Measuring and

Evaluating
Globalization
Week 4 Lecture

GEOG 129 Human Geography: Resources, Development

and Society

28 January, 2025
 Outline
 Notices

 Exam Guide
 Tutorial Prep
 Forms of Globalization
 Economic

 Cultural

 Political

 Measuring Globalization

 Notices
 First essay deadline – January 31 (this Friday)
11.59pm
 Midterm Exam – February 13, 12.30pm

 Reading for Next Week –

10th Edition: Uneven Development and Global
Inequalities (Chapter 3: pages 86 -105; ‘Introduction’
--- ‘Food Aid’/ ‘Feeding the 9 Billion’)

11th Edition:
Mid-term Exam Study Guide and Preliminary Instructions

1. Compare and contrast the concepts of place and region.

2. Explain why map projection is important for understanding the nature of maps.
3. Discuss the claim that the local still matters in an increasingly globalized world.
4. Discuss the Idea of growth through developmental stages and highlight its
strengths and weaknesses.
5. Compare and contrast the three globalization theses.
6. Describe the geographic information system and how it can be used to address a
real-life problem.
7. Discuss Wallerstein’s World System theory as it relates to understanding global
inequalities.
8. Explain why millions around the world still starve despite the sufficiency of
aggregate food production to feed the world.
Mid-term Exam Study Guide and Preliminary Instructions

 The exam will be for 1 hour 25 minutes between 12.30 – 1.55pm

 The online exam portal will open at 12.30 pm
 You will be required to answer 2 out of 5 questions in the short essay
section (5 marks) 10 multiple-choice questions (10 marks) and 5 fill-in-the-
gap questions (5 marks).
 You will be required to write between 250 and 300 words in answer to
each essay question.
 The word count does not include the references.
 The exam will be an open-book exam, meaning that you can open any
resource that you need.
Mid-term Exam Study Guide and Preliminary Instructions

 You need to cite at least 2 sources for each question and these sources can
be academic and non-academic sources e.g. including textbooks, journal
articles, lectures, books, statistics, news, policy documents, blogs, videos
etc. Your sources need to be properly cited and referenced.
 APA citation style is preferred.
 Where possible, use examples to illustrate your answers. Also, where
applicable, mention key names, dates, statistics, use graphs and charts, and
popular events, current events etc.
 Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. In line with the policy of this
course, the use of AI is not allowed in exams or any other assessment on
this course.
 Category Exemplary Very Good – Good Average – Emerging Incomplete
and
Weighting 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Structure and Excellently structured Generally well- structured Answer is structured for Answer lacks proper
coherence answer, with all points answer, with points clearly the most part and contains structure with points
clearly articulated and linked articulated and coherent for several unclear points and poorly developed.
2 together coherently. the most part. loosely linked.

Addressing Shows a conscious and Shows a competent Demonstrates basic Demonstrates very
the questions thorough understanding of understanding of the understanding of the limited or no
the question. Complete question. Answer reflects question. Uses insights understanding of the
6 answer combining the three insights from textbook, from only one of textbook, question. Answer
elements of textbook, lectures/tutorial or further lectures/tutorial and generally
lectures/tutorials and further research. Not more than one further research. Two or underdeveloped.
research concept misunderstood or more concepts
wrongly applied. misunderstood or wrongly
applied.

Use of Excellent use of sources that Good use of sources that are Mixed use of sources, with Significantly
sources are relevant, with all relevant, with most some information sources inadequate use of
information sources information sources accurately referenced and relevant sources and
1 accurately referenced and in accurately referenced and some in the right format. poor citation
the right format. At least 2 most in the right format. 1 Only 1 source used. practices. No
sources used. source may be wrongly sources.
formatted or inaccurately
cited.
Writing Consistently demonstrates Effective use of writing Very mixed use of writing Lacks control of
conventions effective use of writing conventions and control of conventions and language language and lacks
and control of conventions and control of language including control, including attention to writing
language language including appropriateness of word appropriateness of word conventions.
appropriateness of word choice and effective sentence choice and effective
1 choice and effective construction. A few wrong sentence construction.
 Exam Rubric: Exemplary 9, 10.
Excellently structured answer, with all points clearly articulated and
linked together coherently.

