unit 4 - challenge and change

globalization

increasing interconnectedness of people, economies, cultures, and politcal systems across the world

• includes the movement of goods, people, information, capital, and culture

• gained popularity towards the end of the 20th century due to advances in travel, communication, tech

  • it became clear that many problems are global in scale and must be tackled by everyone on the planet together

compoments of globalization

• economic

• cultural

• political

• technological

• environmental

economic globalization

• Global trade networks

• Outsourcing and offshoring

• Multinational corporations (e.g., Apple, Nike, McDonald’s)

• Global supply chains

impacts of economic globalization

• job creation

• job loss

• cheaper goods

• economic inequality

cultural globalization

• spread of media, music, fashion, food

• hybrid cultures (ex: fusion cusine)

• concerns about cultural homogenization

• cultural appropriation vs cultural exchange

politcal globalization

• international organizations (UN, WTO, WHO)

• global agreement (climate, trade, human rights)

• shared global challenges (pandemics, climate change)

technological globalization

• interent and soical media

• instant communication

• global activism (ex: #MeToo, climate strikes)

• digital divdes (people with access to tech and people without access)

environmental globalization

• shared ecosystem

• global pullution and climate impacts

• international environmental cooperation

globalization and anthro

look at how globalization affects culture. examines:

• how people adapt to global economic systems

• how cultural practices spread or change

• how communities respond to global pressures

• how objects carry cultural meaning

diffusion

• the process by which ideas, products, technologies, or cultural practices spread from one place or group to another

  • by selling products and services around the world, we rapidly increase the process of diffusion

cultural cost of globalization (anthro)

• resulted in culture becoming increasingly international in nature

• western capitalist countries (like USA) have greater dominance over other nations arounds the world which has led to a concentration of wealth in developed countries

• anthropologists study the cultural impact on societies due to globalization forces

• in the past, particular cultures (with their own differences) were displayed in various regions of the world

  • globalization has led to homogenization

  • deterritorialization of cultures

• anthropologists note that culture of westernized, capitalist, english speaking nations can overwhelm other culturews

  • american products and values can become the norm which can damage the character and stability of the local culture

homogenization

bleding of people and culture

deterritorialization

• cultures are no longer fixed to a particular geographic teritory

• due to:

  • mass movement of people

  • multinational coperations

  • travel

  • TV

  • internet

  • free trade

characteristics of globalization in sociology

• rise of technology

• cultural factors

• economic factors

• politcal changes

rise of technology (socio)

• digital communication has made communication easier and quicker

• maintaining communication with relatives/friends and business relations

• time and space are less pressing issues in the modern world thanks to tech

cultural factors of globalization (socio)

• sporting, music, film events have brought people together

• similar global consumption patterns

• global risk consciousness, the feeling that we are all at threat from things like terroism and climate change

• some critisze globalization for homogenising culture

economic factors of globalization (socio)

• the role of transnational coperations is important as they produce goods in more than one country

  • in particular, they outsource their manufacturing to developing countries

• global commodity chains mean production is more efficent

  • the least profitable parts of the chain (manufacturing) are done in poorer countries

  • more profitable parts (marketing) are done in richer countries

politcal changes due to globalization (socio)

• growth of international governace structures (UN)

• international non-governmental organizations (OXFAM, GreenPeace, World Vision)

• problems like climate change and the refugee crisis are too great for single countries to handle, leading to collaboration between countries

types of globalization in sociology

• economic

• cultural

• politcal

economic globalization (socio)

• increased movement of goods and services between countries and transnational corporations

• as a result of economic globalization, state economies depend on each other to provide technology and resources

cultural globalization

• increase in communication between people and intermixing of cultures

• globalization has had a signigicant impact on intermixing cultures

• increased snesivity and understanding of different countries langauges, beliefs, religions

  • media and entertainment thats globally known (harry potter)

  • sharing of different cultures (k-pop in the west)

politcal globalization (socio)

• cooperation between countries and to increasing power of international politcal bodies (UN)

  • leage of nations, world trade organization, eurpean union

• these help foster internation relations and prevent conflict between countries

exploitation

occurs when a person or group benefits unfairly from the labour, vulnerability, or lack of power of another group

• balance of power is uneven

• people dont really get a fair choice

• those with the most power get the biggest rewards

• the people with the least power face the biggest harm

types of expolitation

• labour

• human trafficking

• expropriation of land

• black market sales

labour exploitation

• children mining cobalt used in electronics

• migrant farm workers in ontario tied to one employer

• garment workers in bangladesh earning below a living wage

• domestic workers who passports are confiscated

• effects:

  • physical harm (injuries, toxic exposure, exhaustion)

  • psychological harm (fear, trauma, stress)

  • economic harm (trapped in poverity cycles)

  • social harm (limited education, restricted mobility)

  • group level harm (intergenerational poverty, community instability)

human trafficking

• people trafficked across borders for labour or sex work

• workers forced to repay “recruitment debts”

• individuals whos documents are taken to prevent escape

• effects:

  • loss of freedom and autonomy

  • severe trauma and long term mental health impacts

  • physical violence and unsafe conditions

  • social isolation and stigma

  • communities losing members to trafficking networks

expropriation of land

• indiginous communites losing land to mining or pipelines

• farmers displaced for coperate agriculture

• communitites forced out for tourism or development projects

• effects:

  • loss of homes, culture, identity

  • environmental degradation (polluted water, deforestation)

  • economic harm (loss of livlihoods)

  • social harm (community fragmentation, intergenerational trauma)

black market slaes

• counterfeit goods

• illgeal wildlife trade (poaching and selling endangered animals/animal parts)

• organ trafficking (people pressured or decieved into selling organs)

• unlicensed street vending (vendors forced to pay “fees” to gangs or local groups for protection)

• effects:

  • physical harm (unsafe products, dangerous working conditions)

  • economic harm (low wages, wage theft, debt cycles)

  • legal risk (arrest, deportation, criminal charges)

  • psychological harm (stress, fear, trauma)