Questioning the Uneven Terrains of Economic Globalization

The issue of economic globalization and global economic change has been a subject of immense academic research in the past two decades. The Janus face of economic globalization, however, continues to obfuscate our understanding of its complex processes and alleged geographical outcomes. In this paper, I aim to re-present the indispensable role of geography in conceptualizing economic globalization. I argue that economic globalization is an inherently geographical phenomenon in relation to (1) spatial differentiation as preconditions, (2) the transcendence and switchability of geographical scales, and (3) discursive practices as socio-spatial constructions. The paper next focuses on a relational methodology for doing globalization research by examining its measurements, trails, analyses, and assessments. In order to appreciate the direct and indirect outcomes of economic globalization, I analyze the complex interrelationships between globalization processes and the recent Asian economic crisis. Some future research agenda in relation to the coordination of research and the choice of analytical units in globalization research will also be offered.