Globalization and economic geography: the world is curved, not flat

Abstract

This paper analyses the argument put that the world is becoming flatter from the perspective of economic geography and spatial economics. In order to do this, we consider the variety of empirical evidence available, much of which appears to be prima facie rather paradoxical. However, it is possible to reconcile all of the seemingly conflicting the evidence by adopting the argument that the global economy simultaneously exhibits trends towards both increasing globalization and localization. Cities are increasingly seen to be the critical context for growth. Using diagrams, we demonstrate that analytically the global economy is becoming even more curved.