Sociology of Globalization, Lecture 1

Sociology of Globalization
Instructor: Ms Beenish Fatima

What is
globalization
Definition: Globalization refers to
the process by which nations,
businesses, and people become
increasingly interconnected
through trade, communication,
and cultural exchange across
borders.
Key Elements: Economic
interdependence, technological
advancements, cultural diffusion,
and political cooperation.
Impact: Globalization has
reshaped economies, cultures,
and societies, creating both
opportunities and challenges.
Characteristics of globalization:
• 1- Globalization is a set of processes of social change:
• A process can be simply defined as a series of
developing changes. In this sense, globalization is the
process of becoming global, but not yet complete. In
other words, there is so far no globality, that is, the
condition of being global. There is no global society.
There are, however, processes that point in that
direction. These processes are multiple and cover
most areas of social life and human relations such as
economy, polity, culture, ideology, religion.
• globalization is a work in progress
• 2- One of such processes central to globalization is
deterritorialization:
• This convoluted concept simply conveys the idea that,
under conditions of globalization, territory becomes less
relevant to human relations.
• David Harvey (1990) described this process as time- space
compression.
• Time and space have been compressed through the
technological creation of a virtual space of interaction,
unaffected by the distance.
• Practically every phenomenon that we can think of has
acquired such supraterritorial (above space) qualities;
electronic communications, environmental degradation,
terrorism, religious fundamentalism , financial flows,
health threats, etc.
• 3- Globalization involves a process of
stretching or extension of human
activities, relations and networks
across the globe:
• Events taking place in one part of the
world have an impact for other
people in distant locations, a process
akin to the butterfly effect.
• 4- Globalization involves a process of intensification of
human activities and relations
• Intensification refers to the sheer magnitude of existing
global relations. More and more aspects of our lives are
tied, in one form or another, to locations and peoples in
other parts of the world.
• We are more intensively connected to the whole world
through a growing number of treaties and agreements
that cover practically every area of social relations, from
human rights to environmental statues to the
production and sale of weapons of mass destruction.
• In a sense, we are all embedded in an increasingly
dense global network of global regulations.
• 5- Globalization involves a process of speeding
up, or increasing velocity, of human activities
and relations.
• Development in technologies of
transportation and communication have
accelerated the speed of social interactions as
well as the diffusion of material goods and
ideas, money and people.
• 6- Globalization involves specific impacts on
different societies:
• This refers to the way the effects of
globalization are felt differently by different
categories of people.
• E.g. If Ford decides to close a plant in Michigan
and open one in Mexico, American workers,
shareholders and Mexican workers will all
experience different effects which lead us to
the next characteristic of globalization.
• 7- Globalization produces winners and losers:
• Globalization produces new patterns of
inequalities. Some categories of people benefit
from it but others are hurt. In this sense,
globalization involves interconnectedness,
more than interdependence.
• Certain parties are dominant (Western
countries, multinational corporations), others
are subordinate (indigenous populations,
women).
• 8- Globalization involves a process of reflexivity, that is,
the growing awareness of living in a single global space:
• People are more and more aware that many
phenomena that affect our lives have global
ramifications.
• For instance, most of us are aware of the dangers of
global climate change or the depletion of the ozone
layer. Such environmental consciousness is global by
definition because it involves the realization that we all
are interconnected on "spaceship Earth" and have no
other place to go.
• In other words, people of the world, irrespective of their
differences, share a community of fate.
• Uneven Distribution of Benefits: Globalization primarily
benefits wealthier, developed nations, while poorer,
developing countries remain marginalized.
• Economic Disparity: Globalization has not bridged the gap
between rich and poor; instead, income inequality has
increased within and between nations.
• Cultural Resistance: Many societies maintain strong local
identities, resist Westernization, and preserve traditional
customs and languages.
• Power Imbalances: International organizations and
multinational corporations often serve the interests of
developed nations, ignoring or undermining less powerful
countries.
References
– Macionis, John J. (2016). Introduction to

Sociology. (16th edition). Pearson.
– Cohen, R. & Kennedy, P. (2012). Global Sociology.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
– Giddens, A. (2006). Sociology. (5th edition). Polity
Press.

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Sociology of Globalization

Instructor: Ms Beenish Fatima

– Macionis, John J. (2016). Introduction to

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