^{In this volume of The Annals, the contributors explore their individual subjects within common understanding of the term globalization. There is agreement that the term refers to the consequences of two phenomena that, in combination, have resulted in what David Harvey calls the global compression of time and space. The first phenomenon is technological changes in the processing and dissemination of information related to finance and production. The second is the international spread of the technical competence necessary to use these advances efficiently.}

^{The articles in this volume of The Annals are presented to illuminate important dimensions of the globalization process. While this collection is not proposed to be a definitive presentation in the range of subjects covered or in the treatment that is accorded them, it is intended that these articles provide perspective on globalization at a time when it is subject of intense public scrutiny.}

^{The first three articles are broad in scope, tracing the origins of globalization to new technologies, assessing globalization's impact on human well-being, and analyzing the effect of the global economy on Southeast Asia. The impact of globalization on migration and labor is the subject of the next three contributions, followed by three articles addressing important problems with regard to international trade. The last group of articles considers cultural and other changes associated with globalization.}