Chapters 20, 21, & TAL

    Chapter 20 talks about how rapid manufacturing growth in China, especially in Shenzhen, completely reshaped the city and the lives of the people who moved there. The population grew almost a hundred times larger in just a few decades, which is honestly hard to picture when comparing it to cities here in the United States. That kind of growth doesn’t just happen randomly. It started when China loosened many labor regulations and controls in order to attract foreign investors and manufacturers. By removing certain restrictions, they made it easier and cheaper for global companies to set up factories there. From an economic standpoint, this clearly worked. The city grew quickly, foreign capital poured in, and China strengthened its position in the global manufacturing market.
    However, that growth did not benefit everyone equally. While investors and business owners profited heavily, factory workers often paid the price. Long hours, low wages, and unsafe working conditions became normal for many of the people employed in these factories. It looked like progress from the outside, but for a lot of workers, life was still really difficult. So while some people clearly benefited from the boom, others definitely bore the cost of it. What stood out to me in this chapter was how it didn’t just celebrate economic growth. It forced us to look at the human consequences that come with that kind of rapid development.
    Chapter 21 builds on this idea by explaining global commodity chains and using Nike as a main example. Nike was struggling in the shoe industry and decided to outsource a large portion of its production to Asian countries like Japan, China, and Korea. These countries had fewer labor protections and lower wages compared to the United States, which allowed Nike to produce shoes faster and at a much lower cost. The chapter mentioned how Nike even opened facilities in New Hampshire at one point, but they eventually had to close them because shoes made overseas dominated the market. This really shows how powerful global competition can be.
    Outsourcing labor helped Nike grow because it reduced production expenses and allowed the company to spend more money on branding and marketing. Instead of investing heavily in domestic factories, Nike focused on advertising and building its image. That strategy clearly worked in terms of profit. At the same time, though, workers in manufacturing countries were often left in unstable situations. Once wages began to rise in one country, companies could simply move production somewhere cheaper. This creates a cycle where labor is treated as replaceable. It ties back to what we have been discussing about foreign investment not always benefiting the host country in the long term. In many cases, it mainly benefits the corporations and investors.
    The TAL episode about Cambodia showed a similar pattern but on a smaller national scale. After years of civil war, Cambodia opened its economy to foreign garment investment in hopes of rebuilding. Within about ten years, roughly 250 factories were established. At first, this probably felt like real progress. Jobs were being created, and the country was participating in the global market. However, when their trade agreement with the United States ended in 2005, Cambodia was put in a vulnerable position. Their labor standards were more relaxed than some competing countries, but they still struggled to compete once the agreement ended. Many workers were pushed deeper into poverty.
    One detail that really stuck with me was the woman in the podcast explaining that factory workers could only afford one gram of pork for lunch. That small detail says a lot about how little they were earning. It shows that while globalization may bring factories and investment, it does not automatically bring stable prosperity for workers. Efforts to get the U.S. government to pass legislation to support least developed countries in Asia were unsuccessful, leaving Cambodia largely on its own.
    Across these three examples, there is a clear pattern. Rapid growth and foreign investment can create economic expansion, but the benefits are uneven. Corporations and investors often gain the most, while workers deal with unstable wages and harsh conditions. There’s short-term growth and visible progress, but long-term stability for workers doesn’t seem guaranteed at all.

Chapter 20, 21, TAL

 Chapter 20 has a focus on the economic and industrial expansion in China and the large role it played in changing some forms of globalization. China's major growing force was mostly export based, foreign investment, and manufacturing. China kind of pushed away from agricultural jobs and started leaning to offering cheap manufacturing of goods to be exported throughout the world. This rapid development of manufactures offering cheaper labor pulled in many outside large corporations who abused this power. Later in the chapter it talks about the social effects this can have on communities which can be detrimental. These shifts often require long hours, extremely strict rules, and low wages. This is something that may not be thought of when buying a product . I think this chapter gives an understanding of the abuse some outside corporations cause just to get things on the shelf for a maximum profit. 

Chapter 21 focuses on GCCs and how different countries across the globe deal with how things are produced. Giving examples such as Nike who outsource their product manufacturing to sell to “richer” nations at a high price. The idea of this for the companies is strictly for larger profit margins. This shows that yes globalization does connect foreign economies to one another but it does not equal fairness in that process. 

TAL gives insight on the garment industry in Cambodia. In the early 2000s Cambodia was receiving decent wages and benefits for their extremely export dependent textile industry. Their main partnerships were with many United States companies, but this all changed when China came in and was offering way cheaper manufacturing on these goods. This caused Cambodia to fall behind and basically make the decision to try to keep up with capitalism or keep the moral compass they had for their laborers.

Ch 20,21 and TAL

 Chapter 20 was mostly centered around China and it's massive growth, and how that changed both global economy and it's own growth. China has devolped into a major player in the global economy due to it's electronics and manufacturing businesses. It grew so large through outsourcing, since many countries go to China to produce products or parts in it's countless factories. In these factories, they use low labor costs to keep production cheap. These low labor costs are great for foreign companies in the US, but for the actual workers, conditions are often dangerous and laboring.

Chapter 21 spoke about Global Commodity Chains a.k.a GCCs, and how they produce, manufacture, and distribute products globally across countries. The chapter specfically focuses on shoes during the 1900s, which experienced a large increase in purchases mostly amoung young people. Nike used these GCCs to design shoes in the US, then send the design to countries like China for them to make the shoes for cheaper due to low labor costs. With this, Nike keeps costs low while increasing profit.

In the TAL episode it mostly talks about how Cambodia's economy was on a fast decline after it's civil war, which caused great strain on the country. However, Cambodia started to pull itself up using things like garment factories, which gave higher wages than most jobs along with other benefits. Then, the US's trade policies stopped this growth, causing Cambodia's economy to start struggling yet again. Poorer countries are very much at the whim of richer countries and their economies hang on to the richer countries decisions.

Chs. 20, 21, and TAL

 Chapter 20 discusses how rapid manufacturing growth in China, speficially Shenzen, has affected its identity as a labor market and the people who live there. The author talked about the population growing a hundredfold over just a few decades, which is crazy to think about when you compare it to the cities we have here in the states. The growth was set in movement when a lot of parameters and controls on labor were removed in order to welcome foreign investors in to set up shop. This growth did drive the economy forward and create a lot of benefits for the people who profitted the most, but it negatively impacted the residents who had to work in the factories. Long work days and weeks, minimal pay, and hazardous environments cause a lot of harm to the Chinese who work there. I think this chapter does a great job at highlighting both sides of the coin. On one side there is massive economic growth, and on the other side is major damage to humans.

Chapter 21 discusses the concept of global commodity chains, using Nike as the primary example. Nike was falling behind in the shoe industry, so they outsourced a lot of their production to Asian countries like Japan, China, Korea, etc. These locations had less regulation in terms of labor, which allowed more porducts to be made and at a quicker rate than they would in the United States alone. The author discussed a time when Nike opened up facilities in New Hampshire but were forced to close them because shoes produced in Asia completely dominated the market. Outsourcing labor is a factor that contributes to why corporations like Nike can grow so much. They don't have to invest as much into production in the US, which frees up more capital to be invested in marketing the products to consumers. The downside of this technique is that the people whose labor is used are basically taken advantage of. Once a major company has invested enough money into a manufacturing country, the cost of labor goes up, which in turn causes the corporation to relocate. This ties back to what we talked about week with foreign investment not actually benefitting the host country, only the investors.

