Summary of Globalization

Globalization is a comprehensive analysis of the global system as it exists in the 21st century. By taking into account political, economic, social, and environmental dimensions of the globalization process, this widely influential work seeks to understand the various systems, institutions, and processes that have shaped global governance, economic production, the international division of labor, environmental transformation, and social movements. The authors explore the uneven nature of the globalization process, addressing the profoundly unequal distribution of wealth and power within economies and societies. Questions of culture, identity, and rights emerge as central concerns in a global context that is prone to unprecedented levels of exploitation and exclusion. The authors ultimately argue that strategies informed by a deep critical awareness of globalization’s multiple configurations – and the global hierarchies that drive them – can be successful in counterbalancing widespread economic and social injustice.