Thoughts on this week's readings

I really liked how this textbook began with the General Introduction section, which allowed me to understand the true definition and meaning of what Globalization used to be and is today in society. Some of the things I learned just from the introduction page were that Globalization means different things to different people, it is never a smooth path, the movement of people around the globe poses new health risks, Globalization has been happening for a long time now, and since post-COVID, it might have entered a new phase. In Chapter 1, we got to slowly dive deeper into what Globalization is in the real world. As well as how the government is involved with globalization. In chapter 2, the title says it all 'how to Judge Globalism. This chapter was mostly about how people see globalism and how it's evolved over the decades in the period of western-civilization. I feel that it was cool to see different people's opinions on what globalization has become today compared to older periods of time. (especially with the development and rising evolution of technology. Then, in chapter 8, we jumped right into the history of Neoliberalism, where we got to learn about politics and the economy, as well as how Neoliberalism dominated the world politically. It was fascinating to read all the challenges and struggles they had to face before becoming very powerful.

My thoughts on the first reading

     The first reading, in my opinion, offered a solid introduction to the meaning and inner workings to globalization and allowed me to begin to understand how it works. I liked how in the beginning it did solely focus on the economics of globalization and showed that it can relate to many other things like ideas and cultures. That being said, the sharp turn into neoliberalism shows just how dominated globalism is dominated by the economic benefits it creates. I don’t think this was always the case, I believe this only arose during the recent century, as corporations arose, went global, and merged to create mega corporations. This led directly to these corporations' attempts to bid for power around the world and gain more influence on people, which led to them taking over events like the world cup to advertise their products and to funding different projects to increase their public image. This whole system led to the fall of the movement of ideas in that sense of globalization, as corporations began to stop spreading ideas because they wanted to spread their views and culture but they instead started doing everything because of money. Now I see that this is only one part of globalization, as things like phones and the internet can still allow the spread of ideas and cultures without money being an incentive. But thinking about it, globalization seems to be dominated by the effect it has on economies.

Globalization - Philadelphia

 With Philadelphia being such a large area to write about Im going to focus more on the neighborhood I am from, Manayunk. Formerly in the early 1900s Manayunk was full of factories supporting global trade of wood, paper, and coal products that would go down the river to Philadelphia's major ports. Now most of those factories have disappeared and the neighborhood has changed a bit. 

There is a large working class immigrant population, between people working corporate jobs and commuting downtown for work, and those who come offering cultural experiences through opening restaurants and bars. This has globalized our food and cultural scene, from authentic Italian food to authentic Indian cuisine there is a large amount of different backgrounds that shape our neighborhood into what it is. 

On the corporate side of things, there's not many large corporations in our neighborhood other than the grocery stores, and fast food spots that may be seen globally. I think that the small mom and pop shops offer a more authentic experience to the globalization happening in my area compared to large corporations. 

Globalization in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

     

Rio de Janeiro, the city where I was born and lived for more than 15 years, is a mark of Globalization from its beginning. It was the place where the colonizers from Portugal arrived in 1500, in a journey to discover new worlds. Then, they brought slave workforce from Africa, and they got mixed with the existent Portuguese and indigenous population. They all had babies and then Rio became one of the most mixed-race populations in the world. The politicians had other ideas, they wanted a sophisticated city just like Paris, so they kicked the poor from their houses at the Center of the city and did architectonic reforms and opened Rio for tourism. This are of the city is till today majority rich, white, and with the crescent Globalization, foreigners.

When I think of my city today, I can see the TikTok trendies, people making videos experiencing our food, or warmth, our sun and beaches. In the summer there are people from all the world, and the informal workers on the beach get their game up and learn how to sell in Spanish, English and even French. I was there in December, and I heard more English than Portuguese in the “elite” parts of the city. I even saw an ATM, not a Brazilian version, an American ATM just like the ones we have it here in U.S. I was shocked by the amount of AutoZone stores, and even a Sam’s club!

With the arrival of Carnaval in February, people come to see the samba, the music, the festivities, and with a tourist campaign and crescent social media participation, the hotels get all full and people experience the parties of their lives. But Rio is more than just tourist Globalization. We have great famous colleges that lead research internationally, we make movies that get Golden Globes and Oscars, singers that get Grammys, we are the city for politics assemblies like COP30, and much more. It is almost impossible to think about Rio without the global presence and the Globe without the presence of Rio.

