Chapter 8 Chapter Summary

Chapter Overview

Globalization is the ongoing process of economic, political, social, and cultural spheres becoming more interconnected. There are six processes that underscore globalization: global economic interdependence, scientific and technological innovation, key actors who shape the global economy, polycentric cultures and polities, changing world cultures, changing nation-states. According to Immanuel Wallerstein’s world systems theory the uneven pace of development between countries is the result of unequal power relations between countries. Core states take raw material and labour from peripheral states. Core states often are imperialistic, meaning they exercise political or economic control over less powerful states.

War and terrorism have fallen subject to the forces of globalization. A war is a conflict between two or more states through their armed forces, for the purpose of overpowering each other. Terrorism is an act that is intended to undermine the lawful authority of a government or state. Today, war is often fought to defend a particular ideology or worldview. An ideology is a system of beliefs that underlie and inform political actions. War is an example of collective violence: violence used to promote an agenda or to resist an oppressive other. This is in direct contrast to interpersonal violence, which is violence that occurs between individuals. Genocide is a particularly horrific consequence of war that occurs when an action is taken with the intent of destroying a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. The Holocaust, which took place during World War II, is an example of mass genocide.

Various sociological theorists shed different light on war and terrorism. Structural functionalists argue that war and terrorism increases social cohesion and conformity. Conflict theorists suggest that war and terror are manifestations of opposing forces of power, ideology, and maintain limited resources. Symbolic interactionists look at the socialization that takes place to allow society to adopt different roles and attitudes during times of war. Feminism suggests that war is a misguided use of protective masculinity and paternalistic sexism. Social constructionists consider the propaganda and language used during war to legitimatize the violence.