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G-SOCS003 BFS12 2nd Sem ( 2023-2024 )

Introduction to Globalization

Lesson: Globalization defined

Immersive Reader

Globalization defined

Having clarified the notion that globalization is not synonymous with

liberalization, internationalization, universalization, and westernization
and having pointed out that it should not be confused with the two closely
related terms—globalism and globality—we are now in better position to look
at the concept itself. To guide us in our understanding of the concept, let’s
consider the definitions of globalization given by some globalization
scholars. Let’s try to discover the elements of globalization common to all
these definitions and eventually come up with a synthesized definition.

For Anthony Giddens, “Globalization can […] be defined as the

intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities
in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles
away and vice versa.” (in Steger 2003, 10; emphasis supplied). The key phrase
here is “intensification of worldwide social relations.” It is not the
worldwide social relations that characterizes globalization; it is rather the
intensity of that social relations. Globalization is characterized of that
strong interconnection facilitated by economics, politics, culture,
technology, and various global concerns.

According to Fredric Jameson, “The concept of globalization reflects the

sense of an immense enlargement of world communication, as well as of the
horizon of a world market, both of which seem far more tangible and immediate
than in earlier stages of modernity” (in Steger 2003, 10; emphasis supplied).
The key phrase is “immense enlargement of world communication.” Jameson must
have in mind the development of information and communication technology
which makes intense worldwide communication possible. Globalization has made
the world so small that communicating to another person in another continent
is just like communicating to someone in neighborhood. Globalization, brought
about by the development of information and communication technology, has
indeed tremendously increased the level of communication, and hence the level
of global awareness, occurring among peoples of the world.

Another definition of globalization worth considering is that of David

Held. According to him, “[g]lobalization may be thought of as a process (or
set of processes) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization
of social relations and transactions – assessed in terms of their extensity,
intensity, velocity and impact - generating transcontinental or interregional
flows and networks of activity, interaction, and the exercise of power.”
(David Held in Steger 2003, 10; emphasis supplied). What Held means by this,
is that, the social relations and interactions among peoples in the world has
become much broader in reach (worldwide) and much deeper and stronger in
connection, transcending time and space.

Roland Robertson has similarly interesting definition of globalization:

“Globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world and
the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole.” (Roland
Robertson in Steger 2003, 10; emphasis supplied). This definition offers two
elements of globalization, namely, compression of the world and
intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole. To compress means
to make it smaller. It could also mean to reduce the widely dispersed world
into a unified whole. Of course, compression here should be taken literally.
It refers to the transcendence of space and time made possible through the
development in transportation and information and communication technology.
You can give various examples of this transcendence. To give one: it only
takes us some hours to reach the continent of Europe or Africa via jet
planes, something impossible during the time of Rizal. Another example is
that we can communicate with anyone in any place in the world in real time.
All of these developments in science and technology have compressed the world
which results to the intensification of our consciousness of the world as one
we all inhabit. In other words, this compression of the world has made us
realize that we belong to the same world, a world of challenges.

James Mittelman offers a similar conception of globalization when he

says: “Globalization compresses the time and space aspects of social
relations” (in Steger 2003, 10; emphasis supplied).

Lastly, Aart Scholte (in Martell 2010, 10) defines globalization as

“supraterritorialization.” The term may sound heavy but Scholte gives a clue:
supraterritorialism includes jet planes, telecommunications, global media,
finance, ecological problems and global consciousness (Martell 2010, 10).
Supra means over or beyond. Literally, supraterritorialization means going
over, or going beyond, national and regional territories. It is the removal
(metaphorically) of the difficulties imposed by physical space. It is the
removal of territorial boundaries, which Friedman in his book The World is
Flat (2007) poetically calls the flattening of the world. The world is flat;
meaning, the barriers imposed by space and time have been removed, thus
opening up limitless opportunities for everyone.
 Now, given the definitions of globalization above, let’s try to find out
the elements of globalization common to all these definitions.

Let’s analyze the definitions above by showing them on the table below.

Process (What's happening) Human Activities in the World

Intensification Worldwide social relations
World communication
Enlargement
World market
Transformation Social relations and transactions
Compression World
Intensification Consciousness of the world
Compression Time and space of social relations
Supraterritorialization [Human activities]

On the one hand, the terms on the left column all signify a process, a
historical process. Globalization, then, is an on-going event, which started
in the past, happening at present, and will continue to happen in the future.
Friedman (2007) claims that globalization has three eras, namely:
globalization 1.0 (1492-1800), globalization 2.0 (1800-2000), and
globalization 3.0 (from 2000). (Friedman’s book was originally published in
2005. With the unimaginable speed of technological transformation, we can
only imagine that we are now living in the age of globalization 4.0 or 5.0.)

On the other hand, the terms on the right column refer to the relations,
conditions, or activities being transformed by various developments in the
world. These are social relations, world communication and world market, and
world consciousness. Here, we see that globalization as a historical process
has multiple dimensions, namely: political and economic (world communication
and world market); social (social relations and transactions), and cultural
(consciousness of the world).

Now, based on our analysis above, we can come up with a synthesis of the
definitions of globalization, thus:

Globalization is a historical process characterized of the compression of

the world, enlargement of world communication and world market,
intensification of social relations, and intensification of the consciousness
of the world.

Is it a good definition of globalization, or can you think of a better

one? Well, give it a try!