What is Globalization? | HO RYUYEONG

 1. What is Globalization?

When I first learned about globalization, I thought it was just about things like K-pop or American movies becoming popular everywhere because of the internet. But after reading Robertson and White, and looking at our class slides, I realized it's much bigger. Globalization has been happening for a really long time. It means that different countries and people are connecting through trade, travel, ideas, culture, and technology. For example, hundreds of years ago, the spice trade connected Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. It wasn't just products—stories, knowledge, and art moved too.

2. What surprised me most

I found it surprising that globalization isn't just modern or new. Social media and websites make connections much faster today, but global trade and culture sharing existed even in ancient times. One example is the Silk Road, which helped people share goods and ideas across continents. Now, social media spreads things like K-pop or Netflix shows everywhere in a few seconds. I especially liked the example from our class where a show mixes Korean music with worldwide fantasy stories. That shows how local things can become global. This mixing of cultures, called “glocalization,” helps make new and interesting things that could only exist in a globalized world.

3. My thoughts and a question

Sometimes I think globalization connects people, but it can also make people argue or separate. For example, the internet helps us talk to anyone, but it can also create “echo chambers” where people only see what they already agree with. There are also problems when media from different countries show the same news in very different ways. This makes it hard for people to understand what is really going on. I wonder, as someone studying media, what we can do to help people listen to different ideas and understand each other better. Is it our job to try and design better platforms or write better stories to help build understanding?

References

  • Robertson, R. (1992). Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture.

  • Robertson & White. (2008). What is Globalization?

  • Al-Rodhan, N.R.F. & Stoudmann, G. (2006). Definitions of Globalization: A Comprehensive Overview.

  • Wikipedia. Globalization

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