LECTURE 1: UNDERSTANDING
GLOBALIZATION – FULL SUMMARY WITH
KEY TERMS
1. What is Globalization?
📌 Definition: The increasing interconnection of economies, cultures, and societies through
trade, technology, and communication.
Two Levels of Globalization:
1. Interdependencies (Sự phụ thuộc lẫn nhau):
○ Countries rely on each other for trade, investment, technology, and
knowledge.
○ Example: Vietnam exports textiles but imports high-tech machinery from Japan.
2. Political Discourse (Diễn ngôn chính trị):
○ The term "globalization" is often used in economic and political discussions.
○ It is linked to free-market policies, capitalism, and trade liberalization.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Cross-border flow (dòng chảy xuyên biên giới): The movement of goods, capital, and
ideas between countries.
● Economic integration (hội nhập kinh tế): When different economies become part of a
shared global market.
2. History of Globalization
📌 Globalization is NOT a modern phenomenon—it has evolved for centuries.
Key Historical Stages:
1. Ancient Trade Routes:
○ Silk Road and Spice Routes connected civilizations across Asia, the Middle
East, Africa, and Europe.
○ Allowed the exchange of goods, culture, religion, and technology.
2. 15th - 18th Century (Age of Exploration & Colonization):
○ European explorers (e.g., Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama) discovered
new trade routes to Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
○ Colonization created a division of labor:
■ Colonies supplied raw materials (cotton, sugar, spices).
■ Industrial nations produced manufactured goods (textiles, weapons).
3. 19th Century - 1914 (Industrial Revolution & Free Trade Expansion):
○ Steamships, railroads, and telegraphs accelerated trade and communication.
○ Gold Standard created monetary stability for international finance.
○ Tariffs were lowered, encouraging more cross-border trade.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Colonization (thuộc địa hóa): When powerful countries controlled foreign territories for
economic or political gain.
● Industrialization (công nghiệp hóa): The shift from agriculture-based economies to
manufacturing and industry.
3. Features of Contemporary Globalization
📌 Same driving forces, but with new characteristics.
New Features:
● IT Revolution:
○ The Internet, AI, and automation have made global connections instant and
efficient.
○ Example: Companies can now outsource work to freelancers anywhere in the
world via platforms like Upwork and Fiverr.
● Demographic Shifts:
○ Migration, urbanization, and aging populations affect global labor markets.
○ Example: Japan has an aging population and needs immigrant workers.
● Economic Power Shift:
○ Emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil are competing with traditional
powers like the US and EU.
● Climate Change Challenges:
○ Rising temperatures, pollution, and resource shortages require global
cooperation.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Demographic trends (xu hướng nhân khẩu học): Changes in population size,
migration, and urbanization.
● Geopolitics (địa chính trị): How geography and politics influence international relations.
4. Globalization as a Buzzword
📌 Globalization is often used as a “buzzword” to promote free-market policies.
How It’s Used in Politics & Economics:
1. Trade liberalization – "Adopt free trade" → Removing trade barriers.
2. Privatization – "Use business efficiency" → Selling state-owned enterprises to private
firms.
3. Deregulation – "Cut red tape" → Reducing government control over businesses.
4. Cutting public spending – "Shrink government" → Reducing welfare and state
services.
5. Lowering taxes – "Be business-friendly" → Reducing corporate and income taxes.
6. Encouraging foreign investment – "Reduce capital controls" → Making it easier for
foreign companies to invest.
7. De-unionization – "Respect labor flexibility" → Reducing the power of labor unions.
8. Export-led development – "Trade not aid" → Encouraging countries to grow through
trade, not foreign aid.
9. Reducing inflation – "Price stability & savings protection" → Keeping inflation low.
10.Enforcing property rights – "Patent protection & titling" → Strengthening laws on
ownership.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Trade liberalization (tự do hóa thương mại): Removing restrictions on imports and
exports.
● Privatization (tư nhân hóa): Selling government-owned companies to private
businesses.
● Deregulation (giảm bớt quy định): Reducing government control in the economy.
5. The 10 Forces That Flattened the World (Friedman’s
Theory)
📌 These forces removed barriers and made global collaboration easier.
1. Collapse of the Berlin Wall (1989) – End of Cold War
➡ Opened markets to capitalism and democracy.
➡ Countries like China, India, and Eastern Europe joined global trade.
2. Netscape (1994) – Internet Goes Public
➡ Allowed anyone to access information and communicate globally.
➡ Enabled the rise of online businesses, social media, and e-commerce.
3. Workflow Software – Digital Collaboration
➡ Enabled people in different countries to work together seamlessly using online tools.
➡ Example: Google Docs, Zoom, Microsoft Teams.
4. Open-Sourcing – Collective Knowledge
➡ Free software, Wikipedia, Linux, Apache.
➡ Encouraged global innovation and collaboration.
5. Outsourcing – Moving Services Abroad
➡ Companies sent jobs like customer service and IT support to lower-cost countries.
6. Offshoring – Moving Factories Abroad
➡ China became the “world’s factory” due to cheap labor and efficient supply chains.
7. Supply-Chaining – Global Logistics
➡ Walmart, Amazon, and global shipping networks created efficient supply chains.
8. Insourcing – Specialized Third-Party Services
➡ UPS repairs Toshiba laptops, handling business operations for other companies.
9. In-Forming – Unlimited Knowledge Access
➡ Google, Wikipedia, and search engines empower individual learning and research.
10. The Steroids – Tech Advancements Accelerating Everything
➡ Mobile, AI, cloud computing, and 5G made global business faster than ever.
