GLOBALIZATION AND SOCIAL CONFLICT

SOC 1620

Tu-Th 10:30-11:50

Patrick Heller Fall 2019

Brown University Sociology

Teaching Assistants:
Ike Uri uri@brown.edu
Clare Wan xiaoqian_wan@brown.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines globalization as a multidimensional and open-ended process. A wide range of interpretations of
globalization’s impact and theories of its transformative dynamics are explored. The course builds on four general
propositions. First, to understand globalization it is necessary to understand the history and dynamics of capitalism as
both an economic and a social system. Second, though globalization is being driven primarily by economic forces, it
is deeply and inextricably enmeshed with and mediated by social and political forces. Third, the intensity and effects
of globalization are neither uniform nor linear. The impact of globalization varies dramatically across different nations,
social classes and sectors, and produces a range of conflicts, reactions and re-combinations. Fourth, by driving
interdependence globalization has created new opportunities and new challenges. Making the most of these
opportunities (growth that is inclusive, democracies that are effective, rights that are universal) and facing the various
challenges (economic crises, climate change, violent conflict, global diseases and new forms of inequality) requires
new forms of coordination and cooperation between nation-states, as well as between states, markets and civil society.
This in turn calls for a new regime of global politics and new modes of global governance.

The course is designed not only to engage the debate on globalization, but also to develop a wide range of social
sciences concepts and analytical tools. The course is informed by a sociological perspective, but readings and
arguments draw extensively from political science and economics. Whenever possible, key themes are developed
through comparisons and case studies. The six broad themes of the course are summarized below:

The Capitalist World Economy: Origins and Structures

The study of society and its relationship to the market gave birth to modern sociology. Among the most prominent
theorists of the rise of capitalism were Marx, Weber, Du Bois and Polanyi. The transition debate remains of enduring
theoretical value, and provides many important lessons and conceptual tools for understanding the current stage of
globalization. Examining the origins of capitalism in Western Europe and its relationship with colonialism and racial
formation, offers historically and comparatively informed insights into the social, political and cultural dimensions of
globalization.

Transformation in the Developing World

The outward expansion of European capitalism transformed the world and transformed social structures in the
colonies, which in turn gave birth in the post-World War II era to post-colonial projects of state-led development. This
period was also marked by the rapid diffusion of institutional forms, most notably the modern nation-state. For all its
transformative powers, however, capitalism has had a very uneven impact on the world. Predictions of convergence
notwithstanding, the gap between the developing and developed world persists. States in the developing world have
had dramatically varying degrees of success in promoting national economic development and greater social equity
and the legacies of racialized exclusion remain prominent.

Contemporary Globalization
Capitalism has long been a driver of global interdependence. The current phase of globalization (post-1973) however
represents a qualitatively different stage in the transformation of the world economy. This stage is specifically
characterized by the globalization of production, the rise of the service and information sectors, and the increasing
power of global financial institutions. The technological characteristics of global production are well known. But how
is global production organized and how is it governed? Specifically, we will explore the social and political forces
that have propelled the shift from Fordist production (underwritten by Keynesian economic policies and national social
contracts) to flexible-specialization forms of production. We will also look at how these changes in the nature of
production and global competition have impacted the possibilities for development. New forms of global governance
have emerged but are clearly inadequate for managing new global challenges such as climate change and increasing
inequality.

The Social Impact of the New Global Economy

The effects of economic globalization have been anything but even and uniform. Many sectors and nations have
benefited, while others find themselves increasingly marginalized. New forms of inclusion have been accompanied
by new forms of inequality and exclusion. The increasing mobility of capital and increased head-to-head competition
has weakened the relative bargaining strength of labor, and the fiscal and institutional capacity of the state to counteract
the more socially disruptive effects of market-led transformation. In the developed and developing world, the fragility
of the welfare state, the thinness of democracy, and the persistence of social exclusions and vulnerabilities have
exacerbated some of the more dislocating and polarizing effects of globalization, often fueling “movements of anger”
and the rise of right-wing populism. The shift of power from representative national institutions to multilateral
institutions and global economic networks threatens traditional forms of democratic accountability. Unregulated
growth and insatiable first world consumption has resulted in unsustainable pressures on the global environment.

