What is the relation between politics and globalization? - Kim younggyun

 1) Summarize

I think this article can be summarized as, "Political globalization is redistributing power." Of course, the argument isn't that this redistribution of power is weakening the power of the state, but rather that it's changing the way politics operates. Delanty and Rumford explain political globalization across three dimensions.

The first dimension is the global geopolitical dimension. Globalization has made democracy the norm for global politics. Furthermore, globalization has created a system where multiple powers exist, not just in the United States.

The second dimension is the global normative culture dimension. Values ​​such as human rights and environmental protection are becoming established as global norms. Politics is now also focusing on these values, and there is a growing trend of prioritizing individual rights over national ones.

The third dimension is multi-centric networks. Political actors are expanding from the state to include NGOs and international organizations. Power no longer flows from the state, but from networks.


2) Interesting point

The first thing that struck me was the perspective that the spread of democracy represents the beginning of a new political experiment. I myself live in South Korea, a democratic country, so I'm well aware of its strengths. From my experience, while democracy has its drawbacks, it certainly respects diversity and strives to reflect it in social decision-making. It was fascinating to see that Delanty and Rumford seemed to agree with my experiential knowledge.

The second interesting point is the explanation that the center of politics is shifting from territoriality to networks. I found it fascinating that politics, once determined by the territorial unit of the nation, is now driven by the network power of NGOs and civic groups. Technological advancements like social media seem to be accelerating this trend. Now, I'm thinking about taking a closer look at networks like international organizations and NGOs.


3) Concern and Discussion

One concern, as the author points out, is the "ambivalence" of civil society networks. Civil society plays a positive role, but it can also be exploited for terrorism and crime. While non-state networks can be used for good purposes, I believe they can also provide various opportunities for uncontrolled, dangerous forces.

Meanwhile, I'd like to discuss with other students the topic, "How should the state and civil society distribute power?" Political globalization demonstrates a shift in the center of power from the state to civil society and individuals. So, to what extent should the state be responsible, and what should be left to civil society? Political globalization is strengthening the power of civil society, but the state still wields significant power. When addressing global issues like the climate crisis, is it truly appropriate to rely solely on network-based civil society?


4) References

  •  Delanty, G., & Rumford, C. (2007). Political globalization. The blackwell companion to globalization

    • I am not sure about the exact page number of the original text, as I am referring to the lecture materials uploaded by the professor.


    5) Using Ai
    I received gpt-5's help when translating writing in Korean into English. Other than simple translation , I did activities such as writing and composing paragraphs on my own.

    Comments

    1. 김영찬(Kim Yeongchan)November 13, 2025 at 7:54 AM

      I believe it’s unrealistic for civil society to take on a greater role. Although civil society has certainly achieved a lot, it has proven powerless in the face of the overwhelming power of the state. For example, it failed to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Therefore, as long as civil society lacks the kind of physical power that the state possesses, I think its influence will remain largely symbolic in critical moments.

      ReplyDelete
    2. Kim DonghaDecember 15, 2025 at 8:16 AM

      I read your reflection carefully and found it clear and well-organized. Your summary captures Delanty and Rumford’s main argument that political globalization redistributes power rather than weakening the state, and your explanation of the three dimensions was easy to follow. I especially liked how you connected the discussion of democracy to your own experience in South Korea, as it showed genuine engagement with the topic. The shift from territorial politics to network-based power was also interesting, and your concern about the ambivalence of civil society networks demonstrated critical thinking. Overall, this was a solid and reflective response, and connecting your discussion questions more directly to the authors’ arguments could make it even stronger.

      ReplyDelete

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