Synopses & Reviews
Interdisciplinary, accessible, and comprehensive, this broad guide identifies and explores the major economic, political and social ties that comprise contemporary global interdependency. At the same time, it is designed to help students understand the way in which the word “Globalization” – and the struggles over its meaning – lies at the heart of debates between advocates of a “free market” and what critics describe as the damage and devastation of “market fundamentalism” and “neoliberalism.”
Topics explored in detail include the rise of transnational corporations and global commodity chains; the development of global labor markets and worker solidarity; the recent global financial crisis; transnational law and legal advocacy; the increasing influence of market forces over governance, both locally and globally; the development of global cities and the emergence of other new spaces mediated by market relations; global health challenges and policies; and emerging forms of global mobility and organization by both business elites and their critics. Enhanced throughout by numerous empirical examples, maps, tables, and other illustrations, the book includes a glossary of key terms, and suggestions for further reading and student research. Additional resources are available at www.wiley.com/go/sparke for readers looking to explore topics further.
Written by an award-winning teacher, Introducing Globalization outlines the empirical evidence about interdependency in detail and with historical sensitivity. It helps students to develop informed opinions about globalization, inviting them to become participants rather than just passive learners.
Review
“Finally, a globalization text that takes its subject seriously yet simultaneously explores the myths that surround it. Matt Sparke relates the two ‘levels’ or ways of thinking about globalization as a material phenomenon and as a political project. This not only makes for a refreshingly novel take on globalization, one that other introductory books manifestly fail to achieve as they go one way or the other... it does so in an accessible manner.”—
John Agnew, UCLA “This text is written by an extremely well qualified geographer who has experienced globalization in all its multi-faceted dimensions and has taught generations of his students about its inherent tensions and divisions. Its coverage is extensive and yet detailed; its well-researched content constantly challenges us to think critically about globalization; and its end-of-chapter exercises are great fun to work with. These are all the hallmarks of a superb text. I recommend it wholeheartedly!”—Henry Yeung, National University of Singapore
“Written with passion, lucidity, and rigor, [this is a] rare text, making accessible to a generation of globally-oriented students the complex and urgent debates about globalization and the empirical and analytical research that can inform such debates.”—Ananya Roy, University of California, Berkeley
Synopsis
An Introduction to Globalization is a major textbook on globalization designed specifically for introductory courses, actively encouraging students to engage with the topic and develop informed opinions about controversial debates.
- Introduces students to the contemporary debates surrounding globalization
- Features numerous empirical examples, maps, tables, and other illustrations
- Each chapter is followed by suggestions for further reading and student research
- A helpful extended bibliography and glossary of key terms
- Accompanying website with hot links to news report examples of globalization and other illustrative sites, as well as archived examples of student work projects
Synopsis
Designed specifically for introductory globalization courses,
Introducing Globalization helps students to develop informed opinions about globalization, inviting them to become participants rather than just passive learners.
- Identifies and explores the major economic, political and social ties that comprise contemporary global interdependency
- Examines a broad sweep of topics, from the rise of transnational corporations and global commodity chains, to global health challenges and policies, to issues of worker solidarity and global labor markets, through to emerging forms of global mobility by both business elites and their critics
- Written by an award-winning teacher, and enhanced throughout by numerous empirical examples, maps, tables, an extended bibliography, glossary of key terms, and suggestions for further reading and student research
- Supported by additional web resources – available upon publication at www.wiley.com/go/sparke – including hot links to news reports, examples of globalization and other illustrative sites, and archived examples of student projects
Engage with fellow readers of Introducing Globalization on the book's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IntroducingGlobalization, or learn more about this topic by enrolling in the free Coursera course Globalization and You at www.coursera.org/course/globalization
Synopsis
Designed specifically for introductory globalization courses,
Introducing Globalization helps students to develop informed opinions about globalization, inviting them to become participants rather than just passive learners.
- Identifies and explores the major economic, political and social ties that comprise contemporary global interdependency
- Examines a broad sweep of topics, from the rise of transnational corporations and global commodity chains, to global health challenges and policies, to issues of worker solidarity and global labor markets, through to emerging forms of global mobility by both business elites and their critics
- Written by an award-winning teacher, and enhanced throughout by numerous empirical examples, maps, tables, an extended bibliography, glossary of key terms, and suggestions for further reading and student research
- Supported by additional web resources – available upon publication at www.wiley.com/go/sparke – including hot links to news reports, examples of globalization and other illustrative sites, and archived examples of student projects
About the Author
Matthew Sparke is Professor of Geography and International Studies at the University of Washington, where he also serves as the Director of the undergraduate program in Global Health. He has authored over 60 scholarly publications, including the book In the Space of Theory (2005), but he is also dedicated to teaching about globalization as well as writing about it. He has multiple awards for his work as a teacher, including the lifetime Distinguished Teaching award from the University of Washington.
Table of Contents
List of Figures vii
List of Tables ix
Preface xi
1 Globalization 1
2 Discourse 27
3 Commodities 57
4 Labor 99
5 Money 139
6 Law 181
7 Governance 227
8 Space 279
9 Health 337
10 Responses 389
Glossary 417
Index 473