UnitedNations-07-CulturalGlobalization_Pass4.indd

than others by these connections, and sometimes one type of connection will be strongly felt in an area while other types of connections are barely noticeable in that same area. An example would be during a war, when there are many military connections but not very many economic ones. Cultural Globalization The idea of globalization can be very complicated and involves many different aspects.The term“cultural globalization”refers to the effects of many different types of globalization taken together, such as trade and the flow of goods across international borders, technological advances leading to faster and better communication and travel between different parts of the world,and the spread of ideas across the globe.These things all work together.Travel and communication,for example,have become so much easier in the last century that knowledge about different parts of the world has drastically increased. This has led to an increased understanding about different cultures as well as a desire to improve trade and ties between nations. Multiculturalism and cultural diversity also result from cultural globalization. Today in large cities you can find restaurants serving food from almost everywhere in the world. Grocery stores stock international foods as well. Music from dozens of different countries is available. Many cities have sections where most residents are from a certain part of the world—such as Chinatown or Little Italy.The people who live in these areas hold the traditional festivals of their native countries, eat traditional foods, and sometimes wear traditional clothing. Changing Ways of Life For many, globalization is a positive change bringing different cultures together and providing jobs to poor people. However, globalization can often change traditional ways of life by destroying languages and customs. Moreover, people can lose their jobs because products can be made more cheaply somewhere else.

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Chapter One