Globalization's effects on the way people live, play, and learn is difficult to measure but readily apparent in almost all societies across the globe. While McDonald's and Coca-Cola offer standardized products worldwide, food habits are not the only thing affected by our growing interconnectedness. Printed images, movies, books, and ideas have traversed the globe through satellite television and the Internet as well as with travelers and businesspeople. In the process, exposure to news ways of life and ways of thinking have brought about a degree of convergence of norms and attitudes on everything from fashion to human rights. But it has also provoked challenge from traditional cultures and often led to fusion of many influences. The following articles have been assembled to shed light on these and other related issues.

In Departure, China Invites Outside Help Howard W. French and Edward Wong The New York Times, 16 May 2008 Strong nations do not hesitate to accept help from others

Facing Facebook Magda El-Ghitany Al-Ahram Weekly, 7 May 2008 Technology makes political protests easy for the young

China Ascendant – Part III Wenran Jiang YaleGlobal, 30 April 2008 Success invites scrutiny and warrants wisdom and benevolence

Talking to Ourselves Susan Jacoby The Los Angeles Times, 23 April 2008 Opposing views sharpen the human intellect – and should be welcomed

Who Owns the Past? James Cuno YaleGlobal, 21 April 2008 Antiquities from great cultures belong to humanity, not nation states that emerged centuries later

Torch's Guards Have a Link to Tibet Gordon Fairclough and Stacy Meichtry and Alistair MacDonald and David Crawford The Wall Street Journal, 10 April 2008 Police guard Olympic torch and China’s image with ferocity

Race and the Social Contract Eduardo Porter The New York Times, 3 April 2008 Racial barriers block US social spending

Taiwan’s Success Could Show the Way for Tibet Humphrey Hawksley YaleGlobal, 31 March 2008 Economic ties and regional democracy could ease Taiwan and Tibet as touchy issues for China

Planned Chinatown Raises Hackles in Rural Germany Markus Feldenkirchen Spiegel Online, 25 March 2008 Building ethnic communities in new locales requires careful planning and communication

Iraq: Teachers Told to Rewrite History Richard Garner The Independent, 19 March 2008 Debate flares over a history that’s only five years in the making

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