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CHAPTER I

DEFINING
GLOBALIZATION
INTRODUCTION

Much has change since time


immemorial. Human beings have
encountered many changes over the last
century especially in their social
relationships and social structures. Of
these changes, one can say that
globalization is very important change. If
not, the “most important”(Bauman,
2003).
The reality and omnipresence of
globalization makes us see ourselves as
part of what we refer to as the “global
age” ( Albrow, 1996).

What is Globalization?
Globalization encompasses a
multitude of processes that involves the
economy, political systems, and culture.
Social structures, therefore, are directly
affected by globalization.
Over the years, globalization has gained
many connotations pertaining to
progress development, and integration.
On the one hand, some view
globalization as a positive phenomenon.
For instance, Swedish journalist
Larrson (2001) saw globalization as
“the process of world shrinkage, of
distance getting sorter, tings moving
closer. It pertains to the increasing ease
with which somebody on the world”.
Ritzer (2008) claimed tat, in general, the
contemporary world is undergoing the
process of McDonaldization.
McDonaldization involves the global
spread of rational systems, such as
efficiency, calculability, predictability,
and control.
He also pointed out that the process is
“extended to other business, sectors, and
geographic areas”.
And espoused the idea tat globalization
can als0 be seen as a flow of “nothing” as
opposed to “something” involving the
spread of non-places, non-things, non-
people and non-services.
Heterogeneity pertains to the
creation of various cultural practices,
new economies, and political groups
because of the interaction of
elements from different societies in
the worlds.
Heterogeneity refers to the differences
because of either lasting differences or of
the hybrids or combinations of cultures
that can be produced trough the different
transplanetry processes.
According to Roland Robertson in
1992 “the global forces interact wit local
factors or a specific geographic area the
“glocal” is being produced.
Globalization, in contrast to
glocalization, is a process wherein
nations, corporation, etc. impose
themselves on geographic areas in order
to gain profits, power, and so on (Ryan,
2007)
The Task of Globalization
The literature on the definitions of
globalization revealed that the
definitions could classify as either;
 Broad and inclusive or
 Narrow and exclusive
Robert Cox’s definition suits best in this
type:
“the characteristics of globalization trend
include the internationalizing of production,
the new international division of labour, new
migratory movements from South to North,
the new competitive environment the
accelerates these processes, and the
internationalizing of the state.. making
states into agencies of the globalizing world”
(As cited in RAWOO Netherlands
Development Assistance Research
Council, 2000) A definition of
globalization, the concept is complex and
multifaceted as the definitions deal with
economic, political, or social dimensions.
Generally, this definition assumes that
globalization could bring either or both
integration and/or fragmentation.
Although things flow easily in a global
world, hindrances or structural blocks
are also present. This block could slow
down one’s activity in another country or
could even limit the places a person can
visit.
Why we are studying this concept? How can
we appreciate these definitions? How can
these help us understand globalization?

First, the perspective of the person who defines


globalization is many things to many different
people. In 1996, Arjun Apparudai said
“globalization is a world of things’ that have different
speeds, axes, points of origin and termination, and
varied relationships to institutional structures in
different regions, nations, or societies” ( as cited in
Chowdhury, 2006,)
Second, to paraphrase the sociologist Cesare
Poppu: Globalization is the debate and the
debate is Globalization. One became part and
parcel of the other. As Poppi (1997) wrote “the
literature stemming” from the debate on
globalization as grown in the last decade
beyond any individual’s capability of
extracting a workable definition of the
concept. In a sense, the meaning of the
concept is self-evident, in another, it’s vague
and obscure as its reaches are wide and
constantly shifting.
Third, globalization is a reality. It is changing
as human society develops. It has happened
before and is still happening today. We should
expect it to continue to happen in the future.
The future of globalization is more difficult to
predict.
Overall, globalization is a concept that is not
easy to define because in reality, globalization
as a shifting nature. It is a complex,
multifaceted, and can be influenced by the
people who define it.
Moreover, the issues and concerns
involving globalization have a wide
range- from the individual to society
from small communities to nations and
states, and from the benefits we can gain
from it to the costs it could carry.
Metaphors of Globalization
Metaphors make use of one term to
help us better understand another term.
In our case, states of matter-solid and
liquid-will be used. In addition, other
related concepts that are included in the
definition such as structure and flows
will be elaborated
Solid and Liquid
Solidity refers to barriers that prevent or
make difficult the movement of things.
Furthermore, solids can either be natural or
man-made.
Liquidity refers to the increasing ease of
movement of people, tings, information, and
places in the contemporary world. Zygmunt
Bauman’s ideas were the ones that have much
to say about the characteristic of liquidity.
First, today’s liquid phenomena change quickly
and their aspects, spatial and temporal, are in
continuous fluctuation. This means that space
and time are crucial elements of globalization.
In global finance, for instance changes in the
stock market are a matter of seconds.
Liquidity and Solidity are in constant
interaction. However, liquidity is the one
increasing and proliferating today.
However, liquidity is the one increasing
and proliferating today. Therefore, the
metaphor tat could best describe
globalization is liquidity; (Rey and
Ritzer, 2010).
Flows
Flows are the movement of people,
things, places, and information brought
by the growing “porosity” of global
limitations (Ritzer, 2015).
Globalization Theories
Homogeneity refers to the increasing
sameness in the world as cultural inputs,
economic factors, and political orientation of
societies expand to create common practices,
same economies, in similar form of
government. Homogeneity in culture is often
link to cultural imperialism. This means, a
given culture influences other culture.
Global economic crises are also product
homogeneity in economic globalization. Stiglitz
(2002, for instance blamed the international
monetary or IMF for its “one size-fits-all
approach which treat every country in the world
as the same.
In the end, rich countries become advantageous
in the world economy at the expense of poor
countries, which lead to increase inequality
among nation. The political realm also suffers
homogenization if one takes into account the
emerging similar modern of government in the
world.
Media Imperialism undermines the existence of
alternative global media originating from developing
country such as a Albazeera (Bielse, 2008) and the
Bolllywood (Larkin, 2003) as well as the influence
of local and regional media.
The Internet can be seen as an arena for
alternative media the global flows of media is often
characterized as media imperialism. TV, books,
music, and movies are perceived as imposed on
developing country by the West. Global media are
dominated by a small number of large corporations.

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