8.2.1

Globalisation

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What is Globalisation?

Globalisation can be understood as the way in which a product or service is available across the world. Popular global brands include Apple, McDonald's and Starbucks.

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Advantages of globalisation

  • Globalisation has broken down barriers between societies as the same products, goods and services are available across the world.
  • Some sociologists now refer to the world as a ‘global village’.
    • E.g. if we think of a pop group as a product, it’s not uncommon for that pop group to have fans in different regions including Europe, Asia and the US.
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Criticisms of globalisation

  • Critics of globalisation suggest that what is actually happening is a process of ‘homogenisation’.
  • With cultural homogenisation, cultural diversity is lost.
  • A more dominant (usually western) culture overwhelms the smaller culture so that its’ identity is lost.
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Economic globalisation

  • Economic globalisation refers to the movement of capital, products and services across the globe.
  • Products are now manufactured in many different countries and shipped around the world.
  • Some organisations now base production in countries that have much lower labour costs and different laws around health and safety, as well as the use of child labour.
  • Having a global presence also means that companies can exploit the natural resources of countries other than their own.
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Economic globalisation: tax

  • Some companies base their businesses in ‘tax havens’, countries with tax rates that are lower.

Cultural & Political Impacts of Globalisation

Globalisation can be understood as the way in which a product or service is available across the world. Popular global brands include Apple, McDonald's and Starbucks.

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Cultural globalisation: migration

  • Migration is an important concept when thinking about globalisation. Migration refers to the movement of something from one place to another.
  • Cultural migration has always happened, as languages, stories and beliefs systems have been passed from one nation to another by people travelling the world.
  • But more recently, migration has become much more rapid because of developments in technology. The world wide web means that messages and information can be shared in an instant.
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Cultural globalisation: food

  • Food is an example of cultural globalisation.
  • Different countries in the world traditionally have diets that are unique to them. However, globalisation means that there are some food companies and products all over the world.
    • E.g. Coca-Cola, Nescafe, McDonald's and Starbucks.
  • This has led to some concerns that traditional diets and lifestyles are a risk of being lost forever.
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Cultural globalisation: clothes

  • Consumption patterns with clothing have also followed a similar trend with popular brands and designers having stores in all major cities in the world, as well as more local shopping centres.
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Sociological perspectives

  • Anthony Giddens says that these trends have led to people having a ‘global outlook’ where they identify with a global audience as opposed to their own nationality.
  • Ulrich Beck (1992) says that globalisation has led to a ‘global risk consciousness’ where threats to our safety are also global, e.g. drug trafficking and terrorism.
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Political globalisation

  • The impact of globalisation on politics can be best understood through organisations like the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union.
  • These organisations encourage political co-operation between nations.
  • As a result of this, the importance of individual countries, or nation-states, declines.

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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