Popular Culture As Global Culture
Popular customs are found in large, heterogeneous societies that share certain habits despite differences in personal characteristics. Popular customs are based on global interaction and modern technology, and are most often a product of economically developed countries. As the world family draws ever closer through instant communications and rapid transportation, popular culture increasingly welds itself into an evolving global culture.
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PopCulture
Sudan
School kids all over the world love to play football (soccer), Tarabile Village, northern Sudan.
Mauritania
Children watching television at home in a Mauritania village. TV is both a cause and consequence of popular culture and is common from busy cities to remote rural areas.
Lesotho
Instruments and musical styles are often unique to local regions but have diffused to create a blended global fusion of music. These band instruments in Lesotho are familiar in some form but these bush technology versions are all homemade, using recycled materials (wood, rubber, fishing line, vegetable oil cans, storage drum).
Morocco
Dora the Explorer on the front door of a Moroccan pre-school. Dora is a Spanish-speaking character in an American cartoon who is popular in an Arab-speaking country in North Africa.
Somalia
School rooms are found in towns and cities all over the world, though rural school houses in the developing world may look different from those in developed countries (Zeila, Somalia).
Togo
Difali village primary school in Togo; a typical rural school in West Africa.
Benin
School room in Taneka Beri village, northern Benin. Chalkboard notes are in French in this Francophone country in West Africa.
Suriname
Primary and secondary public schools in Palumeu, Suriname. Although the students are Wayana and Tiriyo Amerindians the language of instruction is Dutch in this former Dutch colony in South America.
United Arab Emirates
Traditional inhabitants of the United Arab Emirates sculpted next to the modern glass-and-steel high rises of Dubai.
Ukraine
“Dreams Become Places”: Images of development, modernization and globalization in Kiev, capital of Ukraine.
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Nigeria
Though much of Nigeria has been slow to develop, the new, centrally-planned capital of Abuja is a rapidly expanding city of new highways and buildings.
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Jordan
Mecca Mall, Amman, Jordan…a famous place name drawn from the region where this new shopping mall is found. A modern version of the covered bazaars and markets of the Middle East and Europe, the North American-style shopping mall—large, enclosed, climate-controlled retail spaces—are increasingly common in cities all over the world.
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Andorra
A large shopping mall in Andorra la Vella. The name of the mall--Pyrenees--is a reference to the European mountain range where the small country of Andorra is found.
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Bulgaria
The Mall of Sofia, a large shopping mall and cineplex in the capital of Bulgaria.
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Kuwait
A large, modern shopping mall in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
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Mauritania
Traditionally-dressed woman with a modern, blingy watch, Mauritania. Even where there are no shopping malls, shoppers may have access to the latest gadgets and fashions at local markets.
Togo
The village pharmacy: By re-packaging, this vendor in northern Togo can sell pills and the contents of pharmaceutical packages in smaller quantities. Customers--who may have difficulty affording full boxes--can buy smaller amounts from such local markets.
Lesotho
Village supermarket, Malealea, Lesotho.
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Sudan
Souvenir vendor at Meroe, Sudan. Local people adapt to tourism by creating objects that are not consumed locally but appeal to the foreign visitors.
Lebanon
High speed, public air transportation daily ferries about 900,000 people around their countries and around the globe. Companies like Middle East Airlines (MEA), Lebanon’s national carrier, both benefit from and contribute to this interconnectivity and globalization.
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United Arab Emirates
Superhighways—controlled access, divided highways designed for the automobile age—were once primarily associated with developed countries but are also found in developing regions and are a part of global transport culture (United Arab Emirates).
Tunisia
A superhighway of the pre-modern era; the paved main street of Roman Sbeitla, Tunisia.
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Cuba
Bici-taxis (bicycle taxis) are a common form of budget public transportation in Havana, Cuba.
Pakistan
Motor bikes often serve as the family vehicle and outnumber automobiles in many parts of the Old City of Lahore, Pakistan.
