It’s easy to forget the role we each play in the global economy. Even something as seemingly simple as a t-shirt represents the ways in which the production and distribution of everyday goods connects us as consumers to global economic networks. While long-distance trade and economic interdependence are not new in human history, the scale of trade during the era of globalization has increased more dramatically than ever before.
Driving Question: What does globalization mean to you?
- It can be easy to forget the role that you play in the global economy. We often talk about globalization on a large scale and it’s often thought of in terms of economic connections. But it is much broader than this, all the way down to a personal level. You are living a very global life! You likely eat a global diet, own things from around the world, and are also connected to a global network of people online. Those are just a few of the upsides of globalization.
- Some downsides of globalization include negative impacts on the planet, such as climate change or the easy spread of disease like COVID-19. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide if globalization is good or bad, and what that means for us long-term.
Word of the Day: Sustainability
- Definition: the ability to keep doing things in the same way and at the same levels we have been doing them.
- Fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are finite resources, meaning we have a limited supply of them. This is not a sustainable source of energy, so to sustain globalization, we may have to change the way we are doing certain things.
Lesson
- Watch Globalization I - The Upside: Crash Course World History in Lesson 7.5 on Khan Academy.
- John Green talks about globalization in the world today and puts a positive spin on things.
Historian’s Journal Prompt
- How has globalization benefited you, personally?
- It’s easy to get bogged down by the negative news that is going on in the world. Globalization is definitely taking a hit from COVID-19, but what good things has globalization brought into our lives? I’m thinking of all the food and plants we have that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to. It even impacts popular cultures, by exposing us to music from around the world. What do you owe to globalization?
