THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD object without a meaning of its own

prior to its constitution as a

MODULE 1: Approaches to the Study of conceptual ‘territory’.
Globalization
● Even after more than two decades of Globalization as ‘Globaloney’
intense scholarly scrutiny, ● Contends that existing accounts of
‘globalization’ has remained a globalization are incorrect,
contested and slippery concept. imprecise, or exaggerated.
● In spite of the remarkable
proliferation of research programs Rejectionists
for the study of globalization, there ● Scholars who dismiss the utility of
are many different approaches to the globalization as an analytical concept
study of globalization. typically advance. their arguments
from within a larger criticism of
Fredric Jameson (1998) similarly vague words employed in
● He astutely points out, there seems to academic discourse.
be little utility in forcing such a
complex set of social forces as Sceptics
globalization into a single analytic ● Emphasizes the limited nature of
framework. current globalizing processes.

Rosenau (2003) Modifiers

● He has defined globalization in terms ● Critics dispute the novelty of the
of what he calls ‘fragmegrative process, implying that the label
dynamics’ to underscore the ‘globalization’ has often been
contradictions, ambiguities, applied in a historically imprecise
complexities, and uncertainties that manner.
have replaced the regularities of
prior epochs. Academics often MODULE 2: The Structure of
respond to the analytical challenge Globalization
by trying to take conceptual ● Globalization as the expansion and
possession of globalization – as intensification of social relations and
though it were something ‘out there’ consciousness across world time and
to be captured by the ‘correct’ space implies that there are various
analytical framework. forms of connectivity.
● Globalization is a multidimensional
Rosow (2000) phenomenon, creating economic,
● He has pointed out, many researchers political, cultural, and even
approach globalization as if they technological forms of connectivity.
were dealing with a process or an
 This section focuses on the economic ● Globalization allows a worldwide
dimension. distribution of income. Economic
globalization reduces poverty (World
Economic Globalization Bank, 2002).
● The expanding interdependence of ● Globalization creates mutual
world economies. dependence between developing and
● It refers to the increasing integration developed countries (Arrighi, 2005)
of economies around the world,
particularly through the movement of DIVIDES:
goods, services, and capital across ● First, one might observe that the
borders. (IMF, 2008) sources of goods and services are
● It can be traced from the time when exploited.
there was economic movement in ● Second, economic globalization
Asia, Africa, and Europe through the does not benefit all nations (World
Silk Road, a network of trade routes Bank, 2002).
that connected the East, particularly ● Third, Wallerstien (2005) claims that
China, and the West. capitalism created the different levels
of wages in the economic arena of
Four Interconnected Dimensions of world systems.
Economy:
1. Globalization of trade of goods and NOTE: Globalization affects all nations and
services citizens through the increasing integration of
2. Globalization of financial and capital economies around the borderless world. The
markets important players are the nation- states,
3. Globalization of technology and global corporations, and the international
communication monetary systems. Though some people
4. Globalization of production believe that economic globalization brings
unity of all economic movements, others
Actors of Economic Globalization: believe that globalization furthers the
● Nation-State separation among nation-states around the
● Global Corporations world.
● International Monetary System
Market Integration
Whether Economic Globalization Unites ● Global market integration did not
or Divides the World happen overnight. It was the result of
UNITES: the establishment of a global
● Benczes (2014) believes that economy that involved the
economic globalization fosters homogenization of trade and
universal economic growth and commerce. Prior to the trends in
development. globalization of the 20th century,
 international trade and exchange of and development, and
goods and services were already marketing powers to each
practiced. individual foreign market.
● The integration of the global market
started when big American Global Corporations Common
corporations began to emerge after Attributes:
the Second World War with the rise ● An agent of desired economic
of new conglomerates. The rise of development
American, Japanese, and European ● An economic prominence
global corporations paved the way ● A very powerful entity that can
for the further development of create a crisis
international trade.
● Iwan (2012) identifies the NOTE: International financial institutions
differences among international, play an important role in the social and
multinational, transnational, and economic development programs of
global companies: developing and transitional nations. They