Vietnam
Small motor cycles—mostly Vespa-style motor scooters—are the preferred transport vehicle in urban Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon).
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Somalia
Public transportation in Somalia.
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Cuba
Old American cars in Havana, Cuba.
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Italy
Railroad transportation, for both freight and passengers, pre-dates both automobile and airline transport, but remains important in countries with a well developed rail network. High speed rail travel, like these trains in Italy, is a growing transportation trend in some European and East Asian countries.
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Croatia
Electric trolleys, like this one in Zagreb, Croatia remain an important form of urban transport in some cities.
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Italy
With more than 150 narrow canals crossed by 400 small bridges, the city of Venice, Italy cannot support automobile, bus, or trolley traffic. However, boats of every shape and size travel the waterways and serve the roles normally played by vehicular traffic in other cities. Utility boats deliver goods and carry away trash. In this view are three tourist gondolas, a taxi boat, and a vaporetto, which serves the role of city bus.
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Denmark
Bicycles are a common form of transportation in many urban areas, and especially common in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Guam
Long before the current era of globalization, universal religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity forged common practices across disparate cultures. The revolving pope of Agana, Guam—a likeness of Pope John Paul II—completes one rotation every 24 hours on this Pacific island.
Romania
Religious symbols, such as crescent moons (Islam), prayer wheels (Buddhism), and crosses (Christianity), like this one in Calafat, Romania offer visible evidence of the historic, pre-globalization spread of universalizing values and traditions.
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Suriname
Baptist church in the Wayana and Tiriyo Amerindian village of Palumeu, Suriname (South America).
Eritrea
A shrine to Mary in the hollow Tree of Power (500 year old Baobab tree), where a Catholic mass is in progress at this holy site of Marium Daarit, Keren, Eritrea.
Sri Lanka
A shrine to Jesus in (mostly) Buddhist Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lanka
Buddhism, like Christianity and Islam, is a universalizing faith that has becomes a global force with a multinational character (Sri Lanka).
Morocco
The minaret of Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco is typical of Islamic architecture in the west of the Arab world.
Suriname
The style of Islamic mosque ubiquitous in much of the world resembles this mosque in Paramaribo, Suriname.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/IMG_7076 Mosque in Paramaribo Suriname.JPG
South Korea
Many sports and games have spread far beyond their place of origin to become part of a global popular culture. Baseball has become more popular in South Korea than in the United States, where the game originated.
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Sri Lanka
Cricket in Colombo, Sri Lanka, typical of globalized sports that have origins in one region (in this case, England) and spread through colonization and globalization. In Sri Lanka (and neighboring India) cricket is more popular than football (soccer).
Ghana
Football (soccer), played from village courtyards to city football pitches, is the most popular sport in many countries (Accra, Ghana).
Ghana
The school football (soccer) captain poses with his class at Hlevi village school, Ghana.
Tunisia
The game of kharibga being played in Tunisia (on an improvised game board), a game introduced to North Africa by the Romans (who learned it from the Greeks); a global game in the pre-modern era that is still played today.
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China
Playing "Chinese Checkers" in...China (how do you think the game got its name?).
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Mali
Kids playing a game of wari in Mali, a game played around the world but known more commonly as mancala.
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Niger
Hoops and wheels (propelled by a short stick)—traditional toys enjoyed by children in past generations in developed countries—are still part of children’s playtime games in many developing countries (rural Niger).
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Togo
Village toys: Ewe kids playing with hoop and sticks. The sticks are for steering the tire (Davedi village, Togo).
São Tomé and Príncipe
Homemade toys are valued playthings where manufactured toys are less common or purchasing power is weak (São Tomé).
São Tomé and Príncipe
A shipwreck serves as the playground in this village on the island of São Tomé.
China
Pac-man in Hong Kong, China. Video games are popular and played worldwide wherever consoles, home computers and internet cafes are found.
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Iraq
Sign for a body building gym in Erbil, Iraq idolizing the famous body builder (and actor and governor) Arnold Schwarzenegger as “Kink (King) Arnold.”
