Globalization

 

        According to lecture, globalization is a contested concept categorized into many things. It refers to the connectedness of multiple states as information and resources are easily spread. With the current growth of technology, the world is even more united. The creation of the internet has opened a portal for more people regardless of where they are to be connected and on the same level. Information has become viral as it has spread to every dark corner of the world. The current events that have taken place in Ferguson, Missouri with the Mike Brown trial and riots following the decision shows the opportunity it has given for people to be united. A similar comparison can be looked at Foer’s description of soccer as a method of uniting and funneling emotion into an activity. Taking a look into both situations prove that certain situations and activities do indeed unite the world together. 

The situation at Ferguson, Missouri started with the fatal shooting of an African American teenager male, Mike Brown, by white police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. This spurred protests, civil unrest, and debate about law enforcement relationship with African Americans. This particular situation was looked closely by news stations and social media. The recent non-guilty verdict spurred even more debate resulting in riots immediately after. The situation at Ferguson was recognized all over the world. Even in London felt the rage of Ferguson, conducting their own protest in the city. Media outlets continue to cover the story as it reaches abroad shedding light towards the United States racial injustice topic. This undoubtedly shows the connection many people have made from the loss of Mike Brown and the unjust actions on African Americans. Out of disparity, people have joined together to fight for a cause. The riot shows the passion some have for the situation but also the open up an opportunity for some to indulge in criminal activity. Nevertheless, the riots were a joint effort that will be marked in history as a display of a community tied together angered by law enforcement and its inability to reclaim justice. 

According to Foer, soccer is used in explaining the concept of globalization. He elaborates on how these teams develop out of hardships within a country as it is the sport that builds the bridge between people. Throughout vast parts of the world, such as Europe, Latin America, and Africa, violence has become part of soccer’s culture (pg.13) It gave a reason for fans to hate other teams who could be of a different race and from another country. It allowed for aggressive behavior towards others categorizing it as radical nationalism. Soccer enabled the world to use existing ideologies as they face the rest of the world. Soccer became a place where it was accepted to display racial hate and violence uniting people of certain countries that had faced many hardships economically and politically with attacks from other parts of the world. This sport allowed to bring the worst out of people yet it still united them. Ethnic hatred is sternly persistent in soccer its one of the reasons this sport accumulated to what it is now (pg. 39). Even anti-semitism is racism that was executed through soccer (pg.69). Foer explains the united feelings towards blacks, explaining that soccer allowed hatred for the race to carry over through the years replacing Jews as the primary object of European hate (pg.71). All of these things are reasons of how people united as they all had common feelings/intentions that they embarked on. 

Both the Ferguson situation and Foer’s soccer theory of globalization are somewhat linked. They both work as funnel for hidden emotions to spur, as well as, give the opportunity take feel in control. People are united for a common purpose, as each situation serves as a limelight for hidden desires. Another important connection is that both soccer and Ferguson have spread to many parts of the world allowing even those in foreign parts to join in the efforts. The most important thing is that both these situations connected people on some type of level using emotion as the bearer. As globalization is focused on the concept of connectedness, both these situations prove in some aspect that they are indeed examples of globalization.