Deck 14: Economic and Political Globalization

Question 1

Sociologists differ in their assessment of the role of the state in our contemporary globalizing society. Using current newspapers, choose some current national-global issue (e.g., environmental change, financial regulation, food supply) that is being discussed, and based on the media account of this issue, assess the role of the state vis-à-vis other nation states, supra-national organizations (e.g., EU, IMF, UN), and economic corporations. Based on your analysis, what theoretical perspectives (e.g., Sklair, Giddens, Bauman, Sassen) seem to offer the better explanation of the relevance or place of the state among global actors?

Answer 1

One current national-global issue that is being discussed in the media is environmental change, specifically the debate around climate change and the role of the state in addressing it.

Based on media accounts of this issue, the role of the state is being assessed in relation to other nation states, supra-national organizations such as the EU, IMF, and UN, and economic corporations. The state is being called upon to take a leading role in implementing policies and regulations to mitigate climate change, while also collaborating with other nation states and supra-national organizations to create global agreements and initiatives. At the same time, economic corporations are being pressured to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint.

From a theoretical perspective, Saskia Sassen's concept of the "global city" and the role of the state in managing global economic processes seems to offer a better explanation of the relevance or place of the state among global actors. Sassen argues that the state still plays a crucial role in regulating and managing global economic activities, even in the face of globalization. This perspective aligns with the current media accounts of the state's role in addressing environmental change, as it emphasizes the state's regulatory and managerial functions in the global context. Additionally, Anthony Giddens' theory of the "third way" and the role of the state in addressing global challenges also provides insights into the state's role in addressing environmental change, as it emphasizes the need for state intervention and collaboration with other actors to address global issues.

Question 2

Many local (neighborhood/state/regional) cultures are changing as part of, and in response to, the economic and cultural flows that characterize globalization. As you explore your local neighborhood, make a list of things that suggest you live in a global, culturally diverse society. What have you identified? And what does your list suggest about globalizing forces? (Are they even/uneven in their reach and consequences?; Concentrated in banking? Concentrated in retail stores? Fashion?)

Answer 2

As I explore my local neighborhood, I can see several signs that suggest I live in a global, culturally diverse society. Some of the things I have identified include:

1. Restaurants and food options: There are a variety of restaurants in my neighborhood that offer cuisine from different parts of the world, such as Thai, Italian, Mexican, and Indian. This suggests that people from different cultural backgrounds live in the area and have brought their culinary traditions with them.

2. Language diversity: I hear different languages being spoken as I walk around my neighborhood, indicating that there is a diverse population with roots in various parts of the world.

3. Cultural events and festivals: Throughout the year, my neighborhood hosts events and festivals that celebrate different cultural traditions, such as Chinese New Year, Diwali, and Oktoberfest. This shows that the community values and embraces cultural diversity.

4. Ethnic grocery stores: There are specialty grocery stores in my neighborhood that cater to specific cultural communities, offering products and ingredients that are not typically found in mainstream supermarkets.

5. Fashion and clothing stores: I see people wearing traditional clothing from their cultural backgrounds, and there are also stores that sell clothing and accessories from different parts of the world.

Overall, my list suggests that globalizing forces are uneven in their reach and consequences. While there is a visible presence of cultural diversity in terms of food, language, and events, it is also evident that certain aspects of globalization, such as banking and retail stores, may not be as evenly distributed. However, the concentration of diverse cultural influences in my neighborhood indicates that globalization has had a significant impact on shaping the local culture and community.

Question 3

Some commentators argue that "all politics is local." Are there any publicly debated issues and/or tensions/conflicts in your community that suggest that political boundaries and/or cultural barriers matter in your community? What are these issues/boundaries? And what are the sources of tension? Does the tension have anything to do with globalization (e.g., new immigrant trends, economic downsizing), or does it appear to be largely independent of, or antecedent to, the impact of globalization forces?

Answer 3

In our community, there are several publicly debated issues and tensions that suggest that political boundaries and cultural barriers matter. One of the main issues is the debate over zoning laws and land use, particularly in regards to new immigrant trends. There is tension between long-time residents who want to maintain the character of the neighborhood and new immigrant communities who want to build cultural centers and businesses that reflect their heritage. This tension is exacerbated by economic downsizing, as some residents fear that new developments will drive up property prices and push them out of the neighborhood.

Another source of tension is the allocation of resources, particularly in regards to public schools. There is a divide between neighborhoods with higher property values and better-funded schools, and those with lower property values and underfunded schools. This has led to debates over school district boundaries and funding allocation, with some residents feeling that their children are being disadvantaged due to their cultural and economic backgrounds.

These tensions are largely independent of the impact of globalization forces, as they stem from long-standing cultural and economic disparities within the community. However, globalization has also played a role in exacerbating these tensions, as new immigrant trends and economic changes have brought about demographic shifts and changes in the local economy. Overall, these issues and tensions highlight the importance of political boundaries and cultural barriers in our community, and the need for thoughtful and inclusive decision-making to address these challenges.

Question 4

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify two distinct features of the capitalist-world system.

Question 5

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Explain what Sklair means by his thesis of class polarization.

Question 6

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-How would Sassen describe the composition of the emergent class structure of global society?

Question 7

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Provide one example illustrating how geographical borders have become less economically salient, and one example illustrating how they are becoming more salient today than in the past.

Question 8

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify and discuss 3 distinct features of global financial capitalism that make it a phenomenon that is different to industrial capitalism.