The TAL episode discussed the situation in Cambodia's economy over the course of their foreign investment period. Previous to this, there was a civil war that disrupted the population and economy. They opened their doors to foreign garment investment afterwards, leading to an increase of 250 factories over a 10 year period. Their agreement with the United States ended in 2005, which put them in a precarious situation because their labor laws were more relaxed compared to competitor countries. Their people struggled greatly and many were pushed further into poverty. The woman in the podcast said that factory workers would only be able to purchase 1 gram of pork for their lunch, which shows the drastic differences between life before and after the deal ended. Attempts to lobby the US government to pass a bill to aid LDCs in Asia were not successful. This is yet another example of a country that has experienced "benefits" of globalization only to find out that the downsides hit them even harder once they are on their own. I think this trend will persist over the course of the semester as we learn about more places affected by globalization.

Chapters 20, 21 and TAL

 The chapters of this week brought even more knowledge about globalization. Chapter 20 brings visions about China, and how important It is for the global economy, and especially because of its massive manufacturing centers, that produce tons and diverse goods.  Globalization helped China to increase its economy by allowing them to sell cheap labor, big factories and efficient production. China have a lot of gains with that specially because it’s giving more jobs to their population and allowing them to trade in the international economy. However, in the chapter we see that this situation also has its cons for the population, like exploitation of labor, environmental problems, and global dependence in Chinese production, which can become a problem for countries like US if they don’t want to deal with China anymore. They would be very endangered of losing products that they are in need for, factoring that they are dependent of, and all the things that China made it possible by being "sticky" as well. To end, the chapter shows us a China that is a central country in globalization and that does this thru manufacturing massively.

Chapter 21 talks about not a country but a company, and in this case Nike. To show how Nike and other companies works, the chapter uses the term "commodity chains", which means a network of labor, distribution and producing, to provide a final product to the buyers. The chapters talks about how Nike does not produce their own shoes, but they make their production in factories on countries that they can pay a much lower wage, and by that they can spend their money on design, marketing, and on their brand. The chapter shows us how Nike spends so much in the parts there are important to them, like their global image, but let their workers working in poor working conditions, sometimes not even being able to buy a Nike shoe (even with a month of work). This particular case is about Nike, but it shows how multinationals make profit from this commodity chains, while the countries that provide products have labor risks, and poor environments. We know that globalization can be a good thing, but when companies like Nike uses it only to make profit, ignoring their workers that are making their shoes and products, globalization stops being something good, and became something unequal and socially damaged.

Act2 of the TAL, puts these two chapters in one idea. It tells the history of Cambodia industry of garments, and how they tried to compete with the power of capitalism and had a hard time. In the early 2000s, Cambodia was very dependent of exports and enjoyed the special trade access that US gave them. They also wanted to protect their workers with labor laws like paying overtime, maternity leave... the basic things that make the workers humans. This brought a lot of people that wanted to work and grown the industry. Unfortunately, when this benefits ended, Cambodia could not compete with countries, like China, and it was not exclusively the only country to work with garments, but it was one that wanted to maintain the labor laws. Competing with countries that not necessarily care for their workers gave Cambodia a hard time because they had more costs than others, only by trying to respect rights. The David and Goliath analogy shows Cambodia being the David, having problems to fight the Goliath. Goliath being the global capitalism and these countries you cannot overpower if you want to respect rules and they don't. 

Chapters 20, 21, and TAL

     Chapter 20 was essentially based around China and how it was able to rapidly transform not only its own economy, but also its global impact.  It's interesting that the author also is somewhat able to predict becoming a significant global player because of its strong export power because that's what China's become today.  Outsourcing is a key part as to why China has grown into what it has become today.  Factory towns are essential for China in terms of outsourcing, and if they didn't use the cheap labor methods that they had used, they may not be as a significant player in the global economy.

    Chapter 21 focuses mainly on GCCs and how different commodities are manufactured and shipped between countries.  Athletic shoes had a boom starting in the 1980s, and continued well through the 90s as well, particularly among teenagers.  Nike took advantage of this "fitness boom" in the late 70s early 80s.  Although Nike did benefit greatly during this time, there was controversy about how they got the money, as money from drugs and gangs became a talking point.

    The TAL episode talks primarily about the struggle that poorer countries (such as Cambodia) have when trying to grow in the global market.  Wages of workers in these countries is also important as well, as more established countries will move elsewhere with production if the wage they have to pay gets too high.  Countries such as Cambodia suffered significantly, as they had dealt with a civil war that resulted in the loss of over 1 million people.

Ch 20,21

 These chapters highlight the importance of China and other Asian countries in the manufacturing process of many products that are sold in America and around the world. Chinese manufacturers employ many people and few machines, and are located close to suppliers. This means that when a product needs be changed quickly, it is cheaper for it to be done in a Chinese factory because human hands can operate quicker than obtaining new machines, and different materials can be delivered within the day. This explains why many US companies manufacture their products in China.

Chapter 21 spoke specifically about Nike and its marketing strategies and commodity chains. The most interesting part of this chapter to me was about supply chain confidentially and Nike’s use of luck and market trends. As with any company, you need to convince consumers why they should buy your product, so you have to create a market for it. Nike used contracts with athletes and alliances with Footlocker to get their product out there. This chapter, to me, was more interesting than the others I’ve read so far.

     These two chapters, to me, just digs a little deeper on how globalization effects other countries through global corporations and the effects it has on the global economy with years of big corporations participating in globalization and spreading their manufacturing plants. In chapter 20 Fallows explained how China's rapid growth economically reshaped their countries society and presence in the global economy. Over decades the city of Shenzhen has helped China grow their society and economy because big corporations are able to find cheap labor and find a factory that can make their product. Since multiple million dollar companies keep going into china to produce their product, it helped China growth in the technology they produced, the expansion of manufacturing plants, and better infrastructure. This chapter also speaks about how China gaining more power with manufacturing is effecting the people that live there. The people that work at those manufacturing plants have to take long drives to get to work, work long hours, and don't get paid good at all. Chapter 21 mainly explains how global commodities work. This chapter explains how companies like NIKE and Reebok maximize profits by outsourcing their materials, getting the product made for cheap in another country. They also maximize profits by learning and targeting groups of people. For example NIKE's biggest spending group is teenagers, so they make and target to sell their shoes to teens. Those companies are also in control of advertising and marketing which is also another way NIKE targets a certain group of buyers to maximize profits while cutting costs on where its made and how much it costs to make it.

20, 21, TAL

         These chapters highlight how one nation’s economic problems can affect multiple other nations’ economies around the world. This shows that interconnectedness, although helpful at times, can create serious risks like the 2008 financial bubble. This began as a financial crisis in the U.S. and quickly turned into a global recession. Because so many nations rely on each other, a downturn in one major economy can trigger widespread consequences. Since it is highly unlikely for every nation to remain financially stable at all times, it’s  inevitable that another global economic crisis will occur. 

