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Globalization and Anthropology

In: People

Submitted By tta4494
Words 317
Pages 2
Tran, Thao Anh
2012190175
GLOBAL ISSUES IN ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Weekly Response Paper

Globalization from the Ground Up

As discussed throughout this book, globalization and localization cannot be thoroughly examined without taking into consideration the correlation between these two concepts.
“The global-local connection, which is at the heart of anthropological analysis, can be either blatant or subtle, obvious or hidden, complex or relatively direct. But it is never simple. The definition of “local” turns out to be as problematic as “global.”” (190) The correlation between global and local is much more complicated than the balance of power and influence. Even though it both have to adapt to the changes of each other, it is pretty obvious that the local is more flexible and therefore does most of the adapting. Global, on the other hand, has the the power of scale and therefore can adjust as well as accommodate to resolve local conflicts. It is certainly not true that globalization determines local behavior, but rather the other way around.
“Local”, once equals to nation-state, has no longer been defined by geographical borders, but rather by cultures, ethnicities, religions etc. Samuel Huntington proposed another definition in which he believed “that the nation-states has already been replaced, at least ideologically and politically, by nine international “civilizations”: Western, Latin American, African, Islamic, Sinic (Chinese), and the like.” (196)
The term “local” has become so flexible that it requires redefinition in every specific case, and the redefinition will also decide the relationships to be considered. Globalization sometimes disrupt the structure at the local level: take the case of Indonesia as an example, the effect of globalization has replaced the concept of “culture” with (1)the common experience of Dutch occupation, (2)Indonesian language as a communication bridge, and (3)Islamic religion as elements to unify Indonesian people. However, globalization also opens new possibilities to discover new aspects of localities.

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