HHIK09831U HIS 83. Globalization and Backlash

Område B: akademisk skriftlighed med fokus på kildeanalyse [2019-ordningen]
Historisk kerneområde 2: Akademisk skriftlighed med fokus på kildeanalyse [2015-ordningen]
Historisk tilvalgsområde 1 [2019-ordningen [kun for studerende med grundfag i Historie]]
HIS 83. Globalization and Backlash
Globalization often is represented as a unique and irresistible process, as a hallmark of our time that singles it out from all other periods.

However, research of the so-called la belle époque i.e. the decades from around 1850 to 1913 indicates that it makes sense to identify a number of trends from this period as similar to those that are said to constitute the present globalization, meaning that they can be seen as constituencies of a globalization prior to the present - a ‘First Globalization’.

The following decades were characterized by de-globalization, and it is not until around 1980 that it makes sense again to apply the concept of globalization to understand the processes that to-day inter-connect a wide scope of countries and regions of the globe.

In this way, globalization is understood as specific occurrence in history that has a beginning and an end, and which can be divided into a first and a second globalization.

This understanding of globalization emphasizes the importance of convergence, i.e. of a reduction of the dispersion of prices on land, estate and labour worldwide. It focuses on migration, international transfers of capital and trade. However, divergence is also seen a result of globalization, i.e. increasing gaps in terms of living standards, economic performance on a local as well as on an international level.

We will discuss the interaction between globalization and political and social developments, focusing in particular on:

1) la belle époque

2) de-regulation and liberalization of trade and capital transfers since the 1980s and the spread of information technology and their bearing on the understanding of the present globalization

1. 3) understandings of globalization that emphasizes its role as a catalyst of un-equality, de-legitimation of social groups and democratic crisis
2. 4) globalization backlash i.e. political and social reactions to globalization and the order it is believed to have established

Course objectives (clarification of some of the objectives stipulated in the curriculum): 
 After the course students will be able to:
• present the main positions in these discussions
• analyse and understand its central terms 
• analyse and understand the crucial events 
• present the central concepts that are used by the actors themselves and in the analyses of globalization
• understand, discuss and give a critique of the relevant research and opinion that pertain to globalization