            In Chapter 20, Fallows explains how China’s rapid rise has transformed both its own society and the global economy. Over the past few decades, China has experienced major growth in technology, manufacturing, and overall economic power. While many people in the United States recognize this shift, Fallows emphasizes that China’s influence extends far beyond its borders and impacts the world as a whole. The chapter also explores the human cost of this industrial expansion, especially for factory workers. Many women travel long distances and work extended hours in demanding and sometimes unsafe conditions just to earn enough to support themselves and their families. Despite these challenges, this growth has made China a central force in globalization.

Chapter 21 focuses on Global Commodity Chains (GCCs) and how products are designed, manufactured, and distributed across multiple countries. The chapter discusses the rise in shoe consumption in the United States during the early 1900s, especially among young people who were interested in fitness and sports. It also explains how companies like Nike operate within global supply chains. While products are designed in the U.S., manufacturing is outsourced to countries such as China to take advantage of lower labor costs. This strategy allows companies to maximize profits while maintaining affordable prices for consumers.     

In the TAL episode, the main focus is Cambodia’s struggle and gradual economic recovery. The country faced devastating losses during its civil war, along with the destruction of its middle class and severe environmental hardships. Over time, Cambodia began rebuilding its economy by opening garment factories, which became a major source of employment and growth. Factory jobs offered higher wages than many traditional professions and included benefits such as maternity leave and pay increases. However, in 2005, changes in U.S. trade policies disrupted Cambodia’s progress, leaving its economy vulnerable and forcing it to compete with larger and more established countries. This placed a lot of strain on Cambodia’s fragile economic system.

22, 21, TAL post

     This weeks readings focused on how the interconnection of the worlds economy also allows for economic problems from one nation to effect all nations around the world. This is and issue that I have never really thought about much since it seems that the interconnection of all the worlds economies tends to be a good thing for everyone involved, but in this scenario it tends to be detrimental to many of the world economies. For example to 2008 housing crisis sent America into a recession that collapsed its economy and effected every part of Americans lives, but this then extended out to almost every economy in the world because of how connected this world is, meaning that our economic crash ended up crashing the world's economy. I really believe this makes our world economy very fragile, as one little dip in any major economy can essentially dip the rest of the world with it, so we have to make sure that all the countries are doing okay financially. But this is impossible to maintain all the time and means that we are destined to have a world economic collapse at some point because of one country.   

    To be completely honest I did struggle to fully understand the TAL episode but here is what I took away. The small guys have to struggle and fight to compete with the giants of the industries, which forces them to either shut down or cut down on proper business practices, leading to worse conditions for the workers. This really limits the smaller guys ability to grow and become a giant leading to fight for power and equality.  

TAL episode, Chapters 20 & 21

In chapter 20 of 'The Globalization Reader', Fallows, the author, argues that China's rise in power has reshaped its entire country and global wealth. The readings tell us that China has grown so much over the last few decades with its technology, factories, and economy. While many US citizens are aware that this is going on, he emphasizes that the seizure of control has been affecting a global sense, not just a national sense. The author gave examples, one of which is the monumental productions China has worked on for the Pearl River Delta. It's the world's largest and most densely populated area globally. Its population growth has been skyrocketing, prompting China to take action. Chapter 20 also talks about the human aspect of China's industrial boom. Fallows explained how women commute far to work, and work extra long hours just to make enough money. Factory life isn't easy, and can be dangerous. Though some individuals need the money to survive on basic needs. Overall, this chapter summarizes how China, over the past few decades, has become integral to globalization. 

Chapter 21 describes how GCC's (Global Commodity Chains) have established, produced, distributed, and organized globally. In the early 1900's, the United States saw an increase in shoe purchases. A large number of this was driven by teenagers and young adults who were into fitness and staying active. The article also talked about how Nike has been established. Its products are designed by companies here in the US, then sent to Asian countries like China, where they are made to be shipped back to the US for retail. They do this to rely on cheaper overseas labor while also increasing profits. 

When listening to 'The American Life Podcast: Act 2: Dreams of a Distant Factories', I felt like the main point the podcast was trying to tell readers was that Cambodia has been through a lot. They struggled very early on; 1 in 2 million died during the civil war for their country, the middle class was slaughtered, and they were experiencing a huge drought. Then, after a while, the country was able to get back on its feet and began opening garment factories. These factories were the key to Cambodia's success. Those employed got very high pay rates, even higher than what a police officer or a teacher made. They were given many vacation days, roughly 3 months of maternity leave, and an increase in salaries. Everything was going very well for Cambodia, until 2005 when the US cut the system Cambodia was attached to. The country was left in an awkward situation. Cambodia's poor and fragile economy began competing with larger, stronger economies. 

Chapters 22, 27, 33 - Julia Cruz Santana

Those chapters were not just full of important information, but also new ideas and considerations that make the reader think again about the world they live in. Chapter 22 brings a insight about U.S.' economy that a lot of people don't think about it, the amount of influence U.S. has in the global economy. The rise of China is a reality, but can we already consider U.S. a loser? I have to say no, and I believe Friedman gives us just the why. The U.S. economy possibilities can be steady, but their influence in the international economy is really stinky. The author shows us how the agencies like IMF or WT have so much interference from U.S. that scares us with the "possibility of no return". For some countries, especially in Central America, is hard to imagine a economy without U.S., and it is because U.S. made sure that this was a reality. The "hope" is that "Other countries, led by China, will create their own defences, balkanising the rules of technology, trade and finance", like BRICS countries. 

Chapter 27 then brought an accurate definition of IMF, "a new form of the old colonial mentality". Stiglitz show us how Globalization had the possibility to be good, but when benefiting only a minor part, it became a new form of colonization. Similar to colonies, when in the agencies rules, poor countries can't live by themselves, but live to export to countries that can pay. Who is really benefiting from that globalization? Can we consider a coincidence that the countries that have the most power in these agencies are the ones that most import goods and benefit from less tariffs? I was amazed by the phrase “we in the North who run our capital markets, know best. Do what we tell you to do, and you will prosper.” because it is exactly this. The ego of this "developed" countries to the ones they consider inferior is offensive. It seems like they think that these economies are primitive or childish, needing a grown one to guide them. The big ones doesn't seem to remember that many of these countries became a country only 50 years ago. It is sad that U.S,' founding fathers made a constitution to prevent tyranny in their land, but couldn't predict that they themselves could be the tyrants of the world. 

To end, Chapter 33 show important intel in the real effects of IMF. The lack of statistical significance of IMF 's benefits is simply crazy, any social experiment would be closed with that statistics. Maybe 100 years from now historians will talk about this international agency that disguised as helpful but really just used the good intentional to penetrate other economies. "Not surprisingly, the IMF is well known throughout the developing world – to the elites and the masses alike. The organization often appears to exercise as much or even more authority than their own governments" this quote from the author show us how similar to colonization this agencies can act, and this chapter shows hows the intentions of helping the countries became the blockages that no country asked for or apparently can benefit from. 

Chapter's 22, 27, and 33 - TYLER PRIVLER

 After reading Chapter's 22, 27, and 33; this is what I have to say for each chapter.

Chapter 22, The Sticky Superpower, changed how I see American power. Before reading it, I thought power was mostly about how much a country produces or how large its GDP is. I didn’t really think beyond that. This chapter made me realize power is way more complicated than I thought. Even though the United States’ share of global production is shrinking, it still has a lot of influence because of its control over finance, technology, and especially the U.S. dollar. I didn’t realize how much power comes from the dollar being the world’s main reserve currency or how much impact the Federal Reserve has when it changes interest rates. At first, this confused me because it felt contradictory — how can the U.S. be declining in some ways but still remain so powerful? I’m still trying to fully understand that. At the same time, I question how long that kind of power can last, especially if countries like China continue growing and developing their own financial systems.

