In the Internet era, aspects such as global opinion, modes of economic activity and forms of cultural dissemination have greatly changed. The new “growth point” of global studies is exploring technological forces pushing forward the process of globalization.

 

As an emerging comprehensive discipline, global studies explores trends in global development. The construction of global studies can help people view global issues from comprehensive three-dimensional perspectives to understand the nature, sources and complexity of those issues.

Global mind-set
In the era of globalization, international and domestic problems are interwoven, and issues in various realms are associated with each other.
 

However, scholars currently view global issues within the framework of traditional disciplinary knowledge and boundaries. It is hard for government organizations to have a comprehensive perspective on the formulation and implementation of policies. In addition, the public pays little attention to the global causes behind common social problems.
 

The construction of global studies is therefore of great significance for reshaping the worldview of academics, politicians and the public. Instead of being limited to the study of theories and policies, the discipline should fulfill the indispensable social responsibility of offering practical guidance to the government and the public.
 

Regionalism
Currently, global issues such as financial crises, ecological disasters, terrorism, and piracy have an obvious regional component. Meanwhile, in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, increasingly mature regional organizations and systems are providing favorable conditions for global governance.

The EU is a successful example of regionalism. Other regions around the world are also actively exploring diversified paths to regionalism, which is greatly influential for global and national affairs. Global studies research subjects should include conceptual, institutional and policy innovation as it relates to regionalism as well as the relationship between regionalism and governance on the national and global levels.

National contribution
The government, intellectuals, enterprises and social organizations all need to emphasize the right of expression in global discourse, which is part of national soft power.
 

Global studies need to form globally recognized research paradigms, debates and issues. Scholars in every country should also provide resources for knowledge production of global studies based on their own national conditions and historical accumulation of academic research. 
 

Emphasizing national contributions does not mean pursuing isolated academic studies. Rather, it entails taking the open and cooperative path of global joint research. In this regard, China needs to attract intellectual elites and research power from other countries to build an international research center for global studies.

Humanism
The ultimate value of global governance lies in the survival and development of human beings. The ultimate goal of global studies is the improvement of mankind’s living environment, human peace and development. The discipline should focus more on issues such as cities, families, ethnic groups, migration and ecology while continuing research on international organization and global trade, finance, market and  military power.

Technological change
Scholars need to research the impact of technological change on globalization. In the Internet era, global opinion, foreign policy decisions, national security and development, modes of economic activity, and forms of cultural dissemination have greatly changed. The new “growth point” of global studies is exploring technological forces pushing forward the process of globalization.

Global studies is a comprehensive discipline. Its development demands not only enlarged research teams but also the integration of various disciplines. Whether global studies can form a recognized research paradigm, ignite significant controversy and debate, and form alleged “global discourse” directly concerns the future development prospects of this discipline.

 

Liu Xinghua is from the Zhou Enlai School of Government at Nankai University.