Chap 2: Globalization and World Politics

2.1 Mapping Globalization

1. Global Economic Integration:

- The global economy is deeply interconnected, with nations, communities, and households
linked through trade, nance, and production networks.
- Before the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC), economic globalization was at its peak, with
signi cant global ows of capital, goods, and services. After the GFC, economic globalization
slowed down, and the Covid-19 pandemic further disrupted global trade and nance.

2. Role of Transnational Corporations:

- Large multinational corporations have signi cant power in the global economy. Their revenues
often exceed the GDP of many countries, and they play a major role in global production, trade,
and investment.

3. Impact of Technology:
- Advances in transportation and communication, such as the internet and mobile phones, have
revolutionized global interactions. Digitalization has expanded global communication and
accelerated globalization, but it also highlights inequalities in digital access.

4. Global Risks and Challenges:

- Globalization has created complex interdependencies, leading to systemic risks like
pandemics and environmental crises. These risks often a ect multiple regions and require
coordinated global responses.

5. Global Governance:
- There has been a growth in global governance and regulation through international
organizations and agreements, such as the UN, WTO, and various environmental and
humanitarian bodies. These institutions help manage globalization but also in uence domestic
policies.

6. Migration and Tourism:

- Migration patterns have changed, with signi cant movements from the Global South to the
North. Migration is a contentious issue, often linked to cultural and economic concerns.
- Tourism was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic but is rebounding. Globalization has
led to increased migration and tourism, re ecting both the opportunities and inequalities created
by global connectivity.

7. Cultural Globalization:
- Cultural exchange is a key aspect of globalization, but it can also reinforce cultural divisions.
While global media and entertainment spread widely, cultural mixing and hybrid identities are also
becoming more common.

In summary, globalization connects economies, technologies, and cultures, but it also brings
challenges like economic disparities, systemic risks, and cultural tensions.

2.2.1 Mapping globalisation

1. Global Economic Integration:

The global economy is interconnected, a ecting nations, communities, and households through
global trade, nance, and production networks. No country is immune to global market dynamics,
as shown by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Before the GFC, economic globalization reached
record levels, but it slowed down after the crisis, a trend that continued with "slowbalization." The
COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine further disrupted global trade and nancial
ows.

2. Global Market Power:

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 The scale of global nancial markets is immense, with daily transactions on the world’s money
markets exceeding $6.5 trillion. Transnational corporations (TNCs) have turnovers that surpass the
GDP of many countries, controlling signi cant portions of world trade and investment. These
corporations blur the lines between national and global economies, with companies like BMW
having major production operations outside their home countries.

3. Technological Revolution:
Modern transport and communication technologies, such as the internet and mobile phones,
have revolutionized globalization. Digitalization has dramatically increased global data ows and
connectivity, though it also widens the digital divide. The ability to organize and mobilize across
borders has led to movements like Black Lives Matter becoming global phenomena, while also
facilitating the spread of nationalist populism and illicit activities.

4. Global Risks and Governance:

Globalization has created complex interdependencies that can lead to systemic risks, such as
pandemics and cyberattacks, which do not respect national borders. This has expanded the role
of global governance institutions, like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, in
managing these risks. Global governance now plays a signi cant role in domestic a airs through
international standards and regulations.

5. Migration and Cultural Dynamics:

Migration, in uenced by globalization, has become a contentious issue, often seen as a threat
to national identities. While globalization can unite people across borders, it also highlights
cultural di erences. Despite the global reach of media like Net ix, there is little evidence of
cultural convergence. Instead, cultural globalization leads to increased complexity, with the mixing
of cultures and the creation of hybrid identities.

2.2.2 Analysing Globalisation

1. Globalization as a Process: It involves the stretching of various activities (social, political,
cultural, and economic) across national boundaries, leading to global interconnectedness. Events
in one part of the world can have signi cant impacts elsewhere, as seen in issues like climate
change.

2. Intensi cation of Interconnectedness: Globalization increases the magnitude of

interconnectedness across di erent spheres of life, leading to more frequent and intense global
interactions.

3. Acceleration of Global Flows: The speed at which ideas, goods, information, and capital
circulate globally has increased, exempli ed by events like the 2020 global stock market crash
triggered by the pandemic.

4. Deepening of Local-Global Relationships: Local events are increasingly in uenced by global

factors, such as how the war in Ukraine a ects food shortages in distant regions.

5. Global Awareness: There is a growing awareness among people and organizations that they
are part of a global system, which in uences perspectives on issues like climate justice.

