While some people debate whether globalization really exists, it proceeds apace, affecting all societies. It presents us with unknown challenges and, as governments start to discuss what to do about these challenges, it is becoming obvious that globalization is not manageable. With globalization the juggernaut of the 21st century, all countries of the world become interdependent in relation to the coming energy crisis, climate change, the sharper cleavages between rich and poor countries and people, and the emergence of a multicultural social structure. This interesting and erudite book adopts a distinctive approach to the multiple dimensions of the globalization debate. The impressive coverage of philosophical thought - including Popper, Weber, Habermas, Lipset and Hobbes - makes a valuable contribution to the debates on globalization.

While some people debate whether globalization really exists, it proceeds apace, affecting all societies. It presents us with unknown challenges and, as governments start to discuss what to do about these challenges, it is becoming obvious that globalization is not manageable. With globalization the juggernaut of the 21st century, all countries of the world become interdependent in relation to the coming energy crisis, climate change, the sharper cleavages between rich and poor countries and people, and the emergence of a multicultural social structure. This interesting and erudite book adopts a distinctive approach to the multiple dimensions of the globalization debate. The impressive coverage of philosophical thought - including Popper, Weber, Habermas, Lipset and Hobbes - makes a valuable contribution to the debates on globalization.

The need for maximum labor flexibility in order to ensure competitiveness has replaced the old aim of making workers into productive allies and mass consumers. Jacques B. Gelinas' vivid text picks out the key elements of this new economic landscape, and explains why the owners and CEO's of this new transnational economy no longer need their traditional alliance with the state and the middle classes. He depicts governments, spellbound by the market, abandoning their obligations to defend civil society.

Against the long sweep of economic history, the current moment is special. Living standards advanced so rapidly and across so many countries over the last decade that it is difficult to think of parallels—even the deepest recession since the Great Depression did not halt progress. In Juggernaut, Uri Dadush and William Shaw explore the rise of developing countries and how they will reshape the economic landscape. Dadush and Shaw project that the global economy will more than triple over the next forty years and the advance of a large group of developing countries—home to most of the world's population but seen as supplicants rather than trendsetters less than a generation ago—will drive this improvement. The authors systematically examine the effects of this seismic shift on the main avenues of globalization—trade, finance, migration, and the global commons—and identify the policy options available to leaders in managing the transformation. In the years to come, the rise of emerging economies will likely enhance prosperity but also create great tensions that could slow the process or even stop it in its tracks. Juggernaut calls for leadership by the largest countries in managing these tensions, and underscores the need to cultivate a "global conscience."

Globalization is an ongoing and pervasive phenomenon which is redefining the economic, social and cultural dynamics of contemporary societies. Increased interconnection between nations through expanding political ties and greater economic and cultural integration, combined with expanding global wealth has resulted in greater interaction between diverse countries across the globe. The process of globalization is generally considered a beneficial one, but it is also viewed in some quarters as a threat to national sovereignty and indigenous culture. Furthermore, although globalization has largely arisen as a result of a more stable and secure world, the factors that have contributed to its rise also assist factions that are interested in destabilizing the world. Without global integration, terrorist groups, for example, would find it much more difficult to unobtrusively communicate, travel, and transfer money and materials. Globalization has also facilitated illegal international trade, be it in materials, people or money. In order to contribute to the ever-expanding debate concerning the impact of globalization on global development, the ECSSR hosted a specialized conference under the title Globalization in the 21st Century: How Interconnected is the World? in Abu Dhabi on April 23–25, 2007. Visiting experts at the conference were invited to share their views on globalization and to examine the phenomenon, thus introducing as many perspectives as possible. The conference speakers hail from diverse academic, professional and decision-making backgrounds and represent a broad range of opinions and a high level of expertise. This volume is a valuable collection of these expert views, covering: globalization and its economic foundations and manifestations; migration and freedom of mobility; the social implications of globalization; politics in a globalized international system; new security threats resulting from globalization; and evolving national and commercial global responsibilities.

"No word has evoked as much passion in recent times as the word 'globalization,' which carries an array of meanings among different people and disciplines. But the fact is that globalization is an historical process that has connected the world and influenced it, for better or worse, in every aspect of life. A World Connected: Globalization in the 21st Century is a collection of more than 100 thought-provoking essays by renowned scholars, journalists and leading policymakers published over the past decade by the flagship publication of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, YaleGlobal Online. The essays are grouped by chapters on Global Economy and Trade, Security, Diplomacy, Society, Culture, Health and Environment, Demography and Immigration, Anti-Globalization, Innovation and Global Governance and offer insights about globalization trends for the future. The volume contains a general introduction by the editors and a preface by Yale University President Richard C. Levin"--Provided by publisher.