On Wednesday (09.15), we discussed ideologies of global space. We linked visions of the globe with periods that have characterized global political relations: British Imperialism, the Cold War, and US involvement in Afghanistan post-9/11. The reading that we did for Wednesday by Derek Gregory made the argument that mapping the problem of terrorism onto the territory of Afghanistan enabled the US under the Bush administration to respond to 9/11 with a concentrated show of military force through the invasion of Afghan borders. He further contends that this move reified both America and Afghanistan as national spaces, calling this a "twin cartographic performance" that mapped visions of "good" and "evil" onto territory and its populations. He argues that this not only enabled military actions to be taken against an entire country of peoples, but that this vision of the world established zones of inclusion and exclusion where some populations were cared for under international legal statues and others were neglected, their lives (and deaths) unaccounted for by national or international law.
On Wednesday, we will continue this conversation about global spaces, but we will be shrinking our scale of analysis. Rather than think about politics on the global scale, we'll be discussing what makes a place--like NYC or the Caymen Islands--"global." Saskia Sassen and Doreen Massey will approach this question from different directions. Sassen explores the changing relevancy of urban spaces and infrastructure in a globalizing economy; she asks, "what does a "global city" look like today and how does ti function in the global economy? Massey is interested in enlivening a notion of the "global city" or "global place" they extends beyond the economic flows that shape it. Her essay challenges conceptions that imagine places around the globe to be subject to the same kinds of changes. In particular, she questions the notion of "space-time compression," a concept that suggests that a globalizing work is a smaller and more interconnected world for everyone. She instead wants us to envision--and engage with--the diversity and the "differential mobilities" found in the places in which we live. As you read these two essays and write your commentaries, here are some questions that you should consider (you don't need to answer all of them; they are meant merely as a guide to get you started):
- Why do cities remain such important sites for the global economy? How does Sassen identify and define "global" cities? What are the characteristics, for her, of "global" cities? How do we see the transformations that she describes expressed in the recent history of New York City's built environment? What might be missing in Sassen's account of the city?
- Why does Massey call for an analysis of the "power-geometry" of place? What does she mean by this? How does Massey think we should think about and imagine places in the global economy? What traditional ideas of place does she want to avoid and why? What characterizes a "global sense of place"? Finally, like Derek Gregory, Massey believes that how we think about and imagine the spaces in which we live transforms how we behave within them. If we accept that argument, how might a more "global sense of place" transform how you imagine your own role as a citizen of New York City?
Paste your commentaries in the comment field below. They are due Monday by 6pm. Remember that we will NOT be having class on Tuesday, so I will see you Wednesday.
In our global economy we have been able to grow and prosper. Cities are the most important sites for the global economy because they are the center of everything. A city is where all of the business is happening. The business of all the industries and their production. It’s important because cities are transnational market place says Sassen. The rest of the world is connected through all these cities, It’s like the central place. Sassen defines global cities as command points, key locations and major cities of production for industries.
ReplyDeleteThere are many characteristics for global cities. these characteristics are being responsible and being part of an urban system. Global cities as defined by Sassen are key locations. Now this can be taken many ways. Being the key location means it’s a very important place. All of that cities’ choices doesn’t only reflect on that specific place but it will effect the world globally. If those cities are falling apart the world’s economy will also. If that cities is prospering so will the world.
Sassen describes transformations of the global economy through the united states. The united states had helped the third world countries while they were in debt. From that small competitive financial firm moved and launched it’s self. Sassen was showing how helping them out of debt they were able to grow and become stronger firms. They just needed a little help. These firms became wealthy they were unstable, but they were very profitable and expanded financial transactions. All of the transformations that occurred in New York or the U.S. have helped developed the world globally. Within the last 20 years there has in an increase in the mobility national and transnational.
In Sassen’s account of New York she could of told more about the industries running through it. To let us know what business we cover and how we effect the world with our actions. Sassen could of Noted more about the trade and it’s functions. like who are all the parties involved and how long it’s been in process. The information given about New York and it’s transformations weren’t enough for me.