China
Credit cards and ATM (bank machine) cards have contributed to globalization by making international travel and exchange much easier. You can use your American Express card for an acupuncture session in China.
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China
An automatic teller machine (ATM) disbursing cash in Kowloon, Hong Kong (China). Are there glazed pigs hanging next to your local ATM?
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South Korea
A Korean Buddhist monk walking in the comfort of Reebok shoes. This is clearly non-traditional monk-wear, but Reeboks are manufactured in South Korea and quite inexpensive there.
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Armenia
Increasingly throughout the developing world, folk dress has given way to a western-inspired form of homogenized global dress. These young women in Armenia are typical of the younger generation around the world who dress in the same fashion as their North America and European peers (preferably with English writing visibly displayed).
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Niger
Tee shirts with Western motifs—like American rapper Nelly seen here—are collected from donated clothing outlets in the U.S. and distributed to African countries through aid groups. Such clothing is now increasingly common in small villages, like this one in eastern Niger.
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Nepal
Western-style clothing—business suits, jeans, tee-shirts, athletic shoes, and ball caps—has been adopted as daily wear by people all over the world, especially among younger generations and business professionals. In smaller cities and rural areas of the developing world, however, women and older people still show a preference for traditional clothing (southern Nepal).
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Equatorial Guinea
A family at home in rural Equatorial Guinea. While unique styles of indigenous dress may be occasionally used, everyday clothing is more universal.
São Tomé and Príncipe
A boy from São Tomé at home in a converted plantation house. His clothing is universal, as kids all over the world might wear.
Tunisia
Tunisian boys and girls, most of them in the homogenized western-style (now global style) of clothing.
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Tunisia
Traditional and new global fashion, both displayed on this street in Kairouan, Tunisia.
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Iraq
Some clothing styles may appear more Western, or less indigenous, like that worn by this Kurdish girl in northern Iraq, but have been part of the clothing traditions of a place for so long that they may be viewed as traditional fashion.
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Jordan
Even where clothing styles are more conservative, beach wear typical of global popular culture may co-exist with traditional fashion (Dead Sea, Jordan).
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Spain
“You need to learn English,” proclaims William Shakespeare on this poster in Sanlucar, Spain. English has evolved well beyond the British Isles and the territories once-colonized by England to become the most widely spoken language in the world, an important common link in global culture.
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China
The Hong Kong English Club…serving the cause of this global linked language (Hong Kong, China).
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Pakistan
A promotion for English instruction at the Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Cadet School in Lahore, Pakistan.
Morocco
Before the wide-spread use of English around the world you were not likely to find restaurant signs like this one, nor were vegetarian menus promoted in the pre-modern Fes medina of Morocco.
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Wales
Although English has become the most popular foreign language (for non-native speakers) in schools and universities worldwide, not everyone is enamored with English. This sign of protest in Wales is a reaction to English migration and political dominance in the Welsh-speaking area of Great Britain.
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Denmark
Tagging city walls with graffiti is a common practice that has spread in the era of globalization (Copenhagen, Denmark).
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Latvia
Urban graffiti, Riga, Latvia.
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Norway
Tagging territory using graffiti is a common urban cultural expression seen around the world (Oslo, Norway).
Equatorial Guinea
Invented hand gestures in a rural African village that mimic 'gangsta' signals learned through the internet and other exposure to global culture (Equatorial Guinea).
Mongolia
The pattern of single-family homes in this suburban neighborhood is common to the global growth of cities, though the housing form (ger) seen here is unique to Central Asia (Ulaanbataar, Mongolia).
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Albania
Concrete box architecture is a common—though uninspiring—form of building in much of the developing world (Kruja, Albania).
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Zambia
Building styles of a typical African city (Lusaka, Zambia).
United States
The modern, glass-and-steel skyscraper is native to the U.S.A. but is now a part of global culture (New York City).
United Arab Emirates
The modern glass-and-steel high-rise building is an architectural style once unique to North America, but is increasingly common in cities worldwide (Dubai, United Arab Emirates).
