anti-globalization: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic, Political
Quick answer
What does “anti-globalization” mean?
The political movement, ideology, or stance opposing the increasing global integration of economies, cultures, and political systems, often criticizing corporate power, loss of local cultures, and economic inequality.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The political movement, ideology, or stance opposing the increasing global integration of economies, cultures, and political systems, often criticizing corporate power, loss of local cultures, and economic inequality.
Can refer to any form of opposition to processes of globalization, including resistance to cultural homogenization, international trade agreements, and the power of multinational corporations. It is often associated with protests, alternative economic models, and support for local sovereignty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK often uses 'anti-globalisation' (with 's'), US consistently uses 'anti-globalization' (with 'z'). The term is more frequently encountered in UK media and academia due to the prominence of groups like Global Justice Movement.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with left-wing and anarchist activism, but also co-opted by nationalist and protectionist groups. In US discourse, sometimes conflated with general anti-corporate sentiment.
Frequency
Term peaked in frequency around early 2000s (post-Seattle WTO protests). Remains a stable term in political science, sociology, and media analysis in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “anti-globalization” in a Sentence
[Anti-globalization] + [noun: movement/protest/activist][Verb: support/oppose/criticize] + [anti-globalization]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anti-globalization” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The anti-globalisation activists organised a teach-in.
- He holds staunchly anti-globalisation views.
American English
- The anti-globalization protesters marched on the IMF headquarters.
- She wrote an anti-globalization critique of the trade pact.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in risk analysis: 'The firm assessed anti-globalization sentiment as a potential supply chain risk.'
Academic
Common in Political Science, Sociology, Economics: 'Her thesis examines the discursive strategies of the anti-globalization network.'
Everyday
Low frequency, appears in news commentary: 'The summit was met with the usual anti-globalization protests.'
Technical
Used in policy and NGO contexts: 'The report outlines five pillars of anti-globalization critique.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anti-globalization”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anti-globalization”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anti-globalization”
- Using as a verb: 'They anti-globalization the trade deal.' (Incorrect) / Correct: 'They oppose the trade deal on anti-globalization grounds.'
- Misspelling: 'antiglobalisation' (UK) or 'anti-globalisation' (US) – note the Z in American English is key.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Isolationism is a national policy of avoiding political/economic entanglements with other countries. Anti-globalization is a broader, often transnational movement criticizing specific structures of global integration, not necessarily all international contact.
Yes, that is its most common grammatical function (e.g., anti-globalization protest, anti-globalization sentiment). It is rarely, if ever, used as a standalone noun referring to a person ('He is an anti-globalization').
'Anti-globalization' suggests opposition to the current model. 'Alter-globalization' (or 'altermondialisation') advocates for a different, more equitable form of global integration, not its abolition.
The prefix 'anti-' is hyphenated before a base starting with a capital letter (anti-American) or, as here, before a multi-syllable base to aid readability and clarify the compound's components: anti-globalization versus a potentially confusing 'antiglobalization'.
The political movement, ideology, or stance opposing the increasing global integration of economies, cultures, and political systems, often criticizing corporate power, loss of local cultures, and economic inequality.
Anti-globalization is usually formal, academic, political in register.
Anti-globalization: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæn.tiˌɡləʊ.bə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæn.t̬iˌɡloʊ.bə.ləˈzeɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The anti-globalization left”
- “Battle of Seattle (as a metonym)”
- “The other globalization”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ANTI (against) + GLOBE (the world) + LIZATION (making everything the same). It's a stance AGAINST making the whole world uniform.
Conceptual Metaphor
Globalization as a Tidal Wave or Monolith; Anti-globalization as a DAM, SHIELD, or LOCAL ROOT.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical focus of anti-globalization activism?