Victoria Glebe

Globalization
DR. Christopher Carey
03/16/15
Reflective Essay
Reflection
Globalization is a very broad topic that involves a wide variety of processes and
in prevalent in every aspect of our daily lives. Globalization is in our health and the
sickness we get, in our security and economy, the environment and the food we consume.
Globalization is the span of politics, economics, and social process. It is the interaction
and integration between countries, states, and cultures. It is the expansion of ideas and
commodities over vast distances and the continued advancement of new technologies to
bring our world closer.
Before my Freshmen Inquiry class I had a very small range of knowledge on
globalization and what it encompasses. I was unaware of just how much our world has
become integrated over hundreds of years and how connected parts of our lives are. I
learned that globalization deals with our economy and politics, as well as the continuing
advancements in technology and trade. One important lesson I learned more about was
the importation process and how much the United States relies on other countries for
products. For example, we get most of our oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Nigeria and the Middle East both have been dealing with many conflicts and uprisings
over the years that stem from an unstable government. This is an issue not only for the
people in these countries but also for the United States dependency on them for oil.
Another example of how connected globalization has brought us is through the
spread of diseases and viruses. This is important to understand because if it were not for

the process of globalization our world would not be as closely knit; the proximity and
reliance on each other is the reason why harmful viruses and bacteria have been able to
spread so rapidly. For example, many diseases are tied to food and agricultural practices,
and because so much of our world takes part in the trade of food, many diseases that were
beginning to die out have gained a new foothold in society. The illness Bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also called mad cow disease was discovered in
Great Britain in the mid-1980s (IIGS); a major shock to the public as the only other
known appearance of this disease was in New Guinea among the Fore people when they
consumed the brains of the deceased. The disease spread to European herds and when
they were slaughtered and processed into feed it caused the cattle to become involuntary
cannibals and thus obtaining BSE.
This is just one example of how globalization can affect our lives. I found the
connection between agriculture, diseases, and globalization to be both alarming and
fascinating, but something I was not entirely aware of before this class.
There are four goals that University Studies has come up with as an outline for
what the Inquiry classes should be based around. The goals are: Inquiry And Critical
Thinking, Ethics and Social Responsibility, Communication, and lastly, The Diversity of
the Human Experience. My assignments have helped me better understand the University
Studies Goals in many ways. My reading requirements from an Introduction To
International And Global Studies, Diaries of an Unfinished Revolution, and Great
Decisions have made me think more critically about what I am learning and told every. I
have learned to take a more in-depth approach to things and not judge everything by face
value.

The assignments that have led to a better understanding for me of the Ethics and
Social Responsibility goal are the meetings we had with Mercy Corps, the documentary I
watched on human trafficking, and the discussions we had in class. I gained new
knowledge on how important it is to be an active and aware member of society and that
we all have an obligation to one another as global citizens; no matter the age, gender,
cultural/social background, or race.
Communication is something I have never really struggled with, I am a very
straightforward person who will ask questions constantly to understand something and is
not afraid to be heard. However, I learned that communication can take many forms and
the group projects we did made me realize how much of a challenge it can be to get
things down in a group. I have a better understanding on how integrated our worlds
communication systems have become with the continuous advancement of technology
and how prudent it is to learn and understand these advancements.
Lastly, the Diversity of the Human Experience; this is a goal which I have learned
a great deal about through my freshmen inquiry class. From the Coltan documentary and
Great Decisions readings, to working with a group of students from a high school on a
scenario project and participating in simulations with Mercy Corps. I have learned about
the many different kinds of people and lifestyles; and that no two are identical. I have
learned to step back from situations and try to see things from more than one side, not to
trust a single story.
From this class I have learned the importance being more involved in the
community, to listen to others, to think more critically and to not judge people on

preconceived ideas of whom they are. I have become more aware of my place in this
world, and greater understand my responsibility to those around me.
We are all responsible for working together to better our world because the
continued advancement of our societies is inevitable and unavoidable. Because of this we
have an obligation to each other to create a better world. Every choice we make affects
others, from simply choosing local food over internationally traded, practicing
sustainable living, to not making judgments based on one initial thought. We have more
of an influence than we know and it is our obligation as global citizens to make the best
choices possible in order to improve humanity and leave the world a better place.

Works Cited

Smallman, S., & Brown, K. (2011). History. Introduction to International & Global
Studies (2011 ed., Vol. II, p. 23). Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North
Carolina Press.