Theories explaining globalization

Liberalisms Political realisms Marxisms Constructivisms Postmodernisms Feminisms

The dynamics of explanation Globalization: both cause and effect (explanans/explanandum) Transplanetary connectivity due to the combined influence of: - production - governance - identity - knowledge

Defining features of the theories Outlook on: - central issue to be investigated - generators of (global) social relations - main actors - structures shaping globalization - historical dynamics stimulating globalization

Liberalisms Economic developments (market-based) Liberal democracy Welfare and freedom Technology Suitable institutions Investigating these elements produces explanations of the ”transnational connectivity” Drawbacks (generalizing the ”natural” drives; culture-blindness)

Political realisms Power Importance of sovereign states (balance of power, dominant state at a particular moment; consequent interests) Stressing the uneven nature of globalization Exaggerating the significance of power (cultural, psychological, economic, ecological aspects not reducible to power); too much focus on the state (neglecting NGOs, private/macro-regional institutions)

Marxisms Class relations/conflict Production, distribution, (social class) emancipation Capitalist mode of production as an explanation of transplanetary relations and technological progress; seeking for ”deeper social forces” than just power struggles between states Profit and accumulation Excessive emphasis on class (conflict); overlooking factors such as culture, gender, sexual orientation, race; stress on surplus accumulation is too simplistic; limited by ”historical materialism”; the effects of 1989

Constructivisms Transplanetary connectivity due to the importance of symbols, language, interpretation, etc. in constructing the social world Inter-subjective communication decisive (producing and sharing ways of understanding reality, norms, values) Overdoing the ”methodological idealism”; neglecting power structures, inequality

Postmodernisms (postcolonialism, postructuralism) The importance of power in shaping knowledge (Foucault); dominant discourses Rationalism: the current dominant ”discourse”; critical view of its instrumentalism, objectivism, control Problematic limitations because of its ”methodological idealism”

Feminisms Gender relations; gender as a social construction Subordination/marginalization of women Supplementing other theories (feminist postmodernists/liberals/etc) Ascribing too much significance to gender relations; reductionist

Eclecticism Interaction, mutual influence, ”weaving together” aspects of the current theories Production, governance, identity and knowledge; none is the source of the others; they are both causes and effects