Thirteen years ago, a group of Greenpeace activists broke into a field near Norwich and ruined a crop of genetically modified wheat. This began a case against GM crops, and research slowed down following the incident. Recently, George Freeman, the MP for Mid Norfolk, stated that the research is taking off again and it's unstoppable. He argues that we must embrace GM because it … [Read more...]
Pokémon: A Cultural Phenomenon
Although many people automatically think that globalization implies a core-periphery relationship involving movement from the Western core to the Non-Western periphery, many worldwide cultural phenomena prove this to be false. Japanese commodities other than food have made an everlasting impact on the American culture. Pokémon, a product based on 151 fictional creatures, proved … [Read more...]
K-Pop Enters China and Japan
In order to understand the spread of the Korean music scene in Southeast Asia, it’s necessary to examine the history of Korea’s relationships with Japan and China. Korea is located between these two superpower nations, contributing to tumultuous relations with them throughout history. Much of Korea’s resentment towards Japan derives from Japanese colonial rule (1910-45) during … [Read more...]
Finger Lickin’ Good
Ronald McDonald might not have been popular abroad, but KFC's "Chicky" has been a huge hit in China. As sales have decreased in the US, KFC has shifted focus to the Chinese market where they were the first fast food chain to establish a restaurant (1987), and currently outnumber McDonald's 3 to 2. KFC has achieved major success in China due to its novelty and consistent … [Read more...]
Swissed-off
Movements against Islam in the public sphere have been occurring not only in France, but also all over Europe. In 2009, voters in Switzerland decided to ban the construction of minarets, an essential tower that accompanies the mosque to call Muslims to prayer. A startling 57.5% voted in favor of the ban. According to Swiss officials and citizens, the reason behind this … [Read more...]