Chapter 27 explains the impact the IMF has on other countries, especially poorer ones. The IMF often acts like it knows what’s best and sets strict spending limits that countries have to follow in order to receive financial help. If a country is struggling financially, it can’t get support unless it agrees to follow the IMF’s rules — rules that more powerful countries don’t have to follow in the same way. The chapter suggests that the IMF limits a country’s financial and national freedom, which I agree with. Even though the IMF sounds helpful in theory, it can actually end up keeping countries stuck in debt. When the IMF steps in, it gains a lot of control over how that country manages its money, almost like a second government. Instead of fully helping countries recover, it can trap them in a cycle that’s hard to escape.

Chapter 33 made me feel more mixed about the IMF. It does seem like the IMF can help fix balance-of-payments crises and stabilize economies in the short term. But at the same time, it seems like IMF programs can slow growth and make inequality worse. It feels like the IMF can provide quick relief, but sometimes at the cost of long-term fairness. I was also surprised by how political the IMF is, especially since powerful countries like the United States have more influence over decisions. It doesn’t seem completely fair. The documentary we watched about Jamaica and banana exports also connects to this. Jamaica produces around 90,000 tonnes of bananas but doesn’t have proper access to the American market because they are legally binded to sell to UK (more specifically England), and IMF-related debt and policies seem to play a role in that situation.

Chapter readings 22, 27, and 33

 Chapter 22 talks a lot about the United States as a global superpower, primarily in an economic sense. There are a lot of figures and statistics about the United States involvement in the economy but overall they say that while the United States has been the hegemony with global GDP and with trade since around WWII, when it overtook Britain. It also talks about how the United States is possibly being overtaken as the hegemony by China or will be in the coming years. The transition of the U.S. overtaking Britain went pretty smooth because we were allies but there are a lot of theories as to how this possible new transition of economic power will go because China and the U.S. are far from being allies. I also like how this chapter covers the effect the U.S. has on other countries just because of the power they hold and not because of conscious action they take but because everything the U.S. does has an effect on everyone else.

Chapter 27 is a lot similar to chapter 2 in that most of what is said is about how globalism isn’t an inherently bad thing, it is the way people choose to abuse their power that makes globalism unfair and favors the rich more. This chapter also starts talking about the IMF and the ways that this organization abuses their power and ability to help out other countries financially to force them to follow their rules in order to gain help.

Chapter 33 focuses more on the effect the IMF has had on other countries, specifically developing ones that don't benefit from having power and money like the U.S. does. When countries need financial help it is more often than not the IMF that steps in to provide that help. But it doesn’t come for free, countries have to make a lot of changes to their economy in order to gain financial help from the IMF. For developing countries, the ones who are often the ones who need this help from the IMF, the rules that they are forced to follow set them up long term for even worse financial hardships. The changes they are forced to make to their economies make them more globalized, this ends up being great for richer countries, but weakens their own economies way more in return.

Chapter 22,27,33

 I didn’t realize how much America influences the world economy. Which also means I was unaware of how our dominance has been declining over the years. Finding out that the US doesn’t really listen to the IMF and WB all the time was news to me. I definitely think the US has a global economic responsibility that it clearly hasn’t been taking very seriously. This really just shows how much rich countries can get away with compared to poor ones.

Another thing that was very interesting was learning all the issues associated with the IMF. What do you mean countries who are helped by the International Monetary Fund typically don’t do well economically? The whole point of the IMF is to help the countries that ask for help — and the most successful countries reject market fundamentalism, which is literally the system the IMF pushes countries under it’s support to follow. I want to criticize the IMF but I don’t know enough about any of this to suggest better ideas. I can see the positives and negatives of the IMF’s policies much clearer now, even if I think the negatives seem to be overwhelming.

Chapter 22, 27, 33

 To me, chapter 22 mainly speaks about how influential America is to the world. America plays a big part in the world's collective knowledge of medicine, science, technology, entertainment, and finances. America may not interfere with the world's problems directly, they still have the ability to make powerful global decisions. Because America is so powerful and present in global operations, they can easily take another country under their wing and can impose rules they want in the hopes of "making that country prosper economically" with the IMF. This chapter also says that if the countries with power doesn't have their country under control, every nation that they "took under their wing" would be in the same situation as the more powerful country, if not the same situation, a worse situation. Chapter 27 describes the impact the IMF has on other countries. The IMF acts like they know what's best for poorer countries and sets spending limitations that country has to follow in order to receive help from the IMF. This means that if a country is really struggling financially, the IMF won't help them unless that country follows their specific rules, that the more powerful countries don't follow.  Chapter 27 also suggests that the IMF is an undemocratic system that limits countries financial freedoms and national freedoms which I agree with. Overall the IMF seems like a good idea that could help countries that really need it, but its a trap that limits a countries financial and national freedoms and keep that country in a state of debt that they ultimately can't get out of. When the IMF comes into a country they essentially become the "new government" because of how they monitor that countries spending. To me, The IMF is essentially trapping countries in a constant loop of debt and rewriting the basics of that country for their "prosperity."

Chapters 22, 27 and 33 - Phoebe

After reading Chapters 22, 27, and 33, I feel like I’m looking at the same global system from three different perspectives, and I’m still trying to connect them.

I would say Chapter 22, The Sticky Superpower, definetly changed how I now view American power. I initially thought power was solely about how much a country produces or how large their GDP is but this part of the reading showed me how it is so much more than that. The United States is still very powerful, even though its share of global production and GDP is shrinking. This is because other factors such as control over finance, technology, and in particular the dollar play such a crucial role in today’s society. The U.S. dollar being the world’s main reserve currency gives America a lot of influence automatically. I also didn’t realise how much power the Federal Reserve has when it changes interest rates. These concepts definetly confused me becasue I couldn’t really get my head around how the U.S can be declining yet still hold so much power. At the same time, I’m not completely sure this power will last forever because surely if China keeps growing and creating its own financial systems then won’t that just slowly weaken the U.S. dominance? 

In Chapter 27, I came across the similar idea already presented in a chapter from last week’s readings about globalisation and its management. This time it was Stiglitz who argues that globalisation itself isn’t the main problem but it’s how it has been managed, especially by the IMF. His example of developing countries being like “small boats in a rough sea” made the risks of opening financial markets too quickly very clear. I agreed with his point that we need to think about who benefits from globalisation and who carries the risks. It definetly added to my thought processes from when I read this in an earlier chapter as it confused me a little becasue it made me question how do we make globalisation fairer in practice?

Chapter 33 seemed to focus directly on the IMF. I would say I have a very mixed opinion after reading this chapter. It does seem that the IMF is actually good at fixing balance-of-payments crises, which helps stabilise struggling economies but the evidence also shows that IMF programs often slow economic growth and increase inequality. It seems as if the IMF can help in the short term, but often creates more long term problems for growth and fairness. It made me wonder if there’s a better way to stabilise economies without hurting the most vulnerable people. I also didn’t realise just how political the IMF is. It just does not seem fair to me that powerful countries such as the U.S have more influence, and how sometimes governments use IMF rules as an excuse to push through unpopular changes. This also was highlighted in the documentary we watched in class about Jamaica and the exports of Bananas. They do not have access to the American market despite creating 90,000 tonnes of Bananas and I believe that the IMF has something to do with this, probably becasue they owe millions. 

