Examples of Cultural Convergence
Cultural convergence very often follows lines of communication, as well as the ability to communicate with people of other cultures. It's essentially what really makes convergence possible. This means that we can often see the impact of cultural convergence through the spread of language. Throughout the 20th century, and continuing into today, this has largely been seen through the spread of English around the world.
English became an international language of business and diplomacy in the 20th century, and as more countries adopted English, pathways were opened that permitted cultural convergence. Nations with no history of Western-style constitutional politics established Western-style nation-states. Western styles of dress and conduct became ubiquitous. English-language movies, books, and other forms of popular culture became widespread.
While the convergence of cultures towards these Western (and particularly English) values may be obvious to people of European cultures, convergence is not simply a one-way street. European cultures also changed from increased contact with the rest of the world. Flavors and recipes from other parts of the world became part of the standard cuisine in the English-speaking world. Artistic conventions from Asia inspired Europe's Impressionism, and aesthetics from Africa inspired Cubism, as well as much of modern urban culture
