Topics in Globalization

Writing Assignment – Analytical Essay

Your assignment is to write a paper on the topic of globalization using The World is Flat and other sources.  No one can doubt the trends Tom Friedman reports are happening, but the larger question is what do they mean?  According to Friedman, globalization, in the long run,  will be of great benefit to everyone on the planet and will eventually lead to a more prosperous, more democratic world.  Critics of globalization say that Friedman sees the world through rose-tinted glasses; they say that globalization is a worldwide manifestation of corporate greed that ignores environmental and labor laws, chewing up people, nations, and resources with no regard for the future or the common good. 

Which viewpoint (or combination of views) persuades you? 

To write your paper, you will research views on globalization that are different from Friedman’s to determine your position.  Some, such as Greg Palast and Joseph Stiglitz, directly refute him; others employ different lenses to qualify Friedman’s ideas.  See attached list for places to start this research.  There are many more sources, including databases and current periodicals, that you should consult.

Your audience has read The World is Flat, so you won’t need to spend a lot of time summarizing Friedman’s arguments about the flat-world platform.  Instead spend time probing his arguments.  How do others interpret the data he brings up? 

In your 3-5 page paper you will need

  to share where you stand: which viewpoint persuades you, and why? 

use specific examples to discuss why one view is superior to another. 

to have shared by the end of your paper how your view of globalization has evolved.

Remember, all sources you use, whether paraphrased or directly quoted, must be given credit, using MLA format including parenthetical documentation and Works Cited page.  You will process your paper through turnitin.com.

Rubric elements

MLA format for parenthetical references and Works Cited

Timeline

Final: Oct. 2