Monaco
High-rise apartments emerging above the more traditional urban landscape of Monaco.
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United Arab Emirates
Traditional architectural styles expressed in luxury villas near the modern Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world (Dubai, United Arab Emirates).
Singapore
Sleek skyscrapers dominate the skyline of the modern Asian city of Singapore, a center of global trade and commerce.
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South Korea
Stylish doghouses in Kyongju, South Korea, with roofs patterned after local Buddhist architecture.
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Jerusalem
A contemporary store in Jerusalem, capitalizing on this central location of religious activity and pilgrimage; in the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
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Morocco
A familiar feature on the landscape of urban areas (telephone booth), though the "telephone" script may vary (Tangier, Morocco).
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Ireland
A Gaelic telephone booth in Dingle Gaeltacht, Ireland.
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Sweden
Rural telephone booth in central Sweden.
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Canada
A fading global custom...the public telephone booth. Common around the world for decades, phone booths are being rendered obsolete by the ubiquity of cell phones (Montreal, Canada).
Vietnam
Traditional telephone connections in many countries have not been well developed, and service has generally been poor. The rapid emergence of cellular telephone technology has resulted in a mass blitz of advertising and allowed consumers in developing countries to bypass the inefficiencies of the old land line service and join the growing ranks of globally connected telephone users (Can Tho, Vietnam).
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Rwanda
Cellular telephone service is more efficient and reliable than land line service in Rwanda, and more heavily promoted.
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Mozambique
An advertisement for cellular phone service near Maputo, Mozambique. Sergio Muiambo (on the sign) is an Afro-fusion musician from Mozambique.
Pakistan
Cell phones are ubiquitous in cities and towns throughout the world (Pakistan).
South Sudan
Advertising for a new cell phone provider in a new country in Africa, South Sudan.
Malawi
Everyone, it seems, now has a cell phone, even in the most remote areas of the developing world (Malawi).
Pakistan
Mobile phone use in an otherwise timeless scene, Lahore Fort complex, Pakistan.
Zambia
Stores selling cell phones and cell phone service are common in even the smallest towns of Africa (Zambia).
Lesotho
Vodacom center in a Lesotho village with a Basotho herdsman depicted in silhouette. M-pesa is a mobile phone-based service allowing deposits and money transfers using a mobile device.
Gabon
A telecom company promotion in Libreville, Gabon.
Pakistan
The whole world is taking selfies. Here, friends are creating memories during a trip to the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.
Iraq
Gridlock in the phone and electricity grid, Erbil, Iraq.
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Iraq
All the world uses toilets, but not all toilets have the same basic design. The Asian-style squat toilet is a revelation to Westerners traveling for the first time to many eastern hemisphere destinations, but is the only style available in many areas of Asia and Africa (Iraq).
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Iraq
This is a Western-style toilet, as found in the western hemisphere, Europe, and many areas settled by European peoples. This style is uncommon in Erbil, Iraq, where Asian-style squat toilets are the tradition. Note the sign above the toilet—enlarged in the following image—providing instructions for proper use to a population unaccustomed to the sit-down protocol.
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Iraq
An instructional sign to inform the uninitiated that—even though squatting is a very natural position, given the nature of the business—this type of device is designed for sitting (Iraq).
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Mexico
The satellite dish -- both cause and consequence of a merging global culture -- may be found in any urban or remote rural area of the world. This one is tuned into American programs coming across the border from Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico.
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Mali
A satellite dish in Timbuktu brings the world to this very remote location (Mali).
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Mongolia
This satellite dish provides a television connection for a family of animal herders who live far from any permanent settlement in the steppe grasslands of Mongolia. The dish must be portable to follow these nomads when it is time to move their animals to new grazing areas, which forces them to move their ger (house) to a new site.
Kosovo
Small, personal satellite TV dishes grow like mushrooms from apartment blocks in the rapidly developing city of Pristina, Kosovo.
