Customer Reviews:
 Excellent Introduction March 14, 2004
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
An excellent introductory book to a complex topic. I like how he breaks globalization down into economic, political, cultural and ideological dimensions. He then explores the main themes and debates of each dimension. It provides a useful framework for your own thinking and is an easy read. I didn't find the book too badly biased although I would suspect him of being in the Universalist protectionists camp.
 A bit biased, but otherwise the book is great June 29, 2005
Mr Vladimir Bezruchenko
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Although the introduction to such a complex topic as 'globalization' cannot be 'very short', Manfred B. Steger has done an excellent job by producing a succinct but nevertheless a comprehensive account of the subject. Not only does the book covers all the significant aspects of the globalization debate, it is also full of useful and well-structured graphs and tables. In addition, there is a list of literature at the end of the book with author's recommendations, which I think everyone who wants to explore the subject in depth will find very helpful. (I certainly did). My main beef is that although the content is largely descriptive (as it should be); the author makes no secret of his own views about this changing world and about this rather controversial subject. His ideas and points he makes are germane and noteworthy, but tactless given that the aim of OUP series is an objective and balanced introduction to the topic. On the whole, I will, of course, recommend this book to everyone who is unfamiliar with the concept of globalization. It will equip you with the basic knowledge about the nature of this phenomenon.
 Experts at sixes & sevens May 25, 2007
Andrew D. Crowe
It's not what Professor Steger sets out to show, but what he does show
is that we know damn-all about where we are & where we're going. This
said, the book is clear enough & it could provide a useful starting point
for anyone interested in thinking about our Global future.
Shame about the diagrams May 8, 2008
beehivec
Generally a good introduction, clear to read and covering a lot of ground, but, while not extremely biased, it could still have been from a more neutral viewpoint. On the other hand, this bias did not really detract from the usefulness of the book as an introduction to the subject. The reading list at the back is definitely very helpful.
I would disagree with one of my fellow reviewers about the graphs and diagrams though- I found almost all of them totally pointless and difficult to understand! It would have been an even clearer book without them.
|
