Has Globalisation made us all the same?
By Jack Lewis
“Globalisation has made us more vulnerable. It creates a world without borders, and makes us painfully aware of the limitations of our present instruments, and of politics, to meet its challenges.”
-Anna Lindh
Globalisation and the coupling of economies
Globalisation explains why economies of today are so advanced and is part of the reason for the global economic inequality. It is the process by which economies are becoming increasingly interconnected. However, it is also leading to a homogenisation of all facets of social life. This refers to the increasing similarity of towns and cities, regardless of location and is evident everywhere. Western style “modernisation” has resulted in the spread of unvarying culture and can be seen in cities across the world such as New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo.
All have a myriad of the same looming, lugubrious skyscrapers that only seem to multiply in numbers. This is what Hans Ibeling highlighted, as what launched the global “architectural homogenisation” thesis; when in a city, you could be situated in a profusion of metropolises that exist globally, due to unwavering similarity. Similarly, the same transnational corporations (TNC’s) unobtrusively litter the streets - Subway, McDonalds and Starbucks. It’s because of this, that makes anywhere feel like nowhere in particular.
Evidently, there are landmarks that make one country unique from the next, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Equally, it is possible to determine where you are based off the famous buildings in the Central Business District (CBD). This includes the Shard in London and the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, without iconic landmarks and notorious buildings, there is little cultural diversity among countries.
One may argue that homogenisation is a positive force, from a social perspective; it makes things more similar by eliminating difference- reducing conflict to create a sense of overall serenity. This is seen as advantageous by many.
It's pivotal that countries do not forget their heritage, for this is what makes each country unique. By reclaiming architecture that is idiosyncratic to each country’s culture, it is more than possible for countries to become distinct once again. Vernacular architecture is the paramount way in achieving this, as it reflects the physical environment, whilst encapsulating the culture. Teepees are an example of Native American vernacular architecture, as is Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire, representing Tudor styled infrastructure.
However, every country’s focal objective is economic growth and because of this, it is likely that economies will become increasingly homogenised and cultural diversification will diminish. Economic growth generates job opportunities and hence a greater demand for labour to produce goods or provide services that contribute to the overall GDP of an economy which signals its prosperity. This is often achieved by urbanisation which includes the development of big cities as it is the focal point for economic growth. As a country becomes more affluent, the size and number of these cities increase. This often has an accelerator effect due to increased investment, attracting more people locally and globally. The result is the same worldwide; cities that develop into metropolises in time, that provide a substantial amount of labour.
Economies are becoming very much the same and homogenisation is only going to increase when cities expand and urbanisation increases in countries that have not undergone it yet.
