Globalization

Summary

This documentary video named “Globalization” is realized by Jorn Barkemeyer and Jan Kunzl for educational purpose. It closely gives a look on the globalization processes and its potential consequences to the different sectors- particularly politics, economy, ecology and society- in the different global spaces such as different nations. It talks about three areas of globalization: the economic globalization, political globalization, and cultural globalization. Whether globalization is a new opportunity or threat to the people - is brought into a question by this documentary. 

Commentary

This video presents about the term of Globalization and the ramifications. In brief, of course, as everybody may know, globalization has its good and bad sides.

First of all, it talks about the opportunity gained from globalization such as better convenience in technology and transportation. For instance, when we compared to the past, the phone call from New York to London has decreased by 90% since 1930. The freight charges for a ton of coffee delivered from Asia to Europe only accounts for 1% of its price. These are the results of technology advancement created by one nation and spread to the other nations to apply it. Of course, it is undeniable that some processes of globalization do create positive advantages to the global residents.

In the aspect of political globalization, individual nation’s politics is being compromised and interconnected to the world as many of today’s world problems are shared by many countries. So, these countries need to come together to solve such global problems as terrorism and financial crisis. However, it is still debatable whether individual nation losing its sovereignty and working with other nations is a positive or negative consequence of globalization.

Meanwhile, there are also negative impacts of globalization. I believe that globalization can sometimes destroy the cultural diversity of some locals. In this documentary, it also talks about the cultural globalization, in the process of which the local and regional culture in many spaces are diminishing and influenced by the global culture or dominating western culture such as British music, some products, and American Hollywood movie, etc. This is one of the drawbacks of globalization.

Importantly, globalization creates uneven benefits to many nations. Economic sphere is the most affected area. I believe international trades and markets are more open and productive for many countries in this globalization era. On one hand, according to this documentary, the newly industrialized countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, India, and China profit from the process of globalization by having access to cheap labors and selling their products in the open global markets.  On the other hand, some countries, such as sub sahara African countries, do not profit from globalized market since new cheap products produced by newly industrialized countries replace their local market.  This is just giving the example of unevenness in economic sector for some countries because of the global market. In fact, there is more than one sector which faces with disadvantages in the globalization process.

In today’s world, economic, ecologic, social or political issues and problems are not longer limited to a national level because the world has become strongly interdependent. The term ‘Globalization’ does not mean for one spatial place. As its meaning covers for the whole world, it sometimes marginalizes some groups at either local, national or regional levels. So, it is not surprising that some local places lose in global world and some countries benefit from globalization process.  This documentary recalls my thoughts to consider that some nations profit in the process of globalization while others don’t.  It also gives me some insights to realize who get favors and who get threats in the phenomena of globalization when I see such situations.

Submitted by : Myint Myat Thu
Submitted to  : Dr. Mukdawan Sakboon
Course          : Geo 154443 ( Space, Society and Development )
Student          : 540415504