Globalization wields powerful influence over societies and cultures. Business travelers and tourists both observe and distribute new ideas. New ideas, interactions, foods and products are tried, then embraced or discarded. With the internet or satellite television, films, publications, photographs, news reports and cartoons can travel instantly, entertaining or angering audiences around the globe. With social media like Facebook or Twitter, individuals offer news and own instant pronouncements on trends. Whether slowly through immigration or immediately online, these connections bring about some convergence of norms on fashion to human rights while also provoking challenges from traditionalists. A global society has emerged, and it’s tightly linked.

Is a Do-Gooder Company a Good Thing?

Search-engine superpower Google becomes gatekeeper to worldwide website access
Amy Harmon
May 2, 2004

Berlin to Ban Religious Symbols

Controversial bill includes symbols of all religious faiths and creeds used by civil servants
Elizabeth Goetze
July 23, 2004

US Cannot Tune Out Its Iraq Crisis

Arabic television networks show part of the reality of war
Ghida Fakhry
May 2, 2004

Arab Opinions

Two opinion polls on Arab attitudes towards America revealed an unprecedented level of mistrust and opposition towards the policies of the Bush administration
Khaled Dawoud
July 30, 2004

Irish Find Big Challenges Facing Small Languages

Ireland takes its domestic linguistic struggle to the EU
John Murray Brown
August 7, 2004