Overall, these readings helped me to understand some different elements within globalisation that make impacts such as the IMF but I would say some of it is still complicated to wrap my head around. It seems the IMF is very 50/50 as it creates power and growth but also inequality and tension. It does not seem like a very fair system to me and I’m left asking whether the negative effects are unavoidable or if they come from specific policy choices and political decisions with little that can be done to change this. 

Globalization of IKEA

 IKEA is a quite well-known company. According to their website, IKEA has a sort of "globally-inclusive" deal, where if a buyer doesn't have an IKEA in their country, they will actually ship it to you, through international borders. This means that almost anybody in the world can order any piece of furniture from IKEA and not have to worry that they wouldn't be able to obtain their desired items. For this IKEA has furthered their status as an international company. For almost a century, IKEA has been a global company, even from the first iteration of the company, even before it was a furniture retailer; and was simply a mailing company that sent mail worldwide. Being in over 60 countries worldwide, IKEA has truly become a globalized IP.

22, 27, 33

  One of the biggest ideas that stood out to me is how the United States continues to dominate the global economy, even as China rises. The Economist section explains this really well. On the surface, it seems like America is declining: manufacturing is shrinking, China is growing rapidly, and U.S. influence doesn’t look as overwhelming as it once did. But when you look deeper, the U.S. still controls many of the most important systems that keep the global economy running: financial institutions, technology, intellectual property, higher education, and global standards. The fact that Alibaba chose to list in New York rather than Shanghai says a lot. It shows that even Chinese companies rely on American markets, legal systems, and investor confidence. To me, this suggests that economic power today is less about factories and more about controlling systems, ideas, and rules. That kind of power is quieter, but probably more durable.

At the same time, the chapter made it clear that this dominance can be frustrating and destabilizing for other countries. U.S. monetary policy affects economies around the world, even when those countries have no say in American decisions. This imbalance raises real questions about fairness and accountability in the global system. Just because the U.S. can influence the world doesn’t necessarily mean it always should, especially when its policies can unintentionally cause harm elsewhere.

What’s most troubling is how these policies often end up hurting the poorest people the most. Cuts to social spending, unemployment, financial crises, and increased inequality seem to follow IMF programs in many cases. It feels deeply unfair that countries struggling with poverty are pressured to adopt policies that benefit wealthy investors and corporations in richer nations. This made me realize that globalization, as it currently operates, often reflects the interests of powerful countries rather than the needs of developing ones.

The IMF section reinforces this critique by showing how IMF programs frequently fail to promote growth and instead worsen inequality. I was surprised to learn how much evidence exists showing that IMF involvement can actually slow economic growth and deepen poverty. The idea that governments sometimes use IMF conditions as a political tool to push unpopular reforms or protect elites makes the situation even more concerning. It suggests that ordinary people often pay the price for economic decisions they had no role in shaping.

These chapters highlight a central contradiction of globalization: it has incredible potential to improve lives, yet it often reinforces global inequality. Countries like those in East Asia demonstrate that globalization can work when governments actively shape it to serve national development goals. Meanwhile, many developing nations struggle because they are forced into a one-size-fits-all economic model that ignores local realities.

Globalization of Coca-Cola

     When you think of globalization, Coca-Cola is probably one of the first brands that comes to mind. No matter where you travel, whether it’s a big city, a small rural town, or a remote village, chances are you’ll find a red Coke logo nearby. From street vendors in Southeast Asia to cafés in Europe and convenience stores in the United States, Coca-Cola has become more than just a beverage company. It’s a symbol of how businesses expand across borders, adapt to new cultures, and shape global consumer habits.

    Coca-Cola began as a small soda fountain drink in Atlanta in 1886, but its transformation into a multinational corporation reflects strategic expansion, marketing genius, and cultural adaptability. Early on, the company recognized the value of international markets. By the early 1900s, Coca-Cola was already bottling overseas, and setting the foundation for worldwide growth. Today, the company operates in more than 200 countries and territories, serving billions of drinks every day. 

    Marketing has also played a huge role in Coca-Cola’s global success. Its advertisements often focus on universal themes like happiness, friendship, family, and togetherness. These messages translate well across cultures, creating emotional connections with consumers around the world. Campaigns like “Share a Coke,” which featured popular names on bottles, succeeded globally by blending personalization with a shared global experience. Coca-Cola’s branding shows how globalization isn’t just about selling products, it’s about building relationships and shared cultural moments.

    At the same time, Coca-Cola’s globalization raises important questions about cultural influence and corporate power. The brand has become closely associated with American culture, sometimes sparking concerns about “cultural homogenization,” where local traditions and products are overshadowed by global brands. Additionally, Coca-Cola has faced criticism over environmental sustainability, water usage, and labor practices in certain regions. These challenges highlight the responsibilities multinational corporations have when operating on a global scale and the importance of ethical business practices.

    Coca-Cola’s globalization image is built around the idea of connection, happiness, and shared experiences that cross cultural and national boundaries. The company presents itself as a symbol of unity in a globalized world through consistent branding, recognizable logos, and emotionally driven advertising. Its marketing campaigns often highlight everyday moments: friends spending time together, families sharing meals, and celebrations that feel universal, helping Coca-Cola appeal to people from very different backgrounds. At the same time, the company adapts its messaging and products to local cultures, which strengthens its image as both a global and locally aware brand. This balance allows Coca-Cola to maintain a strong worldwide identity while still feeling relatable and familiar in individual communities, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most recognizable global companies.

Introduction to JLR Globalisation

An area in England that is connected to JLR’s historic and current operations is Kineton, Warwickshire which happens to be right where I live. It is particularly important due to nearby manufacturing and engineering sites being located in areas such as Gaydon and Solihull. As a result, JLR has a visible presence within the local economy, offering employment opportunities, apprenticeship schemes, skills training, and investment in infrastructure which helps benefit things on a wider scale. This makes JLR a particularly relevant and meaningful case study, allowing me to examine how a global company can exert direct economic and social influence at a local scale, while also working within wider international networks.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) presents itself as a premium global car manufacturer that combines British engineering heritage with international production, innovation, and worldwide markets. Through its branding, corporate communications, and sustainability strategies, JLR promotes globalisation as a positive process that allows capital, labour, technology, and components to move efficiently across national borders. The company highlights its global network of manufacturing plants in a vast amount of locations worldwide. Examples include: the UK, Slovakia, China, India, and Brazil, alongside its major consumer markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. They all help to show how operating on a global scale increases competitiveness, efficiency, and resilience. In doing so, JLR suggests that globalisation supports economic growth, technological progress, and environmental innovation, while also creating employment opportunities and developing skills within host countries.

