Globalization. George Ritzer
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and the like, and even as immigrants, at least in some senses (e.g. the flow is much more multidirectional than it was in that earlier epoch). It is even more the case that social relationships are more liquid, and flow more easily, than they did in the past. Fifth, Tomlinson (2007: 352) offers a definition of globalization that has much of the flavor of the perspective being offered here: “complex, accelerating, integrating process of global connectivity … rapidly developing and ever-densening network of interconnections and interdependencies that characterize material, social, economic and cultural life in the modern world”; another definition emphasizing flows, interconnectedness, and also barriers can be found in Yergin and Stanislaw (1998: 383).
5 5 In addition to “flow” Chanda (2007) uses terms like “flowing,” “water,” “ripples,” and “waves” in discussing globalization. “Tracking Global Flows” is the title of Inda and Rosaldo’s (2008) Introduction to an anthology of work in anthropology on globalization, and flows is the organizing principle of that book. The five substantive sections of that book deal with the flow of capital, people, commodities, the media, and ideologies. Paul Gilroy (1993: 190) often uses images of ships and sea voyages in his discussion of global “flows.” See also Ong (2006).
6 6 Although, contrary to US propaganda, al-Qaeda did not have much of a role, if any, in Iraq.
7 7 While this discussion will focus on structures, it is clear that structures are created, run, and staffed by human agents who direct their operations. This is in line with the general tendency in social theory to be concerned with the relationship between structure and agency. See Ritzer and Stepnisky (2017).
CHAPTER 2 GLOBALIZATION II SOME BASIC ISSUES, DEBATES, AND CONTROVERSIES1
Is There Such a Thing as Globalization?
Is it Globalization, Transnationalization, or Regionalization?
If There is Such a Thing as Globalization, When did it Begin?
Globalization or Globalizations?
Does Globalization Hop Rather than Flow?
If There is Such a Thing as Globalization, is it Inexorable?
Does Globaphilia or Globaphobia Have the Upper Hand?
What, if Anything, Can Be Done About Globalization?
Necessary Actions are Already UnderwayMore, Perhaps Much More, Needs to be Done
Chapter 1 presented an overarching and integrated perspective on globalization as well as at least some details on a few of its (innumerable) elements. However, we have proceeded to a large extent as if globalization in general, as well as the particular perspective on it offered here (with its focus on flows and barriers, processes and structures), is not in dispute. Indeed, the entire field of globalization studies is riddled with differences of opinion and great debates (Dean and Ritzer 2012; Ritzer and Atalay 2010; Zürn and de Wilde 2016). In this chapter we present some of these differences. The goal is to offer a more nuanced sense of globalization.
We begin with an issue that, from the tenor of the discussion in the first chapter, would appear to be a non-issue. That is the question of whether or not there is some set of developments that can legitimately be called globalization. While the prior discussion, as well as the reality of this book and its title, indicates that the answer to that question will, in the end, be in the affirmative, it is worth reviewing the debate over the very existence of globalization.