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Globalization

The idea of globalization encompasses many things: the international flow of ideas and knowledge, the sharing of cultures, global civil society, and the global environmental movement. A complex web of social processes that intensify and expand worldwide economic, cultural, political, and technological exchanges and connections.  Each concept of globalization plays an important role in most aspects of daily life.  This can be seen by what is encompassed in the terminology of globalization.  Looking at globalization in regards to daily life we can better understand ways in which complex forces such as economic, political, and cultural dimensions operate by themselves as well as in connection with each other. When thinking from a global perspective it is important to remember that the terms that are commonly used to describe people, places, events, and things will vary, and in order to understand the group that one is dealing with it is important to consider these things.  Each part of the world will see economics, politics, and culture in different regards, however, the flow of ideas and knowledge are still present, along with the sharing of cultures.

Economic globalization entails the closer economic integration of the countries of the world through increased flow of goods and services, capital, and even labor. The Middle East has a varying degree of economies throughout its region. Throughout the Middle East, there is a stark contrast between socioeconomic classes’ within and among countries. For example, the region is home to societies with some of the highest per capita incomes as well as some of the world’s lowest. Because of the location of the region, it has been at the crossroads of international trade for centuries. The way in which the region participated in the international trading has definitely changed over the years and the varying degree of how important importing and exporting changed as well. Economic development in the Middle East is not driven by only one or two factors; rather there are many factors that play a role in its economies. It is important to look at factors such as importing, exporting, climate, demographic characteristics, geopolitical location, and conflict dynamics.

In regards to globalization in the political realm, it is very important to remember that terminology is key to understanding what is going on. Not all people use or even have the same terminology for the same things that the West does. This can change how aspects of life are considered and understood. For example, the term politics, in the West is usually associated with the government; while in other regions of the world, it could simply mean a decision-making process that can be done by a group of people such as a tribe, organization, etc.

In terms of how we see globalization especially in the Middle East,  For instance, women’s equality within the Middle East. This concept of equality among women is very much cultural and seen in a globalized fashion. The ideas and concepts about women’s equalities are not just seen in the Middle East but in most places in the world. The concerns or what is being evaluated in terms of women’s equality will change from place to place but the overall concept remains. Measuring equality is not easy and will vary in terms of religion, economic status, etc.

Gender is another classification that is used and within that, there are two divisions. The two divisions of gender are productive and reproductive systems.  In the Middle East women usually, fall under the division of reproductive. Just as with most regions globally, the value of a person is measured by economic value. In Egypt and other regions throughout the Middle East, education is a subject that varies greatly. This is another area where women are seen as less equal than men. It is more favorable to have well educated male children and they are encouraged to obtain a good education and be able to provide for a family, while women are usually encouraged to stay home and be a homemaker.

Politics is another aspect of globalization and this is seen differently depending on where one lives. The tensions going on in the Middle East have become a globalized ordeal and everyone is aware of what is going on and Egypt was one of the countries at the forefront of the Arab Spring. Based on the Arab Spring, the revolution was a form of protest of the masses against the Egyptian government. The perception of other nations and regions is important to consider when looking at events on a global scale. Egypt was seen by many to be stable under the reign of Mubarak. However, this was not the case, gender equality, human rights, unemployment, and regime change. The revolution was mostly a revolution of the middle class due to economic reasons, such as unemployment, nepotism, and corruption.

Based on the idea of globalization it is clear that even though throughout the world we see different aspects of politics, religion, cultures, and economics; one thing is clear, and that is the belief that all humans are connected and belongs to one humanity, which is known as cosmopolitanism. Globalization is all about the sharing of ideas, cultures, economics, politics, and much more, but all of this sharing could not be done without humans and their willingness and ability to spread and share their knowledge and ideas. Politics, economics, and cultures all play a very significant role in globalization. There is a blending and melding of these concepts that make globalization what it is today.

 

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