6. Structural Shift: Globalization represents a shift in how human a airs are organized, moving
from local or national scales to transnational and global scales. This shift is evident in global
production networks and movements like Occupy.

7. Deterritorialization: Social, political, and economic activities are increasingly organized

beyond traditional national boundaries, leading to a blurring of the distinction between national
and global economies.

8. Di erential Impact: Globalization is not experienced uniformly. Wealthier countries are more
globalized than poorer ones, and within countries, the e ects vary between urban and rural areas,
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 sectors, and even households. This has led to signi cant inequalities and a polarization of wealth
and opportunities.

9. Competing Narratives: Globalization is understood di erently across the world. In the Global
South, it is often seen as Westernization or a form of imperialism, leading to resistance. The
process does not always create harmony but can be a source of con ict.

10. Time-Space Compression: New technologies have "shrunk" the world, making geographical
distances less relevant. However, this also means that power is often exercised at a distance,
complicating accountability and transparency.

11. Globalization vs. Internationalization: Unlike internationalization, which refers to the growing
connections between independent nation-states, globalization transcends state boundaries,
dissolving the distinction between domestic and international a airs.

12. De nition of Globalization: It is a historical process that fundamentally changes the spatial
scale of human social organization, linking distant communities and expanding power relations
across regions and continents.

2.2.3 Debating Globalisation

##Sceptical Argument:
- Globalization as a Myth: Sceptics argue that globalization is an exaggerated and super cial
concept, more myth than reality. They believe that traditional forces like state power, geopolitics,
nationalism, capitalism, and imperialism are the true determinants of world politics.

- Realist Perspective: Realists maintain that geopolitics and the anarchical state system continue
to dominate global a airs. They see globalization as a form of internationalization driven by
hegemonic powers, particularly the most powerful states that create and enforce world order,
such as the United States. This view suggests that globalization is dependent on the will and
power of these states and is therefore contingent and not transformative.

- Marxist Perspective: Marxist sceptics view globalization as a continuation of the expansionary

logic of capitalism, akin to past forms of imperialism. They argue that globalization is just a new
label for ongoing capitalist development and does not represent a fundamental change. Thus,
they see it as lacking explanatory value and as epiphenomenal, merely a byproduct of deeper
forces like geopolitics or capitalism.

### Globalist Argument:

- Globalization as Disruptive Change: Globalists reject the sceptical view and argue that
globalization is a signi cant and transformative force in world politics. They believe it is driving
fundamental changes in how power is organized and exercised globally.

- Transformationalists: A subset of globalists, called transformationalists, assert that

globalization is creating profound changes in world politics, leading to a more complex and
unpredictable global landscape. This includes shifts in power from the West to the East, from
state to non-state actors, and the recon guration of statehood, capitalism, societies, and
identities.

- Di erent Forms of Globalization: Transformationalists also acknowledge that globalization has

taken di erent historical forms, such as empire, post-Cold War neoliberalism, and more recently,
the rise of transnational politics advocating for global justice.

- Contemporary Challenges: Despite recognizing the transformative power of globalization,

globalists and transformationalists also note that recent events—like rising nationalism,
geopolitical tensions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine—pose signi cant
challenges to globalization, potentially leading to a crisis or reversal of the process.

### Conclusion:
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 The debate over globalization is divided between those who see it as an overstated concept that
masks deeper forces (sceptics) and those who view it as a genuine and transformative process
reshaping global politics (globalists). The outcome of this debate has signi cant implications for
how we understand and respond to the changing dynamics of power, economy, and society on a
global scale.

2.3 The crisis of globalization and the liberal world order

The world has experienced two signi cant crises of globalization: the Global Financial Crisis (GFC)
of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Both events led to a rapid reversal of globalization,
reinforcing a backlash that had been building, particularly in the form of nationalist populism. This
backlash challenges not only globalization but also the liberal world order that has supported it.
The situation has been further complicated by Russia's war on Ukraine, contributing to what
some see as a profound crisis of globalization.

### Three Key Developments Disrupting Globalization:

1. Global Populist Revolt:

- Rise of Nationalist Populism: Nationalist or radical right populism has become widespread,
fueled by distrust in mainstream politics, opposition to multiculturalism, growing inequality, and
cultural divisions. This movement has gained momentum from events like Brexit and Trump's
"Make America Great Again" campaign.
- Impact on Liberal Order: Nationalist populism erodes support for the Western international
consensus that sustains globalization and the liberal world order. This is evident in shifts like the
Trump administration's "America First" policies and the ongoing reluctance of the U.S. under
Biden to fully embrace the old neoliberal globalization model.

