Debates About Globalisation (DP IB Global Politics: HL): Revision Note

Increased interactions of citizens across the world leads to the sharing of ideas about human rights and justice

Western culture dominates global media and can erode traditional cultures and identity

Increased trade and specialisation increase GDP and promote economic growth

More economically powerful states benefit much more than less economically powerful states

Increased interactions mean states cannot hide corruption easily and citizens can be inspired to demand change

National sovereignty may be eroded by intergovernmental organisations

Environmental concerns impact all people on the planet and a united effort is needed to tackle them

Globalisation promotes mass consumption and consumerism

Gender inequality is built into global politics

Challenges male-dominated power structures

Focuses on women's experiences and rights

Globalisation can bring about positive changes for women through the sharing of global norms about the rights of women

However, feminism is suspicious that it mostly reinforces existing power structures which prioritise economic growth over human development

Global politics is driven by conflict between rich and poor

Capitalism allows wealthy elites and states to exploit workers and poorer states

Economic inequality is the root cause of most global problems

Globalisation is essentially a capitalist system where wealthy states exploit less economically developed states and their workers

Colonial legacies continue to drive global inequality

Existing structures favour Western states and silence the Global South

Non-Western perspectives must be taken seriously

Globalisation is an extension of colonial power structures

Western states exploit less economically developed states and destroy diverse cultures and traditions

The natural world must be central to global politics

Ecological sustainability must shape all political and economic decisions

• Current patterns of production and consumption are unsustainable

Globalisation can be beneficial to the environment if it leads to global cooperation toward sustainable environmental practices

However, the emphasis on economic growth, production and consumption is destructive and unsustainable

Global politics is shaped by shared ideas, norms and identities

State behaviour is not fixed — it is shaped by collective values

Change is possible when dominant ideas shift

Globalisation is a socially constructed process shaped by shared ideas, norms and identities rather than material forces alone

It can spread progressive global norms around human rights and environmental cooperation, reshaping how states understand their interests and responsibilities

Constructivists recognise that the norms being promoted reflect the values and interests of dominant states, making globalisation an uneven and contested process