6. The Triple Convergence – How Everything Came
Together
📌 The flatteners reinforced each other, leading to a new global system.
1. Convergence I: The 10 flatteners combined, forming a global, web-enabled
platform.
2. Convergence II: Businesses adopted new digital processes to stay competitive.
3. Convergence III: New players (China, India, Brazil, Eastern Europe) joined the global
market.
7. Cold War vs. Globalization
📌 From military competition to economic & technological dominance.
LECTURE 2: INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS & GLOBALIZATION
1. Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
📌 Definition: An association of states established by a treaty to pursue common goals.
● IGOs can form agreements with other IGOs or nation-states.
● Some IGOs are created by existing IGOs (e.g., UNCTAD was formed under the UN).
Characteristics of Classical IGOs:
✔ Legislative body – Creates legal acts (resolutions, directives).
✔ Dispute resolution mechanism – Resolves conflicts between member states.
✔ Administrative & executive organs – Specialized agencies handle different areas.
Development of IGOs:
● Originated in Europe, expanded from a few dozen in 1900 to 300+ by 2008.
● Early success: Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (1831) → Boosted
commerce & reduced conflict.
● Examples: UN, African Union, EU, G8, IMF, WTO, NAFTA.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Treaty (hiệp ước): A formal agreement between countries.
● Resolution (nghị quyết): A formal decision made by an IGO.
2. The League of Nations (1920-1946)
📌 First attempt at global governance but failed to prevent WWII.
Origins & Purpose:
✔ Proposed in Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points”.
✔ Founded under the Treaty of Versailles (1920).
✔ Aimed to prevent war & promote international law.
Structure & Powers:
✔ 63 member states (but not all at once).
✔ Excluded major nations (e.g., Germany, USSR).
✔ Could apply diplomatic pressure, impose sanctions, or authorize military action.
Successes:
✔ Resolved 30+ disputes, mostly involving small nations.
✔ Health campaigns (e.g., leprosy eradication).
✔ Established Permanent Court of International Justice (precursor to ICJ).
✔ Formed the International Labour Organization (ILO) – improved working conditions.
Failures:
❌ No military force → Could not stop invasions (e.g., Italy invading Ethiopia in 1935).
❌ Unanimous decisions required → Slow, ineffective action.
❌ Major nations ignored it, prioritizing national security over collective security.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Sanctions (trừng phạt): Economic or political penalties against a country.
● Collective security (an ninh tập thể): The idea that all member states protect each
other.
3. The United Nations (UN) – Founded in 1945
📌 Replaced the League of Nations after WWII to prevent future conflicts.
Origins & Purpose:
✔ Proposed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, name came from the WWII Allied alliance.
✔ Aims to maintain peace, promote human rights, and support economic & social
progress.
Key Facts:
✔ Founded: 1945, now 193 member states.
✔ HQ: New York City (international property).
✔ Languages: English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, French, Arabic.
✔ Current Secretary-General: António Guterres (since 2017).
UN Structure – 6 Main Bodies:
1. General Assembly (UNGA):
○ One country, one vote – Discusses global issues.
○ Adopts resolutions (not legally binding).
2. Security Council (UNSC):
○ Maintains international peace & security.
○ 5 permanent members (P5): USA, China, Russia, UK, France (have veto
power).
○ Can authorize military action & impose sanctions.
3. Secretariat:
○ Runs the UN’s daily operations (headed by the Secretary-General).
4. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):
○ Coordinates economic & social development programs.
○ Works with WHO, ILO, FAO (specialized agencies).
5. International Court of Justice (ICJ):
○ Settles legal disputes between countries (based in The Hague, Netherlands).
6. Trusteeship Council (Inactive):
○ Assisted in decolonization efforts, no longer active.
UN's Role in Globalization:
✔ Human rights advocacy (e.g., Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
✔ Diplomatic conflict resolution through peacekeeping.
✔ Works with NGOs for humanitarian aid (e.g., UNICEF).
✔ Coordinates global responses to climate change, poverty, and pandemics.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Veto power (quyền phủ quyết): The ability of P5 members to block UN decisions.
● Peacekeeping (gìn giữ hòa bình): UN missions that deploy forces to conflict zones.
4. The World Trade Organization (WTO) – Established in
1995
📌 Regulates global trade to ensure fairness and free-market competition.
Key Facts:
✔ 166 member states (98% of world trade).
✔ Countries must align trade policies with WTO rules before joining.
WTO Structure – 3 Main Levels:
1. Ministerial Conference: Highest decision-making body.
2. General Council:
○ Oversees:
✔ Dispute Settlement Body (handles trade conflicts).
✔ Trade Policy Review Body (monitors national trade policies).
3. Specialized Councils:
○ Trade in Goods.
○ Trade in Services.
○ Intellectual Property (TRIPS – Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights).
WTO Functions:
✔ Administers trade agreements.
✔ Forum for trade negotiations.
✔ Settles trade disputes.
✔ Monitors global trade policies.
✔ Assists developing nations through technical training & aid.
WTO Core Principles:
✔ Trade without discrimination:
● Most Favored Nation (MFN) rule – No country gets special treatment.
● National Treatment – Foreign and local goods treated equally.
✔ Freer trade:
● Reducing tariffs & trade barriers to increase market access.
✔ Predictability:
● Commitment to transparency in trade policies.
✔ Fair competition:
● Preventing anti-competitive practices like dumping.
✔ Economic development support:
● Helping poorer countries integrate into global markets.
