ABSTRACT
The contemporary international economy displays an astonishing capacity to move goods, capital, information and people across vast distances in ever shorter and more precise units of time. This time-space compression (Harvey, 1989), which for some theorists is the defining characteristic of globalization, involves remarkable daily feats of organization. At times, part of the system will break down spectacularly, perhaps from chemical spills, financial failure, war, or other crises. Yet, even these disruptions, by highlighting the difficulties and dangers involved, remind us how impressive the ongoing successes are that operate so smoothly that we might otherwise take for granted, scarcely noticing them.
