Globalization and Its Discontents / Edition 1

by S. McBride

Overview

Most analyses of globalization convey the message that it is an unstoppable force sweeping away national sovereignty and inevitably creating a brave new world of borderless and boundless consumerism. In such a context politics and democracy become irrelevant. In contrast, many of the contributions to this book conclude that there are real political choices to be made. Even though the economic context has changed, politics still matter. These studies are grounded in particular historical and national contexts, with each chapter linking broad theoretical and political debates to current and tangible examples. The contradictory aspects of globalization are highlighted as the volatility of the global economy creates a crisis of legitimacy for the advocates of neo-liberal policies, which are premised on stripping away the protections that nation-states used to provide their citizens. This situation creates important opportunities, as well as dangers, for trade union and democratic social movements.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312229573
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	09/30/2000
Edition description:	2000
Pages:	237
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Stephen McBride is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Simon Fraser University.

John Wiseman is Associate Professor at the School of Social Science and Planning, RMIT University.

Table of Contents

Introduction--Stephen McBride & John Wiseman
• Part I: Theoretical Perspectives
• What is Globalization--Gary Teeple
• The Politics of Globalization and Labor Strategies--Stephen McBride
• Part II: Political Agency and the Instruments of Globalization
• Globalization as Discipline--Dick Bryan & Michael Rafferty
• Creating the Institutions of the Global Economy?--Brian MacLean, Osvaldo Croci & Paul Bowles
• The Right Thing--Rob Watts
• International Financial Institutions, International Capital Flows, and Financial Liberalization in Developing Countries--James Busumtwi-Sam
• Benchmarking, Global Best Practice, and Production Renorming in the Australian Coal Industry--Bradley Bowden & Bob Russell
• Part III: Contradictions and Ambiguities
• Global Markets and State Power--Michael Webb
• The Making of the Citizen Self and Citizen Other--Nandita Sharma
• Globalization and Cross-Border People Movements--Theodore Cohn
• The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Labor Clause Proposal--Michelle Swenarchuk
• A "Double Movement"--James Rice & Michael Prince
• Part IV: Crisis, Levels of Action and Alternatives
• Economic Turmoil in Asia--John Price
• Rethinking Global Strategies--Marjorie Griffin Cohen
• Alternatives to Oppressive Globalization--John Wiseman

Editorial Reviews

Political science and social science and planning departments sponsored a conference in Vancouver, British Columbia in July 1998, and the 15 papers here are the original presentations revised in light of the spirited debate and discussions that they raised. Grounded in particular historical and national contexts, they challenge the dominant ahistorical and transnational analysis of globalization that portrays an unstoppable force sweeping away all constraints and whiners to usher in a brave new world. The conference met a year and a half before the WTO came to Seattle. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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