For many scholars and political activists, "globalization” encompasses a variety of economic, political, cultural, ideological, and environmental practices that have accelerated in the last few decades. Manfred Steger presents globalization in plain, readable English as a multifaceted system encompassing global, regional, and local aspects of social life. In addition to unpacking the term’s various dimensions, he investigates whether globalization is "good” or "bad”:  a question hotly debated in classrooms, boardrooms, and on the streets.