Globalization--my standpoint

Written as preface for the conference (globalization and transfer of knowledge), but excluded from the text. But I spelled out my standpoints here.

Globalization is commonly discussed in the context of worldwide economic integration and borderless free markets and free movements. While this discourse is mainly driven by a strong globalization thesis in that globalization is an inevitable worldwide phenomenon, Keck and Sikkink (1998) conversely argue that the current globalization is only the composite of decisions purposefully made and suggest that a different globalization could be possible. Whether favors or not the current trend of globalization, however, it seems generally agreed that technology advance and distributed networks have made the globalization possible and changed the way we live and act upon it. In particular, Hardt and Negri (2004) asserts that a global network power, which consists of dominant nation-states as its primary node along with supranational institutions and major corporations and other smaller local powers, constantly restructures a global order to perpetuate global hierarchy and inequality at all levels. At the same time, the infrastructure of networks allows individuals or organizations to collaborate worldwide on the basis of their commonality while keeping each singularity, thus creating democracy (Ibid.).

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