Understanding

Globalization &

Anthropology of Globalization

Globalization and Anthropological Theories

Two earlier global paradigms were extremely influential in anthropology: dependency theory, which postulated that Third world Underdevelopment was not a primal condition but rather the result of historically evolving structure of capitalism and world system theory which viewed nations in relation to their placement within a global division of labor between core, periphery and semi periphery. (Lewellen; 2002: 32)

History of Global Trade

Many regional trades were existing even at first phase. British conquest of America & the invention of steam engine, ship gave boost to the global trade 1900Europe became the centre of worlds industrial hub, by bringing raw materials from the colonies. 2nd World War had a deep effect on Europe USA emerged as a new global Economic giant 1937..OIL became the main RAW material for global TRADE 1950---USA became the worlds largest oil producer and exporter 1973-82..OIL exporting countries (ARAB) raised the prices of OIL USA started IMPORTING oil to meet its need till 1970 about 50% and its is expected that in 2020 it will be importing 70% 1970Japan emerged as a new global economic giant and influenced South East Asian Tigers: Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan. 1995World Trade Organization

a) ENGINES OF GLOBALIZATION b) Anti-GLOBALIZATION Movements

1-TNCs: Transnational Corporations 2-IFIs: International Financial Institutions 3-Modern Technologies & Communication ANTI-GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT Major criticism upon the policies and biased ness of IFIs. 1944World Bank & IMF, in USA 1947HAVANA conference after the second world war on new trade regime GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs & Trades; addressing ruler based international trade. IMF: Short term stabilization of counties World Bank: Long term development through specific budget loans 1970---Both WB & IMF went unpopular for their policies. 1995: WTO.

Globalization and Anthropological Theories

Immanuel Wallerstein (1974), a sociologist and a political scientist came up with the World System theory. He divided the world in three major regions Core, Semi-Periphery and Periphery. The core is expanding it industry at peripherys cost and making a larger consumer oriented market. Now they need to control their minds. Core controls information sources of peripheries. Cosmopolitan is a recipe to make the periphery irresponsible beings and fully engaged in luxuries. Core counties are also influencing the culture of the peripheries. They try to make the periphery culture more individualistic and selfish by attracting them with the luxuries of modern world. This process is known as Cultural Imperialism.

Globalization and Anthropological Theories

The precursor of global theory focused on the economics aspects of production, trade, colonialism and imperialism, contemporary anthropological global theory is innovating theories of culture, social organization, and identity of global and transnational persons and communities. (Kearny 1995:551) The project of a global anthropology had its beginnings in the 1970s. It began as a confrontation between the assumed nature of society as a closed entity that can be studies and understood in its own right, and a global reality that seemed to falsify that assumption. (Friedman 2007: 109)

The subject of Anthropology of Globalization

The subjects of anthropological globalization studies are less likely to be communities or cultures than trans-localities, border zones, migrations, Diasporas, commodity chains, transnational corporations, foreign aid agencies, tourists, refugees, cyberspace, the influence of television, and other communication media, the international process of science, or commercialized art. In the past, there has been a tendency in anthropology to focus on the subaltern; globalization, however, often shifts attention to elites who are most able to take advantage of opportunities for travel and consumerism, such as wealthy Hong Kong businessmen or scientists. While groups of people remain the focus of all study ___ anthro, after all, means people ____ sometimes not just one group but multiple groups might need to be studied. (Lewellen 2002: 57-58)