ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a transition from the more institutional and
historical to the more virtual and contemporary Commonwealths,
those of ‘‘extended families’’ as indicated by Ruth Lea’s words above.
After examining the Commonwealths and governance, it focuses on the Commonwealths and globalization as well as pro-and anti-
globalization debates, which hold applied as well as analytic implica-
tions given my assumption or assertion that the Commonwealths are
distinctive by being closely connected to many aspects of con-
temporary globalization nexuses or syndromes. It also identifies and
highlights Commonwealth-related ‘‘global’’ issues like migrations, dia-
sporas and remittances, and small (island) states, features of Arm-
strong’s trio of possible reinventions of the Commonwealths quoted above. It then contrasts Commonwealth and global studies, two over-
lapping fields of analysis. In the following, penultimate chapter, I
concentrate on Commonwealth Plus; i.e. ‘‘external’’ yet relevant and
related aspects of the Commonwealths’ civil societies and interna-
tional companies in world politics.
