As common to all subjects, we spend the first three weeks of current affairs classes by trying to understand the real meaning of current affairs. The current affairs teams and most importantly our tutorial lecturer Mr. John attempted to show us the dominant current world issues by using different examples. Mr. John spared no effort to make us we really understand the main concept and I am proud to say that our class was totally different from other classes because we did not directly start the course. But first, we were introduced the criteria needed to observe and asses current affairs and that is the window of analyzing. This window helps us to look the issues in broader perspectives like social economic and political. After learning this, we explored globalization and its effects by using the window and I will share with you how I used the window to analyze this topic.
First of all, “Globalization” is a term that came into popular usage in the 1980’s to describe the increased movement of people, knowledge and ideas, and goods and money across national borders that has led to increased interconnectedness among the world’s populations, economically, politically, socially and culturally. However, its effects become more apparent after the second millennium and it has become inventible for us to understand it since it affects us in many ways. Secondly, I will try to highlight the main aspects of globalization.
Increasingly over the past two centuries, economic activity has become more globally oriented and integrated. Some economists argue that it is no longer meaningful to think in terms of national economies; international trade has become central to most local and domestic economies around the world. This is mainly due to the economic interdependence among the countries. Goods and services are sold in the international market, there are no trade barriers inhibiting the international trade. This has benefited to more developed countries but increase the strains of the poor developing countries. Most of them cannot compete with the goods produced by developed countries, and they cannot also control their money and income since they depend on outside countries. The less economically developed countries export the raw material to the developed ones which in return export the finished goods back to them with more expensive price. This has lead huge problems in the third world countries and that is why many of them cannot depend on themselves but rather the aid given by foreign countries. My country could be a good example of this, because the value of our currency depends on US dollar, and imagine if inflation happens to them it will also happen to us.
Globalization has impacts in the political arena, but there is not a consensus among social scientists about the nature and degree of its impact on national and international politics. Some political scientists argue that globalization is weakening nation-states and that global institutions gradually will take over the functions and power of nation-states. Other social scientists believe that while increased global inter-connectivity will result in dramatic changes in world politics, particularly in international relations (i.e., the way states relate to each other), the nation-state will remain at the center of international political activity. This has become very famous because most of the countries will ally a country where they will gain benefit from it.
On the other hand, globalization has increased transmission of popular culture easily and inexpensively from the developed countries of the North throughout the world. This means due to media, many societies are losing their traditional culture of eating habits or dressing habits, and the world is becoming like mono-culture. The western culture is dominant one and its effects can be seen anywhere in the world, for example in my country we used to eat our own traditional foods but nowadays people rarely eat. It is even become hard to find traditional food providers while modern westernized restaurants are everywhere. Another good example can be AiU, a new comer to this prestigious university will not immediately notice there are diverse students, because all the students are dressing alike. More badly, some of the people even feel shy and inferiority to wear their traditional clothes, so due to globalization we are losing our diversity and dignity.
Globalization has changed the world in many ways and its effects can be both negative and positive. However, after I observed all the pros and cons, I understood that its benefits are suited to the developed countries while the poor countries are only experiencing its black side. It was really enjoyable to understand one of the biggest issues in the world and how it affects us. It is also my pleasure to learn how to analyze current world issue critically.