Contemporary Global Issues Reflection Paper.doc - Charles...

Charles Barden
Upper Iowa University
Soc-304-6A-77 Globalization
Contemporary Global Issues Reflection Paper

Globalization seems to be a concept that was constantly repeated throughout the term.
This concept seemed to be a key topic and major concept from the chapter. The book describes
globalization as “ the set of processes that encompass the growing multi-dimensional flow of
people, places, objects, and information, as well as the structures they encounter and create .
The most important parts of this definition is the idea that globalization is a process and the
globalization does not inexorably lead to greater interaction between peoples. Nothing that
happens with globalization occurs automatically.” Globalization has many different concepts and
versions of the theory. It occurs in our everyday life, and everyone experiences it. Ritzer stated
that, “Virtually every nation and the lives of billions of people throughout the world are being
transformed, often quite dramatically, by globalization.” Other key topics that were discussed are
politics, technology, and Americanization. These topics all fall under the umbrella of
globalization, and they offer us insight on how globalization continues to spread and make our
world operate as it does.
Politics play a role in globalization because that is essentially where everything is being
controlled. This is how the leaders of the world are determined and then they collectively decide
how things will flow all of the cultures and subcultures. According to Ritzer, “Politics is the
other of the most important concerns of those interested in globalization, especially the role of
the nation-state in that process.” Politics helps to remove the barriers of trade and cultures; it
allows different countries and states to find common ground and further expand to one another’s
jurisdiction. When politics come into play, it lays the groundwork for other processes in
globalization like the spreading of technology. Globalization affects the political stage by moving
away from a national, territorial system and towards a unilateral integrated system. This allows
for less focus on independent rights and economies and much greater focus on world events,

local crises, human rights and global development, according to Global Policy (Kumar, 2003).
Politics is basically the beginning of the large-scale globalization.
Technology is the next part of globalization. It is a vital force in the process of
globalization. Technology helps globalization be easier and more tangible especially when it
comes to international affairs. There isn’t a need to have to travel to a different country for a
business meeting anymore. The biggest advancement globalization has seen is the internet and