Globalization in NYC

Globalization in New York City. The city itself is a factor of globalization. You see, when I talk about globalization I talk about the people who live in New York City. New York City might be the most diverse place in the United States of America. You have immigrants from all around the world. You have Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Ukrainians, Russians, Georgians, any Eastern European you think of, New York probably has it; moving on we have Jamaicans, Haitians, Chinese, Japanese, hell just put basically all of Asia in there. When America is described as a melting pot of cultures, New York is the best example of that. You can walk down one block in New York City and see a mosque, a synagogue, and a church all on the same block. It sounds outrageous but it's probably true. This is because there's so many different types of cultures and races and identities from all around the world. I also believe that's what makes New York City the best kind of city or place to have globalization. because with all of this you bring a different type of setting to anything around it. I play rugby and I've met people who live in New York City that are from the Netherlands, New Zealand, England, Georgia, and many many more countries. I believe people come to New York City because it is still seen as the land of opportunity. When people are talking about the land of opportunity in America they were mainly talking about New York the state, but that very quickly became the city itself. There's so many different types of areas in New York City; to elaborate there is little Italy, Chinatown, Koreatown, little Odessa, little Haiti, etc etc etc. I like to think of New York City as a City built by immigrants, for immigrants, and of immigrants. That is what I think of globalization when I think of New York City

Disscussion - Globalization in Leesport

 Leesport, PA is a small town with a population of around 2,000. Within those 2,000, the majority were born and raised in the united states and you can see that through your surroundings. There's a pizza place, a diner, and three different gas stations if you want something to eat. Globalization hit Leesport in a different way, two large companies building giant facilities in the middle of town. One only just opened, but Ashley's furniture has been there a while, and has brought jobs and lots of trucks into the neighborhood. 

As someone who works part time at one of the forementioned gas stations, Rutter's, Ashley's drivers are constantly coming in to get gas. Rutter's caters to truckers, so many other truckers come in from all over the country, Canada, and Mexico, which brings many different people from different parts of the world to our town, even if just for an hour. While both me and others don't particularly like having our schools being boxed in by two giant warehouses, I hope eventually this might cause more people to be interested in Leesport and bring lots of cultures to the town.

Globalization in Douglassville

 The only thing I can think off regarding globalization in my small hometown would be influx of people moving into my neighborhood during the past ten years. I remember when I could walk to the end of my neighborhood. The sidewalk would stop and the road would end in a pile of gravel. Beyond that was simply trees and dirt. Now, the forest that was once there is gone, replaced by large family homes with wide driveways and plenty of backyard space. I'm not sure what's so special about my town in particular, compared to all the other small towns surrounding us, but a lot of people move to Douglassville from Philadelphia -- likely for more space to start a family, as there are multiple school districts within the area. Because of all the new people in Douglassville, my local grocery store was remodeled and expanded. Personally, I hate the design. I no longer know where anything is, the lighting is all weird, and the space has a sanitized, corporate feeling compared to the raw warehouse vibe it had before. I understand the remodel was needed but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Globalization in Coatesville

Globalization is a term that I am familiar with, but I never stopped to think about its impact on my hometown. I live in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, which is the only "city" in Chester County. Coatesville is home to the Lukens Steel Company, which played a big part in the steel industry by producing steel "tree" beams for the World Trade Center which were later returned in April 2010 and commemorated by the government. 

Nowadays, the steel mill isn't as prominent as it used to be. The downtown area, which used to have a lot of stores and businesses, is rather dry present day because most of those businesses migrated to the (now empty) Exton mall. There are efforts however to encourage people to return to the downtown areas with a new C-Town supermarket, and a handful of other small businesses and restaurants opening up. Additionally, an old middle school that was closed due to asbestos was torn down, and in its place, they are building a new elementary school. There is construction planned in the surrounding areas for new townhouse neighborhoods, so I imagine this will come in handy due to an influx of new kids. 

One of the biggest draws I'd also say that the downtown area has is the Coatesville Grand Prix. It's a newer event, I believe it started six years ago, but it's been a big draw for people both in and around the area of all backgrounds. They close off certain roads around town and set up a race track for vintage cars and motorcycles, and there's also a car show/vendor that takes up part of the street where people showcase there cars. All in all, these developments are relatively new, and I'd be interested to see how the new housing impact the businesses in the area overtime. 

