The Global Configurations of Inequality: Stratification, Global Inequalities, and the Global Social Structure (with Florian Schumacher) (original) (raw)

Working Paper Series Globalization and Inequality: Where do we stand? Globalization and Inequality: Where do we stand?

2012

Over the last thirty years, both developed and developing countries have experienced a huge globalization of their economies, which has coincided with an increase in intra-country income inequality, both within and between skill groups. This article surveys the key mechanisms of the globalization-inequality relationship. Four strands of literature are reviewed. First, the extension of the North-South HOS approach by relaxing certain simplifying assumptions makes it possible to generate most of the observed facts on trade and inter-skill group inequality, but also between unequally talented workers. Second, production segmentation and offshoring reveal several factors that increase inequality, particularly in developing countries. Third, accounting for firm heterogeneity generates intra-skill group inequality. Fourth, globalization causes changes in technologies and in institutions that can foster inequality. The mechanisms by which globalization raises inequality are thus numerous. ...

Understanding the Dynamics of Global Inequality. Social Exclusion, Power Shift, and Structural Changes

2015

Despite the fact that the globalization process tends to reinforce existing inequality structures and generate new areas of inequality on multiple levels, systematic analyses on this very important field remain scarce. Hence, this book approaches the complex question of inequality not only from different regional perspectives, covering Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and Northern America, but also from different disciplinary perspectives, namely cultural anthropology, economics, ethnology, geography, international relations, sociology, and political sciences. The contributions are subdivided into three essential fields of research: Part I analyzes the socio-economic dimension of global exclusion, highlighting in particular the impacts of internationalization and globalization processes on national social structures against the background of theoretical concepts of social inequality. Part II addresses the political dimension of global inequalities. Since the decline of the Soviet Union new regional powers like Brazil, China, India and South Africa have emerged, creating power shifts in international relations that are the primary focus of the second part. Lastly, Part III examines the structural and transnational dimension of inequality patterns, which can be concretized in the rise of globalized national elites and the emergence of multinational networks that transcend the geographical and imaginative borders of nation states.

Globalization and inequalities

International Journal of Commerce and Management

Purpose-The purpose of this paper was to reflect on the relationship between globalization and income inequalities. The paper investigates briefly the forces that make income inequalities within a nation or between advanced and developing countries a lingering problem. Design/methodology/approach-The paper discusses inequality in the context of capitalism and globalization. It relies on recent debates on the state of globalization and the dark side of inequality. Findings-Based on a survey of the current literature on the state of economic and income disparity, the paper demonstrates that inequality is not something that can be obliterated easily. The paper recommends that, in the near future, the only perceivable solution is a modified form of global capitalism. In the long term, however, a more inclusive economic system is needed. Originality/value-The paper reflects on the state of income inequality in light of the current debate and economic crisis. It makes a powerful argument that in the era of globalization coordinated efforts must be undertaken to lift the spirits of those who are left out of economic activities and find creative ways to unlock their energy to contribute effectively to economic growth and opportunities.

Globalization and Inequality

não publicado, 2002

Regardless of who wins the debate on the ultimate benefits or malignancy of globalization, two facts seem evident. First, for most countries South of the Equator, the promises of progress and economic growth did not materialize so far. At best, their economies grew very little or remained stagnant, while others went bankrupt. Second, globalization of communications and information increased visibility and intolerance regarding problems of social and economic deprivation and inequity that may have existed for a long time, and may be even improving, but not fast enough; or may be worsening, but from unrelated reasons

Globalization and Inequality: Where Do We Stand?

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

Over the last thirty years, both developed and developing countries have experienced a huge globalization of their economies, which has coincided with an increase in intracountry income inequality, both within and between skill groups. This article surveys the key mechanisms of the globalization-inequality relationship. Four strands of literature are reviewed. First, the extension of the North-South HOS approach by relaxing certain simplifying assumptions makes it possible to generate most of the observed facts on trade and inter-skill group inequality, but also between unequally talented workers. Second, production segmentation and offshoring reveal several factors that increase inequality, particularly in developing countries. Third, accounting for firm heterogeneity generates intra-skill group inequality. Fourth, globalization causes changes in technologies and in institutions that can foster inequality. The mechanisms by which globalization raises inequality are thus numerous. A large part of the reviewed literature combines globalization with technological or/and institutional changes, which reconciles the three major explanations that have been given to the observed rise in inequality.

Global Inequality: A New Approach for the Age of Globalization

2016

Chapter I. The rise of the global middle class and global plutocrats The chapter looks at the changes in global income distribution between 1988 and 2008, with an extension up to 2011. It focuses specifically on the "winners" and "losers" of the current globalization. It shows the astonishing upward "long march" of the Chinese population, and to somewhat lesser extent of other Asian countries, through the ranks of global income distribution. This has led to the formation of a group that may be termed the "global middle class" (point A in figure below), composed mostly of Asian middle classes. At the same time, the data show stagnation of incomes among the rich countries' middle classes (point B), and a remarkable real growth among the global top 1% (point C). Obviously, people at points A and C are "winners", and those at point B "losers" of globalization.

Globalization and Inequality Among Nations

2008

The gap between the average income per capita levels of the poorest and the richest nations has increased during the recent eras of globalization. This paper reviews the evidence on the determinants of the disparities in per capita incomes, which has focused on the role of institutions in fostering development. Institutions primarily reflect domestic conditions, but globalization may have an impact on their development. Globalization also has direct effects on

Global Social Inequalities. Review Essay

The studies of global social and economic inequalities in social sciences that go beyond “methodological nationalism” are recent but have older roots. The first theories to reflect on the global and trans-regional interconnections and asymmetric regional developments within the capitalist system can be traced back to a Marxian tradition. These theories were critical to the conventional approach to social inequalities (hegemonic in the Western European and US academic centers in the 20th century) restricted to within nation-state boundaries. However, during the last three decades, several new approaches have emerged to capture the construction of social inequalities within the context of transnationalization, which extend beyond defined political units such as the nation-state. Transnationalization is creating a new challenge to social scientists to review critically their premises related to their reference units and to study social inequalities by focusing on social, economic, cultural and political interdependencies from the global perspective. This paper will focus specifically on four different approaches to global inequalities: (1) global and international comparative research; (2) the world-system perspective; (3) the transnational approach; and (4) the approach of entanglements. The aim is to draw a critical balance of these recent approaches, examine the central theoretical arguments and empirical findings, identify shortcomings and make suggestions for further research. Keywords: global inequalities | international and global comparison | world-system | transnationalism | approach of entanglements

Globalization and Inequality: Where do we stand? ECINEQ WP SERIES 2012-279

2013

Over the last thirty years, both developed and developing countries have experienced a huge globalization of their economies, which has coincided with an increase in intracountry income inequality, both within and between skill groups. This article surveys the key mechanisms of the globalization-inequality relationship. Four strands of literature are reviewed. First, the extension of the North-South HOS approach by relaxing certain simplifying assumptions makes it possible to generate most of the observed facts on trade and inter-skill group inequality, but also between unequally talented workers. Second, production segmentation and offshoring reveal several factors that increase inequality, particularly in developing countries. Third, accounting for firm heterogeneity generates intra-skill group inequality. Fourth, globalization causes changes in technologies and in institutions that can foster inequality. The mechanisms by which globalization raises inequality are thus numerous. A large part of the reviewed literature combines globalization with technological or/and institutional changes, which reconciles the three major explanations that have been given to the observed rise in inequality.