Singapore University of Social Sciences

Globalisation and Technology

Globalisation and Technology (SCO104)

Synopsis

This course invites students to think critically about the interaction between technological change and the globalisation cycle. This is a crucial dynamic that has and will continue to shape Singapore, Southeast Asia, and the world. Technological change in the digital age has played a key role in deepening the integration of global markets and in quickening the diffusion of ideas, knowledge, and technologies. Ironically, these processes have also unleashed forces that have blunted or even reversed the momentum for further economic integration and political cooperation on a global basis. The impact of the digital age on the globalisation cycle has also raised questions on a host of issues, including the resurgence of great power competition, the ability of the global economy to accommodate distinctive (and sometimes opposing) economic systems, the use of global technology supply chains as geopolitical weapons, the nationalistic pursuit of technological might, and the integrity of the nation state. These questions are not new and are merely the current form of prior debates concerning the impact of technological change in earlier globalisation cycles. In short, globalisation is neither irreversible nor inevitable. This course will impart this central lesson to students by placing globalisation and de-globalisation in the digital age within the context of historical globalisation cycles and by helping them to become cognizant of how technologically deterministic attitudes often shape our understanding and expectations of globalisation and technology.

Level: 1
Credit Units: 2.5
Presentation Pattern: Every semester

Topics

  • Technological Change and the Globalisation Cycle
  • The Diffusion of Technology across Time and Space
  • The Impact of the Digital Age on Globalisation
  • Technological Change and Diffusion in the Digital Age
  • The Nation State in the Digital Age
  • International Politics in the Digital Age

Learning Outcome

  • Explain the meaning of globalisation and de-globalisation.
  • Describe the impact of technological change on the globalisation cycle.
  • Identify the factors that affect technological change and the adoption and diffusion of technology.
  • Discuss the impact of the digital age on globalisation.
  • Examine the impact of technology firms (eg. Big Tech) on international economic and political affairs.
  • Develop critical perspectives on technological determinism in the digital age.
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