In this course, Professor Rafal Soborski (Richmond, The American International University in London) explores key debates around the concept and characteristics of globalisation. In the first lecture, we consider some notable ways in which globalisation has been defined, and some problems with these definitions. In the second lecture, we look at histories of globalisation, noting especially where different scholars locate the beginnings of the process. In the third lecture, we look at the debate between two camps – the hyperglobalists and the sceptics – regarding the existence and significance of globalisation, often termed the great globalisation debate. Next, we think about whether globalisation is “good” or “bad”, looking at optimistic and pessimistic accounts. In the fifth and final lecture, we examine different perspectives on the cultural impacts of globalisation, focusing particularly on Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilisations” thesis.