chapter 8

globalization

• the integration, on a world scale, of economic, political, social and cultural activities

• increasing interdependence among societies of economics

• sociologists often study the consequences of globalization

consequences of globalization

• division of labor

• attitudes towards immigration and foreign workers

• backlash and oppsition

globalization over time

• historical origins of globalization dating at least to ancient greece

• trade and import of products between athens, africa, the middle east, india and china

• sharing of crops, knowledge, and technology between jewish and muslim traders

• establishment of colonial empires between the 15th and 19th centuries by trade

• exploitation through exchange of slave labor

globalization is characterized by six coinciding processes

1. global economic interdependence

2. scientific and technological innovation

3. key actors shaping the global economy

4. polycentic cultures and policies

5. changing world culture

6. changing nation-states

symbolic interactionism

• globalization promotes international solidarity and stability

  • generating work opportunities in peripheral nations

  • greater access to cheap, quality products

  • overall benefit of greater global connectedness

symbolic interactionism main argument

• global inequality pushed developing nations toward modernization

• the prospects of economic prosperity offers developing nations an incentive to abandon traditional values of capitalist values

conflict theory

• explanation of global inequality

• examine relations between states within a global system

• world system theory: the modern social world is comprised of one interlinked entity within an international division of labor unregulated by any one political structure

• developed by Immanuel Wallerstein (1976)

conflict theory main argument

• wealthy nations use their financial and political domination to control and exploit developing nations of their own benefit

• developing nations have little political power on the international stage, which reinforces their economic dependency

world systems theory

• core state extract raw materials and cheap labor form peripheral states

• profits made within the periphery state flow back into the core

• imperialism as a way to exercise political and economic control over less powerful nation

• developing countries are often the target of imperialistic and exploitive activities

symbolic interaction theory

• advanced communication technology has magnified the speed and scope of globalization

• communication technology redefines the way that interactions and shared meanings occur across the globe

• individuals attach meaning to global stratification, global inequality, and poverty

symbolic interaction theory main argument

communication technology has spread across the globe and redefined how people interact and share meaning

proponents of globalization argue international interdependence has contributed to many improvements

• technological advancements

• financial growth

• improves living conditions

critics of globalization highlight the various social, political and economic consequences

• health crisis

• environmental destruction

• crime

• gender issues

• immigration

gender and globalization

• seemingly gender-neutral global issues have gendered implications

• specific groups of women face disproportionate harm from neoliberal policies

• outsourcing of jobs from the global north to the global south where women are employed in exploitative and dangerous conditions

• ex. maquliadoras

• globalization increased inequalites between women in developed and developing nations

• gendered injustice

• transferring caregiving on the axes of power

global care chains

women in wealthier societies hiring poorer women from developing countries to care for children so they can enter the workplace

immigration in a global society

• migrating across national borders is cheaper, faster and easier then ever before

• demand for foreign workers in some sectors of the economy

• immigration as a way to escape poverty and conflict

• the number of international migrants worldwide has grown rapidly in recent years

• earlier waves of migration to developing regions while today, most migrants settle in developed regions

• the number of immigrants in Europe and north america has increased by 5.3 times and 4.5 timed respectively since 1960

global health crisis

• globalization raises the spread of infectious disease spread

• countries’ access to covid-19 vaccine was steeped in inequality

• impact of covid-19 on globalization- travel and migration halted

• researchers predicted that covid-19 may slow globalization processes for years to come

• globalization increases the likelihood of new infectious diseases emerging through zoonsis

counter globalization movements

european union

european union movement

• formed in 1993 to promote the free movement of goods, people, capital and services

• influx of migration and decreased economic growth raised concern

berxit

• in 2016, Britain left the European Union after a referendum vote

• “leave” camp won was 52% of the votes

• brexit represents a rejection of globalization

election of donald trump

• was also highlights another example of turn away from globalization of rejection

• has focused on restricting the movement of both trade and people during his presidency

america-first policy

• addressing imported goods, jobs, and immigration

• trump’s narrative emphasized the trillions of dollars lost and million of jobs overseas