Publisher's Synopsis
There are few dates in history that stand out so clearly as a turning point for mankind as 11 September 2001. The terrorist attacks produced an earthshaking impact on world affairs which resulted in a radical disruption of international order. Although deeply significant, September 11 nevertheless represented only one chapter in the story of the great conflict of our time: the confrontation between the global village and the small village, between the forces of uniformity and of diversity, between the homogenising trends that seek to subdue everything that lies in their path and the currents of thought that value local identities, particularities and traditions. In 'The Age of Villages', Venezuelan scholar and diplomat Alfredo Toro-Hardy sets out to explore the era of globalisation, in which we all -- or better or for worse -- live in. He provides ample evidence of the transfer of national sovereignty upwards to regional or supra-national bodies; of the growth of giant companies whose operations straddle the globe and whose senior management are citizens of the world; of the migrations from state to state and continent to continent that are leading to the globalisation of the labour market for skilled workers such as software engineers and the clamour for greater freedom of movement for the less skilled. However, Toro-Hardy recognises the different reactions to globalisation in different parts of the world. He draws our attention to the appeal of right-wing politicians in Europe; to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism; and to the psychological needs of so many for a local identity. Toro-Hardy provides a entirely original, timely, and necessary understanding of the forces that are shaping our world. He offers a global, regional, national, and sub-national analysis of the nature of the great confrontation that grips the world today and its alarming ramifications.