WTO Goals:
✔ Lower tariffs & remove quotas.
✔ Prevent dumping (selling goods below market price).
✔ Regulate services (e.g., banking, insurance, shipping).
✔ Strengthen intellectual property protections (copyrights, patents).
🔑 Key Terms:
● Most Favored Nation (MFN – quy chế tối huệ quốc): WTO members must offer equal
trade terms to all other members.
● Dumping (bán phá giá): Selling goods in a foreign market at prices lower than in the
home market.
● Tariffs (thuế quan): Taxes on imported goods.
LECTURE 3: NGOs & REGIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
1. Regional Organizations
📌 Definition: A group of countries within a specific geographical region that cooperate on
political, economic, or security issues.
✔ Promote regional integration & stability.
✔ Often led by one or two dominant countries.
Examples: NATO & EU
● NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization):
✔ Founded: 1949.
✔ Purpose: Collective defense & military alliance.
✔ Members: 31 countries (mostly Western nations).
✔ Challenge: Managing tensions with Russia.
● EU (European Union):
✔ Founded: 1993 (evolved from earlier economic communities).
✔ Purpose: Political & economic integration.
✔ Members: 27 European countries.
✔ Challenge: Brexit, economic disparities among members.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Regional integration (hội nhập khu vực): Countries within a region collaborating to
align policies.
● Collective defense (phòng thủ tập thể): An attack on one member is treated as an
attack on all.
2. Civil Society & NGOs
📌 Civil society = Non-governmental, non-profit organizations that influence public life.
✔ Includes NGOs, labor unions, indigenous groups, charities, professional associations,
and religious organizations.
✔ Represent ethical, political, social, and cultural values.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Civil society (xã hội dân sự): Organizations and groups outside government that
advocate for public interests.
● Philanthropy (hoạt động từ thiện): Donations and efforts to promote social causes.
CIVICUS – A Global Civil Society Network
✔ A worldwide alliance of civil society groups, trade unions, and NGOs.
✔ Strengthens NGO capacity & cooperation.
3. What is an NGO?
📌 Definition: Non-governmental, non-profit organizations that operate at local, national, or
international levels.
✔ Independent from governments & IGOs.
✔ Cannot sign treaties but can influence policies.
✔ Task-oriented & voluntary.
Roles of NGOs:
✔ Provide humanitarian aid (disaster relief, poverty reduction).
✔ Advocate for political, social, or environmental change.
✔ Monitor government actions (watchdog function).
✔ Promote citizen participation in governance.
✔ Help implement international agreements.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Watchdog role (vai trò giám sát): NGOs monitor governments and corporations to
prevent corruption or human rights abuses.
● Humanitarian aid (viện trợ nhân đạo): Emergency assistance for people in crisis
situations.
4. Growth of International NGOs Since 1960
📌 Why have NGOs increased?
✔ Globalization & better communication technologies.
✔ More funding opportunities from donors & international organizations.
✔ Growing transnational challenges (climate change, human rights, global health).
✔ Increased role of global governance & advocacy movements.
Types of International NGOs (INGOs):
✔ Human rights NGOs (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch).
✔ Development NGOs (Oxfam, Save the Children).
✔ Environmental NGOs (Greenpeace, WWF).
🔑 Key Terms:
● Global governance (quản trị toàn cầu): Cooperation among countries to manage
international issues.
● Advocacy (vận động chính sách): Campaigning to influence public policies.
5. NGO Funding
📌 Where do NGOs get money from?
✔ Private donations.
✔ Government grants.
✔ International organizations (UN, World Bank).
✔ Corporate partnerships.
📌 Challenges in NGO funding:
❌ Dependence on donors – Funding priorities can affect mission.
❌ Transparency issues – Some NGOs lack financial accountability.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Grants (trợ cấp): Non-repayable funds given by governments or organizations.
● Accountability (trách nhiệm giải trình): NGOs must be transparent in how they use
funds.
6. NGO Activities & Impact
✔ Advocacy & lobbying – Pushing for political and social reforms.
✔ Providing essential services – Education, health, and economic development.
✔ Disaster relief & emergency assistance – Supporting communities in crises.
✔ Monitoring human rights & corruption – Investigating violations.
✔ Promoting global governance – Working with the UN & IGOs.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Lobbying (vận động hành lang): Directly influencing lawmakers to pass favorable
policies.
● Capacity-building (xây dựng năng lực): Strengthening skills and resources in
communities.
7. Core Characteristics of NGOs
✔ Voluntary participation.
✔ Autonomy from government control.
✔ Non-profit model – funds reinvested into social causes.
✔ Value-based missions.
✔ Watchdog function – holding governments & corporations accountable.
8. Success Stories of NGOs
📌 How have NGOs influenced global issues?
1. Apartheid in South Africa
✔ NGOs exposed human rights abuses, leading to international pressure.
✔ Led to boycotts & economic sanctions, helping end apartheid.
2. 1992 Earth Summit → Kyoto Protocol
✔ Environmental NGOs pushed for climate action, resulting in international agreements.
3. Human Rights & Humanitarian Law
✔ NGOs helped draft UN treaties on human rights.
✔ Provide direct relief in conflict zones.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Boycott (tẩy chay): Refusing to buy products or support organizations as protest.
● Climate action (hành động vì khí hậu): Policies and efforts to combat global warming.
9. Grassroots & Participatory Approaches
📌 Empowering local communities instead of imposing top-down solutions.
✔ Encourages community ownership of development projects.