1. International Companies are instrumental in the functionality of the
importers and exporters with global economy which is reliant on global
no investments outside their corporations.
home countries.
2. Multinational Companies Global Interstate System
have investments in other ● Weber (1997) describes the:
countries, but do not have a 1. State as a compulsory
coordinated product offering political organization with a
in each country. They are centralized government that
more focused on adapting maintains the legitimate use
their products and services to of force within a certain
each individual local market. territory.
3. Global Companies have 2. Nation-state can then be
investments and are present defined as a political
in many countries. They community that emanates
typically market their from civic society to
products and services to each legitimately execute peace.
individual local market. Thus, the civic society is the
4. Transnational Companies basis of the people's oneness.
organizations that have
investments in foreign Effects of Globalization to Nation-State:
operations, have a central 1. Globalization is seen to impose a
corporate facility but give forced choice upon nation-states.
decision-making, research,
 2. Globalization of nation-states is the 1. To promote peace, its values. And
establishment of economic and the well-being of its citizens.
political integrations. 2. Offer freedom, security, and justice
3. Globalization is the establishment of without internal borders.
international laws and principles. 3. Uphold sustainable development
4. Globalization is the rise of based on balanced economic growth
transnational activism (TNA) and price stability.
5. Globalization is the creation of a new 4. Combat social exclusion and
communications network. discrimination.
5. Promote scientific and technological
Association of Southeast Asian Nations progress.
(ASEAN) aims and purposes are: 6. Enhance economic, social, and
1. To accelerate economic growth, territorial cohesion and solidarity
social progress, and cultural among member countries.
development in the region. 7. Respect cultural and linguistic
2. Promote regional progression. diversity; and
3. Advance peace and sustainability. 8. Establish an Economic and monetary
4. Promote active and beneficial union
cooperation and mutual assistance on
matters of common interest in the World Trade Organization
economic, technical, cultural, ● It is the sole Intergovernmental
administrative, and scientific fields Organization (IGO) that caters to
5. Help each other in the framework of rules of trade on a global scale. Its
training and research installations in objective is to ensure that trade runs
the educational, professional, as smoothly, predictably, and freely
technical, and administrative as possible. It also encourages trade
spheres. by lowering trade barriers that may
6. Work hand in hand for more hinder products and services flow
effective and greater use of from nation to nation.
agriculture and industries.
7. Advance Southeast Asian research; Internationalism
and ● It is basically anchored on the
8. Preserve close and beneficial opinion that nationalism should be
collaboration with current outrun because links that bind people
international and regional institutions of different countries are more
with similar aims and purposes. powerful than those that disconnect
them (Anora, 2014).
European Union (EU) aims and purposes
are: Liberal Internationalism
 ● Conceptualized by Immanuel Kant ● As Bertucci & Alberto (2018) affirm,
(1975) the sovereignty of nation-states amid
● It proposes that nations must give up globalization has not been
their freedom and submit to a larger diminished for the cooperation and
system of laws that is embodied by converted action among nation-
common international principles. states to represent the greater
exercise of their sovereignty.
Socialist Internationalism Furthermore, the nation-states
● Contradicts liberal internationalism. remain to be active agents of local
● This form of internationalism is and transnational realms of concern.
based on the view that capitalism is a ● It defines the political scope of
global system and that the working globalization. Cooperation among
class must unite as a global class to nation-states is the only way to
forward the struggle against reform and advance the roles and
capitalism. functions of interstate relationships
despite real challenges being faced
Globalism by the United Nations.
● It emerged as an attitude that seeks
to understand all the interconnections MODULE 3: A World of Regions
of the modern world and to highlight
patterns that underlie them. NORTH vs SOUTH
● It pursues to describe and explain a Global North
world that is characterized by a ● They are considered as the
network of connections that span high-income countries such as:
multi- continental distances. 1. America
2. Australia
NOTE: Overall, the global interstate system 3. New Zealand
is a facet of contemporary political 4. Belgium
globalization that seeks to form 5. Japan
collaboration among nation-states through 6. Netherlands.
the establishment of intergovernmental Global South
organizations. It is rooted in the idea of ● It refers to less developed countries
