Urban development in the global periphery: The consequences of economic and ideological globalization

Abstract

Globalization has two elements: economic globalization refers to the integration of global markets, while ideological globalization refers to the political ideas that underlie the spread of markets, trade, and democracy. Economic globalization is limited in its reach in the developing world: some cities have done well; some, despite not being globalized, have regional importance; and large regions and numerous cities have been bypassed. Ideological globalization, on the other hand, is far more widespread from an intellectual and a policy perspective. The tenets of ideological globalization are likely to work further to the relative detriment of the cities/regions in the global periphery. This is a “cumulative causation” argument that raises questions about the development prospects of peripheral regions.