Globalization

Globalization

Introduction

Nowadays globalization is present in many aspects or activities we realized, so we are familiarized to it in many different ways and we sometimes do not even realize it. Another fact is that globalization has become one of the most revolution movements of the recent world history. Moreover, globalization as a general concept has been supported by telecommunications which have increase the importance of it, especially internet and also mobile phones. However it presents several problems which causes people would be against this global process, anti-globalization process is a well-known movement that sets the trend to these people who are in disagreeing with it. Some examples of these problems are that countries could lose their culture identity, international, terrorism, mafia organizations, loss of employment, etc. The first part of this essay will be aimed towards understanding the concept of globalization and the major part of the essay will analyze the various advantages and disadvantages that arise as a result of globalization.

Definitions

The definition of "globalization" is as complex and ambiguous as the process of globalization itself. This is also the reason why "sustainable explanations, precise evaluations and effective policies" for globalization are so difficult to find. But nevertheless, "the impossibility of a definitive definition does not reduce the need for rigorous conceptualization", hence all the approaches addressed in this dissertation have to be treated as subject to alternation and revision (Scholte, 2000).

From the sociological point-of-view, Anthony Giddens argues that "globalization can...be defined as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa."

Thesis Statement

What is Globalization and how have anthropologists contributed to our understanding of it as an uneven and awkward process?

Discussion

First of all and in order to know what Globalization is, a typical definition can be taken from the International Monetary Fund (2001: wikipedia website), which defines globalization 'as the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services, free international capital flows, and more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology'. However and according to a point of view of the transformationalist thesis, defines globalization 'primarily as a social phenomenon that has brought qualitative changes in all cross-border transactions' (Hoogvelt, 2001: 121).

On the other hand, it should be known that the term Globalization can be understood as many different meanings, it depends on the context spoken, such as economic, social, cultural, technological and political anyway these definitions are closely linked. Globalization emerged strongly after the World War II when Governments established new strategies and tactics with the simple aim of increasing trade between nations, such as World Trade Organization (WTO) and Europe's Maastricht Treaty. Moreover it is necessary to know that across the world history nations or civilizations have been in contact trading or dealing. In contrast for many historians Globalization starts with the First Industrial Revolution in late 18th and early 19th century (Aghion and Williamson: 1998) Many years later, in late XX ...