This edition of The Globalization Reader makes sense of globalization by conveying its complexity, importance, and contentiousness from diverse vantage points.With its broad coverage of political, economic, cultural, and individual dimensions, this volume provides students with a deeper understanding of the globalization process. It offers a provocative assessment of economic globalization, examines the role of media and religion in cultural globalization, and explores the link between environmentalism and the globalization of social problems. The inclusion of new material on issues such as economic integration, inequality, and Islam, helps to make it a comprehensive introduction to globalization studies.Scholars, activists, and organizations look with a critical eye at the many layers and dimensions of globalization. By reviewing the current debates and ongoing research on the topic, readers can better understand and judge the varied consequences of what is likely to be a dominant concern throughout the twenty-first century.