Losers of representation: Gains and losses of globalisation as seen by workers in internationalised companies in the Netherlands

Abstract

Dichotomisation between winners and losers is a prominent element of the debate on globalisation, with ordinary workers often considered losers. However, little is known about what workers make of globalisation, how they experience the phenomenon, and how they talk about it. We use a set of focus groups to explore meaning-making on the globalisation of the economy among lower-educated employees of Dutch internationalised firms. We find that they weigh up the pros and cons and proudly struggle with the consequences of globalisation. To the degree that they feel left behind, it is by politics and government. This suggests that dislike of globalisation is the result of negative experiences with politics, rather than the other way around.