JLR also makes strong use of visual imagery to reinforce its global identity and appeal to an international audience. This is a significant factor when it comes to globalisation of companies worldwide. Advertising campaigns often place vehicles in contrasting global landscapes, such as urban megacities, desert environments, mountain regions and coastal highways. This aids in symbolising adaptability and worldwide reach. As well as this, the use of international locations, culturally diverse models and globally recognisable landmarks helps communicate connectivity and inclusivity. In addition, images of advanced manufacturing processes, robotics and engineering teams promote an image of technological leadership, while visuals linked to electric vehicles, hybrid technology, and low-carbon mobility, such as the Jaguar I-PACE and Range Rover Electric, present JLR as an environmentally responsible company. Together, these visual strategies construct JLR’s image as a modern transnational corporation running within a highly globalised world.

 

Hyundai Use of Globalization

Hyundai claims their vision is "Our dedication to moving humanity forward flows throughout everything we do –inspiring us to conceive, create, and craft vehicles that open new chapters in mobility and help redefine our journey as a global community." More than just in Korea where Hyundai was created, their philosophy is to make progress for humanity, a desire for better, evolution and innovation. "Hyundai Motor Company has risen as a globally recognized automobile manufacturer that exports its branded vehicles to over 200 countries. It is equipped with production bases all around the world." being a mark on Globalization. More than that, it adapts to the countries, with different names and technologies to adapt in different locations. 

Chapters 22, 27, and 33

 These three chapters did really well at explaining that globalization is heavily influenced by powerful organizations.  In Chapter 22, the author does a really good job at explaining an example of how the U.S. has been such a major on a global scale, and specifically how it's compared to wealthy countries around the world, such as China.  The chapter explains how much the U.S. is in control, despite not needing to have a desire in what it's impacting around the world.  Their impact on globalization isn't only due to their impact on trade either, it's also caused by their prominent monetary footprint due to the Federal Reserve.

    Chapter 27 focuses specifically on the positives and negatives of globalization, and how people around the world feel about it.  One of the things that I found particularly interesting was when they talked about the negative impact investors can have on a developing country.  When investors invest in countries, but then suddenly pull out, it can leave that place in economic devastation.  In the IMF'S early years, they would often blame the countries instead of controversial policies. They explained that developing countries weren't being extorted or taken advantage of by these policies, but instead were being punished for pursuing poor economic policies.

        In Chapter 33, the focus is put on the IMF and its strategies.  The IMF's main goal has been promoting economic growth in developing countries, but hasn't been incredibly effective.  In fact, IMF programs could have in fact have had a negative effect on economic growth for these countries.  However, the IMF has had a success in assisting in issues relating to balance of payments.  In other words, the IMF has been good for insuring economic exchanges, but has heavily struggled when it comes to trying to help developing countries become integral parts of the world stage.

Chapters 22, 27, 33

In these 3 chapter readings, I learned that globalization is forged by powerful organizations and institutions to create what it is today. However, the effects are felt differently and are widespread throughout the globe.

In Chapter 22, I learned that the US is influencing global grade amongst many other nations. As the US continues to dominate China's economic growth, it maintains the key global systems that it controls. Some of which include tech and innovative systems, financial reserves, and cultural/market systems. All of this allows them to shape how international trade is being run. The United States is also referred to as the country that has the "sticky" economic superpower, as referred to in the title of the chapter. This is letting other economists know that they retain the general control of the global economy. 

Chapter 27 of 'The Globalization Reader' provides us with the idea that not all parts of the globe feel satisfied with how globalization is unfolding. Certain areas, like East Asia, are benefiting, while other areas, like Latin America and Africa, are being harmed by globalization. A lot of East Asian countries, such as South Korea and Singapore, have a lot more control over global markets and government involvement. They also got to control the pace and terms of Globalization in their countries. Countries like Argentina, Zambia & Ghana have been hit hard in the late 1900s and early 2000s from social spending cuts,  capital-market exposure, and little control over anything. 

We are presented with different views and opinions in Chapter 33 on IMF programs. IMF loans are helpful to some, as they can aid in preserving a country's payment balances. Though the chapter did talk about some cons. Some studies show that the IMF frequently fails to promote sustainable economic growth. Other research even shows that it has reduced countries' economic upswing. 

22, 27, 33

     Reading this section of the the textbook, I saw how the different world organizations which came about because of globalization helped to both build the modern world, due to their role in the global economy and their role in global peace. The quote " If anything, globalization has helped to increase the number of such problems" made me think about how globalization isn't always a good thing. Even though I believe that globalization is a good thing the majority of the time, it occurred to me that some of the world's issues came about or maybe got worsened by globalization. One instance of this is climate change, which was worsened by the world's plunge into an industrialized society. This only got worse when the revolution was brought to the entire world, exponentially making the issues that came from it much worse. Many of the organizations that help to boost the world's economy market themselves as being saviors to everyone they touch, but many smaller nations with smaller economy's tend to suffer because of them and get the shorter end of the stick in these situations. I like the quote of "This issue still afflicts the United Nations, for example, because it often does the bidding of powerful members rather than promote common interests" because it really does say what I am thinking, with all the good that these organizations bring they don't always create a fair outcome and tend to prefer the interests of wealthier nations that have larger voting power within these organizations. I can also see that some of the environmental organizations tend to favor larger nations who can afford to follow their regulations. As much as I support everything these organizations do and I am on their side, it would be unfair to not look at the fact that these regulations can harm the economics of smaller nations who do not have the capital to cater to these regulations.  

Under Armour globalization - TYLER PRIVLER

Under Armour is a company that was started in 1996 by former college football player Kevin Plank. He started the company for a specific reason—he hated how cotton T-shirts became soggy and heavy during practice and other athletic activities. Plank wanted a shirt that would keep athletes dry and comfortable, so he created a moisture-wicking compression shirt designed specifically for performance. At first, Under Armour was a small operation and mainly focused on football players in the United States. The brand grew slowly through word of mouth and by supplying gear to college teams and professional athletes who were looking for better performance apparel.
Under Armour really began to take off in the early 2000s once it gained visibility through major sports leagues like the NFL and NCAA. A major turning point came when Under Armour gear appeared in the movie Any Given Sunday, which helped introduce the brand to a much wider audience. As the company grew, it expanded beyond football into other sports such as basketball, soccer, and training. This growth helped push Under Armour into international markets and gave it a much larger presence outside the U.S.
Globalization played a big part in how Under Armour became so successful. Manufacturing was outsourced overseas to reduce costs and increase production, while global marketing and athlete endorsements helped spread the brand worldwide. Under Armour also adjusted its products for different climates and sports cultures, which helped it grow outside the U.S. Overall, Under Armour’s growth shows how a small idea can turn into a global brand because of globalization.

Walt Disney Globalization

 According to the Walt Disney website their mission is, “The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.” The company mentions the globe or the world twice just within this mission statement, this does an incredible job of showing not only how global they plan to make their company but how global they already are. Another statement they make on their “about us” section of their main websites states, “is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise” This shows a LOT about how this company sees themselves or wants to portray themselves to the world. In their own words they spread diversity, creativity, and technology. Not to spoil where my project on this company might be going but I know already that these statements they make aren’t inherently and wholly true. The company has had many scandals about diversity and censorship. They have also been criticized on the moves they made to become such a global powerhouse and are often accused of buying out other companies to get rid of competition and create a monopoly. The company itself definitely is not putting this past of theirs in the limelight and is trying to create a different reputation for themselves as helping others with their global reach, money, and power instead of putting others down with it.

