SOC101Y1 Chapter 19: Globalization
Document Summary
No consensus on the definition of globalization. A common tendency on both the left & right of the political spectrum is to depict globalization in simplistic terms. A social, economic, & political process that makes it easier for people, goods, ideas, & capital to travel around the world at an unprecedented pace. Time-space compression: we are no longer slowed down by long distances & time differences. Can be traced back at least to the 16th century with the beginning of transoceanic. Colonial relationships in the 18th & 19th centuries. Virtual communities: people can meet, share ideas, play games, & build relationships across borders without ever meeting face-to-face. There are also many instances in which time still passes slowly, & the limits of geography are still relevant. Digital divide: inequality of access to means of communication. Ethical debates surrounding global capitalism & the global spread of insurrection. Occupy protests that focused on glaring contrasts in the global economy.
