How has Australia significantly been affected by globalization? A critical realist explanatory analysis

ABSTRACT

This article discusses whether and how globalization has had a significant effect on Australia, by referencing normative concepts of good or bad, of presence or absence and whether normative truth questions can be asked. These questions are answered by employing Bhaskar’s most recent iteration of the RRREI(C) schema for explanatory analysis. Viewed generally, the essential or necessary component of globalization is the ideology of neo-liberalism from which has emerged the more radical neo-conservatism. Overall these ideologies, which underpin globalization, are having a detrimental effect economically and socially: economically because of widening wealth inequalities both in Australia and globally; and socially because of growing push for protectionism in wealthier countries like Australia. These emerging social and economic ontologically real phenomena are causing consternation and fuelling divisiveness worldwide. Nevertheless, by conducting this explanatory analysis, we were able to identify feasible interventions that would, if implemented, possibly absent the negative aspects of globalization.

KEYWORDS:

• Globalization
• neo liberalism
• multinationals
• inequalities
• democracy
• social/economic issues

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Cheryl Livock is director at IER, a boutique research company. She has been a researcher, senior lecturer and teacher, in both school and vocational training environments. Critical realism underpins her research methodology.

Yahna Richmond is a 2nd year Bachelor of Law student; she is an Indigenous Yawuru woman from Broome, Western Australia with a passion for domestic policy and international trends and influences and is a member of Buddies Refugee Support Group on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

ORCID

Cheryl Livock http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9269-6989