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ABSTRACT
This paper is based on the question as to whether humanity is now for, rather than simply in, itself. This issue is of particular significance at this time for two major reasons. First, there is the problem of climate change and its potentially disastrous consequences. Second, there is the matter of the coronavirus Covid-19 that is presently sweeping dangerously across the world. In this overall discussion the themes of glocalization as well as global history as they stand in relation to global studies are given attention with regard to climate change and the present pandemic. The concluding part of this contribution is principally occupied with a brief discussion of the significance of the travels of Alexander von Humboldt. The work of von Humboldt is regarded here as a missing element in the new book by Steger and James, as well as having considerable relevance to the general themes of the article.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1 I am very grateful for the considerable assistance given to me by my wife, Judith Velody.
2 It should be noted that a significant proportion of my writing on glocalization from 2004 onwards has been done in collaboration with Richard Giulianotti. See Giulianotti and Robertson (e.g. Citation2013, esp. p. 58).
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Notes on contributors
Roland Robertson
Roland Robertson is Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Global Society at the University of Aberdeen and Distinguished Guest Professor of Cultural Studies at the Tsinghua University, Beijing. He is author or co-author of Globalization: Social theory and global culture; The sociological interpretation of religion; Meaning and change; International systems and the modernization of societies; Globalization and football. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages.