The Impact of Globalization on Young People in Saudi Arabia

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Globalization is the increasing unification of regional economies, societies, and cultures through communication, transportation and trade. It is mainly driven by a combination of economic, technological, social-cultural, biological and political factors. It can also be referred to as the transitional circulation of ideas, languages, or popular cultures through acculturation.

Researchers have argued that globalization started as early as the start of trade links between Sumer and the Indus valley civilization in the third millennium. But the biggest impact was felt in the 1990s due to the growth of low cost communication networks which allowed people in different parts of the world to integrate through communication. In the recent past globalization has been improved even more by the fine communication through the internet and the advancement of technology. This has made the world become like a small village because people in far away countries can get together easily (Valley Silicon, 2010).

The most affected group of people by globalization is the youth from all corners of the world. This is mainly because the young people who are aged between 18 to 24 years are the most active internet users. Consequently they get to interact and relate to people who are all over the world. This makes them feel connected to the world and with more power. Amongst the youths affected by globalization are the young people from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is the birth place of Prophet Mohammad and Islam. It was established in 1932 by king Abd-al-Aziz and it practices strict interpretation of Sunni Islam. The country has been ruled as an absolute monarchy by the descendant of king Abd-al-Aziz since his death in 1953. The laws of the land have...

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...ave made it inevitable for the Saudi Arabia’s government to accept the positive aspects of globalization. These have had several effects on the youth mainly because they are in a better position to understand the modern technologies. Hence the Saudi Arabia’s youth have been both positively and negatively affected by globalization (Gidley, 2001).

Reference List

Bianchi, (2006). The impact of globalization to the Muslim world. Retrieved from:

http://islamuswest.org/publications_islam_and_the_West/Who_Speaks_For_Islam/Who-Speaks-For-Islam_05.html

Gidley Jenifer, (2001). Globalization and its impact to the youth. Retrieved from:

http://rmit.academia.edu/JenniferGidley/Papers/254927/Globalization_and_Its_Impact_on_Youth

Valley Silicon, (2010). What Saudi Arabia thinks about globalization. Retrieved from:

http://www.globalization101.org/news1/Saudi-Arabia

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