GLOBALIZATIONGLOBALIZATION

October 16thOctober 16th

GlobalizationGlobalization

What is it?What causes it?What are its effects?How is it similar to/distinct from

Americanization?

Globalization: Various Strands....Globalization: Various Strands.... economic integration

foreign investment trade macroeconomic policy labour market integration integrated production processes

political integration EU, NAFTA WTO, OECD, IMF NORAD, NATO, UN

cultural integration cultural homogenization

Globalization: CausesGlobalization: Causes technology interlinkages between strands

– economic integration creates incentives to create cultural integration

Coca-Colonization

– cultural integration creates demand for economic integration

political globalization as a “political project” expand the scope of markets

Globalization: EffectsGlobalization: EffectsRetribalization vs. McWorldpower of the state

– up, down and out

power of various groups in society polarization additional power resources for some marginalized

groups

Americanization and Americanization and Globalization...Globalization...distinctionsimilarities (from a Canadian perspective)

– Americanization is similar to globalization similar constraints on public policy/role of

government

– globalization is similar to Americanization globalized culture is heavily American “race to the bottom”

Americanization and Americanization and Globalization...Globalization...distinctionsimilarities (from a Canadian perspective)different implications

asymmetry of continental integration (overemphasizing globalization)

cultural paranoia (overemphasizing Americanization)

Americanization/Globalization Americanization/Globalization and the Canadian Political and the Canadian Political ContextContextCanada cannot make decisions as if it exists

in isolationeffects of globalization/Americanization

– direct effects– symbolic effects

these processes may have major effects simply because Canadian policy-makers and public believe they are having these effects

central elements of the political landscape