What is Globalization?-Lee Hyewon

Summary

Globalization is a highly debated concept whose definition varies depending on one's perspective, encompassing a wide range of topics including governance, human rights, and migration. 

The process involves more than just increasing interconnectedness; it also includes the growth of 'global consciousness,' a shared sense that the world is becoming a single place. The author explains this cultural dimension through the cultural conflict between the West and the Islamic world following 9/11. 

Composed of four main dimensions—economic, political, cultural, and social—globalization is a multifaceted process that includes international systems, humanity, individuals, and the nation-state as key elements. While scholars have often overlooked the social dimension, the spread of social interaction, particularly through the internet, is a core part of the process. 

The concept of 'glocalization' highlights that the global and the local are not in opposition but are 'two sides of the same coin,' with examples of global companies adapting their products to local markets showing that globalization is a self-limiting rather than a homogenizing process. This modern sense of 'globality' is also influencing how we view history, as scholars are re-examining historical narratives and national identity through the lens of globalization. 

Ultimately, globalization should not be viewed as a fixed entity but as a complex, ongoing process, and it should not be oversimplified as the cause of all problems.


New Knowledge on Globalization

Before reading this document, I thought of globalization as a singular social concept with a clear definition. However, I’ve now realized that rather than it being a single, real entity, it is a topic being shaped by ongoing debate among people worldwide. While I had previously studied globalization, I had only focused on the superficial phenomena resulting from the development of global networks. So this was the first time I learned about the intense academic debate surrounding the concept itself.

I also used to think of globalization as a linear concept progressing into the future with advances in communication and transportation, so it never occurred to me that it would also influence how we view history but now i learned about the historical impact of it.

Finally, I used to simplistically view globalization as a concept similar to "Westernization," an opportunity for first-world nations to expand their cultural, social, political, and economic dominance. I now understand that this perspective is insufficient and that I must consider both "globalization from above" and "globalization from below," as well as the multi-dimensional factors of international systems, humanity, individuals, and the nation-state.


Questions for Discussion

Based on this new understanding, I’d like to pose some questions for discussion.

 1) What positive and negative effects does globalization have on an individual? How and to what extent do these effects vary depending on a person's country of residence, geography, ethnic identity, and socioeconomic status? Is there a consistent tendency in the impact of globalization on all individuals, or can the effects vary significantly from person to person? If a consistent tendency does exist, can we argue that the positive aspect or the negative aspect is more prominent than the other? Given that globalization is a multifaceted and contested concept, I expect a wide range of opinions on its impact on individuals.

I personally think it would be difficult to generalize about transnational trends beyond the broad phenomenon of stronger social, economic, and political connections among countries, regions, and cultures. I'm curious to hear what others think about this.

2) As globalization progresses, could either the identity of a 'global citizen' or the identity tied to one's 'nation/local community' be weakened? Even though I've newly learned through the concept of glocalization that the global and local are not opposing concepts, I thought, from a practical perspective, generations born in the global era might come to de-emphasize their national/local community identity in favor of a global one. Also, I believe there are many instances where existing cultures are weakened as a result of globalization, such as many countries struggling to preserve their intangible cultural heritage. I'd like to discuss this and learn more about the impact of globalization on individual and national identity.


AI use of this blog

First, I translated the full text of the provided document into Korean. Then, I translated the Korean summary and my personal reflections back into English. Finally, I refined the English sentences to ensure they were natural and well-phrased.

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