Who wielded more cultural influence: Dan Rather, or Steve Irwin? Arguably, it was Irwin. While the audience for national network news continues to shrink, once-obscure cable channels now have worldwide impact. The Economist reports that the crocodile hunter was watched by 500 million people in136 countries. Globalization has become such a cliche that we barely notice the ways in which it continues to progress. Here, for example, the website of the German magazine Der Spiegel reprints a piece from Salon.com about Irwin , as part of a continuing exchange between the two sites. (I guess it’s easier for liberal American websites to find sister publications in Europe than for NRO.) Here’s another fascinating bit of globalization-in-motion. As part of Sweden’s upcoming national election, the parties are holding a debate in English. Sweden makes more effort than most European countries to encourage English competence. Nonetheless, this is remarkable.

Unfortunately, the English-language Swedish campaign debate says something powerful about the down-side of globalization. Apparently, the main reason for holding a political debate in English is to reach unassimilated immigrants (largely Muslim, I expect) who understand English better than Swedish. What a paradox! Globalization, with English as its lingua franca, has progressed to the point where Swedish politicians can speak to some of their own people more easily through English than through their national language–and globalization has also failed so miserably that it is necessary to do so. Here’s more. China is building a giant higher-education district, with the aim of turning it into a world class university center. The district will supply recruits to foreign companies from Europe, Japan, and the United States, housed in their own district, near the university town. An American school of journalism may set up a branch in the educational district. Meanwhile, Britain’s Nottingham University has already opened a branch in China. All lectures are given in English, by teachers sent from Britain.