Challenges to Economic Globalization

The transformation of economic structures and geo-political configurations has created new opportunities as well as
new tensions. We will explore a set of highly debated causal connections emphasizing variations across the developed
and the developing world. To what extent can the recent politicization of “traditional” identities (e.g. various
fundamentalisms) and the resurgence of ethno-nationalism (e.g. Brexit) be attributed to globalization? How has rapid
and often unregulated economic transformation exacerbated ethnic and social tensions? Many reactions to
globalization have been defensive in nature, and are often at odds with democratic principles. While globalization has
opened up new spaces for democratic politics it has also unleashed forces that fuel conflict and may in some cases
even threaten democracy. On the other hand, popular democratic forces, including social movements and new
transnational networks of civil society organizations, have increasingly contested neo-liberal globalization. These
rights-based movements have challenged neo-liberal policy prescriptions and their modes of implementation, and
critiqued such policies as anti-democratic and harmful to the poor, minorities and the environment. To what extent
have global movements for racial and gender equality, environmental sustainability and labor rights had any impact?

Global Governance and Civil Society

The decline of the traditional source of international power and legitimacy—the sovereign nation-state—has witnessed
the emergence of new structures of global governance. These structures take many forms including formal institutions
backed by international law and a range of transnational practices that are more informal but nonetheless play an
important role in governing global transactions. What are these structures and how do they work? Are they capable of
providing the institutional foundations for global governance? Do they simply reflect the influence and power of the
dominant global economic players, or do they also reflect global norms of democracy and social justice? To what
extent do they support and extend the practices of global civil society? Can human rights be universally enforced?

COURSE GOALS

The primary goal of this course is to learn how to think sociologically about globalization and its impact on societies.
This requires developing a working understanding of key theories and concepts in sociology as well as understanding
empirical materials that cover the history, varied trajectories, and institutional forms of globalization. In this course
you will learn how to engage complex materials and carefully unpack them in discussion sections and written
assignments. All the written assignments are designed to give you an opportunity to closely engage with course
materials, explore and develop your own arguments and synthesize both theoretical and empirical materials.

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REQUIREMENTS

Lectures and Reading: The debate on globalization is complex. It is a highly charged mix of politics, ideologies,
competing theories and cultural and social values. This course is designed entirely around the principle that students
come to lecture and section fully prepared. The readings cover a lot of empirical and theoretical ground from a range
of academic disciplines. The details of the various cases we explore are critical to understanding and evaluating
competing arguments in the debate. There is not enough time in lecture to review reading materials. The structure and
content of lectures presumes that you have done the readings assigned for that day carefully. You must come to all
lectures prepared. Regardless of class size, there will be time for discussion and you are strongly encouraged to
participate. All and any questions are welcome, but especially questions that seek clarification or elaboration of lecture
materials and readings.

Sections: Sections are specifically designed to allow for in-depth discussion of lecture and reading materials, as well
as to explore topics of special interest. The teaching assistants will facilitate discussion, but you must come prepared
to ask questions and engage with course materials. Prior to section you may be asked to post questions/comments on
Canvas (further instructions will be given in section). Section attendance is required and section participation will
count for 20% of your final grade.

Exams: There will be two short papers, one mid-term and a final. All will be take-home essays. The short papers
(2-3 pages) are due September Monday 23 and October Monday 7. The mid-term (4-5 pages) is due October Monday
28. The final (due date TBA) will be 8-10 pages. Essay questions for all these papers will be handed out 3 days before
the due date. The questions will be based exclusively on course materials and reading handouts. Though these are
take-home essays, they are exams that are due on time. Late exams will only be accepted under extraordinary
circumstances.

Handouts: A reading guide will be handed out every week for the following week’s reading assignments. Handouts
are available ONLY in class.

Grading: Final grades will be based on the following distribution:*

Two short papers: 2 x 10%
Mid-term exam: 20%
Final: 40%
Section participation: 20%

*Subject to change based on final class size

Students taking the course S/NC must receive a course grade of A or B to receive an S. There is no S* for this course.

Course Time Allotment: You should expect to spend on average 12 hours a week on this course. Lectures and
section are required and add up to 3.5 hrs a week. Reading, note taking and section assignments will take roughly 6
hours a week. If you keep up with the readings and do them carefully, the take home essay exams should take a total
of 7-8 hrs each, or roughly 2.5 hrs per week.

