This third issue of Globalization reflects the slow movement towards a more empirically-based and policy-oriented journal. The “Unveiling the Beauty of Statistics for a Fact Based World View” makes a plea of nation-states and International Governmental Organizations to disaggregate the data they collect on international economic transactions and introduces the reader to a fantastic database and graphic software developed by Gapminder Foundation.
James Leigh’s article on “Beyond Peak Oil and World Geopolitical Implications” is a timely and interesting analysis of the energy crisis of 2008, which was both a reflection of long-term trends and a huge price spike. While the global financial and economic crisis of the fall has overshadowed – overwhelmed might be the better word - the peak oil problem, the energy crisis is a long-term issue.
Shahdad Naghshpour and Roland Spahr provide interesting policy perspectives on globalization. Both are reasoned and supported by some empirical data.
Finally, Xiaobin Li and Linbin Zhao examine “Globalization and Chinese Higher Education.” This is the first of what will hopefully be a large number of contributions on China and by Chinese scholars in this journal. Since China represents so much of how the world is changing under globalization, it seems appropriate to include this article that examines its impact on Chinese education.
Globalization remains a work in progress. More book reviews, letters to the editor, and more contributions by graduate students would be most welcomed. Thus far, Globalization has not effectively used or leveraged the power of its digital format. Multimedia presentations are especially welcomed.
The Winter 2009 issue is nearly completed and includes studies on the Globalization of the Fast Food Industry and its Impact on Human Nutrition, Medical Tourism, Genetic Patenting and its Impact on Healthcare, Drug Utilization in Developed Nations, the Appropriate Response by NGOs to Corruption in Developing Countries, and the Consequences of Decommissioning Ships in Asia. The last manuscript examines the “Dark Side of Globalization.”
It is the intent of the editor to have an issue focused on the “Dark Side of Globalization” in 2010. The following list of topics represents a small sample of what might be explored with regards to this question:
A useful and fascinating introduction into the subject can be found in Loretta Napoleoni’s, Rogue Economics: Capitalism’s New Reality. New York: Seven Stories Press. 2008. ISBN 978-1-58322-824-1. Some of the topics that her book covers are listed in Table 1.
| Chapter | Title | Focus |
| 1 | In Bed with the Enemy | Fall of Berlin Wall was catalyst to sex trade of Slavic women |
| 2 | Nobody Controls Rogue Economics | Phony prosperity |
| 3 | The End of Politics | New role for global organized crime |
| 4 | Land of Opportunity | Politics & economics in China |
| 5 | Fake It | Counterfeit industry (China focus) |
| 6 | The Market Matrix | Diet & health issues related to market state |
| 7 | High Tech: A Mixed Blessing | Online pornography & gaming |
| 8 | Anarchy at Sea | Over-fishing and anarchy at sea |
| 9 | 20th Century Great Illusionists | Cult of celebrity and globalization |
| 10 | Mythology of the Market State | Pop culture & politics |
| 11 | Extravagant Force of Globalization | Gangs, hooligans & disaffected |
| 12 | Economic Tribalism* | Islamic finance & globalization |
Anarchy as sea has taken on a new dimension with an uptake in incidents of piracy off the Horn of Africa.
Given the worldwide diffusion of the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis into a global financial and global economic crisis, it would be timely for prospective author’s write about the impact of the crisis in their own country or part of the world. The collapse of Lehman Brothers, the respected U.S. investment bank, had a huge impact on small private investors in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Germany.
Prospective authors, including graduate students, are invited to contact the editor at Dennis.ray@royalroads.ca
Papers by contributors from outside of North America are especially welcomed.
Copyright remains exclusively with the author.