What is globalization? (NGUYEN KIM CHI/ 응웬김찌)


What Is Globalization?

1. Summary of the Reading

Roland Robertson and Kathleen E. White’s chapter “What Is Globalization?” offers a clear, multi-layered approach to a concept that is often used loosely in politics, media, and scholarship. They argue that globalization is not a single, uniform force but an ongoing, contested process. At its heart lie two closely linked dynamics:

- Global connectivity: the material, institutional, and technological linkages that tie societies together (trade routes, supply chains, international organizations, social media, financial flows).

- Global consciousness:  a growing sense that the world is “one place,” where actions and problems are interconnected. This is not universal agreement but a shared awareness that human lives are part of a larger planetary whole.

Robertson and White show that globalization operates across four dimensions:

  1. Economic – the expansion of trade, markets, and transnational corporations (TNCs), along with neoliberal policies like deregulation and privatization.

  2. Political – the reshaping of sovereignty and the rise of global governance institutions such as the UN, WTO, and IMF.

  3. Cultural – both homogenizing forces (George Ritzer’s “McDonaldization”) and hybrid forms as global practices adapt to local settings.

  4. Social – changes in interaction and communication, from letters between migrants and families to today’s instantaneous digital networks.

A major point in their argument is that nation-states remain central to globalization. Rather than being swept away by global flows, states organize and regulate them. Debates over multiculturalism, migration, and national identity show that globalization intensifies, rather than erases, national belonging.

The authors also highlight how globalization extends from the individual self to humanity as a whole. Individuals increasingly shape identities through gender, ethnicity, religion, and nationality in global arenas, while humanity faces collective questions about climate change, human rights, and biotechnology.

Finally, Robertson and White introduce glocalization – the process where global forces adapt to local circumstances. For example, McDonald’s adjusts its menu in India by removing beef to respect Hindu traditions. This concept shows that globalization is not a one-way stream of homogenization; global practices always interact with local contexts.

2. New, Interesting, or Unusual Insights

Robertson and White broaden our understanding of globalization in several ways:

  • Global consciousness is as transformative as material networks. Most discussions focus on trade, finance, or technology, but the authors argue that the way people imagine the world – as a shared space with common problems – is equally significant. This awareness shapes debates about sustainability, migration, and identity.
  • The nation-state is not obsolete. Far from fading, states are deeply involved in globalization. They manage migration flows, negotiate trade deals, and regulate communication platforms. Even the very idea of a “nation” has been globalized, as countries learn from each other how to frame identity, diversity, and belonging.
  • Glocalization complicates the idea of cultural imperialism. Instead of a simple story of domination, global actors must localize their products and messages. Yet this adaptation can also create a new form of sameness: the expectation that all global brands will localize in similar ways.
  • Globalization shapes the self. Social media enables people to craft and broadcast identities that cross borders. But this freedom is tied to new surveillance by states and corporations, blurring the line between personal agency and control.

These insights position globalization as not only about “big systems” but also about everyday life, ethics, and the negotiation of power between local and global forces.

3. Identify at Least One Question or Concern

The chapter raises pressing questions about power, inequality, and participation. If globalization depends on global consciousness, how inclusive can that awareness truly be when economic disparities and limited access to technology exclude many from global debates?

Another issue concerns the relationship between culture and economics. Are cultural hybrids, like localized fast-food menus or K-pop’s global appeal, genuine expressions of diversity, or are they marketing strategies crafted to extend corporate reach? Ritzer’s contrast between glocalization and “grobalization” suggests that beneath the surface of variation, global capitalism may still impose deeper uniformity.

Finally, Robertson and White’s defense of the nation-state invites reflection on sovereignty. As global governance grows and TNCs wield enormous influence, can states still act independently, or are they becoming administrators of global systems? And if national identity is now shaped by global norms, does this strengthen or dilute the meaning of belonging to a nation?

 Conclusion

Robertson and White present globalization as a dynamic negotiation of connection and difference, not a monolithic trend. It is powered by two intertwined forces—connectivity and consciousness—and unfolds across economic, political, cultural, and social dimensions. Globalization reshapes nations, local cultures, and even personal identities, while prompting humanity to consider shared challenges.

Yet their analysis also reveals tensions: between inclusion and exclusion, homogenization and diversity, sovereignty and global governance, freedom and surveillance. Understanding globalization means engaging with these contradictions rather than reducing it to slogans about markets or technology.

Seen this way, globalization is less a destination and more an evolving conversation about how people, communities, and institutions negotiate life in a deeply interconnected world.


Comments

  1. 임예빈September 25, 2025 at 2:20 AM

    The part about social media and personal identity very interesting. At the same time, I notice that people often form communities online with others who share the same interests or backgrounds. Do you think this phenomenon can also be understood as a part of globalization?

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  2. Choi Jaewon(최재원)September 27, 2025 at 11:12 PM

    It's really helpful to see the key ideas from the chapter broken down so clearly. I especially liked how you explained the difference between global connectivity and global consciousness. That's a point I hadn't thought about much before, but it makes so much sense now. The idea that we are all becoming more aware of the world as "one place" is a powerful insight. I also found the section on glocalization very interesting. Your example of McDonald's in India perfectly shows how global ideas and products change to fit local cultures.

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