Link to about me page of the website I got their mission statement from: https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/

GM Globalization

 General Motors is an automotive company that was founded in Detroit in 1908. They primarily serve the American market, but currently have an ongoing partnership with some Chinese companies that enables them to tap into the Asian market as well. Historically they have had a significant impact on the European market as well, since they acquired both Vauxhall and Opel in the 1920s. During the second world war, Vauxhall made tanks for Britain and Opel made tanks for Germany, meaning GM vehicles were on both sides of the war, for better or for worse. GM also owned the British company Lotus for a while, as well as Saab, a Swedish company. They acquired Daewoo, which was a Korean automotive company, before the brand was phased out. The former Daewoo facilities now produce Chevrolet vehicles. GM also owned a subsidiary in Australia called Holden, which operated in Australia and Asia for many years before it too closed. GM India was a branch that operated in the Indian market until 2017. Buick is a brand under GM that has primarily been in US markets for most of its history, but recently has been doing very well in China as the brand has shifted towards more luxury vehicles. GM also has manufacturing facilities in countries outside of the US such as Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and Indonesia. GM vehicles have also been praised very highly by countries around the globe like Germany. Germany has given its "luxury car of the year" award to Cadillacs in two consecutive years, with the LYRIQ in 2025 and the VISTIQ in 2026.

WWE’s Use of Globalization

 WWE (short for World Wrestling Entertainment) is a sports entertainment company owned by TKO, who specializes in live and televised professional wrestling shows. WWE began with only a limited American market as a promotion in Connecticut. The company spread throughout the 1970s, buying up smaller local promotions and becoming the largest wrestling promotion in the world by the mid 1980s. In 1985, WWE had its first international broadcast for ‘Wrestlemania’.shortly followed by their first international event in 1986. They held pay-per view event ‘Summerslam’ (considered one of their big 4 events of the year) in London, England in 1992 which was a large part of their early attempts to create a more globalized fanbase. By the 2000s, WWE had included Spanish, French, German, and Japanese commentators for their international broadcasts. In the mid 2010s, the WWE held multiple tournaments which featured international talent (including one of all wrestlers from the United Kingdom) and held a show in Japan. In the 2020s, WWE has held numerous shows in Saudi Arabia in an attempt to expose the product to the Arab world and create pathways for Arab talent in the WWE.

Nintendo's Use of Globalization

 Nintendo is a company founded in Japan all the way back in 1889 making Japanese toys and card games, eventually moving to what they are known for now, video games, with the Game & Watch in 1980. This was the company's first big success in the West, with over 30 million units sold overseas. This helped Nintendo take itself out of debt and start earning more than ever before. Since this major success, Nintendo has been making sure their name is known all over the world with countinued video game releases, from Donkey Kong in the arcade to Pokemon Legends Z-A on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Of America was created in 1980, made specifically to market their products to Americans, which caused consumers in the US to have very different experiences than those in Japan. Commericals were more aggresive and loud, characters seen as cute like Kirby were changed on the box art to look angry instead, and certain games were given new names or even completely changed when brought over the ocean. This globalization seems to have gone back to Nintendo in Japan as well, with the company seeming to have more global views than usual for japanese companies. They have benefits for gay employees even though Japan still doesn't recongnize gay marriage, and in the recent Tomodachi Life release trailer, there are options to make your characters non-binary and the option to chose what gender they are attracted to. With their goal to have their games played all around the world, globalization plays a big part in how they conduct their buisness.

NBC's use of Globalization

 NBC is a highly globalized media company, and the front page of their website clearly displays such.    The front page is equally divided into many different sessions, such as "The Olympic Games" and "Team USA", demonstrating that there's a completely separate section to focus on global events like the Olympic Games.  NBC is not only displaying a variation of stuff to watch on the website directly, but also provides links to partners such as Peacock.  Peacock is a big part of NBC's brand in the last few years not only in the U.S., but also in places like Europe.  It's been part of a huge major push as to NBC gaining a more globalized outreach recently.  The promotion of the Olympics is also proof of NBC's global reach.  With it being the first set of slides on the front page, NBC is (rightfully so) leaning into the fact that they're the main providers of the 2026 Winter Olympics.  They even have the Olympics symbol next to their emblem on the bottom corner.  NBC has also promoted in another major way, which is through their news outlet.  While it's not directly displayed on this page specifically, NBC News has been able to promote their international news channel, "NBC Universal", quite well, creating global outreach through their network.

McDonalds Globalization

McDonalds is one of the most well recognized fast food chains in the world, and gives a perfect example to the idea of globalization. Originally from the United States founded in 1940, locations are now operating in over 100 countries. When going on McDonalds website and looking at the sections they have on their impact I saw that they talk about how they source their major ingredients locally. This gives opportunity for the local communities and farmers to profit from their major corporation they have built, by providing a steady flow of demand for the locally sourced ingredients. This gives a good example of the reliance they have on the global economy which supports the ideas globalization is centered around. Another way they rely on the global market and support foreign development is by having franchises, where their locations are owned and operated by local business owners offering jobs at high levels across the globe. Also throughout the world McDonald's offers small tweaks to its menu to better support local cuisine, but still keep their major staple items like the Big Mac. I think that them doing that shows the willingness to adapt to different cultures while globalizing their brand.

ExxonMobil's use of globalization

     ExxonMobil is a major energy giant which mainly focus's on it's extracting of oil and gas. This leads to many people looking at it's practices in a negative light, due to people thinking it leads to negative changes in the environment and also to the shady business practices these energy giants are known to use. This leads ExxonMobil to market in a very specific way. They focus on the scientific research and discoveries that the corporation in involved in finding and funding. The main page of ExxonMobil has links to articles about "carbon capture and storage", "hydrogen energy research" and "lower emission fuels". These articles are things that both the corporation and the general public are interested in furthering. The corporation also proudly sports its impressive stock price with a it in a bold green to show how it's going up. This shows me they advertise how the company is a large money maker for both the top CEO's all the way down to the small time investors that throw $500 into the stock. They explain their practices as "fueling the world" and like to imply they helped build the modern world. They also have a large focus on pushing how sustainable they are, whether or not you agree with that or not is up to you, but they seem to fully believe they are and push that with every chance they get. In conclusion the ExxonMobil Corporation likes to focus on how they help built and now change the modern world while also creating wealth for many people.

Globalization with National Geographic

National Geographic is a non-profit organization founded in 1888. Its focus on science, education, and storytelling connects back to Globalization. It's global media network, alongside its magazines, that allows the institution to thrive within the globalized world. When you first enter its website, you're greeted with its top/latest stories along with a 'subscribe to the latest NatGeo stories. As I scrolled, they encouraged me to subscribe to their magazines and advertised some of their TV specials. A lot of the stories they publish are about nature and the environment, but they go out and explore way beyond the United States and North America. By participating in lots of research globally and publishing stories, National Geographic exposes readers to diverse cultures, global issues, and how people and the environment are connected across the world. Having lots of partnerships with other organizations, such as the Walt Disney Company and the UNESCO World Heritage Center, helps them conduct more research, support international conservation, and strengthen their role in globalization. These collaborators help with local expertise and other resources that Nat Geo can utilize in the field to share with the global audience. Another reason they are considered highly globalized is the high-quality photography that they acquired early on. The organization uses the images to tell a story through a different lens, by giving viewers a visual representation of what they talk about in magazine or article text. Photography is also a powerful tool for sharing global issues, global perspectives, and cross-cultural communication.

