Globalization: the essentials

Essentials of Globalization is a highly useful compact edition of the author's full-scale textbook, Globalization: A Basic Text. The Essentials is written in a style accessible to undergraduates, and draws on both academic and popular sources in its explanations. A highly useful compact version of Globalization: A Basic Text, which contains the all major areas in an accessible and affordable format for undergraduate students Develops a unique perspective on globalization early in the book and uses it throughout to orient and organize discussion of a wide range of topics and parts of the world Integrated use of a wide array of sources, including empirical research, theories, newspaper and magazine articles, monographs, and popular books Designed to work as a basic text in globalization courses, or as a supplementary text in courses that include globalization as one of several topics.

This book is an abbreviated version of Globalization: a basic text, 2010.

1 Globalization. Conceptualization, Origins, and History. Conceptualizing Globalization. From "Solids" to "Liquids". "Flows". "Heavy" and "Light". "Heavy" Structures that Expedite "Flows". "Heavy" Structures as Barriers to "Flows". Subtler Structural Barriers. Origins and History of Globalization. Hardwired. Cycles. Epochs. Events. Broader, More Recent Changes. 2 Theorizing Globalization. Imperialism. Colonialism. Development. Americanization. Anti-Americanism as a Global Process. Neo-Liberalism. Neo-Liberalism: Basic Ideas. The Neo-Liberal State. Critiquing Neo-Liberalism: Karl Polanyi. Contemporary Criticisms of Neo-Liberalism. Neo-Marxian Theories. Transnational Capitalism. 3 Structuring the Global Economy. Before Bretton Woods. A Prior Epoch of Globalization. Economic Development during and after WW II. Bretton Woods and the Bretton Woods System. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). World Trade Organization (WTO). International Monetary Fund (IMF). World Bank. The End of Bretton Woods. Changes in, and Critiques of, Bretton-Woods-Era Organizations. Other Important Economic Organizations. The Multinational Corporation (MNC). The Myth of Economic Globalization? 4 Global Economic Flows. Trade. Trade Surpluses and Deficits. Global Trade: Economic Chains and Networks. Global Value Chains: China and the US. Increasing Competition for Commodities. The Economic Impact of the Flow of Oil. Oil Wealth. Race to the Bottom and Upgrading. Upgrading in the Less Developed World? Outsourcing. Financial Globalization. The Great Recession. Consumption. Consumer Objects and Services. Consumers. Consumption Processes. Consumption Sites. Global Resistance. Chapter Summary.

5 Global Political Structures and Processes. On Political Flows. The Nation-State. Threats to the Nation-State. In Defense of the Nation-State. "Imagined Community". Changes in Global Nation-State Relations. United Nations (UN). United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). United Nations Educational, Scientifi c, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Global Governance. Civil Society. International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs). 6 High-Tech Global Flows and Structures. Technology, Media, and the Internet. Technology. Medical Technologies. Space-Based Technologies. Leapfrogging. India's "One Lakh Car" (or NANO). Problematic Technological Flows. Media. Media Imperialism. "Media Were American". New Global Media. Indymedia. Thinking about the Global Media. The Internet. Online Social Networking. Spam. Computer Viruses. The Internet in China. 7 Global Culture and Cultural Flows. Cultural Differentialism. Civilizations. Cultural Hybridization. Muslim Girl Scouts. Appadurai's "Landscapes". Cultural Convergence. Cultural Imperialism. World Culture. McDonaldization. The Globalization of Nothing. 8 Global Flows of Migrants. Migrants. Migration. Flows of Migrants to and from the US. Flow of Migrants Elsewhere in the World. Great Britain. Switzerland. Greece. The Case Against the Backlash to Illegal Immigration. Remittances. Diaspora. 9 Global Environmental Flows. Differences Among Nation-States. The Leading Environmental Problems. Destruction of Natural Habitats. Decline of Fish. Decline in Fresh Water. Toxic Chemicals. Greenhouse Gases and Global Warming. Population Growth. The Global Flow of Dangerous Debris. Global Responses. Sustainable Development. Dealing with Climate Change. Carbon Tax. Carbon Neutral. Alternate Fuels and Power Sources. A Technological Fix? Economic Issues. Opposing Environmentalism.

1 Globalization -- Conceptualization, Origins, and History -- Conceptualizing Globalization -- From "Solids" to "Liquids". "Flows". "Heavy" and "Light". "Heavy" Structures that Expedite "Flows". "Heavy" Structures as Barriers to "Flows". Subtler Structural Barriers -- Origins and History of Globalization -- Hardwired -- Cycles -- Epochs -- Events -- Broader, More Recent Changes -- 2 Theorizing Globalization -- Imperialism -- Colonialism -- Development -- Americanization -- Anti-Americanism as a Global Process -- Neo-Liberalism -- Neo-Liberalism: Basic Ideas -- The Neo-Liberal State -- Critiquing Neo-Liberalism: Karl Polanyi -- Contemporary Criticisms of Neo-Liberalism -- Neo-Marxian Theories -- Transnational Capitalism -- 3 Structuring the Global Economy -- Before Bretton Woods -- A Prior Epoch of Globalization -- Economic Development during and after WW II. Bretton Woods and the Bretton Woods System -- General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). World Trade Organization (WTO). International Monetary Fund (IMF). World Bank -- The End of Bretton Woods -- Changes in, and Critiques of, Bretton-Woods-Era Organizations -- Other Important Economic Organizations -- The Multinational C…