Shows a conscious and thorough understanding of the question.

Complete answer combining the three elements of textbook,
lectures/tutorials and further research

Excellent use of sources that are relevant, with all information sources
accurately referenced and in the right format. At least 2 sources used.

Consistently demonstrates effective use of writing conventions and

control of language including appropriateness of word choice and
effective sentence construction.
 Tutorial Prep
1) Come to class prepared to calculate convergence rate
using Google Earth.

2) Open the 'Trade and Globalization' page of Our World in

Data using the link here
https://ourworldindata.org/trade-and-globalizationLinks to an e
xternal site.
 Getfamiliar with the page and with the various sub-topics
on globalization.
 Come to class prepared to tackle specific problems in
groups, using data from the page.
Questions

Image: Pixabay
Learning goals/outcomes for prep and class:

 explain
globalization, its different types, key drivers,
and characteristics
 evaluate globalization based on social, economic,
political, cultural and environmental factors
 discuss the relevance of the local in a globalized world
 demonstrate an understanding of the ways
globalization is conceptualized (i.e. theses) and
measured
 discuss trade as a key aspect of globalization
 Recap

1.Hyperglobalist

2.Skeptical View

3.Transformationalist View

1.Economic globalization

2.Cultural globalization ?
3.Political globalization
Conceptualizing
Globalization
 Conceptualizing
Globalization
Three major
thesis/conceptualizations:

1. Hyperglobalist

2. Skeptical View

3. Transformationalist View
 Conceptualizing
Globalization
Hyperglobalist

▶ ‘Flat world’ – improve communication

and free movement of capital
▶ Global economy as ‘a level playing field’
– widespread application of the free
market principles
▶ Globalization is structural and
permanent, inevitable, Thomas
Friedman
intensifying
 Conceptualizing
Globalization
Skeptical View

▶ Not inevitable
▶ Imposition of a single ideology,
neo- conservative,
neoliberalism
▶ Failing promises

▶ Facing counter-forces, regional

dislocations, nationalism John Ralston
Saul

▶ In retreat
 Conceptualizing
Globalization
Transformationalist View

▶ Mid-way, semi-globalized
▶ Exaggerated
▶ Checkered impacts and
intensity at best
▶ More a matter of distance
and moderate globalization
in reality Pankaj
Ghemawat
Conceptualizin
g
Globalization
 Forms of globalization

Economic

Cultural

Political
 Forms of globalization

Economic
 Economic internationalization Vs economic globalization
 Global dispersal of manufacturing/production and
distribution across boundaries
 Integration of local and regional economies, Int. division of
labour

 Dispersal of the production process is enabled by TNCs

 Economicglobalization started post WWII with Bretton
Woods Institutions; then free trade through GATT and
WTO in 1994
 Forms of globalization

Economic
 Rapid movement of capital: virtually immediate, electronic
 Increased harmonization of financial standards (e.g. through central
banks), removal of fixed exchange rates

 Expanded role of IMF, World Bank

 Encouraged or forced open markets in Less Developed Countries (cf.
SAPs)

 Political changes to communist states

 Hegemony of neoliberalism and overriding economic rationale
 Forms of globalization

Economic
 Close-knit
regional
organizations
around Europe,
East and
Southeast Asia,
and North
America
 Forms of globalization?

International Division
of Labour?

• London (Various)
• Birmingham (automotive);
• Glasgow (shipbuilding);
• Manchester (textiles);
• Newcastle (shipbuilding &
steel);
• Sunderland (shipbuilding and
coal-mining);

Millennium Mills, London, 2015 Source:

 Forms of globalization?

Are these industrial and social declines

inevitable in the context of the emerging
international division of labour?

Can these declines be stopped or slowed?

Why?/ Why not?

Interesting essay
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/12/the-rust-belt-didnt-have-to-happen/603523/
 Forms of globalization?

