Globalisation Flashcards
What does Pountney observe that globalisation is?
It is used to describe a process which dates back over many years. The migration of tribes across continents, colonisation of Africa, spread of religion, and the slave trade are all early features of globalisation.
Define globalisation?
All the processes by which the very different people and cultures of the world have been incorporated into one single global society.
Sociologists argue that _________ accelerated in the ____ ___ _______ because of developments in ______ forms of _________
Sociologists argue that globalisation accelerated in the late 20th century because of developments in digital forms of technology
What has digital technology done in the last 300 years?
Brought about more social change than ever before.
Is globalisation easy to define
NO
There are many problems with defining the word
Explain the sociologists views on the positive and negative sides of globalisation.
Positive - The process will eventually produce tolerant and responsible world citizens and raise the standard of living of developing societies.
Negative - Results in cultural homogenisation, Cultural diversity is often replaced by cultural sameness which is regarded as a backwards step.
Why is globalisation complex?
As it involves a variety of social, cultural, economic, and political changes that may not necessarily be in sync with one another
Does globalisation occur at different speeds, where and why?
Yes, all over the world. Because the digital social revolution has resulted in a digital divide between the developed world and places such as Africa, as people are less likely to have an internet connection or own a smart phone.
Define the digital revolution
Refers to the huge shift in communication over the past two decades in terms of the ways in which information is stored and shared.
What does Pountney observe about The digital revolution?
That the digital platforms that have developed contain ‘apps’ which help people communicate more easily, help manage their life and diet, and shop. These apps have been highly individualised so that people can adapt them to their own need.
What has digitalisation resulted in?
Technological convergence which means that different types of information could be combined into a single delivery system in the form of communication devices such as laptops.
What does digitalisation allow?
Allows information to be delivered immediately across a range of media platforms which were once separate and unconnected technologies.
What did Mcluhan 1964 predict?
He predicted the emergence of the ‘Global village’. He likened communications and media to a giant matrix which ultimately would connect everybody in the world as part of one super-culture.
What does Pountney observe about the ‘Global village’
The technology of the digital global village, for example social media sites. Increases peoples ability to create and maintain social relationships with friends, peers, colleagues they already know and people who live far away.
What did the ‘Global village’ make it easy to do?
Easy to find others with similar interests, like movies or video games, and form online relationships and communicate to one another.
What does Pountney suggest about relationships in a ‘global village’
That the relationships that people have online may be just as significant as those they enjoy offline.
What does Marxist sociologist Castell argue
That western societies have entered a late-modern period of capitalism in which the main resource is information.
In the past both communications and information were organised vertically - information was communicated from the capitalist elites that ran society to those below them.
But now with the easy availability of technology communications and information are arranged and organised horizontally. Ordinary people can now politically organise and influence the world of politics via social media.
Castells argues that digital forms of communication have decentralised power, and has resulted in more power in the hands of the people.
Define media convergence
The way that a whole range of different kinds of information can be combined and delivered in one format. For example, videos text and images can all be stored and accessed on one website.
What does digitalisation allow
Allows information to be delivered immediately across a range of media platforms which were once separate and unconnected.
What does media convergence also refer to
Refers to ways in which social media platforms converge and are able to communicate with one another to share contacts.
What has been a major feature of the digital age
The appearance and rapid global spread of social media platforms.
What does social media refer to
A participatory culture or network of websites and applications which enable a community of users to interact and collaborate.
What does the participatory culture of social media allow
It enables users to create and share content, to engage in social networking and to spread news.
What is the most popular social media site
In January 2017 how many people had registered on Facebook
1.86 Billion people worldwide
What are other popular social media platforms and how many users do they have?
- LinkedIn which helps people find work by sharing their skill has 20 Million users
- Twitter which is used to microblog has 500 Million users
Before the digital age what could people not do
People who wished to share their interest and ideas with those in other parts of the country or world were constrained by geographical distance and time zones and were forced to use slow forms of communication.
What has the digital age created and how is it helpful
It has created virtual communities in which globally-dispersed people with common interests are no longer constrained and can communicate freely over the internet
What are virtual communities
A social network of like-minded individuals who create an online community.
People who take part in these often adopt an anonymous digital identities.
Face-to-face interaction often involves judgement and discrimination stemming from inequalities, However online that is virtually impossible as you can mask said inequalities.
What virtual communities allow users to live alternate lives
Cybercity and Second life
What did Carter research and what did she find
She researched Cybercity.
She found that it had all the characteristics of a real city and has over a million registered users.
She concluded that it is just as much effort to maintain relationships in Cybercity as in real life face-to-face relationships. People who met online would often go onto meeting in real life and that the Cyberspace is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life.
What did Boellstorf study and what did he find
He studied Second life.
He concluded that that virtual worlds can change ideas about identity and society. However he also found that these virtual worlds involve immoral and criminal actions and there is little regulation of avatar behaviour. For example some avatar take on roles such as being a rapist and attacking other avatars.
Until the digital revolution what did social networks involve
People like friends and family meeting physically face to face.
What have digital networks done
Dramatically changes the face of social networking
What have digital networks enabled
People no longer have to leave home to apply for jobs, to transfer money, pay bills or shop. All of these activities can be conducted online
Since the digital revolution in relation to Data how has it changed
Its gone from information and data being stored in books, to being a few clicks away via google and wikipedia
What is Big data
Refers to extremely large data-sets that can be analysed digitally using logarithms to reveal trends, like in buying and selling habits.
How will big companies like Amazon use big data
To identify products you may like and want to spend money on. Essentially target people with advertisements specifically for them.
Pountney identifies five features that differentiates Big data from other sources of data, What are they?
- Volume - It is easier and cheaper to store information online, and there is no limit to the amount, It can be GIANT
- Velocity - Data can be accessed instantaneously
- Variety - Data comes in many varied formats
- Variability - Data may be subjected to peaks and troughs.
- Complexity - Data comes from multiple sources and can be difficult to sort in terms of its reliability and validity
