Globalization is an issue that has been high on the research agenda for several years, spawning a vast and at times unwieldy literature. A concept often ill-defined, it has generated a plethora of unresolved and fiercely contested questions, the nature of which depends on which side of the ideological divide one stands.

With original contributions from the leading commentators in the field and an overarching introduction from the editor, the concerns of this major new Handbook are two-fold: firstly, to redefine the concept of globalization and dispel the haze that surrounds it by a systematic and thorough examination of the debate; secondly, to push out the frontiers of current critical thinking on the role and impact of globalization, on the winners and losers in the process, and on the implications for society, the economy and governance, offering a genuinely inter-disciplinary perspective.

This handbook represents the definitive guide to what is an all-pervasive issue. It should be on the bookshelves of all scholars and policymakers with an interest in the global economy and in the functioning of an increasingly globalized world.