CONTEMPORARY

WORLD
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, students should be able
to:

1. differentiate the competing conceptions of

globalization;
2. identify the underlying philosophies of the
varying definitions of globalization; and
3. agree on a working definition of globalization for
the course.
Why do you need to
study the world?
As rational human beings capable of transcending
beyond our biology and nature, we have shaped the
way we live in the world with great feats of discovery,
development, and construction. Our objective realities
are constructed in a way that the very society that we
have created becomes an entity that assumes a life of
its own, capable of influencing and even controlling
one’s agency.
 TOPIC 1:

DEFINING
GLOBALIZATION
A. SOCIOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT

1. “intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant

localities in such a way that local events are shaped by events
occurring many miles away and vice versa” (Giddens 1990:64).
2. “refers both to the compression of the world and the
intensification of consciousness of the world as a
whole…”(Robertson 1992:8).
3. “the compression of time and space and the annihilation of
distance” (Harvey, 1989)
4. “a process of interaction and integration among the people,
companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven
by international trade and investment and aided by information
technology” Sunny Levin Institute

5. “This process [globalization] has effects on the environment, on

culture, on political systems, on economic development and
prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around
the world” (Steger, 2005).

Rather than defining what globalization is, Manfred B. Steger

(2013), described the phenomenon as “the expansion and
intensification of social relations and consciousness across world-
time and across world-space”
B. POLITICAL VIEWPOINT

“internationalization and multinationalization are

phases that precede globalization…

Globalization heralds the end of the state system as

the nucleus of human activity” (DeSousa Santos,
2002:68)
 C. ECONOMIC VIEWPOINT
Globalization is dominated by global economic activities like:
1. The neoliberal regime (reduction of government intervention) (Individualism
and Competition, Free Market Economy, Privatization)
2. The reduction of tariffs North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
which was signed in 1994 between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
One of the primary goals of NAFTA was to reduce tariffs and other trade
barriers between the three countries, allowing for a more integrated and
efficient regional economy.

Tariff Reduction
Increased Trade

World Trade Organization (WTO), which succeeded the General Agreement on

Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and works to reduce tariffs and other trade barriers
on a global scale. Under the WTO framework, countries commit to lower tariffs
on goods and services in international trade.
C. ECONOMIC VIEWPOINT

3. The creation of transnational corporations (Apple,

Coca-cola, Mcdonalds, Nike)
4. The improvement of multilateral trade
organizations (WTO)
Review and
Editing
 GLOBALIZATION

As a As a
Ideology
process Condition
GLOBALIZATION

Amultidimensional set of social

processes that generate and increase
“worldwide social interdependence
and exchanges while at the same
time fostering a growing awareness of
deepening connections between the
local and the distant” (Steger,
2005:13).
GLOBALIZATION

A compression of time and

space brought about by
changes in technology and
the political, cultural and
economic aspects of human
existence.
 AS AN ECOOMIC PROCESS
❖Emergence of global and international
trades are contributors to national economic
growth and development.
EU, IMF, World Bank, Bretton Woods
Agreement
❖Improves means of accessing non-local
products, materials, and services to other
nations
❖Give out loans: enhance budgets
❖Direct investment by multinationals firms
❖Expanding economic activities (export, import)
❖1944 Bretton Woods Conference
❖Neo-Liberalism (Reduce gov’t intervention)
❖Free Trade
❖ Two Most important aspects of economic
globalization
Changing Nature of Production Process
Liberalization and Internalization of Financial
Transactions.
Processes by which countries or regions reduce restrictions and barriers on financial markets, facilitating
easier cross-border flows of capital, investments, and financial services.
 GLOBALIZATION AS A CONDITION

This describes the state of the world where

countries and societies are deeply intertwined
and interdependent due to the processes of
globalization, leading to a globalized world
system.
 GLOBALIZATION AS AN IDEOLOGY

This represents the set of beliefs and narratives that

promote the idea of globalization as beneficial, often
associated with free market principles, advocating for
increased global trade and integration, and suggesting that it
leads to economic development and prosperity for all.
Set of Coherent and Complementary Ideas:

It means a collection of related beliefs and principles. These ideas often

revolve around themes like progress, economic growth, freedom,
interconnectedness, and the spread of democracy and human rights. These
beliefs are not isolated; rather, they are interrelated and support each other.
For example, the belief in the free market (economic globalization) often
aligns with ideas about political freedom and the spread of democracy
(political globalization).

Example: The neoliberal economic ideology, which emphasizes free markets,

deregulation, and minimal government intervention, is linked to the idea that
this economic model leads to greater wealth creation, which will then trickle
down to improve society globally. This coherent set of beliefs reinforces each
other, creating a comprehensive worldview.
Coherent Global Vision:

The set of ideas that make up globalization as an ideology provides a vision of

the world that is ordered in a certain way. It creates a sense of a global
community and advocates for a more interconnected world. This global vision
is coherent because it ties together various aspects of human life (economic,
political, cultural, etc.) and presents a unified worldview. It proposes that the
ideal global order is one of cooperation, shared prosperity, and mutual
respect across nations.

Example: The United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and other
international institutions promote the idea of a unified global system. This
shared belief in global governance—where countries cooperate for the
common good—is central to the ideological framework of globalization.
Example no. 2: United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs, adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, encompass a broad
spectrum of human needs and aspirations, promoting peace, prosperity, and
the protection of the planet. These 17 interconnected goals—ranging from
eradicating poverty (economic), ensuring quality education (cultural and
social), to addressing climate action (environmental and political)—
demonstrate how global challenges are deeply interwoven.

For instance, Goal 1: No Poverty addresses economic issues, while Goal 16:
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions focuses on political stability and
governance, which are critical for economic development. At the same time,
Goal 5: Gender Equality emphasizes the cultural and social aspect of human
life by promoting gender equity, which also influences economic growth and
political representation.
In other words:
Steger asserts that globalization as an ideology exists because it offers a set
of interconnected ideas about the world that people internalize and use to
make sense of their place within the global system. These ideas and beliefs
are coherent (they fit together logically) and complementary (they reinforce
each other), creating a worldview that shapes political, economic, and cultural
actions. This ideological framework encourages people to see themselves as
part of a larger global community, which influences both individual behaviors
and national policies.
In light of the multidimensional character of globalization, anthropologist Arjun
Appadurai (1996) identifies multiple and intersecting dimensions of global
cultural flows he calls ‘landscapes’ or ‘scapes’ (Steger, 2014: 13).

These five conceptual dimensions are:

1. Ethnoscape. Flows of people. The movement of people for reasons such as

work, recreation, and/or due to displacement. The shift in populations made of
tourists, immigrants, refugees, and exiles. This is, in part, due to the ease and
cheaper travel costs to travel and borders of countries opening up to
accommodate and offer opportunities to people.

2. Technoscape. Flows of technology. Development and boom of technology that

facilitates cross-border connections and transactions. E.g. the internet,
information technology, and engineering.
3. Finanscape. Flows of money. The flow of global capital.
International banking and cash systems allow this to happen. E.g.
credit card systems.

4. Mediascape. Flows of information. The production and

dissemination of information through electronic means. The access of
people to modern popular culture. E.g. access to international
entertainment like Hollywood films, K-drama, and anime; media such as
newspapers, magazines, the social network.

5. Ideoscape. Flows of ideas. Ideologies of state, and social

movements. E.g. posting of your views on a certain event or human
reality on Facebook; religious missionaries spreading their doctrines to
other regions or countries; environmentalism.