Defining Globalisation
Globalisation is not a new process
Globalisation is a much-used term which has been interpreted in a number of different ways by different groups
used to describe a process which has been going on for a very long time.
started when early humans began moving out of Africa around 1.8 million years ago to spread all over the world.
As communication and transportation developed with greater efficiency, more and more groups of people became connected.
The internet, which was created in 1983 led to some of the most significant advances in communication technology; it is easier for people to communicate with others instantly without being physically close to them.
Pountney observes that globalisation is used to describe a process which dates back thousands of years
Al-Rodham (2015) points out the defining globalisation is easy, but Ellwood describes the concept as the least understood concept of the new millennium
Migration of tribes across continents, the conquest and colonisation of much of Africa, Asia and South America by Europeans, the spread of Islam and Christianity across the world and slave trade are all feature of early globalisation
Some sociologists have defined globalisation as all those processes by which are very different people and cultures of the world have been incorporated into single global society
Sociologists argue that globalisation accelerated in late 20th century as of developments in digital forms of technology
Digital technology brought about more global social change in the last 30 years than had occurred in previous 300 years
As a result of globalisation, people who were previously uncontacted became part of a wider global society resulting in a whole array of consequences.
For example, national boundaries become less significant, businesses are able to operate internationally, and the economy now has a global dimension.
It is important to acknowledge that globalisation is not an even process.
While globalisation has occurred in many parts of the world there are other areas where people remain marginalised and excluded from the process, often suffering great inequality as a result.
On societal level, globalisation means that goods and services, money, people, drugs, crime, terror, disease, popular culture, news, images, ideas, religions and pollution now cross-national borders on an extraordinary scale and at an incredible speed
Albrow defines globalisation as all those processes by which the disparate people of the world have been incorporated into a single society
Water observes that it is a social process in which the constraints of geography on economic, political, social and cultural arrangements have declined
At its simplest, globalisation means that the world we live in now feels smaller and more accessible than it was a decade ago
Martell observes that globalisation for individuals means both geographical distance and time zones are no longer important at a micro level
Havey (1990) call this the space-time compression
Instantaneous afforded by digital technology such as emails or instant messaging has erased distance and substituted virtual space for physical space
It doesn’t matter where physically people are in the world: global digital interconnectedness means people can occupy the same online space at the same time
Globalisation means the goods, money, people, services, popular culture, drugs, crime, disease, news, images, ideas, religion and pollution are now crossing national borders on an extraordinary scale and incredible speed at a macro level
Societies that were once distant, independent and very different to one another are increasingly globally intertwined and interdependent whether they want to be or not
Moreover, the macro and micro are also interwoven in that the local lives of ordinary people everywhere in the world are increasingly shaped by events, decisions and actins that take place thousands miles from where they live and work
Giddens, Duneier and Appelbaum (2005) suggest that if human history (about half a million years) were equivalent to a twenty-four-hour day, not much would have happened for the first
23 hours.
Agriculture would appear at 11:56:30 pm.
The great civilizations would appear at 11:57pm.
We would see modern societies emerge at 11:59:30 pm.
More change has taken place in the remaining 30 seconds than in the entire time that preceded this.
They conclude that the trend is unmistakable: not only are societies changing, but the pace of change is accelerating beyond any pace previously recognisable.
In the past few decades, sociologists have become increasingly aware of the need to understand the globalisation process and ensure that their explanations of the world need to encompass the causes and effects of the process.
There has also been a growing interest because of the rapid advances in technology which have meant that the rate of globalisation has accelerated rapidly over recent years.
However, Wiseman (1998) warns us that the term ‘globalisation’ can be misused and misunderstood and therefore needs careful consideration when it is being used and defined in sociology.
Problems with Defining Globalisation
Globalisation is not a simple process to define
Some sociologists see globalisation as a positive process that will produce tolerant and responsible world citizens and raise the standard of living of developing societies
Some sociologists see it as a negative thing as it sometimes results in cultural homogenisation so cultural diversity is often replaced by cultural sameness which is regarded as a backward step
Complex process that involves a variety of social, cultural, economic and political changes that may not be in sync with one another which may or may not be occurring in a uniform way everywhere.
As well as this, there are those who suggest the effects of globalisation are generally positive whereas there are others who claim that the effects are generally negative for particular groups. For example, leading to the further reinforcement of inequalities in society.
Other sociologists argue that the effects of globalisation are both negative and positive
in different ways.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that attempts to define the process in a simple way is very difficult without revealing some assumptions about the view the person has of
the process.
Below are some different definitions of globalisation:
The first definition can be seen to be problematic since it suggests that globalisation is occurring at the same rate everywhere at the same time.
The second definition appears to suffer from the same problem but does acknowledge the different aspects of globalisation which is perhaps more accurate.
Neither of the first or the second definitions accurately defines the complexity of the process, and the way that is connected to technological advances.
The third definition relates to one specific aspect of globalisation which underpins many of the other features of globalisation, namely increasing interconnectivity
Globalisation occurs at different speeds in different parts of the world such as digital social revolution has resulted in a digital divide between the developed world and less developed parts of the world such as Africa
As people are less likely to have an internet connection or own a smart phone
Globalisation was truly happening people would have greater awareness of the world as one unified people
However, the nation-state mentality is still dominant such as many people in UK see themselves as British rather than as part of a global community as clearly indicated by the 2016 referendum which voted in favour of the UK leaving EU
So, critics of the concept claim that the spread of American cultural products has been mistaken for globalisation
Emergence of Globalisation
Sociologists who argue the favour of globalisation argue that it has been brought about by the following:
Technological Advances
Advances in digital forms of communication and computer technology, particularly email, smartphones, satellite technology, digital television, texting and internet
They have transformed the worlds concept of time, distance and space
Information in all its varied forms – news, political ideas and dissent, financial transactions and cultural products these can be transmitted instantaneously to most global destinations from any part of the world that has a digital connection
Digital communications have helped to globalise war, conflict and terrorism such as smartphones in Africa are seen as necessities in coordinating civil wars
Terrorist organisation such as al-Qaeda and ISIS have successfully used the internet and social networking sites globally publicise their cause
Ownership and Control of Digital Media
They have become increasingly concentrated in the hands of fewer transnational corporations
This has resulted in cultural products such as films, television, music, designer fashion, news, social networking, food, drink, brands and sport being developed and manufactured for global rather than local consumption
Steven (2004) observes that despite huge differences in distance and upbringing much of world’s population now listens to the same music and watches the same films and television via the same digital communication networks and social media
Other Developments
Other important developments which may have contributed to a process of globalisation include the rapid growth of cheap air travel and mass tourism
Continuing dominance of the English language in digital communication, particularly on the internet