Globalization In My life - Chris Walker

     I spent most of my school life and child hood and as a child I didn't know or even process how much globalization affected me. Thinking back on it now I see my entire friend group and everyone I knew was from someplace different. Globalization affected my everyday life because every new person I met was from a place out the country or a place Ive never heard of before. I've seen immigrants from D.R., Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Ecuador, Peru, Ghana, and a bunch of other places. Seeing the face that all of my friends are from different places I started to learn about their music, their food, their culture, and even some of their religion. looking back on that I now realize how different each and every one of my friends are and can recognize the way that came to be was because of globalization. When I moved to PA it was a similar situation as what's happening in New York but on a smaller scale. 

Moving to PA was a big shift for me and I was just trying to figure things out, but looking back I see that most of my friends were people that came the the New York, and New Jersey area(I also lived in New Jersey for about 2 years). Since I was a part of the population that was coming from New yor and New Jersey, I was basically the "immigrant" coming to a new place. While I was the new kid I was able to form my own group of friends that were also from the New York and New Jersey area. 

Overall, I've experienced globalization all throughout my life. I've seen it happen within other people in my communities when I was younger and even "Being a part of globalization" when I moved from New York to PA. I've never thought about my life like this and it was a cool way to bring back some memories of the very diverse place known as Bronx, New York

The Effect of Globalization on my Hometown

 I grew up in the small town of Gilbertsville, about 40 mins away from Kutztown. The area that I grew up in was extremely small and only really consisted of residential areas for the entirety of the town. Thinking about my town I would put money down that the only new buildings that have been built are family housing, mostly just middle class houses but some larger housing projects and some town houses. 

    The only real examples I can see of globalization on my hometown are the few international corporations which reside along the main intersection in my town. One is a wawa which is easily the busiest and most profitable business in my area and it sees almost constant customers as everyone from my area seems to run on it. The other which is directly across the street is a cvs. There are a few small restaurants around my area. These are all either pizza parlors or bars. I would say there is a very noticeable Italian population which leads to many Italian restaurants and pizza parlors. I'd say that is the biggest piece of globalization in the area. There is also a large German population but that is not reflected by anything in my town. 

    I believe my area could very much benefit from an increase in globalization. One thing I could see the town doing is to set up an OctoberFest celebration. I know many of the surrounding towns have them and I could see this help increase both the German representation in the area and also bring in people from other areas which would increase "tourism" and increase profits at local businesses. I would like to say that we should increase the amount of international corporations but I as far as I know there isn't enough demand in my area for that to be a reasonable request. There are businesses in all the surrounding towns which are the primary places that people shop at, it's just a bit inconvenient because I am driving at least 20 mins to get to a Walmart or to get to a fast food restaurant. I think the town is only really meant as a residential area as there are no plans to build businesses anywhere so I think the best choice for the area is to celebrate the European roots many of its citizens have.

Globalization - Lancaster

     Globalization is definitely something that I’ve noticed around where I live for a while. Ever since I was younger, I’ve always liked to go on little trips and such to different restaurants, stores, etc., and just kind of look around to find inspiration and enjoy different things.  Throughout my life in Lancaster, I’ve definitely seen changes in my environment caused by globalization.

    As I’ve grown up and changed, looking around feels much different then when I was younger, as I’ve began to think more about how the outside world is affecting my local community.  Some stores or locations have been added, some new and some old, but a lot of them (especially restaurants and such), are of the chain variety.  Some have closed, and some have been replaced.  Some local locations have been opened, which represent different cultures around the globe, and I’ve been given opportunities to experience them without having to travel far and wide.  Even some worldwide branded industries have been brought nearby, promoting new industries and companies.

Globalization in Exton

 Globalization is a phenomena that has been working its way into our daily lives more and more. I live in Exton, and I have seen the effects shape and change my town as I have grown up. When I was little, there were not many foreign food places in town. We had our choice of the main staple fast food places, some small random mom and pop shops, but as I grew, more and more Chinese, Indian, and other stores have opened. Globalization lets good changes like this happen, where we have more choice and opportunities to explore other cultures. 

Globalization can also have negative effects on towns. At first, many of the foreign food spots were small businesses, owned by immigrants who brought their culture to us. However, the growing interest caught the attention of corporations, which began opening up chain restaurants, which led to the small businesses closing up shop.

Globalization -- Pottstown

When I think about globalization, my mind often goes straight to economics, trade, corporations, and financial connections between countries. However, globalization also appears in more subtle ways, especially through culture. While it is easy to notice globalization in large cities filled with international brands and businesses, its presence can be harder to identify in smaller towns. Still, cultural exchange can exist even without major global corporations.

