Global imaginaries beyond markets: The globalization of money, family and financial inclusion

Manfred Steger's work opens up a new perspective on money and globalization Numerous studies on globalization emphasize the increasing interconnection of global financial markets. However, as the work of Manfred Steger, amongst others, shows, such a focus ignores the social, political, cultural, ecological and moral dimensions of globalization. It is also highly gendered and eurocentric. Building on Steger's insights, this chapter shifts from markets to money and from the global North to the global South to analyze the processes of globalization. Innovative methods for the global transfer of money in recent years have contributed to greater social and financial inclusion. Women though still not as included as men, have gained greater freedoms related to money. Migrants send money more efficiently to their families and communities in the Global South. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of the globalization of money for future global, social, political and economic relationships. It suggests the family will become increasingly central to money and the global imaginary.