ABSTRACT
Undoubtedly, one of the cultural changes we inherited from the last century is the so-called trend of “globalization” and “interconnection” between global systems (at the economical, political, racial, and even religious level). Modernization has transformed social life in several aspects, drawing people everywhere into larger and more complicated networks of exchange. As a result, “contact” among different people in modern times is increasing, with both positive and negative consequences. The positive ones (e.g., getting to know each other, learning from other experiences, etc.) may result from cooperative contact and optimization of scarce resources. The dramatic effects that recent ethnic conflicts have produced in people's lives in the former Yugoslavia, Nigeria, and Indonesia, as well as the impact of international terrorism (e.g., the attacks in Spain, Thailand and the US in recent years), are clear examples of the negative ones.
