King’s College London Pre-Sessional Programme
Self-Study: Summarising Practice
Read the following text on resistance and challenges to globalisation and
summarise each paragraph in no more than TWO sentences. Try to express the
main idea of each paragraph and include as many relevant supporting details as
possible.
Use some reporting expressions (e.g. “According to Steger one of the main
reactions against globalisation has been to boycott coca cola”) but you do not have
to include these expressions in every sentence that you write.
Add one or two sentences expressing your own views on what Steger claims
(“Although Steger claims that Pepsi is the most popular soft drink, it seems more
likely that coca-cola is consumed by more people worldwide.”)
When you have finished you should be able to put your sentences together to make
a paragraph summarising Steger’s points and including your own view on
resistance to globalisation. You may only use a maximum of one quotation from
the text in your summary.
Useful vocabulary
Protectionists
Countries, organisations or people that want to protect
something from the negative effects of globalisation.
Globalists
Countries, organisations or people that are in favour of and
benefit from globalisation
You can compare your answers with the examples at the end of the task.
Challenges and Resistance to Globalisation and Globalism
1. The dominant ideology of our time, globalism has chiselled into the minds of many
people around the world a neoliberal understanding of globalization, which, in turn, is
sustained and reconfirmed by powerful political institutions and economic corporations. Yet,
no single ideology ever enjoys absolute dominance. Gaps between ideological claims and
people's actual experience may usher in a crisis for the dominant paradigm. At such a time,
dissenting social groups find it easier to convey to the public their own ideas, beliefs, and
practices.
2. As the 20th century was drawing to a close, antiglobalist arguments began to receive
more attention in the public discourse on globalization, a process aided by a heightened
awareness of how extreme corporate profit strategies were leading to widening global
disparities in wealth and well-being. Between 1999 and 2001, the contest between globalism
and its ideological challengers erupted in street confrontations in many cities around the
world, climaxing in an unprecedented terrorist attack on the United States that claimed over
3,000 lives.
Two antiglobalist camps
3. One sentiment shared by these diverse social forces is their conviction that they must
protect themselves and others from the negative consequences of globalization. In this
regard, they are all `protectionists' of some kind. However, it is of the utmost importance to
bear in mind that antiglobalist groups pursue a wide range of goals and use different means
to advance their political agendas. For example, they differ widely in their respective
assessments of the constitutive features of globalization, its causes, and what exactly falls
under the category of 'negative consequences'. At the risk of oversimplification, I propose
that we divide antiglobalist groups into two large ideological camps, which, in turn, can be
further subdivided according to additional criteria. Let us keep in mind that these groups
must be distinguished not only in terms of their political agendas but also with regard to the
means they are willing to employ in their struggle against globalization - means that range
from terrorist violence to nonviolent parliamentarian methods.
Particularist protectionism
4. The first group are the particularist protectionists, which include groups who blame globalization for most of the economic, political, and cultural ills afflicting their home countries
or regions. Threatened by the slow erosion of old social patterns, particularist protectionists
denounce free trade, the power of global investors, the neoliberal agenda of multinational
corporations, and the Americanization of the world as practices that have contributed to
falling living standards and/or moral decline. Fearing the loss of national self-determination
and the destruction of their cultures, they pledge to protect their traditional ways of life from
those 'foreign elements' they consider responsible for unleashing the forces of globalization.
Particularist protectionists are more concerned with the well-being of their own citizens than
with the construction of a more equitable international order based on global solidarity.
Universalist protectionism
5. The other group are universalist protectionists who can be found in progressive political
parties dedicated to establishing a more equitable relationship between the global North and
South. In addition, they include a growing number of non-governmental organizations and
transnational networks concerned with the protection of the environment, fair trade and
international labour issues, human rights, and women's issues. Challenging the central claims
of globalism discussed in the previous chapter, these groups point to the possibility of
constructing a new international order based on a global redistribution of wealth and power.
Universalist protectionists claim to be guided by the ideals of equality and social justice for
all people in the world, not just the citizens of their own countries. They accuse globalist
elites of pushing policies that are leading to greater global inequality, high levels of
unemployment, environmental degradation, and the demise of social welfare. Calling for a
'globalization from below' favouring the marginalized and poor, they seek to protect ordinary
people all over the world from a neoliberal `globalization from above'.