Prerequisites: There are no official prerequisites for this class. The course is designed to provide an in-depth,
theoretically informed and cross-disciplinary perspective on globalization, including the subfields of political
economy, institutional analysis, social movements, civil society and social theory. There is no textbook for this course
and there are no overview or introductory readings. All assigned readings are original academic contributions to the
debate on globalization selected for their theoretical and/or empirical contributions. The course is open to all students
who are interested in this topic and are willing to meet the requirements. A background in the social sciences is helpful,
especially courses on political economy, development, comparative politics or introductory economics. Most
importantly, you must be ready to do the readings as they are assigned.

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Code of conduct: You are encouraged to review the student code of conduct. All graded assignments must be original
work. Any plagiarism or shared work will result in an automatic NC and will be reported to the College.

Readings:

1) The required book for this course is available from the Brown Bookstore.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and

the Future of the World Economy. New York: W.W. Norton.

2) All other readings are contained in a course packet and are marked "*" below. The course packet comes in 2
volumes and can be obtained from Allegra at the corner of Waterman and Thayer. The course pack is required for
this course and you must bring it to class and section.

3) In case there is a delay in getting your coursepack, the first two sets of readings for September 10 and 12 are
available on-line on Canvas (but also included in the coursepack). A few media articles and reports will also be
posted.

Course Schedule and Readings

THE CAPITALIST WORLD ECONOMY: ORIGINS AND STRUCTURES

WEEK 1

September 5: Introduction

WEEK 2

September 10: Three Theses on the Effects of Globalization

The Convergence thesis: the Earth is flat, global integration. The Polarization thesis: cultural vs. materialist
theories. The Conflict thesis: the contradictions of capitalism. Why is the world becoming more unequal? Capital
vs. income and why too much capital is bad for growth.

*Piketty, Thomas. 2014. “Introduction,” pp. 1-32 in Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. Introduction, pp. ix-xix in The Globalization Paradox:

Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

September 12: The Genesis and Expansion of Capitalism

Marx as the first theorist of globalization. Defining capitalism. Production vs. exchange. What are the social
conditions that make capitalism possible? What drove the transformation to capitalism? The logic of capital and
the global expansion of capitalism. What makes capitalism so dynamic and so disruptive? Why is capitalism prone
to crisis and how are crises resolved? Capitalism and colonialism. Why classes mattered then. Do they still matter
now? How Smith and Marx both agreed that finance capital could get in the way of industrial capital.

*Marx, Karl. Selections from The Communist Manifesto and Capital: Volume I.

WEEK 3

September 17: The Institutional Foundations of Capitalism

Why did Europe industrialize first? What is rationalization and why does it matter? Why the market and capitalism
are not the same thing. In praise of bureaucracy. It’s the institutions, stupid. The iron cage and why Weber was so
depressed.

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 *Weber, Max. Selections from The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,
General Economic History and Bureaucracy

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Of Markets and States” pp. 3-23 in The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and
the Future of the World Economy. New York: W.W. Norton.

September 19: The Myth of the Self-Regulating Market

The first Great Transformation. The commodification of labor and land. Disembedded markets, laissez-faire
ideology and the end of society. Countervailing forces and the rise of civil society. What is society and why it can
not be subordinated to the market.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “The Rise and Fall of the First Great Globalization,” pp. 24-46 The
Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

*Polanyi, Karl. Selections from The Great Transformation: the Political and Economic
Origins of Our Times. New York: Beacon Press, 2001. pp. 35-49, 71-80, 136-157

WEEK 4

September 24: Embedding the Market

How the welfare state and class compromise resolved the contradictions of capitalism. How did “the capitalist
countries reconcile the efficiency of markets with the values of social community” in the post-WWII period? What is
social democracy?

*Polanyi, Karl. Selections from The Great Transformation: the Political and Economic
Origins of Our Times. New York: Beacon Press, 2001. pp. 158-170.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Bretton Woods, GATT and the WTO,” pp. 67-88 The
Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

*Crouch, Colin. 2011. The Strange Non-Death of Neoliberalism. Cambridge: Polity. pp. 1-13 “The
Previous Career of Neoliberalism”

September 26: Colonialism and Dependency

Theories of underdevelopment, dependency and international development. External vs. internal explanations of
underdevelopment. Structure and agency. Race and colonialism.

*DuBois, W.E.B. “The Rape of Africa,” pp. 28-50 in The World and Africa: Color and Democracy. Oxford
University Press.

