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Do Norms Still Matter? The Corrosive Effects Of Globalization On The Vitality Of Norms, Patrick J. Keenan

Patrick J. Keenan

This article considers the ways that the processes of globalization can erode the power of social norms. First, I argue that because individuals in a globalizing community typically suffer from significant disruptions in relationships, the community's ability to regulate itself is eroded. In vibrant communities, residents are willing to intervene in the lives of their neighbors by, for example, scolding children who misbehave in public or teenagers who deface buildings. But in a globalizing community, the conditions that give rise to this willingness to intervene are eroded by the process of globalization. Second, I argue that globalization can distort the …