In The News

'Wake Up and Face the Flat Earth'

April 18, 2005
Since Columbus discovered the New World in 1492 and reconnected peoples that had been separated for ten millennia, globalization has become increasingly fast-paced. The interconnected world, facilitated by information technology and trade liberalization in the late 20th century, is the most recent wave of human societies' efforts to connect each other even more closely. In his previous book...

China-India Entente Shifts Global Balance

Clyde Prestowitz April 15, 2005
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's recent diplomatic visit to India resulted in a number of potentially historic agreements. Economist Clyde Prestowitz suggests that collaboration between the two Asian nations may reshape globalization in the 21st century. The European age of exploration set into motion a first wave of globalization – setting the stage for centuries of Western economic,...

This Is the Sound of Globalization

Jon Pareles April 15, 2005
While nation-states maintain tariffs and strictly control immigration, music needs no passport. Artists are increasingly mixing local, traditional forms with those borrowed from other parts of the world. The New York Times compiled a list of musical fusions from every corner of the globe. Thanks to the digital production and distribution – and of course, the internet – eager listeners may access...

China Soups Up Internet Censoring Filters

Anick Jesdanun April 14, 2005
According to a recent US study, China is the most successful country in the world – that is, in terms of Internet censorship. The Chinese government uses a multilayered approach, employing thousands of public and private censors to remove online content deemed too sensitive. The system is so advanced that while references to Tibetan independence are entirely removed, for instance, general...

Internet Fans Flames of Chinese Nationalism

Paul Mooney April 4, 2005
An online petition protesting Japan's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat has reportedly garnered over 22 million Chinese signatories. And as anti-Japanese discourse grows ever-more incendiary in cyberspace, the Chinese government may wonder how far "power to the people" should go. Journalist Paul Mooney writes that Beijing truly finds itself in a bind: While condoning...

China-IBM Computer Deal Marks a New Era

Jean-Pierre Lehmann April 1, 2005
The recent Chinese acquisition of the IBM PC division does not illustrate China's rise at the expense of the US. Rather, it signals a deeper shift in the information technology (IT) business, which has been changing the global economic landscape. Jean-Pierre Lehmann contends that the shift arises from the emergent IT stars – China, India, and the United States – adapting to the realities of...

Web Petition Stokes Anti-Japan Passions

Hamish McDonald March 30, 2005
In the last week, over 19 million people, mainly Chinese, have signed an online petition against Japanese inclusion in the ranks of permanent members on the United Nations Security Council. Kofi Annan's recently announced plans for reform in the UN has led Japan, along with Germany, India, and Brazil, to step up efforts to gain permanent status alongside the five current seatholders, which...