Saskia Sassen

Saskia Sassen is a sociologist who is considered to be one of the leading thinkers on neoliberalism and globalization. Her work has been influential in a number of academic disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, and international relations.

Sassen’s work on neoliberalism can be summarized in three main points:

Neoliberalism has led to the rise of a globalized economy that is characterized by the dominance of multinational corporations and the increasing inequality between rich and poor countries.
Neoliberalism has also led to the erosion of national sovereignty and the growth of transnational governance structures.
Neoliberalism has had a profound impact on cities, leading to the growth of global cities that are centers of finance, trade, and innovation.

Sassen’s work on globalization can be summarized in four main points:

Globalization has led to the interconnectedness of social, economic, and political systems across the globe.
Globalization has led to the rise of new social movements and the growth of transnational activism.
Globalization has had a significant impact on identity politics, leading to the emergence of new forms of identification and belonging.
Globalization has been a major force for change in the world, leading to both positive and negative consequences.

Sassen’s work on neoliberalism and globalization has been both praised and criticized. Her critics argue that she is too pessimistic about the possibilities of globalization and that she fails to adequately address the positive consequences of neoliberalism. Her supporters argue that she provides a nuanced and insightful analysis of these complex issues.

Books

The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo (1991) is Sassen’s most well-known and influential work. In this book, she argues that global cities are key nodes in the global economy and that they play a central role in the process of globalization.
Globalization and Its Discontents (1998) is a collection of essays that explores the negative consequences of globalization. In this collection, Sassen argues that globalization has led to increased inequality, social polarization, and environmental degradation.
The Global Commodity Chain and the Geography of Wealth Creation (2006) is a study of the global commodity chain. In this study, Sassen argues that the global commodity chain is a key mechanism through which the benefits of globalization are concentrated in the hands of a few.
Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages (2008) is a theoretical work that examines the changing nature of sovereignty and governance in a globalized world. In this work, Sassen argues that sovereignty is becoming increasingly fragmented and dispersed in a globalized world.
Expulsions: Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy (2014) is a book that explores the impacts of contemporary globalization on the most vulnerable populations. Sassen argues that globalization has led to increased disposability and exclusion.

The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo (1991)

Saskia Sassen argues that global cities are key nodes in the global economy and that they play a central role in the process of globalization.

Sassen defines a global city as a “strategic site for the concentration of specialized services, control functions, and advanced production processes of the global economy.” She argues that global cities are characterized by three key features:

They are command centers for the global economy. This means that they are home to the headquarters of multinational corporations and other major financial institutions. They are also the location of important decision-making processes that shape the global economy.
They are centers for the production of high-skilled, specialized services. This includes services such as finance, law, accounting, and marketing. These services are in high demand in the global economy, and they are a major source of employment in global cities.
They are characterized by a high degree of diversity and social polarization. This is due to the fact that global cities attract people from all over the world, both highly skilled professionals and low-skilled workers. This diversity can lead to social tensions and challenges, but it can also be a source of innovation and creativity.

Sassen argues that global cities are not simply passive actors in the global economy. They are also active agents that shape the process of globalization. For example, global cities play a role in the formation of transnational networks and the development of new technologies. They also shape the global financial system and the distribution of wealth and power.

Globalization and Discontent(1998)

Saskia Sassen argues that globalization has led to a number of negative consequences, including increased inequality, social polarization, and environmental degradation.

Sassen argues that globalization has been driven by the rise of neoliberalism, a set of economic policies that promote free markets, privatization, and deregulation. She argues that neoliberalism has led to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, while widening the gap between the rich and the poor.

Sassen also argues that globalization has led to the erosion of national sovereignty and the growth of transnational governance structures. She argues that this has created a new “global apartheid” in which the rich and powerful are able to operate with impunity, while the poor and marginalized are left to suffer the consequences of globalization.

Finally, Sassen argues that globalization has had a significant impact on the environment. She argues that the rapid movement of people, goods, and capital has led to increased pollution and resource depletion. She also argues that globalization has made it more difficult for national governments to regulate environmental damage.

Sassen’s work on globalization is critical of the negative consequences of the process, but she also offers some suggestions for how to address these challenges. She argues that we need to find ways to regulate globalization in order to protect the environment and distribute its benefits more evenly. She also argues that we need to strengthen national and local governments in order to address the challenges of globalization.

The Global Commodity Chain and the Geography of Wealth Creation (2006)

In her 2006 book, The Global Commodity Chain and the Geography of Wealth Creation, Saskia Sassen argues that global commodity chains are key mechanisms through which the benefits of globalization are concentrated in the hands of a few.