Cultural
 Increasing cultural homogeneity (a ‘global village’/global
culture)?
 Economic integration, mass media, consumer culture (the ‘big stores’)

Iko Esai forest

community,
 Forms of globalization?

Cultural
 Often seen as dispersal of ‘Western influence’, strongly American
 Struggle over value, direction of dispersal (not unidirectional)
 Regional, economic and cultural differences persist
 Canada’s multiculturalism?

 Re-emerging /rising ethnic tensions

 Frustration with globalization or Dispersal of values of freedom & autonomy?

 Thepersistence of cultural difference e.g. Language, local places,

local identities
 Forms of globalization?

Political
 Various
integration processes over centuries (from 600,000
autonomous polities in 1500BCE)
 United Nations, post–World War II, post-Cold War
 First successful institutionalized form of international integration

 The spread of democratic norms and governance

 Anti-globalizing patterns with decolonization, Soviet Union
break
 Forms of globalization?

Political
 UN challenged by powers permanently on Security Council
with vetoes
 The relevance of nation-states vs the regional-states
 Continued endurance of the nation-state, balance
integration with national identity
 Tribalism,multiculturalism and weakening central
authorities
Forms of globalization?

Political

Source: Flytrippers.com
Measuring globalization
 Measuring globalization

KOF Index of Globalization of the KOF Swiss Economic Institute:

Economic, social and political

Source: Mercier
and Norton
 Measuring globalization

KOF Index of Globalization of the KOF Swiss Economic Institute:

Economic, social and political

Source: Mercier and Norton

 Measuring globalization

DHL Global Connectedness Index by Ghemzwat and Steven

Altman based on only economic factors: international flows of trade,
capital, information, & people

Top 5 globalized
in 2019:

Netherland
s
Singapore
Belgium
UAE
Ireland

Source: DHL
 Measuring globalization

Source: Mercier and Norton

Measuring globalization
Evaluating Globalization
 For Globalization?

Economic and
moral arguments
 ‘capitalistic
economic
globalization
can eliminate
poverty’
 Poverty
reduced,
though
complex
poverty
patterns Number of people living on $1.90/day – take with caution. Why?
 For Globalization?

Reducing poverty?
 Theemerging economies (not the rich countries)
produced more than 50% of world output measures in
purchasing power parity
 Theyalso accounted for over 50% of the increase in
global GDP
 More countries are industrializing
For Globalization?
For Globalization?

Source: Oxfam, 2021

 For Globalization
 More participation in economic and other decision-making
 Emerging economies participate in international arean – G7, 8, 20
 But uneven and constrained field of play, uneven impacts of decisions

 May promote democracy, rights, and freedoms

 But also surveillance, privacy loss, technology (corporations + states)?

 May foster greater pluralism and mutual respect (cf. Alfandary)

 Liberal democratic ideals of freedom and human rights
 Against Globalization?
 Unequal processes favoring core/ economically wealthy
countries (and corporations/individuals) at the expense of the
global south countries
 e.g. in trade with the IMF/WB’s SAP, WTO’s closed-door system; US control of
WB, IMF, the rules of the game etc.

 Favors export over local sustainable economies

 Multiple levels of vulnerability to shocks (logistics, supply, radical
distanciation)
 The rust belts

 Overriding
pressure for economic growth and competition
damages the environment, individual wellbeing, the social fabric
 Even greater inequality consistent with greater pollution
 Against Globalization?

Global gross domestic product at current prices from

1985 to 2026 (billion $US)

Source: Statista
Against Globalization?
 Against Globalization?

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. Source: Business Insider

 “Another world is possible”
WSF (countering
WEF) began in
1999 by Brazilian
activists

"open meeting
place”

Regional,
Thematic, Local
Social Forums

Annual World Social Forum (Source: Great Transition)

 “Another world is possible”

“…We would have to be able to

succeed in carrying out two
complementary movements that
the ordeal of modernization has
made contradictory: attaching
oneself to a particular patch of
soil on the one hand, having
access to the global world on the
other. Up to now…such an
operation has been considered
impossible: between the two, it is Meaning…? Dis/Agree?
said, one has to choose”
End