What is the relation between politics and globalization? - Jeong Giyoung

 

1) Summary

Globalization has deepened as states interact, resolve issues, and create shared norms. While it once revolved around military expansion and conquest, contemporary globalization is driven by diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and international treaties. As a result, international organizations have become increasingly influential, raising questions about how democratically they operate.

Political globalization also adds new layers of complexity to politics. Global geopolitics, global normative culture, and polycentric networks interact to transform the role of the nation-state—not eliminating it, but reshaping it. Borders, too, are not disappearing; rather, they are being redistributed more densely in new forms. Globalization enables freer movement, yet simultaneously produces “rebordering” as states respond to emerging threats like terrorism or migration control.

At the same time, the rise of international law and human rights has contributed to a decoupling of citizenship from nationality, as global norms increasingly appear to stand above domestic law.

2) What I Learned

As someone who hopes to become a journalist, this exploration significantly broadened my understanding of how to analyze global politics. Investigating the structural limitations of the UN helped me realize why journalists must look beyond official rhetoric and scrutinize deeper political realities. Despite the UN’s emphasis on peace and cooperation, the veto power of the Security Council’s permanent members often blocks meaningful action. Exposing the gap between institutional ideals and operational constraints is essential for reporting on international affairs.

I also found it illuminating to study why so many international organizations are concentrated in Geneva, Switzerland. From a journalistic perspective, this is not coincidence but the result of a layered history: Swiss neutrality, the influence of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a stable diplomatic environment all contributed to forming Geneva’s global institutional identity. This reaffirmed the importance of contextual analysis—understanding background, history, and symbolism—when covering international politics.

Perhaps most striking was the idea that borders are not fading but being reorganized into everyday spaces. Routine actions—validating a transit card, proving one’s identity at a library—can be interpreted as crossing new forms of micro-borders. For me, this raised compelling questions about the unseen structures governing our daily lives. It also reminded me that a journalist’s role involves uncovering these invisible power dynamics, whether they appear in international systems or local practices.

3) Concerns & Further Questions

The democratic legitimacy of international organizations remains a pressing concern. It is unclear whether institutions like the IMF, WTO, and World Bank genuinely represent the interests of all members, including developing countries. Despite claims of inclusivity, many decision-making structures appear skewed toward the influence of powerful states.

Questions also remain regarding the actual impact of global civil society. Although global civil society has gained the autonomy to speak, it often lacks the material power to constrain strong states. Its inability to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or prevent China’s pressure on Taiwan illustrates this limitation. If global civil society cannot influence major geopolitical actions, its autonomy risks becoming symbolic rather than effective. This highlights the tension between global ideals and the enduring force of state power, suggesting that the world remains fragmented along national lines despite narratives of globalization.

4) Using AI

I used gpt for translation and grammar correction.

Comments

  1. Minjee KimDecember 13, 2025 at 4:56 AM

    This is a nuanced and mature analysis of political globalization that balances theory with concrete examples. I found your discussion of how globalization reshapes—rather than erases—the nation-state especially insightful, as well as the idea of “rebordering” and micro-borders in everyday life. The reflection on international organizations is also strong, particularly the critique of democratic legitimacy and the Security Council’s veto power, which shows clear journalistic awareness beyond surface-level ideals. Your Geneva example effectively demonstrates how historical context and symbolism matter in global politics. Overall, the piece raises important questions about power, representation, and the limits of global civil society, encouraging readers to critically examine who truly governs in a globalized world.

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