MODULE: (SS02) – THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

CHAPTER 2: THEORIES OF GLOBALIZATION

A. articulated perspectives or theories of globalization;

B. integrated theories of globalization in understanding issues and
C. events in the contemporary world.

Introduction
Globalization is usually used as the spread and connectedness of production, communication
and technologies across the world. That spread has involved the interlacing of economic and
cultural activity. Others would also refer globalisation with the presence of world-wide
organization like united nation, World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The speed of
communication and exchange, the complexity and size of the networks involved, and the
sheer volume of trade, interaction and risk is what we now label as “globalization.”
Theories of Globalization
1. The World System Theory
This theory was proposed by Emmanuel Wallerstien (Goldfrank 2000). A world-system is multicultural
territorial division of labor which production and exchange of basic goods and raw materials is
necessary for the everyday life of its inhabitants. He pointed out that some nation-state failed to
develop due to asymmetrical trade in global capitalism making them difficult to compete and become
dependent to rich nation–states. For him globalization
represents the triumph of a capitalist world economy. For a tie, certain countries become the world
hegemon. The key structure of the capitalist world-system is the division of the world into three great
regions, or geographically based and hierarchically organized tiers: the core, semi- periphery and the
periphery. The core countries focus in higher skill, capitalintensive production and the rest of the
world focuses on low-skill, labor- intensive production and extraction of raw materials.

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2. Theories of Global Capitalism

a. Leslie Sklair’s transnational Practices (TNP).
According to Sklair (2000) transnational practices
operate in three spheres; the economic, political and
the cultural-ideological. These practices originate
with non-state actors and cross state borders. The
economic spheres, whose agent is transnational
capital-the executives of transnational
corporations. The political spheres, whose agent is a
transnational capitalist class-they are the
globalizing bureaucrats, politicians and
professionals. Then the cultural- ideological, whose agent is cultural elites-
the consumerist elites in the media and commercial sectors.

b. William Robinson’s Transnational State

Apparatus. For Robinson (2017), Global
capitalism evolved an epochal shift. From
world economy to global economy. World
Economy, wherein each country developed a
national economy that was linked to others
through trade and finances in an integrated
international market. Global Economy the
globalization of the production process itself,
which breaks down and functionally integrates
what were previously national circuits into new
global circuits of production and accumulation.

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3. The Network Society by Manuel Castell

A network society is a society whose social structure is
made up of networks powered by microelectronics-based
information and communication technologies. Globalization is
seen to exercise the technological change in various ways
and processes. This new economy is described as
informational which is knowledge based, production of
information is organized on a global scale and global network
interaction is used for productivity. Whereby, internet usher
the constructions of a new symbolic environment which
makes “virtuality a reality” ( Castell,2005).

4. Theories of Space, Place and Globalization

a. Time-Space-Distanciation by Anthony Giddens

Giddens defines time-space distanciation as
‘theintensification 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’ – social relations are ‘lifted out’ from local contexts of interaction and
restructured across time and space

b. Global Risk Society by Anthony Giddens

Giddens (2009) provocatively argues that globalization has led to the creation of a “global risk
society.” Human social and economic activities, especially in modernity, produce various risks such
as pollution, crime, new illnesses, food shortages, market crashes, wars, etc., and societies have
become more responsible for managing these risks that their activities intentionally or, more often
than not, unintentionally produced.

c. Time-Space-Compression” by David Harvey

Time-space compression is the process whereby time is reorganized in such a way as to
reduce the constraints of space, and vice-versa. It also refers to the way the acceleration of economic
activities leads to the destruction of spatial barriers and distances.

5. Theories of Transnationality and Transnationalism

Transnationality refers to the rise of new communities and the formation of new social
identities and relations that cannot be defined through the traditional reference point of nation-states.
TRANSNATIONALISM refers to the multiple ties and interactions linking people or institutions across
the borders of nation states. Transnationalism means living in another country than their country of
origin. It is “a process by which migrants, through their daily life activities create social fields that
cross national boundaries.” Immigrant communities do not de-link themselves from their home
country; instead, they keep and nourish their linkages to their place of origin (Sánchez, 2010).

