People and ideas on the move
Throughout history, people have moved and shared ideas, foods, languages and beliefs. Today, migration and globalization connect the world faster than ever.
Migration: past and present
Humans have always migrated. Early humans spread from Africa across the world over tens of thousands of years. Today, about 280 million people live outside the country where they were born, roughly 3.6% of the world’s population.
Types of migration
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Voluntary | moving for work, study or family |
| Forced | refugees fleeing war; the transatlantic slave trade |
| Internal | moving from rural areas to cities in the same country |
| International | moving to another country |
| Temporary | seasonal farm workers, international students |
The UN Refugee Agency reports more than 100 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, including refugees and people displaced within their own countries.
Cultural exchange through history
Cultural exchange is the sharing of ideas, goods and customs between cultures.
The Silk Road
The Silk Road connected China with Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe from about the 2nd century BCE. Along it travelled:
- silk, spices, tea and porcelain
- paper-making and gunpowder from China
- religions, such as Buddhism, Islam and Christianity
- diseases, including the plague
The Columbian Exchange
After 1492, plants, animals, people and diseases moved between the Americas and Europe, Africa and Asia.
| From the Americas | To the Americas |
|---|---|
| corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate, peppers, peanuts | horses, cattle, pigs, wheat, sugar cane, coffee |
It also brought devastating diseases to Indigenous peoples and expanded the transatlantic slave trade.
Cultural diffusion
Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural traits from one group to another. Examples:
- Food: pizza from Italy, tacos from Mexico, sushi from Japan, curry from South Asia, now eaten worldwide
- Music: jazz, born in African American communities, spread globally; K-pop from South Korea has fans everywhere
- Sports: soccer, cricket, basketball and hockey
- Language: English words like pyjamas (from Hindi and Urdu), ketchup (likely from Hokkien Chinese) and kayak (from Inuktitut)
- Holidays: Lunar New Year and Diwali celebrated in many countries
Globalization
Globalization is the growing connection of the world through:
- trade: products made in one country are sold everywhere
- technology: the internet and smartphones connect billions of people
- travel: flights carry people around the world in hours
- media: movies, music and social media spread globally
- companies: multinational corporations operate in many countries
Benefits
- access to a wider range of goods, often at lower prices
- economic growth and jobs in many countries
- faster spread of knowledge and medical advances
- cultural exchange and understanding
Concerns
- local industries and jobs can be lost to cheaper competition
- environmental impacts of shipping and production
- cultural homogenization: local languages and traditions may be overshadowed by global brands and media
- inequality between and within countries
Diasporas
A diaspora is a community living outside its ancestral homeland, such as the Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Jamaican, Irish or Jewish diasporas. Diasporas keep cultural ties alive and often send remittances: money sent home to family. Globally, remittances to low- and middle-income countries total hundreds of billions of dollars each year.
Canada and the United States in a global world
Both countries are shaped by global migration and trade. Cities like Toronto, Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles are global hubs where many cultures mix, creating new fusion foods, music and identities.
Try it yourself
- Trace the origins of five foods you ate this week.
- Map the Silk Road and list goods and ideas that travelled along it.
- Make a chart of the benefits and drawbacks of globalization for your community.
- Research a diaspora community in your region and how it maintains its culture.
Quick recap
- People have always migrated, voluntarily and by force.
- The Silk Road and the Columbian Exchange spread goods, ideas and diseases.
- Cultural diffusion spreads foods, music, languages and more.
- Globalization connects the world through trade, technology, travel and media.
- Diasporas keep cultures alive across borders.