This text explores the notions of the local and the global . The contributors examine global institutions, ranging from bureaucracy to business and from soap opera to beauty contests, in regions such as West Africa, Hawaii, Australia, Belize and Egypt. Through detailed ethnographic examples, they show precisely how global institutions - including capitalism and mass consumption - are manifested in local contexts. This text provides a foundation for future debates about local-global relations, and demonstrates the continuing relevance of anthroplogy in the contemporary world.