Global economy cities have changed the world in many ways, it created the international connection between different countries and united nations to come together as world economy that involves countries to create and improve technology that has allowed our environment to be characterized as a global economy and gave business the ability to market products and services all over the globe. It has also allowed them to develop partnerships and alliances throughout the world, which has become essential for success in today’s business. According to Sassens ideas of Global economy means massive developments in telecomunications and large- scale relocations of offices and factories to lower cost areas than central cities, computerized work places can be located any where and that also involves increase of industries that more and more outputs that can be transmitted around the globe instantly and where people have the ability to connect to anyone, anywhere in the world, any time. Sassen also states that New York City has one of the highest international business center in the world and reached the highest density of firms over the years. As we all know New York city is one of the top highest diversed economy ever or shall we say top most globalized city ever, people comes here from all over the world for many reasons, for better life , job , education , money , business or just the purpose of visiting here brings sense of internatioal transsaction in our world economy, when all kind of people from different parts of the world work together and put their ideas together as one as one economy , it will become a Global economy. I believe that Sassen should have put more information about how people from different parts of the world made differences and how they got involved in this first place ??, and how other peoples lives around the world impact our lives, which ways ??
ReplyDeletewhen massey call for an analysis of the "power- geometry" of place I think she is talking about the differences that we have in us due to the geographical separation. Because each land is located in different parts of the world that causes the diversity within us, yet we still found ways to interact with eachother globaly through culture, government, technology, media and transportation. According to Massey's ideal sense of place involves one big country with everyone in it, everything is equally shared by everyone and we all have same culture, speak same languages and believed in simliar things . She wants to avoid issues that cause people to argue with one another that becomes war in the real world. If New York City was to become that ideal sense of place created by Massey, I as a Citizen of that place would feel very bored because everybody would be same, there would be no knowledge to learn from anyone because everyone would learn the same things because our differences makes us unique and makes our world and our life more colorful, but there would be one possitive thing about this ideal place is that there would be world peace because we all would have/ be simliar that there would be nothing to argue about. Just like people, every place and things from different parts of the world have different values, that gives everything a uniqe taste, so it's best to make the best out of everything and accept as it is.
- SALIHA LIPI
Saskia Sassen feels (and i agree) that cities remain important sites for the global economy because the actual material processes, infrastructures, and activities that are crucial to the “implementation” of globalization occur in them. She gives the example of global cities such as- of course- New York City, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Sidney, etc. What makes them a “global” city is that they are central locations of economic activities as well as a home of centralized (top-level) management and control operations. Cities like these defied the expectation- she points out- of a sort of extinction. When information industries increase in productivity and efficiency, when out puts can be sent around the globe in seconds the economy become more and more globalized a place for all this to occur (i.e. a city) no longer is required. Still, cities today thrive. Later in “Cities in a World Economy” she points out a sort of increasing reliance that cities have on one another for profit making capabilities, without profit cities eventually cease to exist as they used to. She gives the example of Sao Paulo, a now strong and prominent city that has gained “immense strength as a business and financial center” over Rio de Janeiro, which was once the capital and most important city of Brazil. These transformations have even affected New York City in that the rapid development of an international property market mean that the prices of a brownstone in New York City or NYC real estate in general are increasingly connected to the prices in London, Tokyo, or Frankfort rather than the overall real estate market in the city alone. The type of economic growth now being experienced has had a vast impact on cities (and a vast array of job sectors) - there is both a requirement of high paying positions as well as lower paying ones- requiring differentiating levels of education in order to provide a particular service. It is Sassens opinion that cities have now re-emerged as “strategic sites for the theorization of a broad array of social, economic, and political processes central to the current economic globalization”, as well as the new politics of identity and culture. I feel that she makes both an important and valid statement when she says this.
ReplyDelete-Krista Kaszycki
Massey trys to tell us that the "power geometry" of places is connected either by different social groups or individuals. She also defines this action as space compression. Every single group or individual has their own distinct ways to deal with flows and interconnection. For example, people who has power to control "things" are in charge of the process, and people who doing a lot of physical moving both in relation around our topic- space compression. In current global economy, every contry has their dealing process with one an other. Furthermore, we can see there are a lots of immigrants moving to America from their countries, and these new immigrants are being power geometers. She is avoided to describle Kilburn because it is too complicated to discuss this place, and it has too many identities. We can four main points to characterize a global sense of place, capital is a proces, places do not have boundaries, places do not have identities, and none of place can be replaced. In my own oponion, new york city is a great model to show us how a modern city build up a clear image in the whole world. We have many differernt groups of people. WE have a lots of little community and organization.