2. Return of Great Power Rivalry:

- Power Shift: The 21st century has seen a redistribution of global power, moving from a
unipolar world dominated by the U.S. to a multipolar world with rising powers like China, India,
and Brazil. This shift has intensi ed strategic competition, particularly between the U.S., China,
India, and Russia.
- Threat to Global Stability: This rivalry undermines the stability that once supported the liberal
world order and globalization. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for example, has escalated tensions,
contributing to a more divided and unstable global landscape.

3. Securitization of Global Connectivity:

- Strategic Decoupling: The intensifying geo-economic competition, COVID-19 pandemic, and
sanctions on Russia have led major powers to protect their economic and technological bases,
often through decoupling from global networks. For example, the U.S. has campaigned against
Huawei's involvement in 5G networks.
- Weaponization of Connectivity: The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains,
and sanctions on Russia highlighted how global connectivity can be used as a tool in geopolitical
con icts. This has led to strategies of "strategic autonomy" among various nations, further driving
a trend toward autarky or deglobalization.

### Interpretations of the Current Conjuncture:

- Sceptical Views:
- Decline of U.S. Hegemony: Sceptics argue that the crisis re ects the decline of U.S. power
and the erosion of the liberal world order it supported. They see this as part of the historical cycle
of rise and decline of great powers and economic disparities under capitalism.
- End of Liberal Order?: While some realists view the potential end of the liberal world order with
concern, others believe it is not a loss worth mourning, viewing it as a cover for U.S. hegemony
and imperialism.

- Globalist Views:
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 - Liberal Accounts: Liberals fear a return to a dystopian world without a rules-based order,
where might makes right. They advocate for strengthening and defending the existing liberal order
through assertive Western leadership.
- Transformationalist Accounts: Transformationalists argue that the crisis is overstated. They
believe the liberal world order was never fully liberal or orderly and that what we are witnessing is
not deglobalization but a shift towards a more diverse and multicentric global order. They see
globalization as resilient, with a new phase of "reglobalization" driven by digital technologies,
China’s rise, and the need for post-pandemic economic recovery.

### Conclusion:
Despite the challenges, both the liberal world order and globalization are adapting to the new
realities of global power dynamics and capitalism in the 21st century. Globalization remains
signi cant, though it is evolving into a form that is less Western-centric and more re ective of a
multipolar world.

2.4 Globalization and the transformation of world politics

#### 1. From International to Planetary Politics:

- Globalization of Politics: The scope of politics has expanded beyond national borders. Local
decisions can have global repercussions, and global events a ect local politics. This shift means
that understanding politics requires a global perspective, not just a focus on state-centric
geopolitics.

#### 2. From the Liberal World Order to a Post-Western Global Order:

- Power Shift: New major powers like China, India, and Brazil are challenging the longstanding
Western dominance. This shift is changing the political and normative foundations of the liberal
world order. The question remains whether this transition will be peaceful or con ictual,
particularly with events like the war in Ukraine.

#### 3. From Intergovernmentalism to Global Governance:

- Global Governance System: The rise of global and regional institutions re ects a move from
intergovernmental cooperation to a broader global governance system. This system includes
extensive multilateral collaboration, impacting state sovereignty and leading to a more activist
state role in achieving domestic objectives.

#### 4. From National Security to a World Risk Society:

- World Risk Society: Globalization has led to the emergence of transboundary issues like climate
change and pandemics, which are now central to world politics. These issues are managed and
prevented within a global framework, highlighting the need for international cooperation.

#### 5. From Hegemonic Power to Di used Power:

- Redistribution and Di usion of Power: Power is shifting from a unipolar world dominated by the
West to a more multipolar system. Power is also becoming more di used, involving non-state
actors like global corporations and NGOs. New forms of power, such as cyber capabilities and
economic sanctions, are increasingly relevant.

#### 6. From Liberal Peace to Structural Con ict:

- Con ict and Inequality: While globalization can foster peace and prosperity, it also perpetuates
structural inequalities and con icts. The globalized world is marked by competition, resistance,
and con ict among states and transnational actors. This con ict can be non-violent but remains a
core aspect of global politics.

### Conclusion:
Globalization remains a crucial factor in understanding contemporary world politics. It continues
to reshape the dynamics of power, governance, and con ict. The idea that globalization is ending
is contested, with evidence suggesting a process of reglobalization rather than deglobalization.
The challenges of governing globalization for the bene t of all are ongoing and complex, re ecting
deep normative and political disagreements.
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