Tyler Carson

Becoming a globally minded citizen would not of been possible without the education I received while at TRU. My major and minor, Sociology and Economics respectively, each touch upon global issues. Both subjects highlight how the world is becoming increasingly globalized and interconnected. This illustrates how people, corporations, and national states and the decisions we make can impact and influence the lives of others around the world. It begs the question of where is it all going? Jan Nederveen Pieterse, questioned how human culture will evolve and be formed? Would humanity come together into one omni-culture, or would we be splintered and divided into seperate cultures (i.e Westernization or islamification)? Pieterse came to the conclusion of hybridization, that human cultures would gradually be influenced by one another. He supports his theory by illustrating historically how human civilzations have shaped one another through technology and culturally. This highlights how globalization is much older than the internet technology revolution. However, in the global era the spread of ideas, technology, and culture are no longer limited by borders or geography.

This point is further illustrated in the transformation of social movements towards transnational social movements. Issues such as economic inequality, climate change, and corruption are no longer limited to a single location. As such, transnational social movements have evolved to combat issues across the globe. Both globalization and transnational social movements are topics discussed on in sociology classes I have taken: Sociology 4600-Globalization, Sociology 4730-Global Social Change, and Sociology 3610- Social Inequality. These classes have provoked my interest in a variety of contemporary social issues and has encouraged me to become more engaged in contemporary social woes. These classes have each enhanced by understanding of how society is becoming globalized, and yet remain diverse in different ways. 

Attached are two essays I have written for Sociology classes discussing on global issues. The first discusses on three major consequences of colonialism has had on humanity, and why they continue to generate problems today. The second discusses on transnational social movements, describing what they are and how social movements act in the global era. Both of these papers recieved an A grade. My education at TRU has solidified my understanding of of how humanity is interconnected and influenced by globalization.