✔ Improves transparency & accountability in aid.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Grassroots movement (phong trào cơ sở): Community-driven efforts for social
change.
● Transparency (minh bạch): Open communication on financial and operational
activities.
10. Factors Contributing to NGO Success
✔ Committed membership & active participation.
✔ Strong leadership & connections to policymakers.
✔ Public engagement & media influence.
✔ Financial stability & diverse funding sources.
✔ UN accreditation (consultative status).
🔑 Key Terms:
● Consultative status (quy chế tư vấn): NGOs recognized by the UN for policy
contributions.
● Media engagement (tương tác với truyền thông): Using media to raise awareness.
11. Criticism of NGOs
📌 Challenges faced by NGOs:
❌ Financial dependency – Rely too much on donor agendas.
❌ Governance issues – Internal conflicts, weak leadership.
❌ Lack of transparency – Misuse of funds, corruption risks.
❌ Government restrictions – Some nations limit NGO activities.
❌ Commercialization – Some NGOs act like businesses rather than charities.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Government interference (can thiệp của chính phủ): Restrictions on NGO activities.
● Tax avoidance (trốn thuế): Some NGOs exploit tax exemptions.
12. NGO-Government Relationships
📌 NGOs can work with or challenge governments.
✔ Watchdog role – Monitor corruption & human rights violations.
✔ Policy advisory – Provide expert recommendations.
✔ Service provider – Fill gaps in healthcare, education, and disaster relief.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Public-private partnership (đối tác công tư): Collaboration between governments &
NGOs.
13. NGO-MNC (Multinational Corporation) Relationships
📌 NGOs monitor, pressure, and sometimes partner with corporations.
✔ Example: Environmental NGOs pressured McDonald’s to stop using Styrofoam.
✔ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): NGOs & companies collaborate for ethical
business.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR – trách nhiệm xã hội doanh nghiệp):
Businesses adopting ethical practices.
📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM LECTURE 3
✔ Regional organizations (e.g., NATO, EU) play key roles in political and economic
stability.
✔ NGOs influence social, political, and environmental policies.
✔ NGO funding and governance remain challenges.
✔ NGOs act as watchdogs, service providers, and policy advocates.
LECTURE 4: GLOBALIZATION AND
CULTURE
1. Key Concepts of Culture
📌 Culture = Shared beliefs, customs, and practices that shape societies.
Definitions of Culture:
✔ Edward Tylor (1871): Culture is a "complex whole" including knowledge, beliefs, art, laws,
morals, and habits.
✔ UNESCO: Culture is the "distinctive intellectual, emotional, and social features" of a
society.
✔ Manfred Steger: Culture is about "symbolic meaning and expression" (language, music,
images).
Culture as a Social System:
✔ Culture is both creative (production) and restrictive (sets limits on behavior).
✔ Clifford Geertz: "Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun."
Processes of Cultural Learning:
✔ Enculturation: Learning one’s culture as a child through family and society.
✔ Socialization: Learning social norms and behaviors throughout life.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Enculturation (tiếp biến văn hóa): Learning culture from birth within a society.
● Socialization (xã hội hóa): Adapting to social rules and norms.
2. Cultural Globalization
📌 Definition: The spread of ideas, values, and cultural practices across borders, strengthening
global interactions.
Key Drivers of Cultural Globalization:
✔ Transnational Corporations (TNCs) & Global Brands:
● Spread Western consumer culture (McDonald’s, Starbucks, Nike).
● Adapt to local markets (KFC in China, McDonald’s in India).
✔ Global Media:
● Distributes music, movies, sports, and fashion worldwide.
● Hollywood, Netflix, K-Pop, FIFA World Cup create global cultural consciousness.
✔ Western Popular Culture:
● English as a global language.
● Hollywood movies, American music, fast food.
● Fashion trends (Nike, Adidas) & social media (TikTok, Instagram).
✔ Information & Communication Technology (ICT):
● Social networks spread viral trends.
● 24/7 news channels shape global opinions.
✔ Global Institutions & Policies:
● UNESCO protects cultural heritage.
● WTO regulates cultural trade (films, books, media content).
🔑 Key Terms:
● TNCs (Công ty xuyên quốc gia): Corporations operating in multiple countries.
● Cultural consciousness (ý thức văn hóa toàn cầu): Shared global awareness of
cultural trends.
3. Mechanisms of Cultural Globalization
📌 How do cultures spread and mix globally?
1. Diffusion – Cultural Spread
✔ Direct Contact: Cultural exchange between neighboring societies.
✔ Intermediate Contact: Traders, travelers introduce new cultural elements.
✔ Stimulus Diffusion: A society adopts and modifies foreign culture.
● Example: Japanese anime influences Western cartoons.
2. Acculturation – Cultural Adaptation
✔ When a weaker culture adopts dominant cultural traits after prolonged contact.
✔ Example: Native Americans adopted European clothing, language, and religion.
3. Cultural Imperialism – Western Domination
✔ When one culture imposes itself on others through media, economy, or language.
✔ Methods:
● Hollywood, Western news media.
● Global business influence (McDonald’s, Apple, Nike).
● English as the dominant international language.
4. Cultural Homogenization – Loss of Cultural Diversity
✔ Local cultures become absorbed into dominant cultures.
✔ Example: Western fast food replaces traditional diets.
📌 Is globalization just Americanization?
● Some argue globalization spreads Western (especially American) culture
worldwide.
● Others say local cultures resist and reshape these influences.
5. Cultural Nationalism (Ethno-Nationalism)
✔ Defending local culture from foreign influence.