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is a small town in Montgomery County with a strong sense of local identity. While there are some chain stores and restaurants, much of the town is made up of locally owned businesses, historic buildings, and community spaces. On the surface, Pottstown does not appear to be heavily influenced by globalization, especially when compared to nearby cities like Philadelphia. Many parts of the town reflect a traditional, small-town atmosphere rather than an international one.

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, provides a clear example of how globalization affects economic development at the local level. Historically, the town’s economy was centered around manufacturing and industrial labor, which provided stable employment for much of the population. As global competition increased and manufacturing jobs moved overseas or became automated, Pottstown experienced economic decline, including factory closures and job losses. These changes reshaped the local labor market and forced many residents to seek work outside the town or transition into different industries.

In recent years, Pottstown has focused on economic revitalization and workforce redevelopment in response to these global pressures. Efforts to attract new businesses, expand the service sector, and invest in small enterprises reflect an attempt to adapt to a globalized economy. The labor market has shifted toward healthcare, education, retail, and service-based jobs, which are more closely tied to regional and national economic networks. This transformation shows how globalization directly influences local employment patterns and economic development, even in towns that may seem far removed from the global economy.

Hometown Globalization - Schwenksville

 When I think of globalization it usually pertains to economic ties between nations and cities. In a world so driven by economic resources it can be hard to peel back that wall and see globalization for its other characteristics, like culture. The typical signs of globalization are big businesses that have crossed international lines and have a presence around the world. Seeing those names in different places shows the effects of globalization. 

My hometown is Schwenksville, which is a little borough in Montgomery County Pennsylvania. We don't have any big chain restaurants or stores within the borough limits. The borough is made up of neighborhoods and some small businesses. There is a past office and a library, as well as an elementary school. If you drove through the town it is highly unlikely that you'd be able to find any distinct sign of globalization. 

The closest thing that I can think of that would symbolize globalization is that the borough is just next to the site of the Philadelphia Folk Festival in Upper Salford Township. The festival takes place in the summer and is visited by thousands of people each year, which makes Schwenksville very busy as people pass through. I used to work in the local supermarket, and I remember the week of the festival we would have all sorts of people coming through and driving our numbers up. The folk festival celebrates music from a lot of American styles, as well as international styles such as Celtic and Klezmer, which comes from the Ashkenazi Jews. The fusion of cultures and musical techniques from all around the world is a prime example of globalization because it displays how said cultures are interconnected.

Dublin, Ohio

 Unlike most of my classmates who I assume have hometowns in Pennsylvania my hometown is actually Dublin, Ohio. In most contexts I would think that this would change my answers from those of my classmates at least a little but I don’t think this will be what happens here. I think our shift to globalization as a society will probably look very similar even though we are in different states. 

Over my time living in my town I have seen multitudes of small shops and storefronts open their doors only to close them again. The places that open and are the most likely to stay open are already established chain stores. Sometimes they are chain stores only in Ohio but oftentimes they are global chain stores with locations all over the world. This is a lot different from how my town looked pre-covid. Before Covid small mom and pop stores were the normal thing while there weren’t a ton of chain stores. 

Something that I think is true almost the entire time I’ve lived in my town is that whether the store was a chain or single standing almost none of the products they sold were manufactured in the U.S. and if they were a big deal it was made about it on whatever display it was on. 

I would overall say globalization has definitely had an effect on my town. I don’t think it is an inherently good or bad thing either way I personally just saw it as change which is always bound to happen. But I think the largest and fastest push of globalization was made because of the pandemic, causing many small stores to close and large chains to take their place. That left a bad taste in my mouth but I understand just how much the economy was affected by it and I hope with time some of those type of small stores come back with the chain stores. 

Globalization in Morgantown, PA

 The very first thing that comes to mind when thinking about "Globalization" is high-end corporations that have become so influential that they've crossed borders into other regions globally, hence the name. The most common example of a corporation that has spread across the world is Amazon, being accessible in over a hundred countries. Another example would be popular fast-food places, such as McDonald's, with the same 100+ nations with those restaurants.

In my hometown of Morgantown, there are plenty of examples of this, with a dozen or so of these huge corporations located in just a few square miles. Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Wendy's, and various other well-known places are dotted around my town. The most popular spot in my town is a sort of duplex building that houses two of the most popular chains in the world, Domino's and Starbucks. This, paired with the fairly denser population of my town, it can be reasonably said that my town is a sort of mini center for globalization starting to form.