ReplyDeleteMassey calls for an analysis of power geometry of place because people are placed or we put ourselves in places that have different flow as we are used to, which as Massey recalls "not merely the issue of who moves and who doesnt , although is that is an important element of it".
ReplyDeleteBut it also matters in which way are the movements r basically how they're controlled as Massey adds to his thought "it is also about power in relation to the flows and the movement.
What shes trying to emphasis is that we all have to be moving in one way or another, fast or slow but basically be synchronized with every movement that each other take.
For Massey theory on what "global sense of place"meant was that thanks to media, internet, transportation you could actually be in places around te world without actually being there. As my role as a present citizen in new York i can say that New York is the world because you can find a store that sells things from almost every country puttin a situation of the citizens of this city comfortable because we have a spot in this city that remain us of our "place".
Cities remain such important sites for the global economy because it contains a lot of factories as
ReplyDeletewell as financial markets and offices which enables the production of goods more higher. By
producing a lot of goods this enables workers to sell more and clients to afford more which
benefits the workers but also the economic growth. Sassen indentifies global cities as
international industries that are able to expand business around the world. The character of
global cities as describe by Sassen are important roles that consists of the economy around the
world.
The information describe by Sassen is being seen in today’s New York City’s built
environment because as describe in the reading a lot of the new York prices are related to
international prices such as the ones from London and Frankfurt. This relates to the global
economy because it shows how cities not only trade goods but also share the similar prices of
their goods. This global economy enables competition among international countries such as
New York and London that have similar prices of goods.
The competition among international countries can make each city increase the prices of the
goods which will bring problems that could affect the economy of the cities because as Sassen
describes is going to be” harder to sell a profit”. If this event takes place it will have a negative
\impact in the global economy because it will make it harder to trade among countries because
the prices will be higher and about the same price as the other countries which it will not benefit
either country.
miriam campoverde
Cities remain such important sites for the global economy because all the business, industries and other fundamental infrastructures are located, which plays a vital role in the development. According to Sassen cities are the most important places for the globalization because they play a key role by dealing in all the economic and controlling activities.
ReplyDeleteThe characteristics of global cities are that as we are in 21st century and the whole world is interconnected and pretty much dependent on each other. Transactions of money and information are taking place in matter of seconds. As the “globalization” seems economically helpful and progressive, but on the other hand it also effects the world in the economic draw backs which occurs at one place in the world e.g from past couple of years US is facing depression which have also shaken the economy of rest of the world as well. Sassen also stresses that the transformation of the US also has its broad effect and the rise in the prices of real estate in USA will also cause world to increase their prices. And if the oil prices rise in the UAE other parts of the world will also suffer from it. In other words the world is now a global village every activity especially the economy is so interconnected that transactional element on the one parts definitely affects other.
Sakia Sassen’s essay was pretty much informative but as she talks about the “globalization” she should have talk more about the political factors and its interference in the global economy and how the global economy will come out in future.
Muhammad Adnan Sadiq
Massey first wants us to imagine ourselves on a satellite. There we will see how time-space compression works. This would also allow us to see the different social groups and their role to time-space compression. Some have more control and mobility than the others which weaken their power. Like when someone uses a car, it increased his personal mobility but reduced the public transport system’s viability which then reduces the mobility of those relying to the transport system. She wants us to realize that whatever move we do affects everyone. Time-space compression made it possible to bring a foreign country’s atmosphere to a city or a place. This challenges us to determine how we would think about locality and make a sense of a place. Some may identify a place through its boundaries, but Massey tells us to imagine ourselves again on a satellite, but this time, observe the social relations. We would see that through time-space compression, a place doesn’t only interact within its borders but it has expanded to a different level, local to global. As Massey pointed out, “What gives a place its specificity is not some long internalized history but the fact that it is constructed out of a particular constellation of social relations”. If we would look closely to a place through the satellite, we would see that globalization affects how people make sense of a place. How we define a place is based on our experiences in it which, nowadays, are greatly influenced by globalization due to time-space compression.
