Do You Think That Globalization Is In Crisis: International Relations Personal Reflection, DCU, Ireland

Questions/titles for reflection paper

1) Do you think that globalization is in crisis? Why? Is the world entering a phase of de-globalization? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

2) What is the future of the West and its power? Do you think that the global balance of power (which has benefitted the West for the last centuries) is changing, and if so, how and in whose favor? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

3) What is the ‘standard of civilization’? What is the origin of this concept? Do you think that this concept is still important in today’s global politics? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

4) In what ways are slavery and imperialism important to globalization? What caused them, and what consequences have they had? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples. What the world would look like today if slavery and imperialism never existed?

5) How have the two world wars and the Cold War changed the balances of power in the world order? What kind of war orders has emerged from those conflicts? What characteristics did those world orders have, and what type of values inspired them? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

6) What is the significance of 9/11 for globalization and IR? How has the concept of security changed in consequence of 9/11? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

7) How and when has liberalism emerged as a distinct way to look at the world and international politics? What kind of historical context and values allowed liberalism to emerge, and what kind of historical context and values have weakened liberalism? Do you think that liberalism is still important to understand global politics today? Why and how? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

8) How and when has realism emerged as a distinct way to look at the world and international politics? What kind of historical context and values allowed realism to emerge, and what kind of historical context and values have weakened realism? Do you think that realism is still important to understand global politics, today? Why and how? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

9) Do you think that realism is more inclined toward supporting authoritarianism and that liberalism is more inclined to support democracy? Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

10) How and when has capitalism emerged? Why have socialism and communism emerged in the 19th century – not before, not later? Do you think that global capitalism is entering an era of crisis? Discuss these questions adopting a Marxist perspective and making examples.

11) Discuss the relation between marxism and feminism. Why have Marxist feminists criticized marxism? Discuss their arguments, and offer your opinion about them. Do you agree with them? From your perspective, how has women’s reproductive labor featured in the analysis of the global economy?  Discuss this question, referencing the relevant authors and theories, and make examples from your lived experience (yes! Your life, family, friends, etc).

12) Do you think that neoliberal capitalism is strong? How and why does the neoliberal economy remain in place, while failing so many people (rising poverty, unemployment, lack of social services and social safety, etc)? Discuss the concept of consensus, reference the relevant authors and theories, and make examples.

13) Why don’t Irish trade unions defend the rights of workers in Serbia and Romania too, where corporations relocate because of the lower price of labor? Do you think that Irish trade unions should do that, or not? Don’t you think that if the price of labor rose in Serbia and Romania to equate to the Irish one, then Irish businesses would have no incentive to relocate there? Discuss this question and think of what theories and authors can help you answer. Reference them and make examples.

14) Is de-colonial capitalism possible? Do you think that we can separate colonialism from capitalism? Discuss this question and think of what theories and authors can help you answer. Reference them and make examples.

15) What should we do to de-colonize International Relations? Do you think that it is possible? Does de-colonial globalization exist? Discuss this question and think of what theories and authors can help you answer. Reference them and make examples.