Globalization is among the most hotly debated issues on political agendas today. The discussion, however, tends to be fragmented, with views often polarized along political or geographic lines. Some blame globalization for exacerbating unemployment and poverty, others see it as a way of solving such problems. Attention and research concentrate on markets and perceived economic gains or losses rather than on the impact of globalization on the life and work of people, their families and their societies.

         This lack of consensus makes it harder to develop policies at national and international levels. The inadequate focus on the human side of globalization creates a gap in understanding the forces of change and how people react to them. Such knowledge is necessary if appropriate policy responses are to be developed.