✔ Example: France restricts English words in advertisements.
6. Cultural Hybridization – Mixing Cultures
✔ Blending elements from different cultures to create something new.
✔ Examples:
● Creole languages (Louisiana Creole blends African, French, and English).
● McDonald's local menus (McSpicy Paneer in India, Teriyaki Burgers in Japan).
● Hollywood martial arts films incorporating Asian traditions.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Cultural diffusion (lan truyền văn hóa): The spread of cultural elements between
societies.
● Acculturation (tiếp biến văn hóa do tiếp xúc lâu dài): Adopting cultural traits from
another group.
● Cultural imperialism (chủ nghĩa đế quốc văn hóa): The dominance of one culture
over others.
● Cultural hybridization (lai tạo văn hóa): Blending different cultural elements.
4. Global and Local Interaction
📌 How does globalization interact with local cultures?
Three Forms of Interaction:
✔ Global goes local: Global products adapt to local markets (Starbucks in China).
✔ Local goes global: Local cultures spread worldwide (K-Pop, yoga).
✔ Local transforms local: Cultures influence each other regionally (Asian street fashion in
Western countries).
📌 Example:
"Starbucks customers, whether in Zurich or Beirut, are drinking an American version of an
Italian evolution of a beverage invented by Arabs brewed from a bean discovered by Africans."
– Jackson Kuhl
Globalization vs. Localization (Glocalization)
✔ Homogenization vs. Adaptation:
● Some local cultures disappear under globalization.
● Others become stronger in response (e.g., promotion of local languages).
● Many new cultural hybrids emerge (e.g., fusion cuisine).
🔑 Key Terms:
● Glocalization (toàn cầu hóa theo địa phương): Global products/services adapting to
local cultures.
5. Case Studies: McDonald's and K-POP
McDonald's – Homogenization vs. Glocalization
✔ Global Standardization:
● George Ritzer’s "McDonaldization" theory:
1. Efficiency – Fast service, minimal waiting time.
2. Calculability – Big portions, fast output.
3. Predictability – Same food, same taste worldwide.
4. Control – Uniform employee training, automation.
✔ Glocalization Example – McDonald's in Hong Kong:
● Originally marketed as a snack shop, not a restaurant.
● Introduced new social habits (cleanliness, customer discipline).
● By 1997, 125 McDonald's outlets in Hong Kong.
● Locals adapted McDonald's to their cultural norms, not just vice versa.
K-POP – Cultural Hybridization
✔ Mixes Western pop music with Korean traditions.
✔ Challenges Western cultural dominance by exporting South Korean culture globally.
🔑 Key Terms:
● McDonaldization (chuẩn hóa kiểu McDonald's): A business model focused on
efficiency and predictability.
6. Clash of Civilizations – Samuel Huntington’s Theory
📌 The post-Cold War world will see conflicts based on culture, not ideology.
Huntington’s Main Arguments:
✔ Future conflicts will be between civilizations, not between countries.
✔ Civilization = Shared ancestry, language, religion, and values.
✔ The biggest conflicts will happen between different civilizations.
Huntington’s Civilizations:
✔ Western, Confucian, Japanese, Hindu, Islamic, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American,
African.
Why Will Civilizations Clash?
✔ Deep-rooted cultural differences in values and beliefs.
✔ Globalization increases awareness of cultural identity.
✔ Weaker nation-states lead to stronger religious identities.
✔ Backlash against Western influence (resisting Americanization).
Criticism of Huntington:
❌ Ignores cultural hybridization and cooperation.
❌ Cultural exchange does not always lead to conflict.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Civilization (nền văn minh): A large cultural group with shared history and values.
LECTURE 5: GLOBALIZATION AND
POLITICS
1. Nation-State and Sovereignty
📌 What is a Nation-State?
✔ State: A politically organized area with sovereignty (independent authority).
✔ Nation: A group of people with shared cultural or ethnic identity.
✔ Nation-State: A state that provides sovereign territory for a specific nation.
● Example: Japan is a nation-state (ethnically homogeneous).
● Contrast: The UK is multinational (English, Scottish, Welsh).
🔑 Key Terms:
● Sovereignty (chủ quyền): Supreme authority over a territory.
● Nation-state (quốc gia – dân tộc): A state that aligns with a single national group.
2. Sovereignty and Territory
📌 Definition of Sovereignty:
✔ Absolute power within a state's borders.
✔ Controls domestic policies, foreign relations, economy, and laws.
Types of Sovereignty:
✔ Internal Sovereignty: Authority within a state’s territory.
✔ External Sovereignty: Recognition of a state by other countries.
The Peace of Westphalia (1648) – Birth of Modern Sovereignty
✔ Established state sovereignty as the main principle of international relations.
✔ Stopped external interference in domestic affairs.
Krasner’s Four Types of Sovereignty:
1. Domestic Sovereignty – Control over internal affairs.
2. Interdependence Sovereignty – Control over cross-border flows.
3. International Legal Sovereignty – Recognition by other states.
4. Westphalian Sovereignty – No external interference in domestic policies.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Westphalian sovereignty (chủ quyền Westphalia): No external power controls a
state’s internal affairs.
3. Globalization and Sovereignty
📌 Does globalization weaken sovereignty?
Globalization Undermines State Control:
✔ Borders are losing significance – Capital, labor, and information flow freely.
✔ Judge Rosalyn Higgins (ICJ): "Sovereignty no longer protects against global movements."
Hyperglobalists’ View (End of the Nation-State?):
✔ Globalization makes nation-states powerless.