From the anti-WTO protests in Seattle to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon
6. In December 1999, 40,000 to 50,000 people took part in the anti WTO protests in Seattle.
In spite of the predominance of North American participants, there was also a significant
international presence. Activists like Jose Bove, a French sheep farmer who became an
international celebrity for trashing a McDonald's outlet, marched shoulder to shoulder with
Indian farmers and leaders of the Philippines' peasant movement. Clearly articulating
universalist-protectionist concerns, this eclectic alliance of antiglobalists included consumer
activists, labour activists (including students demonstrating against sweatshops),
environmentalists, animal rights activists, advocates of Third World debt relief, feminists,
and human rights proponents. Criticizing the WTO's neoliberal position on agriculture,
multilateral investments, and intellectual property rights, this impressive crowd represented
more than 700 organizations and groups.
7. No doubt, the events of 11 September 2001 gave an unexpected jolt to the struggle over
the meaning and the direction of globalisation. As US President George W. Bush made clear
in his televised address to Congress nine days after the attacks, the war on terrorism is bound
to be a lengthy conflict of global proportions. Will it lead to more extensive forms of
international cooperation and interdependence, or will it stop the powerful momentum of
globalization? The expansion of the War on Terror to Iraq in Spring 2003 certainly does not
seem to bode well for the prospects of enhanced global cooperation. As American and
British troops have become bogged down in a lengthy and costly guerilla war, the dark side
of globalization - intensifying cultural tensions and growing economic inequality - appears to
be gaining the upper hand.
Adapted from: Steger, M. (2003). Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP.
Answers
Paragraph summaries:
1. Any dominant paradigm, including globalisation, will experience some form of
resistance.
2. Resistance to aspects of globalisation have been intensifying since the
1990’s, leading to the September the eleventh attacks.
3. There are many different types of people resisting globalisation in different
ways for different reasons, but they may be divided into two broad
overlapping categories.
4. The first type of group protesting against globalisation are called particularist
protectionsists who are interested in reducing the negative effects of
globalisation in specific areas, especially where globalisation is damaging
traditional cultures.
5. The second type of protestor is known as universalist protectionists who
generally hold liberal political ideologies and seek to reduce global or
universal inequalities caused by globalisation.
6. Although protestors against the WTO meetings in Seattle in 1999 were made
up of both main groups of protectionists, the universalists were in the
majority.
7. The war on terror may lead to more co-operation between countries
internationality, although Steger argues that “the dark side of globalisation”
may become more predominant, with further cultural and economic problems
worldwide.
Own view sentences:
The author concedes that dividing such a diverse range of individuals with different
philosophies into two groups may be problematic; however, it would seem that most
protestors against globalisation are likely to have particular concerns whilst
remaining aware of universal issues which would make Steger’s distinction seem
less valid.
Furthermore, the author fails to address whether global issues such as the current
credit crisis may have more impact on whether globalisation continues in its current
form.
 Final paragraph (example):
According to Steger, any dominant paradigm, including globalisation, will experience
some form of resistance. Resistance to aspects of globalisation have been
intensifying since the 1990’s, leading to the September the eleventh attacks. There
are many different types of people resisting globalisation in different ways for
different reasons, but they may be divided into two broad overlapping categories.
The first type of group protesting against globalisation are called particularist
protectionsists who are interested in reducing the negative effects of globalisation in
specific areas, especially where globalisation is damaging traditional cultures. The
second type of protestor is known as universalist protectionists who generally hold
liberal political ideologies and seek to reduce global or universal inequalities caused
by globalisation. The author concedes that dividing such a diverse range of
individuals with different philosophies into two groups may be problematic; however,
it would seem that most protestors against globalisation are likely to have particular
concerns whilst remaining aware of universal issues which would make Steger’s
distinction seem less valid. Although protestors against the WTO meetings in
Seattle in 1999 were made up of both main groups of protectionists, the
universalists were in the majority. The war on terror may lead to more co-operation
between countries internationality, although Steger argues that “the dark side of
globalisation” may become more predominant, with further cultural and economic
problems worldwide. Furthermore, the author fails to address whether global issues
such as the current credit crisis may have more impact on whether globalisation
continues in its current form.