• What is globalization?
• What are the consequences of globalization?

The news media are full of references to 'globalization, ever more so in the aftermath of '9/11' and the perceived threat of global terrorism. Globalization, the complex connections between different countries and regions in the world, is fast changing and developing. This buzz word is so often used that it is in danger of becoming a cliché. What does it mean? What are its driving forces? Does it encompass every aspect of our lives, from economics to culture? This volume examines contemporary debates in an accessible fashion, offering a clear guide to one of the big issues of our time. In so doing, it does not take one particular stance; rather it explores the arguments and evidence. After introducing the main theoretical positions that have been developed through academic research, different chapters look at the changing forms of communication and culture industries, trade patterns and financial flows of the world economy, characterized by inequalities as well as opportunities for greater participation, and the status of a 'new world political order' in relation to that which preceded it. This important and innovative textbook will be welcomed across the social sciences, and especially by students in politics, sociology and economics. David Held is Professor of Politics at the LSE.