This accessible and wide-ranging book demonstrates the distinctive insights that sociology has to bring to the study of globalization. Taking in the cultural, political and economic dimensions of globalization, the book provides a thorough introduction to key debates and critically evaluates the causes and consequences of a globalizing world. In addition to topics such as America's changing position in the world under President Obama, the growth of China as a global power and anti-globalization movements, Martell brings to the discussion other aspects of world affairs that sociologists have sometimes not focused on so much. In doing so, he underlines the importance of economic motivations and structures, and shows how power, inequality and conflict are major factors in globalization. The book argues that globalization offers many opportunities for greater interaction and participation in societies throughout the world, for instance through the media and migration, but also has dark sides such as war and nuclear proliferation, global poverty, climate change and financial crisis. This book will be an ideal companion to students across the social sciences taking courses that cover globalization, and the sociology of globalization in particular.

The Sociology of Globalization is a masterful synthesis of the complex interaction of all the major dimensions of the vast subject of globalization. Luke Martell's exhaustive text is very well written, chock full of highly useful information, and does an impressive job of presenting the key debates on globalization. It will be particularly instructive to an American audience in offering fresh analysis, including excellent analysis of the United States' role in globalization. Ken Cunningham, Pennsylvania State University Globalization has become a central concept for understanding contemporary social processes and global crises. Martell has written an extremely lucid and comprehensive sociology of globalization that offers a welcome focus on political and economic issues whilst encompassing its cultural dimension. This book enriches our critical understanding of globalization. Larry Ray, University of Kent

Luke Martell is Reader in Sociology at the University of Sussex.