✔ Example: Tech giants like Google & Apple operate beyond government control.
Skeptics’ View (States Still Matter):
✔ Governments shape globalization through policies.
✔ Example: China restricts Western social media (Facebook, Google banned).
Challenges to Sovereignty:
✔ Climate Change: Global crisis requires international cooperation.
✔ Migration & Dual Citizenship: People hold multiple nationalities, weakening state
identity.
✔ ICT Revolution: Governments struggle to control the internet & digital information.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Hyperglobalization (siêu toàn cầu hóa): The belief that states are losing all power to
global forces.
● ICT (công nghệ thông tin & truyền thông): The internet and digital revolution affecting
sovereignty.
4. The Rise of International Organizations (IOs)
📌 How do IOs challenge sovereignty?
✔ IOs have legal authority separate from states.
✔ Members must follow international laws & policies.
Examples of Powerful IOs:
✔ UN, NATO, WTO, OECD → Influence global policies.
✔ Regional organizations (ASEAN, APEC, EU) → Set economic and security rules.
📌 Why do states join IOs?
✔ Stronger global cooperation → Solves cross-border issues.
✔ Shared decision-making → Reduces war and economic instability.
✔ Trade benefits → Example: WTO membership increases market access.
Rise of Global Civil Society & NGOs
✔ NGOs monitor human rights, environment, and development.
✔ Growth: 1909 → ~200 NGOs → 2019 → 10 million NGOs worldwide.
✔ Example: Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) treated 10,000+ Ebola
patients.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Legal personality (tư cách pháp lý): IOs can act independently from states.
● NGO (Tổ chức phi chính phủ): Independent groups advocating for global issues.
5. Multinational Corporations (MNCs) & Sovereignty
📌 How do MNCs challenge state power?
✔ Operate beyond national control – Avoid regulations by shifting operations.
✔ Shape economies – Their investments influence job markets & wages.
✔ Lobby governments – Influence laws to suit corporate interests.
📌 Example: Walmart’s Global Influence
✔ Walmart’s revenue is larger than many national economies.
✔ Uses political funding & lobbying to shape U.S. policies.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Lobbying (vận động hành lang): Corporations influencing government decisions.
● Corporate power (quyền lực doanh nghiệp): MNCs shaping political & economic
systems.
6. Challenges to Sovereignty
📌 Three areas where states lose control:
✔ Economic Sovereignty:
● WTO & IMF rules limit national economic policies.
● TNCs dominate markets, reducing government control.
✔ Political Sovereignty:
● States must follow international norms (e.g., CO2 reduction, human rights).
● Cybersecurity threats weaken national defense.
✔ Cultural Sovereignty:
● Western culture dominates via media & global brands.
● Cultural appropriation threatens indigenous traditions.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Economic sovereignty (chủ quyền kinh tế): The ability of a country to control its
economy.
● Cultural homogenization (đồng nhất văn hóa): Globalization reducing cultural
diversity.
7. Opportunities in Globalization
📌 Not all globalization weakens sovereignty!
✔ Multilateral cooperation strengthens state power.
✔ Technology improves governance (e-government, digital borders).
✔ States still choose how much to integrate globally.
📌 Quote:
"Even though globalization has reduced certain state powers, it is still within the sovereign
power of a state to decide not to be part of the integrated global life."
🔑 Key Terms:
● Multilateralism (chủ nghĩa đa phương): Cooperation among multiple nations on global
issues.
8. The Rise of Anti-Globalist Populism
📌 Some countries reject globalization to regain sovereignty.
Case Study 1: Brexit (UK Leaving the EU)
✔ 2016 referendum results:
● Leave: 51.9%
● Remain: 48.1%
✔ Reasons for Brexit:
● Control over borders & immigration.
● Less regulation from the EU.
Case Study 2: Donald Trump’s Anti-Globalist Policies
✔ Border security: Banned immigration from Muslim-majority countries.
✔ Trade protectionism: Withdrew the US from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
✔ Climate policy: Pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
✔ Slogan: "Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo!"
🔑 Key Terms:
● Populism (chủ nghĩa dân túy): Political movements against global elites, favoring
national interests.
● Protectionism (chủ nghĩa bảo hộ): Restricting trade to protect domestic industries.
LECTURE 6: GLOBALIZATION & THE
ECONOMIC DIMENSION
1. Economic Globalization
📌 Definition: The growing interconnection of national economies through trade, finance,
investment, and technology.
Key Features of Economic Globalization:
✔ Interdependence: Countries rely on each other for goods, services, and capital.
✔ Cross-border trade: International exchange of commodities & services.
✔ Capital mobility: Investments move freely between nations.
✔ Technology transfer: Innovations spread rapidly across borders.
✔ Labor migration: People relocate for economic opportunities.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Capital flows (dòng vốn): Movement of money for investment across borders.
● Trade liberalization (tự do hóa thương mại): Removing barriers like tariffs and quotas.
2. The Emergence of the Global Economic Order
📌 Bretton Woods Conference (1944) – The Foundation of Modern Global Finance
✔ Reversed protectionism from the interwar period.
✔ Encouraged international trade & created binding economic rules.
✔ Fixed exchange rates – US dollar pegged to gold.
📌 Institutions Created at Bretton Woods:
✔ International Monetary Fund (IMF): Stabilized global currencies.
✔ World Bank: Provided loans for postwar reconstruction.
✔ General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, 1947): Reduced trade barriers.
📌 Collapse of Bretton Woods (1971):
✔ US abandoned the gold standard → Led to floating exchange rates & economic
volatility.
