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Chapter 3 Theories

This document outlines four major theories of globalization: 1. World system theory sees the global economy as consisting of core, periphery, and semi-periphery states with asymmetrical trade relations that perpetuate inequality. 2. Neorealism and neoliberal institutionalism view states as dominant actors competing for power, though neoliberalism sees more complex interdependence and the rise of international organizations. 3. World polity theory argues that states are becoming more similar through the spread of global norms and models transmitted by international associations. 4. World culture theory sees globalization compressing the world into a single entity through increased awareness of diversity, rather than homogenization.

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Asad Asif
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32 views14 pages

Chapter 3 Theories

This document outlines four major theories of globalization: 1. World system theory sees the global economy as consisting of core, periphery, and semi-periphery states with asymmetrical trade relations that perpetuate inequality. 2. Neorealism and neoliberal institutionalism view states as dominant actors competing for power, though neoliberalism sees more complex interdependence and the rise of international organizations. 3. World polity theory argues that states are becoming more similar through the spread of global norms and models transmitted by international associations. 4. World culture theory sees globalization compressing the world into a single entity through increased awareness of diversity, rather than homogenization.

Uploaded by

Asad Asif
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THEORIES OF GLOBALISATION

Chapter 3
Theories of Globalization
(Lechner & Boli, 2005)

• 1. World system theory


• 2. Neorealism/neoliberal institutionalism
• 3. World polity theory
• 4. World culture theory
1. World System Theory
• Reflected in readings from Immanuel Wallerstein, Leslie Sklair
• In the 1950s, the dominant theory was modernisation theory; its problem
was that some countries were not developing/ modernising as predicted
– evidence did not fit theory  hence...
• WST developed out of attempt to explain the failure of certain states to
develop
• Looking at Latin America, their economies could not compete, global
capitalism forced certain countries into under-development
• Trade is asymmetrical
• Poor countries are dependent on rich states
• Key concepts:

• CORE: rich & developed states

• PERIPHERY: poor & dependent states

• SEMI-PERIPHERY: the ‘in-between’ tampon zone; semi-industrialised states

• Semi periphery keeps the system stable

• Trade & investment concentration

• The core dictates the terms of trade

• Dependency makes the situation of peripheral states even worse (they may
even lose their political autonomy)
• The world system perpetuates dominance by the core & dependency of the
periphery

• G perpetuates inequality – global economic system is inherently unfair

• International organisations do not influence the fundamental position of core


and periphery because most NGOs and IGOs are created by core countries

• The idea that governments and international institutions can make the system
‘fair’ is an illusion (because they always reflect interests of capitalists)
2. Neorealism
• Realism and Neorealism dominant in IR theory for several decades

• Realism’s central claim: states are dominant actors in world


politics; driven by desire to survive and become more powerful
(war, military competition)

• Critique of R: states no longer in constant struggle for survival;


economic and social issues matter; Realism better suited to explain
18th and 19th c. situation
2. Neoliberal institutionalism

• Reflected in Robert Keohane & Joseph Nye: complex


interdependence
• Critical response to realism:

• Globalization produces a more complex system of


interdependent states; societies are interconnected in many
ways; power and security are not the only thing that matters –
states interact over many different kinds of issues
2. Neoliberal institutionalism
• Military force is no longer seen as being central to inter-state
relations; international organisations are the centre of global politics

• To understand global politics, we have to study what goes on in


international organisations (e.g. WTO)

• World society contains many centres of power; there is no one, single


power hierarchy

• Transnational rules and organisations now have much more influence


• States are still important but the system is one of
interdependence - other organisations also influence
world politics in critical ways

• The use of force is less effective; no hierarchy of issues


exists that would be the same for all states
3. World polity theory
• Developed in response to modernisation theory, WST and
Realism

• Reflected in John W. Meyer et.al.

• Polity = activities and associations of the public, political sphere

• World polity = political structures, associations and culture in


the international sphere
• Contrary to observations of other theories, WPT is focused on
the fact that societies have been becoming more similar in terms
of their government and state policies

• Isomorphism:

• “trying to account for a world whose societies ... are structurally


similar in many unexpected dimensions and change in
unexpectedly similar ways”
• States govern on the basis of cognitive models (which come from the culture and society)
– associations, IGOs and NGOs and other states transmit models of how to govern

• Worldwide models are constructed and reproduced through global cultural and
associational processes – “models embedded in an overarching world culture”

• States modify their ‘traditions’ in the direction of “world-cultural


forms/prescriptions/principles”

• WPT is based on a totally different theory of action: it emphasises the influence of norms
and culture – not power
4. World culture theory
• A response to world polity theory

• Reflected in Roland Robertson, Arjun Appadurai, Ulf Hannerz

• World culture is new and important BUT it is not as homogeneous as WPT


claims

• World society is a complex set of relations among many different units in the
“global field”

• People are becoming aware of the new global reality – the problem of how to live
together in one global system
4. World culture theory
• Globalization compresses the world into a single entity; the
emphasis is on cultural compression – all cultures are becoming
subcultures within a larger entity = “global acumene”

• This does not mean homogenisation but “organisation of


diversity”

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