Analysis Of Tyler Cowen's 'Trade Between Cultures'

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The article, “Trade between Cultures,” by Tyler Cowen sets out to illustrate how globalization simultaneously results in cultural homogenization and heterogenization. Cowen is a professor at George Mason University and has written a vast number of books centered around the subject of economics. In his article, Cowen describes everyday examples of how trade has contributed to diversity within cultures, while also challenging several anti-trade ideas by arguing that trade can lead to more widespread diversity and innovation within societies. From the beginning, Cowen jumps into a few examples of how several countries are trying to combat diversity and preserve their local culture by setting restrictions on how much foreign entertainment content is allowed. Among the examples listed, Cowen reports that some Antillean countries have limited Haitian music, Canada has limited an American bookstore from expanding into its country due to the fear that it would not carry enough …show more content…

Cowen insists that “…cross cultural exchange, while it will alter and disrupt each society it touches, will support innovation and creative human energies” (275). In this section of the article, Cowen admits that the spread of culture and ideas will unquestionably cause conflict between those who support cross cultural trade and those who do not. Nonetheless, the world is evolving, and this means that older cultures and products need to make way for newer ideas and inventions. In general, parts of the world may begin to look increasingly similar as products become more widespread, but trade between cultures will ultimately “…increase diversity over time by accelerating the pace of change and bringing new cultural goods with each era or generation” (273). The new ideas that are introduced within societies increases the variety and diversity within cultures, allowing for more creativity among its

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