing time over physical movement.

Porosity of Global Barriers

Increasing permeability of boundaries allowing movement of people, money, and goods.

Flows

Movement of people, things, information, and places due to reduced global barriers.

National borders

Boundaries between countries that are permeable in a global financial system

Illegal migrants

Individuals moving to different countries without legal permission

Immateriality

Quality of being intangible; ideas, images, and information flow globally

Decisions

Choices impacting various aspects like products, securities, and interactions globally

Immigrants

People recreating their original culture in new locations

Spaces of flows

Transition from physical spaces to dynamic flows, like airports and shopping malls

Global liquidity

Ease of global movement, now impacted by technology like the Internet

Heavy vs. Light

Metaphorical distinction between difficult-to-move and easily transportable entities

Complex global microstructures

Global integration structures with microsociological characteristics

Al-Qaeda

A light global microstructure terrorist organization compared to heavy bureaucratic systems

Weightlessness

State of being nearly without weight, facilitating global movement

Vinyl records to iPods

Transition from heavy music formats to lightweight digital devices for easy portability

Global parcel delivery systems

Efficient systems for transporting physical products globally