*Cardoso, Fernando Henrique and Enzo Faletto. 1979. “Preface to the English Edition,” and
“Conclusion” Dependency and Development in Latin America. Berkeley: UC Press.

THE NEW GLOBAL ORDER

WEEK 5

October 1 – Globalization, the State and Development

The developmental state vs. the predatory state. Rethinking dependency theory. Why the state matters in economic
development.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Why doesn’t Everyone Get the Case for Free Trade,” pp. 47-61 in The

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 Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy. New York: W.W. Norton.

*Evans, Peter. 1992. “The State as Problem and Solution: Predation, Embedded Autonomy, and Structural
Change,” pp. 139-181 in Stephan Haggard and Robert R. Kaufman (eds.). The Politics of Economic
Adjustment: International Constraints, Distributive Conflicts, and the State. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton
University Press.

October 3: The Transformation of Contemporary Capitalism

How Henry Ford resolved the internal contradiction of industrial capitalism. The great social compact. The
globalization of production. The end of Keynesianism. What is flexible specialization? How does culture matter for
the new capitalism? The production of needs and the new information economy.

*Harvey, David. 1990. “Fordism,” and “From Fordism to Flexible Accumulation,” pp.
121-172 in The Condition of Post-Modernity Cambridge, MA: Blackwell.

WEEK 6

October 8: The Making of the Global Economy

The End of the Social Contract? Who governs the global economy? The new institutions of global governance.
Neo-liberalism and structural adjustment. Is there a new dependency? Why do exporting economies have larger
welfare states? How has the restructuring of global production affected labor's bargaining capacity? Why are
unskilled workers losing out? Norms vs. markets. Can states protect society from market disruptions? As power
shifts from the nation-state to the global economy, what happens to politics?

*Crouch, Collin. 2011. The Strange Non-Death of Neoliberalism. Cambridge: Polity. “The Market and
its Limitations,” pp. 24-48.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Financial Globalization Follies,” pp. 89-111, “Poor Countries in a Rich World,” pp.
135-158 in The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

October 10: Development in the Global Economy

Can more trade close the gap? The theory of rents and what it takes to make it in the global economy. Global value
chains. The new dominance of global retailers. Why are prices of manufactured goods going down and why is this
not necessarily good? Why can’t everyone be successful? What does competition mean for workers in the Global
South? How did China get it done?

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Trade Fundamentalism in the Tropics,” pp. 159-183 in The Globalization Paradox:
Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

*Lee, Ching Kwan. 2014. “A Chinese Developmental State: Miracle or Mirage?” pp.
102-125 in The End of the Developmental State? Ed. Michelle Williams Routledge.

WEEK 7

October 15: Inequality in the Global Economy

Poverty, inequality and social exclusion. How is globalization producing new patterns of inclusion and exclusion?
How is inequality produced? What’s power got to do with it?

*Dreze, Jean, and Amartya Sen. 2013. “A New India,” and “Integrating Growth and
Development” pp. 1-44 in An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions. London:
Allen Lane. London.

October 17: Democracy in a Globalized World

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Defining democracy. The antinomies of democracy and globalization. Is globalization hollowing out democracy?
How did Brazil get it done?

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “The Political Trilemma of the World Economy,” pp. 184-206 in The Globalization
Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

*Kerstenetzky, Celia Lessa. 2014. “The Brazilian Social Developmental State: A

Progressive Agenda in a (still) Conservative Political Society in The end of the
Developmental State? Ed. Michelle Williams Routledge.

WEEK 8

October 22: The Labor Problem

How do we create just labor supply chains? Is it possible to enforce labor standards in a global economy? What
role can consumers play? Why is labor a special kind of human right? Can corporations act ethically?

*Locke, Richard, Matthew Amengual, and Akshay Mangla. 2009. “Virtue out of necessity?
Compliance, commitment, and the improvement of labor conditions in global supply
chains.” Politics & Society 37.3 (2009): 319-351.

October 24: The 21st Century Developmental State

The new economy and basic capabilities. Can states promote social development in the Global South? Embedding
the state in civil society.

*Evans, Peter and Patrick Heller. 2015. “Human Development, State Transformation and the Politics of
the Developmental State,” in Stephan Leibfried, Frank Nullmeier, Evelyne Huber, Matthew Lange, Jonah
Levy & John Stephens (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Transformations of the State, 691-713.