ReplyDeleteDoreen Massey, in her more than challenging essay about “ A global sense of place” engages, with the very first sentence, her reader to take an alternative view to the world as it’s constituted today far from - the stereotypical and too widespread “we’re leaving in a world that changes every single moment”- and departing from the Marxism fundament of “the annihilation of space by time”, she introduces and tries to define of what the “space” stand for in.
ReplyDeleteShe take us trough some history, trough ages and facts where people were defining spaces as places where homogenous communities with their strict structure were set . By structure - she states about the clear division of the community’s composites in two opposite camps such as: insiders and outsiders. However, that notion have lost her actuality. From this point Massey points out many examples in which she clearly shows to the reader that the spaces, communities, people extend and expand their outnumber, sizes and influence. This is what time-space compression is - a movement across space, the stretch of social relations, experience, lifetimes, culture, media, economy, politic. She wants the reader to avoid to make premature judgments and conclusion of how the globalization works, how spaces and communities are organized today, she wants us to think further than “everybody know the taste of Coca-Cola today, without ever being in the U.S” because since the Age of colonization has ended, the European and American colonialist countries can now enjoy a meal of a former colonized country, too. She also quotes Birkett about the Pacific Ocean - where is clearly shown that Capitalism - the regime influenced, majorly, by the western communities have placed a new model of organization of goods and produce as well as within the borders of the country and outside it’s borders. But again it’s not mostly about “capital” and “economy” - “the global sense of place” can be also emphasized from the social aspect. It needs clearly to difference socially the world -- and she’s not touching the moral or political specter of the matter -- she makes some examples with India, Caribbean or Bangladesh people trying hard to pass the Duane, after making a trip of more than around the half of the world and whom will end interrogated at the Heathrow Airport to be expatriated right after the Duane workers will prove their illegal status. This status will be given to them nor just because of the politics and rules of the country, but also because of their current dislocation. These people aren’t’t suppose to change their location just because they will to. It’s all about the notion of mobility and access. People aren’t’t free to move wherever they had like to and whatever the conditions they have endured pushed them to act so if they intruders, foreigners or outsiders to the community they’ve been moving to. These notions of mobility, access and movement along with the economy, the social relations, experience, customs and traditions aren’t’t quite, even together, the definition of what “a global sense of place” can mean. The definition can only be given to these who will be willing to dig deeper than journals or books might define this like, those who will understand how more and more, as the days pass, interlinked and interconnected is the world of today.
In the reading "A Global Sense of Place" it tells us about how this very moment in our world is a time of speed and how capital plays a huge role in that process through monetary progress. We have more options in our social environment from the clothes we were to the places we eat, to the places we visit and enteract with others. Reading material about what is now called time-space compression is a new phenomenon and is being told in many books and journals. We are experiencing a time in our lives where there is no limitation to our outer resources , from technological communication to expansion of goods we obtain all of which is generated from mass production of financial gains through capitalism. At the same time some trying to find a place where we can escape this rapid change of life. New york is a perfect example of how we are in the heart of that movement and how we as a country influence our American ways in other countries that are traditional and set in their own. Influencing the way they eat and how they see modernization. The ability to mobilize throughout countries are done by the powerful and rich leaving the more unfortunate and unwealthy with limited resources to do so. This is the understanding that has been displayed in terms of internationalization for time-space compression. If you have the means you can endure much more at the cost of someone elses misfortune. Migration of different races are leaving their homes from other places to try and achieve this dream. She speaks of a social injustice that we are activily apart of when we make our choices of transportation and purchases. We effect the lives of people all around us even within our own neighborhoods when we make decisions to drive or buy outside of our communities. I feel that it is difficult for anyone to have real a sense of place because we have all been rooted and intergrated with something else. There is hardly no main source of one particular place or thing. Throughout our history we have engaged with other races socially and economically. Maybe its just me but I don't feel like I belong to any one particular place I am made up of so many different elements. For others this may not be the case and for them I guess they do have a sense for their own self as they perceive it.
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