Globalization is considered by many to be the most powerful transformative force in the modern world system. Modernization and technology have effectively made the world a smaller place with respect to the interdependence and interpenetration among nations, which are greater today than at any time in history. But while most agree on the transformative power of globalization, many disagree on its nature and its effects on modern society. Liberals hail globalization as the ultimate means to world peace and prosperity. Marxists see it as a means of reinforcing the inequality and unbalanced division of labor created by modern capitalism. Still others, such as mercantilists and nationalists, see it as a source of political instability and cultural conflict. This course analyzes globalization principally through this tripartite theoretical lens. It traces its origins and its evolution across the 19th and 20th centuries. It also tries to determine the impact of globalization on the most important issues of international relations today: on domestic and international political systems and on social, cultural, and international economic relations. Through analytical, critical, and theoretical approaches, the course attempts to ascertain the nature and impact of globalization and ultimately shed light on the fundamental question: To what extent is globalization a force for good and evil in the modern world system? |