The Rise of Neoliberalism (1980s)
✔ Promoted by Thatcher (UK) & Reagan (US).
✔ Policies included:
● Privatization of public services.
● Deregulation of markets.
● Lower corporate taxes.
● Free trade & financial liberalization.
✔ Increased global economic integration.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Neoliberalism (chủ nghĩa tân tự do): Economic policies favoring free markets &
minimal government intervention.
● Floating exchange rate (tỷ giá thả nổi): Currency values fluctuate based on market
forces.
3. Significant Developments in Economic Globalization
1. Internationalization of Trade and Finance
✔ Trade barriers reduced → More consumer choice & global wealth.
✔ Financial liberalization:
● Deregulated interest rates & credit markets.
● Privatized state-owned banks.
● Internet accelerated financial transactions.
2. The Rise of Multinational Corporations (MNCs)
📌 Corporations now dominate the global economy.
✔ 69 of the top 100 economic entities are MNCs, not countries (2016).
✔ Walmart, Apple, and Shell have larger revenues than Russia or Sweden.
✔ MNCs control 70% of world trade and drive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
MNCs and Global Value Chains (GVCs):
✔ Break down production into multiple global phases.
✔ Relocate industries for cost efficiency.
✔ Examples: Walmart, Volkswagen, General Motors.
📌 Three Key Chains in Global Production:
✔ Global Supply Chain – Network of suppliers, manufacturers, & retailers.
✔ Global Value Chain – Entire product lifecycle (raw materials to retail).
✔ Global Production Chain – Industry-specific manufacturing process.
🔑 Key Terms:
● MNC (Công ty đa quốc gia): A company operating in multiple countries.
● Foreign Direct Investment (FDI – Đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài): Investment by a
company in another country’s business sector.
4. The Role of International Economic Institutions
📌 1. The IMF & World Bank – The Neoliberal Agenda
✔ Post-1970s focus: Promote market liberalization.
✔ Encouraged open markets, deregulation, and global economic integration.
📌 2. Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs)
✔ Economic policies imposed on debtor nations to ensure loan repayment.
✔ Core SAP policies:
● Budget cuts & fiscal discipline.
● Privatization of state enterprises.
● Tax & trade liberalization.
● Encouraging foreign investment.
✔ Often referred to as the ‘Washington Consensus’.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs – Chương trình điều chỉnh cơ cấu):
IMF/World Bank policies forcing market liberalization in exchange for loans.
● Washington Consensus (Đồng thuận Washington): A set of neoliberal economic
principles shaping global policy.
5. Upside vs. Downside of Economic Globalization
📌 The Upside:
✔ Cheaper production & global supply chains.
✔ Higher economic growth & poverty reduction.
✔ Access to global capital markets.
✔ Technology transfer from advanced to developing economies.
✔ Increased global trade = Lower costs & better consumer choice.
📌 Evidence of Positive Impact:
✔ GDP per capita growth:
● 1990: $1,500
● 2016: $6,500
✔ Extreme poverty reduction:
● 1990s: 70% of the global population
● 2016: 10% of the global population
📌 The Downside:
❌ Job losses in developed economies (offshoring).
❌ Income inequality increases.
❌ Environmental degradation (climate impact of industrial expansion).
❌ Supply chain disruptions (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic).
📌 Example: COVID-19 and Global Supply Chain Failure
✔ Overdependence on Chinese factories disrupted global trade.
✔ Shortages in medical supplies (masks, ventilators).
✔ Delayed production across industries.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Income inequality (bất bình đẳng thu nhập): The gap between the rich and the poor.
● Offshoring (di dời sản xuất ra nước ngoài): Relocating factories to countries with
cheaper labor.
6. Increasing Economic Crime in a Globalized Economy
📌 Financial crime is growing due to global trade & finance networks.
✔ Types of economic crime:
● Investment fraud – Deceptive schemes targeting investors.
● Mass-marketing fraud – Scams via email & phone.
● Insurance fraud – Fake claims to insurance companies.
● Mortgage fraud – Deceptive real estate transactions.
📌 Example: Europol Report on Economic Crime
✔ Increasing cyber fraud due to financial digitization.
✔ Cross-border money laundering networks expanding.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Money laundering (rửa tiền): Hiding illegally obtained money through legal businesses.
● Cyber fraud (lừa đảo mạng): Financial scams conducted via digital platforms.
📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM LECTURE 6
✔ Economic globalization increases global trade, investment, and capital flows.
✔ The Bretton Woods system shaped modern economic institutions (IMF, World Bank,
WTO).
✔ Neoliberalism promotes free markets but increases inequality.
✔ MNCs dominate global trade and impact national economies.
✔ Economic globalization has benefits (growth, efficiency) and risks (inequality,
financial crises).
LECTURE 7: GLOBALIZATION & FINANCE
1. Financial Globalization – Key Concepts & Historical
Context
📌 Definition of Globalization:
✔ The free flow of goods, people, capital, services, and ideas across borders.
📌 What is Financial Globalization?
✔ The increasing global financial linkages through cross-border capital flows.
✔ Example: Stock market crashes in New York impact Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Key Features of Financial Market Globalization:
✔ High trading volumes across borders.
✔ Securities from different countries traded globally.
✔ Financial shocks in one country affect others worldwide.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Capital flows (dòng vốn): Money moving across borders for investments.
● Securities (chứng khoán): Financial assets like stocks and bonds.