internationalism. Experts on interstate characterized by low levels of
relations cannot discount the numerous economic development, large
effects of neoliberalism on the rise of new inequalities in living standards and
communication networks utilized by low life expectancy.
governments. ● These third world countries are:
1. Asia
Contemporary Global Governance 2. Africa
3. Latin America
 4. Oceania. Capitalist
● It is an economic system in which a
NOTE: The global digital describes global country’s trade, industry, and profits
disparities, primarily between developed and are controlled by private companies,
developing countries, regarding access to instead of by the people whose time
computing and information resources such and labor powers those companies.
as the internet and the opportunities derived
from such access. Communist
● States in the world are in China,
Major Differences in North and South: Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam These
a. NORTH communist states often do not claim
1. Less Population to have achieved socialism or
2. High Wealth communism in their countries-
3. High Standard of Living rather, they claim to be building and
4. High industrial development working toward the establishment of
5. Industry socialism in their countries.
b. SOUTH
1. Large Population Region
2. Low Wealth ● A group of countries located in the
3. Low Standard of living same geographical specified area" or
4. Low Industrial development are "an amalgamation of two regions
5. Agriculture or a combination of more than two
regions" organized to regulate and
Classification of Countries: "Oversee flows and policy choices."
1. Most developed countries (MDC’s)
● The richest of the Regionalization
industrialized and democratic ● Regional concentration of economic
nations of the world flows and it is the process of
2. Less developed countries (LDC’s) dividing an area into smaller
● Countries with little segments called regions.
industrial development, little
wealth, and high population Regionalism
growth ● A political process characterized by
3. Least developed countries economic policy cooperation and
(LLDC’s) coordination.
● Very low per capital income,
low literacy rates, and very The Four World Model:
little in the way of 1. First World
manufacturing industries. ● Refers to the so-called
developed, capitalist,
 industrial countries roughly, a Shuswap Chief George
bloc of countries aligned with Manuel's: The fourth world :
the United States after World an Indian reality (amazon
War II, with more or less link to the book), the term
common political and refers to nations (cultural
economic interests: North entities, ethnic groups) of
America, Western Europe, indigenous peoples living
Japan, and Australia. within or across state
2. Second World boundaries (nation states).
● Refers to the former
communist-socialist, Six Organs of United Nations:
industrial states (formerly the 1. General Assembly
eastern bloc, the territory and ● The central deliberative and
sphere of influence of the the only organ where all
union of soviet socialist member-states have equal
republic) today: Russia, representation in discussion
Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland) and consideration, and
and some of the Turk states policymaking.
(e.g. Kazakhstan) as well as 2. Security Council
China. ● The organ which has the
3. Third World commitment to preserve
● Despite ever evolving peace and security.
definitions, the concept of the 3. Economic and Social Council
3rd world serves to identify ● The main organ of
countries that suffer from cooperation, policy review,
high infant mortality, low policy dialogue, and advice
economic development, high on social, economic, and
levels of poverty, low environmental issues.
utilization of natural 4. Trusteeship Council
resources, and heavy ● The organ is tasked to
dependence on industrialized administer international
nations. These are the oversight of 11 trust
developing and territories and to make sure
technologically less advanced that adequate procedures are
nations of Asia, Africa, taken for independence and
Oceania, and Latin America. self-government.
4. Fourth World 5. International Court of Justice
● The term “Fourth World” ● UN’s prime judicial organ.
first came into use in 1974 6. Secretariat
with the publication of
 ● The organ is tasked to
execute the daily activities as
assigned by the five other
organs.

Roles and Functions of the UN:

1. International Peace and Security
2. Protect Human Rights
3. Delivering Humanitarian Aid
4. Sustainable Development
5. Order for International Law

ACRONYMS:
UN- United Nations
ASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian
Nations
EU- European Union
SU- Soviet Union
WTO- World Trade Organization
ICC- International Criminal Court
NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
OPEC- Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries
IGO- InterGovernmental Organization
TRAIN LAw- Tax Reform for Acceleration
and Inclusion’s Law
WB- World Bank
IMF- International Monetary Fund
ADB- Asian Development Bank
AfDB- African Development Bank
TNA- Transnational Activism
NGOs- Non-Governmental Organizations