Yale Launches Online Globalization Journal

The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization has launched a new Internet journal, YaleGlobal Online, to examine the phenomenon of globalization in an easily accessible format.

“YaleGlobal bridges the gap between the general public and the academic world,” said Nayan Chanda, the journal’s editor and director of publications at the Center. “We are editing out the jargon and removing the esoteric aura found in most academic journals to help a broader audience to gain access to Yale’s world class scholars.”

Initially the site will post up to three original articles each week from scholars at Yale and other universities and think tanks. Articles will also be solicited from specialist journalists, leaders in business, government and non-governmental sectors.

YaleGlobal will also post links to and archive relevant news articles from major international publications. An editorial note written by the journal’s staff will accompany each article to assist the reader with content and context. “People are frustrated by the broad term ‘globalization,’” said Chanda. “We are deconstructing globalization by looking at specific examples rather than trying to take a cosmic or abstract view.” For serious students of globalization the site will also archive academic papers and longer essays as well as excerpts from important books on globalization.

The site (http://yaleglobal.yale.edu) is free of charge, allowing other media outlets to reprint original articles. A searchable archive will also serve as a free resource for individuals not wishing to pay the fees charged by other publications once their material is archived. Issues are also broken down by subject topics and region to make the site easier to navigate.

Chanda has also developed an innovative way of explaining difficult issues by using a popular format called flash animation. It combines moving images, text and audio to help elucidate the more complex aspects of globalization. “It is a very user friendly way to illustrate the effects of globalization,” said Chanda. Chanda has also developed a PowerPoint presentation to explain the phenomenon of globalization.

In addition, the journal will host a moderated discussion forum for individuals interested in a deeper sustained dialogue. The site will also post streaming video of presentations and interviews from distinguished Yale guests and faculty and develop PowerPoint presentations to supplement the articles.

In a preliminary testing week for YaleGlobal Online, there were visitors from 44 countries - from Argentina to New Zealand. Within ten days of YaleGlobal’s launch, articles from the site has been reprinted by a number of foreign print publications, including South China Morning Post of Hong Kong, The Telegraph of Calcutta and the International Herald Tribune and the Far Eastern Economic Review. Chanda has also been contacted by professors and educators outside of Yale with inquiries about using the site and the Flash animation presentations in their classrooms. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor wrote, “This will be such a valuable resource, especially for people teaching classes on globalization.” Chanda has even received e-mail from a high school senior regarding the site.”To me, that is the biggest reward,” said Chanda, “to ignite the enthusiasm of young students.”