Archive for February, 2008

Japanese cellphone novels

A few weeks ago, I saw an article in the NY Times about the exploding popularity of “cellphone novels” in Japan. Until recently, cellphone novels — composed on phone keypads by young women wielding dexterous thumbs and read by fans on their tiny screens — had been dismissed in Japan as a subgenre unworthy of [...]

February 8, 2008 communication 0 Comments

Abu Dhabi gains cachet

Not a lot of people have heard of Abu Dhabi and the city likely doesn’t top any lists of favorite tourist destinations. How many people even know, for instance, that it’s the political capital of the United Arab Emirates? And yet, according to this Chicago Tribune story, Abu Dhabi is the richest city in the world and is in the [...]

February 7, 2008 cities, Middle East/N.Africa 0 Comments

Tribal cultures and urbanization

There is an article in the Christian Science Monitor about the Himba tribe of Namibia and how they are being affected by nearby urbanization. Within the story, there are interesting insights into the tribal culture of the the Himba. Reading something like this, it’s easy to see how indigenous cultures can feel disoriented when confronted by a rapidly encroaching outside world. It’s a half-hour drive [...]

February 6, 2008 how we live 0 Comments

The world watches Super Tuesday

Today is Super Tuesday in the U.S. presidential race and 22 states across the country will cast ballots in the Democratic and Republican nomination battles. Although I’ve written about this already (and here), it bears repeating that this election is a big deal not only in the U.S., but also around the world. This recent [...]

February 5, 2008 how we live 0 Comments

Carnival celebrations in many nations

This year, February is Carnival month in Rio de Janeiro and Mardi Gras month in New Orleans. These are the most famous pre-Lenten celebrations in the world but they are far from the only ones. As this article points out, many countries and cities celebrate Carnival with a diverse array of local traditions. The hedonistic bacchanalia of [...]

February 4, 2008 how we live 0 Comments

Future of the Middle East

If you’re interested in the intersection of culture and geography with politics, and if you have any interest in the Middle East, then I highly recommend a story from the recent issue of The Atlantic. Titled “After Iraq,” the story written by Jeffrey Goldberg looks at how history, geography, culture and politics have combined to give us the current [...]

February 1, 2008 countries & regions 0 Comments
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