6. Theories of Global Culture

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There are three main bodies of theory regarding the effects of globalization on local culture:
homogenization, hybridization and heterogeneity or polarization. Each of these processes can be
demonstrated in different parts of the world.
• Homogenization is the name given to the process whereby globalization causes one culture to
consume another. Homogenization theories see a global cultural convergence and would tend to
highlight the rise of world beat, world cuisines, world tourism, uniform consumption patterns and
cosmopolitanism (Appadurai). Many use the term Americanization to depict specifically the way that
American culture has been exported to all corners of the globe.
• Hybridization - Cultures are however rarely simply consumed. More often two cultures clash and a
new hybrid culture is formed. Hybridization stresses new and constantly evolving cultural forms and
identities produced by manifold transnational processes and the fusion of distinct cultural
processes.
• Polarization or heterogeneity - this condition continued cultural difference and highlight local cultural
autonomy, cultural resistance to homogenization, cultural clashes and polarization, and distinct
subjective experiences of globalization.

7. Global Village by Marshall McLuhan

The late Marshall McLuhan, a media and communication theorist, coined the term “global
village” in 1964 to describe the phenomenon of the world’s culture shrinking and expanding at the
same time due to pervasive technological advances that allow for instantaneous sharing of culture.
McLuhan chose the insightful phrase “global village” to highlight his observation that an electronic
nervous system (the media) was rapidly integrating the planet - events in one part of the world could
be experienced from other parts in real-time, which is what human experience was like when we lived
in small villages. Moreover, his insight known as “the medium is the message” suggests that the
qualities of a medium have as much effect as the information ittransmits. It is from this that various
medium are used to convey information in best way possible it is.

8. McDonaldization by George Ritzer

Ritzer (1996) claimed that the contemporary world is undergoing process of Mcdonaldization.
McDonaldization theory is defined as “the process whereby the principles of the fast-food
restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society and the world.” The
said theory follows the Four Main Dimensions such as;
Efficiency - The optimum method of completing a task. It is he rational determination of the best
mode of production. Individuality is not allowed. Calculability - The assessment of outcomes based on
quantifiable rather than subjective criteria. In other words, quantity over quality. They sell the Big Mac,
not the Good Mac.
Predictability - The production process is organized to guarantee uniformity of product and
standardized outcomes. All shopping malls begin to look the same and all highway exits have the
same assortment of businesses.
Control - The substitution of more predictable non-human labor for human labor, either through
automation or the deskilling of the work force.

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9. Glocalization by Roland Robertson

The theory of Robertson suggested that the global is only manifested in the local.
GLOCALIZATION means that ideas about home, locality and community have been extensively
spread around
the world in recent years, so that the local has been globalized, and the stress upon the significance
of the local or the communal can be viewed as one ingredient of the overall globalization process.

10. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global

Cultural Economy” by Arjun Appadurai For anthropologist Arjun Appadurai (1997), different
kinds ofglobalization occur on multiple and intersecting dimensions of integration that he calls
“scapes.” Appadaurai uses the suffix SCAPE to connote the idea that these processes have fluid,
irregular, variable shapes. Mediascapes are about the flows of image and communication.
Ethnoscapes are concerned with the flows of individuals around the world. Ideoscapes deal with
exchanges ofideas and ideologies. Technoscapes refer to the flows of technology and skills to create
linkages between organizations around the world. Financescapes relate to the interactions associated
with money and capital.

Summary
Various perspectives have described how globalization take part in the world wide social
relation. The world system theory of Emmanuel Wallerstein discussed the regions of globalization;
core, semi-periphery and the periphery which described the opposing scenario of the world.
The global capitalism that examined the transnational production and global economy. Another
was the network society of Manuel Castells, showing the informational change made by technological
advancement. Notable theory was the work of Anthony Giddens, expressing that globalization
diminished time and space. He also cited the risk of globalization in many aspects of the world.
On the aspect of global culture, there are three main bodies of theory regarding the effects of
globalization on local culture: homogenization, hybridization and heterogeneity or polarization.
Moreover the idea of “global village” was introduced by Marshall McLuhan, that technological
advancement was made as culture was shared and spread. Another famous theory was the
McDonaldization theory of George Ritzer, the westernization of the world and the principleof a fast-
food chain process. Meanwhile Roland Robertson stresses upon the significance of the local or the
communal which can be viewed as one ingredient of the overall globalization process. And finally the
theory of Arjun Appadurai suggested that globalization occurs in different dimensions he calls scapes.

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Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQIVIYCZ4ec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo6W4kDv0cA
References:
Aldama, Prince Kennex. Chapter 2 of the book: "The
Contemporary World," pp. 12-13.Aldama, K. (2018). The Contemporary
World.Manila,Philippines: Rex Book Store.