Evaluate the extent to which we live in a

“Global Village”

What is a ‘Global Village’?

Marshall McLuhan -

-The Internet and World Wide Web:-Physical distance is less of a barrier.-The openness of the web expands social sphere. It creates ease for users to search for online communities.-Global news spreads rapidly due to the enhanced speed of online communication. McLuhan believes this ‘forces’ us to become more involved globally.

What do we mean by Cyberspace?=The notional environment in which communication over computer networks occurs.

cyberspace enabled us to:•Connect to each other.•Communicate online (post to bulletin boards)So early cyberspace sought to be egalitarian, fre How Can We Apply these Ideas to Cyberspace?How has the Internet changed the way we live?Think about:•Networks•Space•Time•Identities

-Cyberspace becomes an arena for users to generate and shape political debate (e.g. The Huffington Post - user generated content & citizen journalism) e and non-commercial.The Nature of Cyberspace 1. Space and Time collapse2. Nationality and Borders collapse3. Control and Regulation collapse

Democracy is all about a finite space and a specific set of rules Thus, it appears that: cyberspace ≠ democracy

1980s - 1990s -

• How Can We Apply these Ideas to Cyberspace?

How has the Internet changed the way we live?Think about:

• Networks• Space• Time• Identities

- Cyberspace becomes an arena for users to generate and shape political debate (e.g. The Huffington Post - user generated

content & citizen journalism)

Support of the Globalisation Thesis...

The Gutenberg GalaxyMarshall McLuhan. 1962:

Within this book McLuhan discusses a ‘global village’ in terms of the printing press, and refers to the idea that mass communication allows a village-like mindset to apply to the entire world.

Media and Cultural Studies. Meenakshi Gigi Durham and Douglas M. Kellner (eds).

Globalisation as Hybridisation Jan Nederveen Pieterse. (p. 658-681. 1994).

‘The most common interpretations of globalisation are the idea that the world is becoming more uniform and standardised, through a technological, commercial and cultural synchronisation emanating from the West, and that globalisation is tied up with modernity’ (Pieterse, 1994: 658)

“refers to all those processes by which the peoples of the world are incorporated into a single world society, global society” (Albrow, 1990: 9)

‘In economics, globalisation refers to economic internationalization and the spread of capitalist market relations. “The global economy is the system generated by globalising production and global finance”’ (Cox 1992: 30)

‘In cultural studies, the focus is on global communications and worldwide cultural standardisation, as in Cocacolanization and McDonaldsisation, and on postcolonial culture.’

Page 659

Jurgen Habermas and Marshall Berman

“World-system theory is the most well-known conceptualisation of globalisation in the Marxist lineage; its achievement has been to make “society” as the unit of analysis appear a narrow focus, while on the other hand it faithfully replicates the familiar constraints of Marxist determinism (Nederveen Pieterse 1987)

Support of the Globalisation thesis continued...

GLOBAL VILLAGE.

The Internet as a Public Sphere:* Development of telephone etc. allows people from different countries and cultures to communicate* Use as a public sphere – a larger public sphere. Collectivised culture online.* No barriers* News online, more easily available worldwide. Can find out about another countries political events etc. i.e. Gaddafi, Kim Jon Il, New presidential elections in USA. - News is also now interactive. People worldwide can comment on news from another country. Allows global interaction on one topic. I.e. Girl in China that was run over, the Chinese, British, American all could comment on the same story.

The internet as a ‘global village’:- Voice expression. Everyone has a voice. Democracy. * Citizen Journalism. Anyone can share information, news etc. Anyone can then read it.* tribalist communitarianism, not liberal individualism.

Trans National Corporations:

Pros: -There is access to a wide range of products across the world. (McDonalds can be found practically anywhere at a cheap price. They

operate on 119 countries - There are only 195 countries in the world)

-Globalisation has helped us to produce greater technology.

-Keep competition going and keep inflation low.

-knowledge of different cultures-info is spreading fast through the internet

Support of the Globalisation thesis continued...

Frankfurt school:* assembly-line. All consuming the same thing.- trade developments. - A company based in Britain can have trade and businesses in China. Global links creating a global village by sharing the same products. Multinational corporations.

Opposers to theGlobalisation Thesis

Naomi Klein- Journalist and Social Activist- Figurehead in the Anti-Globalisation Movement

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Justin RosenbergProfessor if International Relations at University of Sussex

“The idea of globalisation no longer captures the spirit of the times”

Globalisation suffered due to basic flaws of modern basic international relations.

Arguments against theGlobalisation Thesis

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The Rich will continue to get Richer, while the Poor become Poorer.

Cultures becoming overpowered by “Americanisation”

Rich countries and TNC’s can can act with less accountability.

14

Social Injustice has detrimental effects on the environment

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Oppositions of the Globalisation Thesis

•Poor living and working conditions are often a result of globalisation.

•Deadly diseases are spreading due to those who travel to remote areas of the world.•Prisoners and child workers are used to working in inhumane conditions (e.g. sweat shops), as well as human trafficking.•Page 661 - Jan Nederveen Pieterse. “globalisation as the “intensification of worldwide social relations” presumes the prior existence of “worldwide social relations”, so that globalisation is the conceptualisation of a phase following an existing condition of globality and part of an ongoing process of the formation of worldwide social relations.”

COUNTER-ARGUMENT TO GLOBAL VILLAGE:* Not using net to full potential* Can surround self with likeminded people. Not diversity.* Isolation. Alienation.* Can create a fake self. This identity can also be stolen, traded. IDENTITY FLUIDITY.

"The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global

village.“- Marshall McLuhan

McLuhan, M (1962). The Gutenberg Galaxy . Canada: University of Toronto Press.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeDnPP6ntic

“In bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed heightened human awareness of responsibility

to an intense degree”- Marshall McLuhan

“In bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed heightened human awareness of responsibility

to an intense degree”- Marshall McLuhan

“In bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed heightened human awareness of responsibility

to an intense degree”- Marshall McLuhan

“In bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed

heightened human awareness of responsibility to an intense degree”

- Marshall McLuhan

“In bringing all social and political functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed heightened human awareness of

responsibility to an intense degree”- Marshall McLuhan

On the Internet, physical distance is even less of a hindrance to the real-time

communicative activities of people, and therefore social spheres are greatly

expanded by the openness of the web and the ease at which people can search for online communities and interact with

others that share the same interests and concerns.

On the Internet, physical distance is even less of a hindrance to the real-time

communicative activities of people, and therefore social spheres are greatly

expanded by the openness of the web and the ease at which people can search for online communities and interact with

others that share the same interests and concerns.

On the Internet, physical distance is even less of a hindrance to the real-time

communicative activities of people, and therefore social spheres are greatly

expanded by the openness of the web and the ease at which people can search for online communities and interact with

others that share the same interests and concerns.