Summary: Globalization Films (no personal reflection)

Positive and negative implications of globalization are expressed in Johan Norberg’s video “Globalization is Good”
and in the University of Hawaii’s “Globalization and the Politics of Public Health.” Norberg travels to Taiwan, Vietnam, and Kenya in order to show the positive effects of globalization on the represented peoples and economies (ex: Taiwan and Vietnam) as well as how restrictions on open trade may be detrimental to peoples and economies (ex: Kenya). Norberg argues that the anti-globalization movement is ignorant and dangerously wrong. Rather than lobbying against globalization, Norberg advocates that we lobby for trade reform. The University of Hawaii’s film is a powerful critique towards Norberg’s argument. Looking at Pacific Islanders and Marshall Islanders, the film shows how globalization has tended to privilege the well organized and large populations over and against those who are less well organized and smaller. After watching the two films, I asked myself whether globalization tends to be beneficial for all peoples, or exploitive of peoples and environments.