ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers some explanations of this contested phenomenon called globalization, accepting that globalization in some way provides a short-hand marker to denote the breadth and depth of twenty-first-century international relations. It shows the pertinence and relevance of historical materialism as a theory of international relations - including that of contemporary international relations or globalization. The chapter explains what is understood by historical materialist theories and how they can be used to make sense of, and change, the world in which we live. The three related objectives is to establish the relevance of historical materialist approaches to today's international social, political, economic and cultural life - to help explain this globalizing world. It interprets in the politics of globalization and concludes with a historical materialist interpretation of the ideology and politics of what many contributors understand as 'globalizing capitalism'.
