Globalisation

Sociology: AQA A Level, topic 4.5.7

The Effects of Globalisation

Immigration and globalisation leads to greater cultural and social diversity but can also cause new types of crime and exploitation.

Migration was once restricted to wealthy elites and highly skilled professionals.
However, it’s now more likely the migrants travel to richer countries for employment and higher standards of living.

There has been a steady increase in migrants coming to the UK from other EU countries, as well as an increase in British citizens living and working in other EU countries.
In 2015, EU immigration accounted for about half of all immigration into the UK.

There are more undocumented (illegal) immigrants in the UK, ‘pulled’ by the prospect of better living standards and ‘pushed’ by poverty and the lack of opportunity in their own country.
Undocumented immigrants are often exploited by UK employers and are often the victim of people trafficking and, in some cases, modern-day slavery.

The number of asylum seekers has also grown.
In March 2014 there were about 24,000 people seeking asylum in the UK, escaping persecution, torture and death in their country of origin.

Immigration and globalisation leads to greater cultural diversity, as different cultures and ways of life come into contact with each other; this includes, styles of dress, music, food and religion.
Migrants are less likely to see themselves as belonging to one culture or country and a more likely to adopt hybrid identities (i.e. from more then one culture/country).

Immigration leads to more diversity within families.
Such as larger families or partners from different cultural backgrounds.
Immigration might also lead to new types of crime, such as people-trafficking and enforced prostitution.

Digital communication has sped up the process of globalisation.
Eriksen argues that globalisation has impacted migration patterns whereby peoples’ movements are transient as opposed to permanently settling in another place.
The outcome is that individuals may no longer affiliate with one culture in particular and instead may adopt a more transnational identity.
Individuals may therefore be less likely to assimilate into the culture of the host nation.