Globalisation: a brief exploration of its challenging, contested and competing concepts

This article explores the concepts associated with globalisation. It demonstrates how they can be seen to be challenging, and are often contested and in competition with each other. It examines the foundations of ideas that are commonly advanced to explain globalisation, and recognises that these may have roots in disciplines other than geography. The underpinnings of globalisation are discussed in relation to both processes and networks, rather than a narrow consideration of globalisation as a singular condition; thus highlighting the significance, for geographers in particular, of its spatial aspects. Here education is selected for particular consideration - both as an activity that is prone to the forces of globalisation, and with respect to what is taught to young people about globalisation. The conclusion draws together some of the different approaches to, and understandings of, the concepts of globalisation.