Rationale
Globalization is a much used term and one that is seen by many commentators as the major force behind social, economic, political and cultural change over the past 30 years. It is also a much misunderstood concept and provokes much heated debate between those who argue free markets are the motor of globalization to the constant benefit of human kind and anti-globalization critics who see many of the world’s ills stemming from the increase in globalization. The module aims to equip students to get behind the ‘woolliness’ of much popular discussion of globalization. This module intends to examine definitions of globalization, the dimensions of globalization and the evidence to evaluate the extent to which globalization is now a key element in important aspects of social life. This module will allow students of sociology should be able to engage with these debates by evaluating a range of data and arguments about globalization.