Chapters 1, 2, 8 -- Wyatt Rambo

 While reading through chapter one, I felt like I was reading things I already was aware of, and the book was giving an overview of what globalization actually is. While reading though, a line stuck out to me on page 19. "Is globalization really a new Western curse?" The author then says that it is neither new nor Western, seeing as this type of thing had been going on for quite a long time before the term had been coined in the 20th century. The quote / question really stuck out to me, because globalization + Western = "Westernization", a term coined beforehand. Westernization to me feels like a subset of globalization, and is generally associated with a slightly more negative connotation, as it is seen as a culturally diminishing notion. However, historically, Westernization had only really come about at roughly the time of the Industrial Revolution. A much older for / subset of globalization, coined "Southernization" was prominent in far further back history, where the Southern portions of Asia were spreading their ideas around the then whole world, which is where we get out modern numerical system, and more.

(Will add more on later)

Chapters 1, 2, 8

Chapter 1 of the textbook sort of reiterated a lot of what I already knew about globalization, but it was still informative nonetheless. One line in particular that stuck out to me was the line "globalization makes us richer – or makes enough of us richer to make the whole process worthwhile." This line stuck out to me because it acknowledged the main thing that comes to mind whenever I think about the impact of globalization, which is the inequalities. Often times, these globalization efforts happen at the expense of poorer communities, and that imbalance is definitely one of the biggest critiques of globalization. However, that's not to say that globalization should be rejected entirely. After all, if certain territories were to close themselves off from embracing globalization, it would disconnect and isolate them from the rest of the world, which would inevitable worsen the inequalities in poorer regions. This is something that I guess I never thought of before, because when I originally thought of the term globalization, I thought of it as something that erased traditional systems and negatively impacted individualism and other cultures. I never thought of how that could negatively affect various regions from an economic perspective. 

The term, neoliberalism is relatively new to me, and now that I know what it means, I'm realizing that a lot of what I considered to be just capitalism is actually better described as neoliberalism. Seeing how overtime, the economic development of countries such as the US and UK influenced the economic development of other countries, some out of "coercive pressures" is quite interesting because it explains how business climates began to change in the 20th century, and interconnect with one another. 

Chapter's 1, 2, 8 - TYLER PRIVLER

This week's reading (Chapters 1, 2, and 8) helped me understand more about globalization (which sounds pretty obvious, though, I guess). Before doing the reading, I mostly thought of globalization as something distant and abstract, like trade agreements, major corporations, and countries interacting on a level far removed from my everyday life. I didn’t really connect it to things I experience personally. What really stood out to me was how much globalization actually affects daily life in ways we don’t even notice, and how those effects can be completely different depending on where someone lives, their economic status, or their role in the global system.

Chapter 1 made it clearer what globalization actually looks like in practice and how involved governments really are in shaping it. I had always assumed globalization was mostly driven by corporations or the free market, but this chapter showed how much power governments still have when it comes to trade, regulation, and global influence. That was something I hadn’t really thought about before. Chapter 2, How to Judge Globalism, showed how people see globalism in really different ways; it surprised me because I wasn’t aware to what extent and how those opinions have changed over time, especially in Western societies. I thought it was interesting how attitudes toward globalization aren’t fixed and often depend on historical context, economic conditions, and access to technology. The chapter also showed how technology has changed how people think about and react to globalization, making the world feel more connected but also more divided in some ways.

Chapter 8 shifted toward the history of neoliberalism, explaining its political and economic roots and how it eventually became dominant on a global scale. It was interesting to see how neoliberalism didn’t just appear overnight, but instead developed through specific policies, leaders, and global events, while also facing criticism and resistance along the way. In the end, the readings made me realize how closely politics, economics, and ideology are connected; we don’t usually think about them and believe we are immune but they overlap in our everyday life.

Chapters 1,2, and 8

 Throughout the intro and first chapter we get a solid base introduction into the subject of globalization. This early portion alone makes it clear that this book is going to look extensively at the economic factors related to globalization. It approaches the topic with a nuanced stance to begin with, making it clear that the outcomes of globalization and the ways in which cultures have adopted it are not uniform but instead widely varied. Chapter eight goes more into the specifics of how these outcomes differ between nations.

In chapter eight Neoliberalism is touched on in more depth, with a proper explanation of what it means. Prior to this reading I mainly associated neoliberalism with the politics of the Democratic Party specifically, viewing it as a middle ground between the desired positive life outcomes of socialism and the free markets of capitalism. After the reading I realize that neoliberalism is a much broader topic, not bound to any one party, and my view on it was very inaccurate. The text even brings up republican president Ronald Reagan as an example of neoliberal policies being enacted while in office.

2/4 Readings

 After reading these three chapters I gained a better understanding of what globalization is by seeing how complex it can be depending on who is defining it, and how it is being looked at. Globalization can vary from immigration to business which in my opinion makes it difficult to give one clear definition to. In chapter 2 examples are given to why globalization may be seen as a negative thing to many, with the idea that the goal is to spread western ideology and for strictly monetary gain which often comes at an expense to the less fortunate. I think that this shows how difficult understanding how globalization works because it affects things all the way from the ground up to work. In Chapter 8 we can see the idea of neoliberalism brought up where some may look at it as unfair in a work sense. The main idea of this neoliberalism is to promote free markets and trade with limited government interference. These policies have faced scrutiny over the years which ties back into the earlier chapters that we can just define globalization as one thing really when there is so much involved.

Ch. 1, 2, and 8

 Chapter 1 opens by defining globalization, which is made helpful through the plethora of examples listed after each point. While I'm not familiar with what each reference is, they are all real-world events that can make understanding the concept easier. This chapter puts the idea of globalization in a positive context, made stronger by acknowledging some of its downsides. Globalization does create gaps within and between societies, but it says that there is more good than harm in the grand scheme of things.

Chapter 2 expands on the inequalities that were briefly mentioned in Chapter 1, more specifically on the rich versus the poor. Since globalization is primarily an economic concept, wealth distribution in globalized nations is the best place to see the gaps that can form. In many cases the poor do benefit in some way, but that benefit needs to be compared to the gain for the other income classes as well. Otherwise, the poor may not have received their fair share of the spoils, and therefore their benefit is not really much of a benefit at all since the rest of the income classes will pull away even more. I think the inequalities subject will be the primary topic of debate and discussion going forward into the next few weeks as we keep getting a better grasp on gloablization as a whole. When it comes down to it, the real effect that all of us could feel is that unequal gap, and I think it will serve as a valuable gauge moving forward.

Chapter 8 discusses the concept of neoliberalism, which revolves around the idea that if markets were free from governmental control, they would yield more benefits to the economy. This includes the belief that government intervention in the economy would create a bias for benefitting the government rather than the people they serve. The concept of regulation is propped up on the belief that the free market would regulate itself without state involvement. The book discusses the historical rise of neoliberalism after the second world war, up until the present where it is a strong force. I think neoliberalism as a concept has benefits for economic growth because it stimulates the competitive forces within economies. I do think that over time it could lead to some issues as well. One that I could think of is resource management, specifically with environmental resources. These are typically finite in supply, and I worry about the potential lifespans of natural resources without government regulation.