WEEK 9

October 29: Identity, Redistribution and Justice

Why and how are the market, civil society and the state in conflict? How do they need each other? How might they
be balanced? Is conflict driven by identity or interests, the need for recognition or the need for redistribution?
Does one crowd out the other?

*Fraser, Nancy. 2000. “Rethinking Recognition,” New Left Review, 3, p.107-120.

*Calhoun, Craig. J. 2002. “Imagining solidarity: Cosmopolitanism, constitutional patriotism, and the
public sphere,” Public culture, 14(1), 147-171.

October 31: Project vs. Reactive Identities

Threatened communities. The return of ethno-nationalism. Movements of anger and the rise of fundamentalisms.

*Castells, Manuel. Preface: xv-xviii; Introduction and Chapter 1: "Communal Heavens:

Identity and Meaning in the Network Society," pp. 1-29; 68-70. “No Globalization without
Representation,” pp. 145-167 in The Power of Identity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2010 (latest edition).

WEEK 10

November 5: Civil Society, Politics and Reactive Movements

What do Political Islam, Hindu Nationalism, Bolsonaro, Brexit and the Trumpism have in common? How are these
ethno-nationalist movements reactions to globalization? Is there a retreat from democracy and if so why?

Readings TBA

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November 7: Global Governance
Global power and the problem of legitimacy. What is global governance? What is the role of global law? What does
it mean to have global governance without a global state? Does it promote private interests or public interests?

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Is Global Governance Feasible? Is it Desirable,” pp. 207-232 in The Globalization
Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy.

WEEK 11

November 12: Towards a Global Politics

Civil society as the basis for democracy. The national origins of democracy. Can democracy be global? Can
solidarity be global? The price of closure and the challenges of cosmopolitanism. What can we learn from the EU
experience? Can communicative action make a difference?

*Habermas, Jürgen. 2001. “The Postnational Constellation,” pp. 58-112 in The

Postnational Constellation: Political Essays. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

November 14: Global Governance: Cosmopolitanism or the New Imperialism?

Is international law an instrument of human rights or state power?

*Rodríguez-Garavito, César. 2014. “The Future of Human Rights: From Gatekeeping to

Symbiosis,” SUR, 11:20, pp. 499-509.

WEEK 12

November 19: Transnational Activism

How and when can norms shape global practices and institutions? What is the role of global civil society? How
does it exert leverage? Does civil society speak for all? Can transnational activist networks build a global civil
society? What resources do transnational actors have? What are the limits of global civil society? Why are some
movements more successful than others?

*Keck, Margaret and Kathryn Sikkink. 1998. “Transnational Advocacy Networks in International and
Regional Politics,” International Social Science Journal, 51:159, pp. 89-101.

*Klug, Heinz. 2005. “Campaigning for Life: Building a new Transnational Solidarity in the Face of
HIV/AIDS and TRIPS. Pp 118-139 in Santos and Rodriguez (eds.) Law and Counter-Hegemonic
Globalization: Toward a Subaltern Cosmopolitan Legality, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.

November 21 – Race in the Americas

Can historically marginalized groups leverage democracy and global civil society to strengthen their rights?
Should they emphasize recognition or redistribution?

*Paschel, Tiana. 2016. Becoming Black Political Subjects: Movements and Ethno-racial Rights in
Colombia and Brazil. Princeton University Press. Chapter 1 and Chapter 8 pp. 1-23 and 220- 238.

WEEK 13

November 26: The Climate Problem

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How do you speak truth to power? Does it work? What resources do environmentalists have? Can states be their
allies? Can civil society be effective at the global level?

*Ciplet, David; Roberts Timmons J. and Mizan R. Khan. 2015. Power in a Warming World.
Cambridge: MIT Press. “Trading in a Livable World” pp. 1-23, “Power Shift” pp. 23-52 and “Linking
Movements for Justice” pp. 235-252.

November 28: No class

WEEK 14

December 3: And Now What Do We Do?

*Castells, Manuel. "Conclusion: Social Change in the Network Society, pp. 419-428 in The Power of
Identity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2010 (latest edition).

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “Designing Capitalism 3.0” pp. 233-250 in The Globalization Paradox: Democracy
and the Future of the World Economy.

Rodrik, Dani. 2011. “A Sane Globalization,” pp. 251-284 in The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and
the Future of the World Economy.

December 5: Final Overview

** Final Exam Date TBA **