A global commodity chain is a network of interconnected activities, encompassing all stages of production and delivery of a product from the extraction of raw materials to the final consumption of the finished product. It consists of a series of stages, each involving different actors and locations.

Sassen argues that global commodity chains are characterized by three key features:

They are geographically dispersed. This means that the different stages of production and delivery of a product are located in different parts of the world. This is often done to take advantage of differences in labor costs, environmental regulations, and other factors.
They are vertically integrated. This means that each stage of the chain is controlled by a different company. This can lead to exploitation of workers and environmental damage.
They are increasingly controlled by transnational corporations. These corporations are able to coordinate activities across borders and to take advantage of differences in the global economy.

Sassen argues that global commodity chains are a key mechanism through which the benefits of globalization are concentrated in the hands of a few. This is because the profits from the production and sale of goods are often captured by transnational corporations, while the workers who produce the goods often receive low wages and poor working conditions.

Sassen also argues that global commodity chains are contributing to the erosion of national sovereignty and the growth of transnational governance structures. This is because transnational corporations are able to operate with impunity across borders, and they are able to influence the policies of national governments.

Finally, Sassen argues that global commodity chains are having a significant impact on the environment. This is because the production and transportation of goods can lead to pollution and resource depletion. Sassen argues that we need to find ways to regulate global commodity chains in order to protect the environment and distribute its benefits more evenly.

Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages

In her book Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages, Saskia Sassen argues that the traditional notions of territory, authority, and rights are being transformed in the context of globalization. She suggests that we are moving from a system of relatively fixed and bounded territoriality to one characterized by the “interpenetration of multiple spatialities.”

Sassen identifies four key characteristics of this new system:

Embeddedness in multiple spatialities: Actors and institutions are increasingly embedded in multiple spatialities, including the local, national, and global levels. This can lead to a blurring of boundaries and a sense of “deterritorialization.”
Scale-jumping: Actors and institutions are able to “jump scales” and operate at different levels simultaneously. This can allow them to evade regulatory oversight and capture resources from different jurisdictions.
Denationalization of authority: Power is increasingly denationalized, meaning that it is not concentrated in the hands of nation-states. This can lead to a “crisis of sovereignty” and a weakening of the state’s ability to govern effectively.
Privatization of governance: Governance functions are increasingly privatized, meaning that they are carried out by non-state actors such as corporations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other transnational organizations.

These changes are having a profound impact on the distribution of power and the exercise of authority in the world. Sassen argues that we need to develop new ways of thinking about and regulating the globalized world order.

Here are some of the specific arguments that Sassen makes in the book:

The traditional notion of territory is being eroded by the globalization of economic activity, the rise of transnational networks, and the growth of cyberspace.
The authority of nation-states is being challenged by the rise of transnational corporations, international organizations, and other non-state actors.
The concept of rights is being transformed as people increasingly assert their rights on a global scale.
We need to develop new forms of governance that are appropriate for the 21st century, in which power is dispersed and authority is fragmented.

Sassen’s work is a critical analysis of the ways in which globalization is reshaping our understanding of territory, authority, and rights. She argues that we need to develop new ways of thinking about and regulating the globalized world order in order to create a more just and equitable society.

Expulsions: Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy (2014)

In her book Expulsions: Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy, Saskia Sassen argues that globalization has led to increased disposability and exclusion, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. She contends that the forces of globalization have created a system that pushes people out of the global economy and into precarious and marginalized positions.

Sassen defines expulsions as “a range of mechanisms that push people out of full membership in society and into zones of informality, criminalization, and even violence.” These mechanisms can include economic shocks, labor market restructuring, austerity measures, environmental degradation, and the rise of the carceral state.

Sassen argues that expulsions are not simply the result of individual failures or misfortunes, but rather are a structural feature of the global economy. She highlights the role of global capital in driving expulsions, as companies seek to reduce costs and maximize profits by moving production to low-wage countries and exploiting labor.

Sassen identifies four key types of expulsions:

Economic expulsions: These are the most common form of expulsion, and they occur when people are pushed out of the formal economy due to factors such as unemployment, underemployment, and informalization.
Political expulsions: These occur when people are denied their rights to citizenship, residency, and political participation. This can include deportation, detention, and other forms of state violence.
Social expulsions: These occur when people are excluded from social protection, healthcare, education, and other basic services. This can lead to poverty, homelessness, and other forms of precarity.
Ecological expulsions: These occur when people are forced to leave their homes due to environmental degradation, climate change, and other ecological disasters.

Sassen argues that expulsions are a serious human rights issue, and she calls for a more just and equitable global economy that protects the rights of all people. She suggests that we need to develop new forms of social protection, labor rights, and environmental regulations to address the root causes of expulsions.