Globalization | The Very Short Introductions Podcast | Episode 4

Summary

In this podcast, Professor Manfred Steger provides an insightful introduction to globalization, describing it as the expansion, intensification, and acceleration of social relations across the globe. He outlines four key forms of globalization: embodied (physical movement), disembodied (intangible ideas and data), objectified (physical goods and environmental impacts), and organizational (global institutions and corporations). These forms influence economic, political, cultural, ecological, and ideological dimensions. Steger reflects on his personal journey into globalization studies, emphasizing its potential to enhance lives, especially in disadvantaged regions, while promoting sustainable practices to protect the planet.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Globalization is about planetary interconnectivity, characterized by the expansion, intensification, and acceleration of social relations across world time and space.
• 📡 New information and communication technologies (ICT) are key drivers of modern globalization, making interdependence faster and more intense.
• 🧳 Embodied globalization refers to the physical mobility of people such as migrants, refugees, tourists, and workers across borders.
• 💻 Disembodied globalization involves the movement of intangible things like ideas, words, sounds, and digital assets across borders, often occurring in cyberspace.
• 📦 Objectified globalization pertains to the global mobility of physical objects like goods, commodities, greenhouse gas emissions, and viruses (e.g., COVID-19).
• 🏢 Organizational globalization refers to the expansion of institutions, corporations, states, and sports clubs (like Manchester United) on a global scale.
• 💰 Globalization operates across multiple dimensions, including economic, political, cultural, ecological, and ideological aspects.
• 🗓 The author's interest in globalization began in 1989, during the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, prompting questions about the future of nation-states and global interdependence.
• 🤝 The speaker views globalization positively, emphasizing its potential to enhance lives globally but stresses the need for fair and sustainable practices, especially in disadvantaged regions.
• 🌱 Sustainable globalization must prioritize the well-being of people and the planet, ensuring that global interconnectivity benefits everyone.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the podcast, and what are their qualifications?

The speaker is Manfred Steger, a professor of sociology at the University of Hawaii and a Global Professor Fellow at Western Sydney University. He has published extensively on globalization, served as an academic consultant for the U.S. State Department, and authored 'Globalization: A Very Short Introduction,' now in its fifth edition.

How does the speaker define globalization in simple terms?

Globalization is described as planetary interconnectivity, involving the expansion, intensification, and acceleration of social relations across world time and world space. It's driven by new information and communication technologies.

What are the three key aspects of globalization according to the speaker?

The three key aspects are: (1) Expansion or stretching of social networks, (2) Intensification, meaning there are more connections and more information being exchanged, and (3) Acceleration, where everything happens at a faster pace.

What is embodied globalization?

Embodied globalization refers to the physical movement of human bodies across the world, such as migrants, travelers, refugees, workers, and tourists. It’s the oldest form of globalization and continues today.

What does disembodied globalization refer to?

Disembodied globalization involves the movement of intangible things like ideas, words, images, knowledge, and electronic texts. This form of globalization has been especially amplified in the digital age and is sometimes called digital globalization.

What is objectified globalization?

Objectified globalization covers the global movement of physical objects such as commercial goods, traded commodities, greenhouse gases, and even viruses like COVID-19. It shows how physical things affect people and the environment globally.

What is meant by organizational globalization?

Organizational globalization refers to the global expansion of institutions, corporations, empires, states, and other organizations. An example is Manchester United, a football club that is localized in Manchester but has fan clubs worldwide, making it a globalized franchise.

What dimensions of globalization are highlighted in the podcast?

Globalization is broken down into five dimensions: economic, political, cultural, environmental (ecological), and ideological. Each of these dimensions is discussed in the book to show how globalization impacts different areas of life.

How did the speaker become interested in studying globalization?

Manfred Steger became interested in globalization over 30 years ago, around 1989, during the fall of communism in Europe and the end of the Cold War. As a PhD student at the time, he began exploring questions about the emerging interdependent world.

What is the speaker's overall attitude towards globalization?

The speaker has a positive attitude towards globalization, believing that it has the potential to improve lives globally. However, he emphasizes the need for globalization to benefit disadvantaged regions and to ensure sustainable development, particularly for the well-being of the planet.