ABSTRACT
Many features of globalization continued to operate strongly into the second quarter of the 21st century. The Internet reached growing global audiences; consumerism advanced widely with growth of middle classes in places in China and India; the world's environmental challenge expanded steadily. Facebook and other social media continued their global ascent, joined now by the Chinese-based service, Tik Tok, which won huge popularity among young people in the West. Additional disruptions of global relationships were quick and extensive. Global travel and air traffic plummeted, and many nations long restricted entry or imposed daunting quarantines. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 created and reflected global uncertainties as well. The brutal attack prompted vigorous resistance from the West, in support of Ukraine. It brought new disruptions of global trade, in grains, fertilizers, and petroleum. The most recent phase of globalization, which had seemed to be advancing smoothly when the new century began, now embraces a growing set of issues and challenges.
