ABSTRACT
At times it seems that there are as many opinions about globalization as there are authors who write about it. This is partly a feature of the peculiarly diffuse nature of the literature on this phenomenon: business gurus, populist journalists, and social theorists are all well represented. Furthermore, globalization has entered the political arena, often bringing out the worst in politicians ranging from the specific and reactive, anti-foreign xenophobia, to the more general and proactive, anti-social neo-liberalism. In fact globalization is a very modern concept, reflecting as it does the ambiguities of living in a world of massive and continuous social change. My purpose here is not to try and “tame” the concept by offering my own narrow definition – that would destroy its authenticity. Rather I seek to provide basic coordinates, both spatial and temporal, through which to interpret contemporary social predicaments.