Additionally, Morgantown recently had a casino built in the town, located just at the "center" of town, where the highway meets the main road. There has also been an apartment complex located at the "bridge" portion of the town, as Morgantown is sort of split into two distinct areas. The western portion is the more historic side, and the east is the more residential/business focused, being split further, respectively. There is a small section that bridges the two, with a (formerly very thin) road, which splits into a secondary route to a highway, and the apartments.

Globalization in Scotch Plains

When I first heard of the word 'globalization', the first thing that stood out to me was the word 'global' in 'globalization.' I only thought it had to do with big-name cities, like New York City, the biggest city near my hometown. Once I researched the real definition of globalization, I realized it doesn't just have to do with big global cities; it also affects hometowns like mine.

I live in Scotch Plains, NJ. While I reside in Scotch Plains, we also share school districts with the town of Fanwood. Scotch Plains is considered a medium-sized town, while Fanwood is a small town. In the Scotch Plains-Fanwood area, we have a very diverse demographic population. Back in the early 20th century, my town used to be mostly Italian immigrants, and still is to this day. This all allows for the community to be exposed to different languages, beliefs, and traditions. 

In terms of the downtowns, not much has changed since I've arrived. There were a couple of restaurants and businesses that have changed, but others that have stayed since I first moved when I was little. 

To increase my town's economic development, they have added at least 4 apartment complexes within the past 15 years. This increases property taxes for homeowners, the number of population that resides in the area, and the number of children attending school. Furthermore, with the addition of the appartments' has forced the district school systems to come up with an alternative plan following the increase in student participation in the public school system. They have created a plan to tear down one of the local playgrounds and turn it into another elementary school in order to lower elementary school class sizes. A benefit, though, to these apartments is that they attract modern business owners to the town. 

During my time in the school district, we've evolved from borrowing Chromebooks in certain middle school classes to using and taking home iPads in high school once COVID-19 hit. The school system also has plans to move the 5th grade from middle school to the elementary school level, making middle school 6th-8th instead of 5th-8th.

The township of Scotch Plains has also increased its labor market. This is in order to accommodate all the residents who commute to and from New York City. With my town being a part of the New York metropolitan area, it attracts citizens who want to work in the city but not live there. Having the Raritan Valley line train make a stop in Fanwood, NJ, allows residents to take the train into the city. The township also has NJ Transit city bus stops. They are also planning on building a 'park and ride' facility next to a newly developing Lidl. This is intended to provide a direct bus stop to and from New York City. 

Overall, Scotch Plains has been impacted by Globalization, just like all of its neighboring towns. Some areas of globalization in what we call the 'SPF community' are for the better; others can be a bit of a concern. Either way, the township's lovely community will continue to thrive and change and evolve as the world is too.

Hometown Globalisation - Warwickshire

For me, when I initially think of the word ‘globalisation’ I think of big cities with large business and financial districts. That was always my initial impression of the word and what it involved. The last place I would think for it to make an impact on is the county of Warwickshire where I live in England but having done more research and reading into what globalisation truly is, I discovered that it affects everyday life there just as much as it does those big cities. 

One of the main ways in which globalisation is present in Warwickshire is through both shopping and trade. For example, the food that I buy in the supermarkets is often imported from other neighbouring countries particularly those in Europe. An example of this would be fruit from Spain or often vegetables from the Netherlands. As well as this, most of the clothes my family and I purchase are usually made overseas. This is made easier nowadays through online shopping platforms such as Shein and other specific store websites. This is by far a benefit especially for globalisation internationally but in the rural area I live within it can be seen as a disadvantage due to small local shops and farmers being left to compete with cheaper imports coming from overseas. 

Another standpoint to reflect upon is how globalisation makes an impact on culture. For example, places like Stratford-upon-Avon, near where I live, attract tourists from all over the world because of Shakespeare due to his birthplace being located here. This brings income and new ideas to the area but sometimes takes away local traditions from the village life which can make those smaller businesses and quirky elements of village life appear unimportant. 

Finally, globalisation has also had an impact upon the environment as over time more imported goods being brought in from overseas results in more lorries being on roads such as the M40. This negatively impacts the environment as it creates more pollution. On the contrary, globalisation has made more people aware of rising issues such as climate change and global warming. I definitely notice a lot of people in my area making a more conscious effort to recycle and support local products to support the environment. 

Overall, I would say that globalisation has definitely changed Warwickshire for better and for worse in some ways but looking into this has also by far changed my perspective on what globalisation truly is and the impacts it has even on the smaller places showing how they connect to our wider world  

Here are my amazing thoughts!!!

Brilliant insights!! Thoughtful commentary!!!!