58123 Society, Economy and Globalisation

Global social forces shape social change and it could be said that the most powerful actor in contemporary globalisation is global business. To understand the problems of global society and develop possible solutions we must understand the global political economy. This subject addresses global business as a class formation, assesses its influence on policy-making and interrogates its market ideology. Implications investigated are its power for political institutions and governance, and for social development, in terms of equity and sustainability. A snapshot is developed, with students focusing on a specific commodity, such as wheat, to chart its passage through global society. These global value chains are explored from sites of extraction to manufacture, retail, consumption and disposal. Social, political and ecological impacts are highlighted using quantitative and qualitative data drawn from internationally-available data sets. Students use insights gained from these investigations to create a survey that explores popular perceptions of globalisation and consumer culture, and of the global commodities on which so many rely. Working as a group, students develop an online survey instrument and analyse results using data analysis information technology.