Introduction to the Special Issue: Globalization as a Context for Youth Development

Twenty-first century technology, travel, and trade have transformed the lives of youth around the world, rendering them members of local and global cultures—whether or not they have traveled beyond their hometown. And yet, little is known about how globalization affects some of the most oft-studied developmental processes. This volume stretches across 10,000 miles and sixteen time zones to show how globalization impacts the cultural values, identity construction, moral reasoning, and well-being of youth. Globalization is broadly conceived as “the increasing flow of trade, finance, culture, ideas, and people brought about by the sophisticated technology of communications and travel . . . and its local and regional adaptations to and resistances against these flows” (adapted from Lewellen, 2002, p. 7). This definition is used, first, because it conveys the economic, sociocultural, and ideological components of globalization. Second, it underlines the degree and intensity of intercultural contact that typifies modern globalization (Arnett, 2002). Third, it highlights local adaptations to and resistances against globalization-related flows—processes of direct developmental relevance. The articles in this volume utilize cutting-edge theoretical, methodological, and analytical approaches to examine how youth adapt to and resist against globalization in locally relevant ways. Collectively, articles