2. Historical Context of Financial Globalization
📌 Key Milestones:
✔ 1930s: Capital controls imposed → Countries restricted foreign financial influence.
✔ 1950s-60s: Bretton Woods system → Fixed exchange rates and limited capital mobility.
✔ 1970s: Financial liberalization → Markets began opening.
✔ 1990s: Boom in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) → Surge in portfolio investments.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Capital controls (kiểm soát vốn): Restrictions on cross-border financial transactions.
● Portfolio investment (đầu tư danh mục): Buying foreign stocks & bonds.
3. Key Concepts in Financial Globalization
1. Financial Liberalization vs. Financial Integration
✔ Financial Liberalization:
● Reduces legal restrictions on capital movement.
● Allows foreign investors into domestic markets.
✔ Financial Integration:
● The actual rise in cross-border financial transactions.
● Liberalization is necessary for integration.
2. Capital Flows
✔ Banking transactions – International loans & deposits.
✔ Portfolio investment – Foreigners buying local stocks/bonds.
✔ Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – Setting up businesses in foreign countries.
3. GDP & Economic Indicators
✔ GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total value of goods & services produced.
✔ GDP per capita: GDP divided by population (measures living standards).
✔ GDP growth rate: The annual change in a country’s GDP.
4. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
📌 Why Do Companies Invest Abroad?
✔ Lower labor costs (e.g., Vietnam attracts FDI due to cheap wages).
✔ Tax incentives – Governments offer benefits to investors.
✔ Access to new markets.
✔ Skilled workforce availability.
5. Official Development Assistance (ODA)
✔ Loans & grants from governments/IGOs to support economic growth.
✔ Example: The World Bank funding African infrastructure projects.
🔑 Key Terms:
● FDI (Đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài): Foreign companies owning local assets.
● ODA (Hỗ trợ phát triển chính thức): Government aid for development projects.
4. Financial Globalization in Vietnam
📌 Vietnam as an Emerging Market for FDI
✔ Key factors attracting foreign investment:
● Free trade agreements (e.g., CPTPP, EVFTA).
● Political stability.
● Economic reforms (Doi Moi policy).
● Competitive labor costs.
✔ Recent trend: Shift towards high-tech industries & green investment policies.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Emerging markets (thị trường mới nổi): Developing economies with rapid growth
potential.
5. Main Agents in Financial Globalization
1. Governments
✔ Open financial markets to attract capital.
✔ Regulate global transactions through tariffs, quotas, & monetary policies.
✔ Privatize public companies to encourage foreign investment.
📌 Challenges:
✔ Difficult to control capital flow in a digitalized world.
✔ Overdependence on foreign capital can create instability.
2. Borrowers & Investors
✔ Firms benefit from:
● Access to cheaper foreign capital.
● Technology & management expertise.
✔ Investors benefit from:
● Diversified investments in global markets.
● More financing options beyond national borders.
3. Financial Institutions
✔ Banks & investment firms drive financial globalization.
✔ Digital banking & fintech innovation accelerate capital flows.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Privatization (tư nhân hóa): Selling government-owned enterprises to private investors.
● Fintech (công nghệ tài chính): Tech-driven financial services (e.g., online banking).
6. Benefits & Risks of Financial Globalization
📌 Potential Benefits:
✔ More capital access → Helps developing countries grow.
✔ Lower borrowing costs → Encourages investment & economic expansion.
✔ Better financial market development → Enhances risk management.
✔ Technological & regulatory improvements.
✔ Economic competition forces better policies & efficiency.
📌 Potential Risks:
❌ Financial market volatility – Sudden market crashes affect global economies.
❌ Herding behavior – Investors follow trends, leading to bubbles.
❌ Contagion effect – Economic crises spread internationally.
❌ Foreign capital dependence – Risk of capital flight during instability.
🔑 Key Terms:
● Financial contagion (lây lan tài chính): Economic crises spreading across borders.
● Capital flight (chạy vốn): Investors withdrawing money from a country due to instability.
7. Case Studies – Financial Crises
1. Global Financial Crisis (2008)
📌 Worst financial collapse since the Great Depression (1929).
✔ Causes:
● Bank deregulation → Encouraged excessive risk-taking.
● Subprime mortgage crisis → Banks gave bad loans, leading to defaults.
● Derivatives market collapse (MBS, CDS, CDOs).
✔ Impact:
● US lost 8.7 million jobs.
● $19 trillion loss in household wealth.
● $2 trillion global economic contraction.
2. Asian Financial Crisis (1997)
📌 Triggered by currency devaluation & investor panic.
✔ Started in Thailand, spread across East & Southeast Asia.
✔ Causes:
● Fixed exchange rates made economies vulnerable.
● US interest rate hikes pressured Asian currencies.
● Foreign investors withdrew capital, crashing markets.
✔ Impact:
● GDP per capita collapse:
○ Indonesia: -43.2%
○ Thailand: -21.2%
○ Malaysia: -19%
○ South Korea: -18.5%
🔑 Key Terms:
● Subprime mortgage crisis (khủng hoảng thế chấp dưới chuẩn): US housing market
collapse due to risky loans.
● Currency devaluation (phá giá tiền tệ): A country’s currency loses value, reducing
foreign investor confidence.
📌 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM LECTURE 7
✔ Financial globalization increases capital flows but also financial risks.
✔ Neoliberal policies & financial liberalization led to global financial integration.
✔ IMF & World Bank promote economic openness but face criticism.
✔ Vietnam benefits from FDI but must manage risks.
✔ Financial crises (2008, 1997) show globalization’s vulnerabilities.