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Cambodia
Television antennas sprout from even the most modest dwellings as people worldwide tune in to join the TV culture (Cambodia).
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Vietnam
TV antennas top even the tallest towers in Cai Be, Vietnam.
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Vietnam
Internet services are available all over the world, but limited ownership of personal computers, especially in developing countries, limits internet access at home. In response, “internet cafes” have sprung up in towns and cities around the world, offering pay-by-the-minute internet access to an increasingly wired world (Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Vietnam).
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Morocco
Cyber café in the medina of Fes, Morocco.
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Iran
Internet café in the old center of Yazd, Iran.
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Jordan
"Microsoft...working for the Arab world," and ANY world that is computer literate (Amman, Jordan).
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Kenya
Green and environmental movements have become global institutions, promoted through public messages and collective action (Nairobi, Kenya).
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Denmark
In addition to the official delegates who met to negotiate a global climate treaty, thousands of individuals staged a mass protest (organized using web sites and cell phones) to promote their cause in the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark during the 2009 Climate Conference.
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Iraq
Coincident with the growth of the internet, cell phones, and grass roots political engagement, the growth of freedom movements and democratic institutions are part of a global trend. In this photo, members of the Kurdistan Youth Freedom Organization pose outside their base headquarters (Iraq).
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Iraq
Children of the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq are promoting their preferred candidates in regional democratic elections.
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Mali
Notions of freedom and democracy, and pride in seeing an African-American reach the highest political office in the USA, has led to a booming business selling Obama shirts in much of Africa (Mali).
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Yemen
Carrying a chicken home for lunch. While (fortunately) not exactly a global culture, the trade in modern weapons in a less regulated environment -- such as Yemen (shown here) -- has spawned open markets for guns and a culture that wears the Kalashnikov as outerwear.
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Yemen
Weapon stall at the open-air arms souk (market), north of Saada, Yemen.
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Iraq
Kurdish kids from a rural culture where guns are common (Iraq).
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South Sudan
Hired guards are a common practice in areas of unrest, like here along the Nile River in South Sudan, along the southern border with Uganda.
Cambodia
“We No Longer Need Weapons.” Emerging from a long episode of violent regimes and civil wars in the 1960s-1980s, Cambodia now promotes a more peaceful agenda of disarmament and development (Siem Reap, Cambodia).
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Niger
Food aid cans in Niger are being recycled and made into flour sifters or sieves and sold in the market. Many locally-made items available for sale in the lesser developed countries are fabricated from recycled objects that originate in developed countries.
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Eritrea
Scrap metal, including USA-donated food tins, recycled to make small stoves in Asmara, Eritrea.
Togo
Apprentices training at a village tailor shop in Togo. As in rural South Asia, the sewing machines used in rural Africa are mostly treadle (foot-pedal) sewing machines because village electrical supply is not always reliable and because these small businesses often cannot afford generator-powered electricity.
Iraq
The mud plastered housing, thatch roof, clothing, and water-carrying in this scene may all be very traditional, but the use of a plastic container to carry the water belongs to the global, modern era (Iraq).
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Mali
These children from a Bozo fishing village along the Niger River in Mali collect plastic water bottles from passing boats. They use the bottles for storing water and other liquids, and as floats for their fishing nets.
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Israel
An odd combination of food culture, unless you live in Tiberias, Israel and enjoy Chinese food.
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Tunisia
Popular characters from globally distributed movies, cartoons, T.V. shows and merchandise often appear in the most unlikely places around the world, like at the "Charlie Chaplin" Restaurant in Kairouan, Tunisia.
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Honduras
Forget generic animals and geometric shapes; Barney and Pocahontas are more popular piñata figures in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Bart Simpson reigns supreme in Mexico!)
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Guatemala
Garfield and Mickey Mouse adorn an exterior wall of this store in San Pedro village, Guatemala.
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Algeria
Warner Brothers Looney Toons characters at "Kids Planet" in Constantine, Algeria.
