NCJ Number
199800
Date Published
2000
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the attributes of globalization.
Abstract
The current conventional wisdom is that globalization is inevitable; and that the state’s borders no longer correspond to economic, cultural, and social spaces. Four central arguments are made in response to these statements. The first is that globalization is not inevitable. There is a range of outcomes that are possible when the future is imagined a decade from now. The future is contingent rather than determined. The second argument is that globalization is “layered;” some of the threads of globalization may thicken more quickly than others. The third argument is that globalization in itself is neither good nor bad. This requires evaluation, not condemnation or celebration. The fourth argument is that the nation-state faces unprecedented challenges, but remains an indispensable institution, no matter what future one imagines. Its challenges and responses will be different, depending in part on the trajectory of globalization. Globalization is a long historical process. The distinguishing characteristics of globalization are “real time” and “virtual space.” The revolution in information and communication technologies is at the core of the contemporary phase of globalization. This revolution permits significant new opportunities and new constraints. A global economy has exponentially expanded capital markets, trade, mobility of factors of production, and investment opportunities. More accessible transportation has greatly increased the mobility of people. Immigration and emigration have grown, as society becomes global. The concept of citizenship is changing as people move back and forth between societies. The new frontier lies in exploring and understanding the social impact of globalization and the impact on globalization of social needs and preferences.