XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology, Yokohama, Japan, 13-19 July 2014 International Sociological Association From Local to Global and Back Again Thomas Mavrofides Ph.D. blacktom@aegean.gr Dpt. Of Cultural Technology & Communication University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece, 81100 Dimitris Papageorgiou Ph.D. d.papageorgiou@aegean.gr Dpt. Of Cultural Technology & Communication University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece, 81100 Introduction The phenomenon of globalization can be considered as a nexus of interactions in- between national states, or as a system of global transactions superseding the policies of the national states per se. We think that the second approach is more appropriate considering that, as the research suggests, there are certain areas on the planet that participate in globalization. But, in order to realize the nature of the phenomenon we call globalization we first have to define it in a rigorous manner. We’re going to try to come up with such a definition following a systems theoretical approach and more specifically, an approach that deals with contemporary society as an emergent phenomenon due to interdependent autonomous systems. Globalization - what does it mean?