MODULE 1/LESSON 1: UNDERSTANDING GLOBALIZATION

1. Defining globalization is shaped by the perspective of the person who defines it. One’s
definition had perspective and different ways on how to see steps in addressing the
issues of globalization.
“Globalization is a ‘world of things’ that have ‘different speeds, axes, points of origin, and
termination, and varied relationships to institutional structures in different regions,
nations, or societies.” – Arjun Appadurai (1996)
“Globalization is a process of expanding various sociocultural and socio-ecological
processes from national to international and transcultural level” – Al-Rodhan (2006)

2. “Globalization is the debate and the debate is globalization” – Cesare Poppi

The debate on globalization had grown over the past decades, it became more vague
and obscure. More than any concept, globalization is the debate about it.

3. Globalization is the reality. It is changing as human society develops. It has happened

before and is still happening right now. And we should expect it to happen in the future.

---Overall, globalization is a concept that was never easy to define.

According to George Ritzer, “attitude towards globalization depends, among things, on
whether one gains or losses from it.”

● Global Connected Index (GCI)

– one of the recent indicators of global connection. It is a measurement of flows and
interconnectedness of a country to other global players through exchanges in trade,
capital, people, and information.
– Based on the Global Connectedness Index 2018 Report, the World’s level of
connectedness in terms of trade, capital, information, and people is at its peak in
2017. The report indicates that the Netherlands is the world’s most globally
connected country, while Europe is the most highly globally connected continent.
Also, economies in Southeast Asia like Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam
have exceeded expectations for Global connectivity, particularly in flow.

● Factors Driving Globalization

One of the factors that drive Globalization is the reduction of trade barriers. In 1947,
richer countries banded together to reduce taxes on imports or tariffs under the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was later transformed into
 World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994. Husain also identified modern technology
developments as a key driver of globalization that facilitated faster communication and
access to data and information.

● Flows in the Age of Globalization

Important Aspects of Globalization:
1. Global Trading
International Trading or the economic exchanges and deals between
countries, is enabled by international fiscal payments and where private banks and
the central banks or particular nations play important roles
Global Trading concerns importation and exportation. The world saw an
increase in word trade from 1971 to 1999, and the biggest increase was seen in the
export of manufactured goods. Meanwhile, exports of primary commodities such as
food and raw materials often produced by poor countries declined.

2. Capital Movements of Flows

There was an increase in the capital flows to poor countries during the 1990s.One
manifestation of capital movement is foreign investment. Foreign investment can be
categorized as commercial loans, official flows, or foreign direct investment.
Commercial loans – are money lent to foreign businesses or governments.
Official flows – refers to development aid or money granted by rich countries to
developing nations.
Foreign direct investment – refers to buying or putting up a firm in a foreign country
or contributing to the enhancement of an existing firm. Transnational Corporations
(these are businesses that operate in more than one country) primarily undertake
foreign direct investment.

3. Movement of People
People can migrate to other countries in search of better employment opportunities.
In the Philippines, the number of Overseas Filipino Workers during the period April
to September 2018 was estimated at 2.3 million.

● Cultural Globalization
Refers to the increasing “contact between people and their cultures – their ideas, their
values, and their ways of life”. This significant change is getting deeply entrenched in
contemporary societies. It is also linked to globalization of lifestyle such as music,
media, fashion, food, as well as globalization of knowledge, science, and technology.

● Political Globalization
 It is the enlargement of the international political system and its establishment, where
inter-regional dealings, including trade are managed.

● The Impacts of Globalization

Economic deregulation is met with disapproval from different groups such as labor
organizations, environmental groups, indigenous peoples, and even consumer groups.
Lessening government’s control over business led to outcomes such as neglect of
environment, low wages and unstable employment, under servicing of consumers, and
privatizing common resources.

Lesson 1 - ACTIVITY 1:

1. Has globalization gone too far, not far enough, or has it been heading in the wrong direction?
Expound your answer (300 word)

2. To what extent is global poverty a harm inflicted by the global economy? Discuss your answer and
present your argument (350 word)

3. Does economic globalization lift all boats, or is it a modern form of empire? Explain your answer (300
word)

4. Is "globalization" another word for Americanization? Discuss your answer and present your argument
(200 word)

5. Are globalization’s characteristic interactions and institutions exploitative, and, if so, does this
generate moral duties? Discuss your answer and present your argument (350 word)

6. Do well-off peoples have to give up advantages and luxuries for the benefit of the global poor? Explain
your answer (200 word)

7. What practical challenges and constraints do states and individuals face in responding to their global
moral duties? Illustrate your answer evidently (200 word)

Please do not copy your answer from the internet, you can only use the internet as your reference!!!
Lesson 1 - Activity 2: My Perspectives on Globalization

a. Complete the diagram below and prepare an essay or explanation on how you view
Globalization – “My Perspectives on Globalization”. The explanation should highlight how
you define globalization.

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Explanation:
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b. Describe young people’s lifestyle – food, media, fashion, art, movies, and music. Identify
which among these are influenced by foreign culture. What or who influenced you to adopt
those kinds of lifestyles?
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