Communication Between Cultures

growth have been felt disproportionately among the population, which remains pre-

dominantly rural, poor, and not infrequently illiterate, and as many as two-thirds sub-

sist on less than two dollars per day.^104

Globalization, however, is stimulating some economic and cultural change in tradi-

tional Indian society. The large Indian and multinational IT companies have provided

employment to many educated, English-speaking young women and men. For women,

traditionally accustomed to assuming a submissive role in marriage, economic security

has brought empowerment, independence, and ideas of spousal equality.^105 Greater

global awareness of the societal position and treatment of Indian women and demands

from within the Indian population have resulted in “a new law guaranteeing

33.3-percent female representation on district, municipal, and village councils.”^106

Laws have also been enacted mandating women directors on corporation boards.^107

Contemporary Social Issues

Despite the many changes brought by globalization, India remains a nation of remark-

able contrasts grappling with a lengthy list of social difficulties. The highly educated

Indian workers supporting the information technology and service industries account

for only a small portion of the nation’s inhabitants. According to the 2011 national

census (the most recent), over 68 percent of the population continues to live in rural

villages, where more than 30 percent remain illiterate.^108 Extensive, persistent poverty

plagues India. The World Bank calculated that in 2012, over 23 percent of the total

population was living below the national poverty level, a situation further aggravated

by high unemployment among young workers.^109 Official corruption, mismanagement,

and an incompetent bureaucracy remain problems in almost all levels of Indian society,

and a dysfunctional infrastructure hampers needed economic growth.^110 The long-

standing schism between Muslim and Hindu remains a source of polarization, occasion-

ally erupting into violent conflict. Such issues as religion, social class, language, educa-

tional levels, and Hindu nationalism divide the sides. While Muslims represent

approximately 14 percent of the population, they remain underrepresented in govern-

ment agencies and generally fare worse than do Hindus.^111 Although abolished by law,

the age-old caste system of India, which relegated people into predetermined social clas-

ses and occupations as a result of birth,“still matters enormously to most Indians,”and

caste-based discrimination persists.^112 Caste remains especially important in marriages,

and most Indians continue to marry within their own caste. Politics is another arena

where it can play a part, as many people continue to use caste as a marker when deter-

mining for whom to vote.^113 The extent of continuing class-consciousness was revealed

when one Indian professor disclosed that in his city, a policeman from a lower caste

would never be sent to arrest someone of a higher caste.^114 India is also beset with

severe environmental degradation and has some of the world’s worst air pollution,

along with inadequate freshwater sources and desertification.^115

Mexican History

The United States and Mexico share a common border extending nearly 2,000 miles

from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. That geographical factor alone is

sufficient cause to learn about the history of Mexico. But there are many additional,

important reasons to gain insight into Mexico’s past. On a daily basis, hundreds of

184 CHAPTER 5•Cultural History: Precursor to the Present and Future

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