Lecture 12 - Globalization and Social Change

Question 1

What is Convergence?

Answer 1

Makes people, societies, and states more similar

Question 2

What is Divergence?

Answer 2

Makes the world unequal, differentiated, and diverse

Question 3

What is the World System Perspective?

Answer 3

Divergence - Rejects “national” development and believes countries are progressing on a linear path from an underdeveloped periphery towards a developed core

Question 4

What is the Periphery?

Answer 4

labour intensive production (low-skill, low-wage)

Question 5

What is the Semi-Periphery?

Answer 5

Middle buffer (exploited and exploiter)

Question 6

What is the Developed Core?

Answer 6

Centre of economic/political/military power

Question 7

What is the World Society Perspective?

Answer 7

Convergence - states share similar structures despite diverse histories because of a common set of “world cultural” norms adopted by states and NGOs

Question 8

What do Space/Time Perspectives mean?

Answer 8

• Abandoning conventional time and space in relations
• increased global awareness because of exposure
• Mixes convergence and divergences as cultural hybridization

Question 9

What is Giddens?

Answer 9

Time-Space compression (distances shrink, time is accelerated or compressed)
- Relations to not have to be face-to-face

Question 10

What is Glocalization?

Answer 10

Mixing of global and local. How globalized identities, products, and structures are adapted and modified in local practice (mcdonalds serving in other countries and tailoring the menu to preferences)

Question 11

What led to the invention of time?

Answer 11

Railway

Question 12

What is Neo-Liberalism?

Answer 12

Promotes the efficacy of free markets (with consumers making decisions through rational choice) and limited government
- De-regulation

Question 13

What is the lesson from deregulating the telecom industry in Canada?

Answer 13

When it comes to neo-liberalism, it is important to compare the ideas and justifications behind the policies (competitive markets, consumer choice, small government, deregulation) with the actual outcomes (less competition, concentrations of corporate power, more kinds of regulation)

Question 14

What are EPZ or SEZ?

Answer 14

Export Processing Zones or Special Economic Zones

- areas with distinct regulations (often less regulation) meant to be more attractive to foreign capital/trade

Question 15

How has Transportation and Information Technologies affected divergence and convergence?

Answer 15

Convergence - sharing of information

Divergence - digital divide for those with/without access