Debate abounds over whether globalization is good or bad for the individual, the family, the nation, and the world. Exchanges and interconnections are as old as human history itself, as people moved around the globe in search of opportunity and spreading new ideas. Pessimists view increased interdependence as a terribly destructive trend for communities and culture, while optimists envision a diverse and better life for all. The word “globalization” itself describes an endless range of interactions, both deliberate and accidental. Unforeseen consequences can emerge sometimes decades later. Steady cooperation rather than conflict is in order as global integration continues to influence nearly every aspect of modern life.

All That Gas

Brazil leads the charge in alternative fuels ready to give crude oil a run for its money
Alam Srinivas
April 25, 2005

Why Are Globalizers So Provincial?

A level playing field may be un-equitable
Alice H. Amsden
January 31, 2002

Friendship Across Continents

The term "transatlantic" shifts in meaning, as Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly interviews Mexican President Vicente Fox
Ibrahim Nafie
April 1, 2005

Poverty Breeds Insecurity

A UN panel on Millennium Development Goal offers detailed recommendation for way to a better future
January 19, 2005

Wave of Ignorance

The huge death toll from the Asian tsunami disaster is a tragic demonstration of the UN system's failure to get its priorities right
Robin Harger
January 7, 2005