Global Flows

Globalisation has many aspects all of which boil down to a similar meaning or definition, an intrinsic part of that definition is ‘interconnectedness’. Interconnectedness highlights the ways that different things such as people, money and products can all be connected or shared throughout the world. Global flows is apart of this interconnectedness and in one way or another an individual will be affected by a form of global flow, whether it be physical, cultural or through capital, not to mention media flows and information flows as well. In today’s society migration is such a big issue and it occurs a lot. My mother’s side of the family has experienced physical flows. They hailed from Denmark, at one point many, many years ago one of my relatives decided that Australia was the place to be and ventured on a boat across to the other side of the world to live permanently. They had to adapt to the lifestyle of Australia, which at the time was farming and digging for gold. To fit in further their surname was changed to become more Anglo-Saxon. Changing their lifestyle would have been a massive shock but it highlights the cultural flows of globalization. The move made by my ancestors also shows an example of information flows, this element of globalisation was prevalent in the 19^th century, word had spread throughout Europe that Australia, which hadn’t experienced Federation at this point, was the place to go to start a new life. It seems as though things have not changed. The curiosity of my family meant that some members flew to Denmark to visit the town where my family originated, again, another example of physical flows. Global flows allow for people to move in search of a better life and it shows how globalisation has been in existence in some form for centuries.