- Is it a new phenomenon? Role of technology?
- Some basic contours:
- It is multidimensional
- It is a process
- It is more than economics (political, cultural, military);
- Participation across the globe is not even--there is an often sharp North-South divide ;
- There is no entity that has direct control over it;
- Much of it is in hands of private corporations
- Some possible trends
- Monoculture, or greater diversity?
- The rise of multinational (or transnational) corporations and challenges to state power
- Increasing interdepedence between countries, economies, societies (economic, immigration, politics, culture, etc.);
- Increasingly global flow of labor and capital, mainly to feed consumption in industrialized countries--do other countries' economies begin to reflect consumer preferences in rich countries?
- Some key issues, concepts
- Is globalization a social problem? What to do?
- Readings:
- What to do??
- Understand the issues, why problems persist (who benefits ...), how harm is distributed, who has media access to 'frame' public perceptions, who has political power, etc.
- Role of individuals--what can you do,
- as a 'mindful' consumer (make informed purchasing decisions, support fair trade products and organizations, learn about how any investments you own)
- as voting citizen (candidates that address the issue, espouse policies you support)
- as a student (taking courses, asking questions, doing research)
- as a peer/parent/teacher, etc.
- Role of government--government can do many things:
- enact policies (e.g., supporting policies, producers that keep more money in the region/locality)
- levy taxes (imagine a tax on environmental harm in products ...)
- regulate corporations on things like pollution, tax evasion, working conditions, criminal activity, media and advertising and corporate concentration of news outlets. You know, externalities!
- change the 'rules'--what if corporate compensation wasn't based on externalizing costs and maximizing profit, but in sustainability, for instance? Ever heard of 'sustainable development?'
- education--how are people to learn about the complexities of globalization?
- international bodies/treaties, etc.--whose interests do they represent? To whom are they accountable?
- Other groups/organizations--non-profits, social movements
- 'Framing' the issue--
- Who has the money and power and access to media? Where do commercial media's interests lie?
- Alternatives (here's an interesting concept: 'identity correction')
- Key concepts:
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