Critical Summary of Roger Rossman

Critical Summary of Roland Robertson’s “Mapping the Global Condition”

Summary:

Presenting a historic world-view of globalization, Robertson equates social theory reflecting and reacting to the globalization process, not merely a result of assimilating the experience. While optimistic that sociological theory can, does, and will continue to represent globalization, Robertson recognizes that the empirical base of classical sociological thought is the underpinning of conventional (modern) sociology. Robertson cites frequent geo-political events in world powers having associative relationships to postmodern theoretical foundations.

These post-modern interpretations of “civilization” have been significantly impacted by global and geo-political changes, as well as the accompanying modifications in the world order. Each change to the “world order” facilitates changes and/or adaptations to the problems of modernity. Some of these changes necessitated adaptation in the forms of politics and militaristic power, resulting in changes of alliances among the world orders. Robertson envisions globalization as a comprised “united front” of interdisciplinary components inclusive of humanities, historical, and comparative perspectives. While not advocating the development of a discipline comprising globalization, Robertson envisions an integrative focus of humanities and social sciences to form a “central hermeneutic” (Robertson, 1992, p.530). Existing social theory visualizes an all-embracing universal paradigm to the detriment of Robertson’s proposed all-encompassing integrative matrix of concrete structuration.

Cautioning against the view that any one historic era, movement, or event has altered the worldview of globalization, R...

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...nsidered a crime against people, merely a political event or movement. The reports from behind the former Iron Curtain would likely provide a utopian view of civility and human dignities. All the subjectivity and biases that a globalized worldview prevents gives a sociological perspective on the impetus of human nature and the factors that initiate change.

Robertson’s proposed phase’s offer a series of realistic and timely ethnographic vignettes of the “upgrading” necessary for a viable and balanced (or homogenized) globalized worldview. I strongly concur with the adage that proclaims that you cannot appreciate what you have without an understanding of what sacrifices facilitated those rewards. In my view, Robertson’s proposed integrative contemporary worldview will push the bounds of modernity, and increase awareness of social, cultural, and historic changes.