Sociology of Globalization

Globalization, according to sociologists, is an ongoing process that involves interconnected changes in the economic, cultural, social, and political spheres of society. As a process, it involves the ever-increasing integration of these aspects between nations, regions, communities, and even seemingly isolated places. Globalization has a major impact on the individuals and society as a whole. It reshapes social structures and significantly alters the social experiences of the people. Social phenomena such as intersocietal as well as intrasocietal inequality and conflict are associated with the increased connectivity of the world. Such social realities spark the interest of sociologists across the globe, as they study the relationship between individuals and societies. To facilitate their endeavors, sociologists utilize sociological theories that study society on the micro- and macro level.

This book focuses on the sociological understandings of globalization, its causes and its consequences. The sociology of globalization focuses its attention to the study of the changes and the consequences that have been brought about in the country as a result of this globalization. It studies the changing labor relations, economic exchange, and the changing political scenario with the integration of the world economies, moreover, they focus their study on the changes in the cultural aspects of the society. In order to do this, they give their attention to economic globalization, political globalization, and cultural globalization. The first and the foremost reason for the changes in country through globalization was the opening up of the economies to the wider world economy. This is what is known as economic globalization, such globalization has grown and expanded across the world as a result of the transnational/international trade, which is the movement of goods, capital, and services across the borders. There has been a growth of telecommunication and communication services, along with the growth in technology, which has made the expansion of globalization easier. Globalization brings new potentials for development and wealth creation. But there are divergent views and perceptions among people as concerns its economic and social impact, and indeed widely varying impacts on the interests and opportunities of different sectors and economic and social actors. Some argue that the present model of globalization has exacerbated problems of unemployment, inequality and poverty, while others contend that globalization helps to reduce them. Of course, these problems predated globalization, but it is clear that for globalization to be politically and economically sustainable, it must contribute to their reduction. Hence the goal of a globalization which meets the needs of all people. This book will continue to be an ideal companion to students across the social sciences taking courses that cover globalization, and the sociology of globalization in particular.