Globalization and the Human Factor: Critical Insights

Since the 1980s, the world has experienced an unprecedented push towards economic, political, social, cultural, financial and technological integration. This integration is a key element of the process of globalization. Much of this revolves around the tensions and conflicts inherent in globalization with emphasis on political economy but at the expense of the human factor (HF), which places people at the centre of all discussions about globalization. This volume brings the HF into the debate and examines to what extent this hitherto marginalized concept holds the key to providing a holistic understanding and contestation of globalization. The volume develops a distinct concept or framework of the human factor; examines the role and significance in global change from an interdisciplinary perspective; analyzes the extent and significance in contemporary globalization discourse; and provokes further debate about the unresolved disputes surrounding globalization. The account will help readers navigate the ‘minefields’ of the globalization debate.