Globalization, Language and Culture

Children's Literature

"The New Global Society" series, according to the foreword, is intended for high school students. Disney's dancing-doll lyrics "it's a small world, after all" are becoming more apt over time, so these books are meant to help youth understand, discuss, and find answers to questions raised by globalization. Yet the introduction to the series claims the books are for lay people. Young adults might find the material somewhat advanced: This volume discusses globalization vis-a-vis language and culture. There is currently a "push" toward a "global village" where English is the language of power and the American Dream is the cultural ideology. Yet there is also a "pull" in the opposite direction. Some see the push as the inevitable winner, with noble cultural and social outcomes. Others fear the end of individual cultural integrity and identity. Culture is what people do and say every day, guided by beliefs and principles. Language use filters experiences and reflects different cultures and ideologies. Movement of goods and people around the world, plus transmission of media images and information through technology, are components of today's globalization; but earlier attempts at a "one-world" culture include the Roman and British Empires. The author asks the reader to become a "global thinker" by synthesizing the ideas of this book and thinking critically about culture. If the reader can accept the academic language, he or she will get a fascinating glimpse into some mind-opening topics. Vignettes, maps, photos, a glossary, notes, a bibliography, further reading, and an index are included. 2006, Chelsea House Publishers, Ages 15 up.
—Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D.