Question 9

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify one global city and discuss two reasons why it can be considered a global city.

Question 10

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify and discuss one reason/empirical example why the Occupy movement might be considered politically effective, and one reason/empirical example which suggests a contrary interpretation.

Question 11

Globalization is most accurately conceptualized as:

A) Several interrelated, multidimensional processes
B) A once-occurring event
C) An economic process
D) A cultural process

Question 12

Among the engines of globalization are:

A) Advances in communication technologies
B) Capitalist market expansion
C) Changes in migration flows
D) All of the above

Question 13

Globalization is most accurately thought of as a phenomenon that is based on:

A) International relations
B) Transnational practices
C) Nation-to-nation exchange
D) National disembeddedness

Question 14

Unlike sociologists, economists are more likely to emphasize that globalization:

A) Is a natural economic process
B) Is hindered by regulatory policies
C) Expands as a result of its own economic momentum
D) All of the above

Question 15

Wallerstein's capitalist world-system perspective argues that:

A) A capitalist world-economy is a new phenomenon distinctive to the late twentieth century
B) A capitalist world-economy has been in existence since the sixteenth century
C) What is new about globalization is the geographical division of labor
D) World-systems are similar to empires

Question 16

A capitalist world-economy is characterized by:

A) An extensive division of occupational and geographical labor
B) An unequal geographical flow of economic resources
C) Core states/regions that economically dominate and exploit peripheral areas
D) All of the above

Question 17

According to Wallerstein, the capitalist world-economy:

A) Is immune to crises
B) Fosters the development of close political and cultural ties between peripheral and semi-peripheral areas
C) Is structurally pressured toward the ceaseless accumulation of profit
D) None of the above

Question 18

Contemporary neo-Marxists such as Sklair underscore the primacy of … in shaping globalization processes and outcomes:

A) International regulatory agencies
B) Nation-states
C) Transnational corporations
D) Global cities

Question 19

Contemporary neo-Marxists such as Sklair highlight the effects of globalization in creating:

A) Class polarization
B) A powerful transnational capitalist class
C) Class integration
D) A and B

Question 20

According to Giddens, the main centers of power in our contemporary globalizing society are:

A) Supra-national organizations
B) Capitalist nation-states
C) Regional military alliances
D) Mass media corporations

Question 21

Harvey argues that the global geopolitical agenda of the US is all about:

A) Cultural influence
B) Free trade
C) Food supply
D) Oil

Question 22

With globalization, according to Giddens:

A) Within-state, local interests get ignored
B) Nation-states cooperate with rather than compete against each other
C) Local and global forces push and pull against one another
D) Global forces always win out over national interests

Question 23

The term used by Rosenau to capture the dynamics of local-global political relationships is:

A) Disembedded relations
B) Distant proximities
C) Core-periphery
D) Denationalization

Question 24

According to Bauman, globalization and the increased power of supra-national forces mean that the nation-state is:

A) Denationalized but powerful
B) Impotent against globalization forces
C) An imperialist power
D) An active colluder in global capitalist expansion

Question 25

Bauman argues that with globalization, physical territory for nation-states becomes:

A) A burden
B) More aggressively sought
C) Critical to the geographical division of military power
D) Critical to the consolidation of economic power

Question 26

Sassen argues that the power of the denationalized state comes from its legal authority to:

A) Invade other countries
B) Regulate global internet traffic
C) Regulate the flow of global capital
D) A and B

Question 27

The term financial capitalism refers to the fact that:

A) The financial sector contributes more money to a country's gross domestic product than industrial manufacturing in several countries
B) Manufacturing industries are no longer important to a country's economic development and growth
C) Asian economies are dependent on the US and the UK for financial investment
D) None of the above

Question 28

The financial sector includes:

A) Individuals working in banking, lending, stock exchanges, and other places where money is loaned, traded, and invested
B) Government regulatory bodies whose principal duty is to supervise banks and other financial companies
C) Credit card companies, hedge funds, and stock rating agencies
D) All of the above

Question 29

The global flow of finance is facilitated by:

A) Open national economies
B) Transnational workers
C) Computerized, electronic trading
D) All of the above

Question 30

Global financial capitalism:

A) Welcomes an increased regulatory oversight role for nation-states
B) Alleviates the crises that have characterized capitalism in earlier eras
C) Places more emphasis on customer/client service than on profit
D) None of the above

Question 31

Global cities are:

A) World capitals
B) Cities in which supra-national political organizations are located
C) Cities which serve as strategic locations for the coordination of global finance
D) Capital cities in the northern hemisphere

Question 32

The population flows associated with globalization give rise to:

A) A denationalized, cosmopolitan, professional class
B) A structurally disadvantaged class of low-wage migrant workers
C) New transnational social identities and solidarities
D) All of the above

Question 33

According to Castells, the network society:

A) Emphasizes face-to-face communication
B) Is less efficient than previous forms of social organization
C) Is open to less hierarchical forms of social organization
D) None of the above

Question 34

Anti-globalization movements:

A) Make connections between environmental sustainability and class exploitation issues
B) Create new transnational solidarities
C) Are both local and transnational in scope
D) All of the above

Question 35

David Held envisages a global social democracy that would entail:

A) Collective ownership of large capitalist enterprises
B) Increased clarity in economic rules and legal processes
C) A deeper commitment to social justice
D) A and B