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Uzbekistan
A poster advertising the movie “Shrek 2” in a public park in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The movies made by large studios—especially Hollywood productions—are seen by moviegoers all over the world.
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Ghana
This organization in Accra, Ghana is facing an uphill battle with pirated copies of popular movies widely available from shops and street vendors in much of the developing world.
Jordan
A giant Safeway store, Amman, Jordan. Many company brands familiar in your home country may be familiar to others around the world.
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Mexico
Wal-Mart has grown from humble beginnings in Rogers, Arkansas to become the world’s largest retailer. Wal-Mart stores and Supercenters are now found all over the world (Mexico City, Mexico).
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South Korea
Del Monte logo, Chinhae, South Korea. Many brands and products found in American supermarkets are also found all over the world.
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India
Forget the Cheetos Puffs…in India you can get Krazy Cheese Balls. Along with development and globalization we also get common, processed snack foods.
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China
Kodak billboard in Guangzhou, China.
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Azerbaijan
Snickers candy bars are the featured product at a road-side shop in western Azerbaijan. Can you find another familiar product advertisement in the window?
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Dominican Republic
Many products common to supermarkets all over the world are traditional foodstuffs that were once consumed only in limited regions. Bananas are grown only in tropical places but are consumed worldwide (Dominican Republic).
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Spain
Banana plantation, Canary Islands (La Palma, Spain). While bananas and terrace agriculture are indigenous elsewhere, they were both widely employed during the colonial era of globalization.
Pakistan
Bananas being readied for an auction sale in Lahore market, Pakistan.
Syria
Dates, here sold in clusters freshly cut from date palms (Syria), are a food product native to the Middle East but now traded and consumed worldwide.
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Senegal
Cashew fruit (nuts inside) growing in a Senegalese village. Cashews are consumed in the local village but are widely planted in the region for commercial export.
Iraq
Grapes, and the vineyards where they are grown, are more widespread today because of the global demand for grapes, wine, and related products. These vineyards are in the Piramagrun range of Sulaymania Province, Iraq, near the historic origin of grape and vinyard traditions.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/iraq11.jpg
Pakistan
Cauliflower auction, Lahore vegetable market, Pakistan.
Tunisia
Wheat is indigenous to semi-arid regions of southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, and Syria but has spread to become the most widely produced staple crop (in land area planted) in the world. This wheat field is near the Kroumerie Mountains of northern Tunisia.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/tunisia6.jpg
Burundi
Tea was an early product of globalization in the European colonial era. As a result of the global demand for tea it is now grown here in Burundi and in many other countries around the world.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/burundi.jpg
Pakistan
Tea is a favored drink in South Asia where it is prepared with milk and other special ingredients. Here, a vendor sells Kashmiri tea, a delicious variety second to none (Pakistan).
Sudan
Scarecrows are used all over the world in different forms to help protect crops from birds. This is the best scarecrow EVER (Nile valley north of Khartoum, Sudan).
Algeria
Cigarettes and tobacco...universal products and global habit (Algerian tobacco shop).
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/algeria2.jpg
Pakistan
Large twists of tobacco leaves used in pipe and hookah smoking sold by a tobacconist in Pakistan.
Andorra
Marlboro cigarette advertisement on a supermarket in Pas de la Casa, Andorra.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/andorra2.jpg
Egypt
A Marlboro billboard provides shady relief from the sun for gellabiya-clad men waiting for a bus along the Red Sea coastal highway, Egypt.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/egypt.jpg
Sweden
An increasingly common message around the world...Smoking forbidden (Sweden).
Russia
Baskin Robins "31 flavors" ice cream store, Moscow, Russia.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/russia.jpg
Guatemala
Judging by the various products being advertised, this scene could have come from a typical American city. This is actually the main shopping district of downtown Guatemala City, Guatemala.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/guatemala2.jpg
Germany
"Our world is not for sale". Not everyone is happy with the homogenization of world culture and the influence of global companies and capital. This anti-globalization rally in Berlin, Germany is one of many such protests held around the world in recent years.
https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Popular/germany.jpg