Discover popular funk musicians in Nigeria and the Senegalese performers who use a rich mix of hip hop, reggae, and techno to sing about village life and women's rights. Find out about Belgium's long tradition of comics and graphic novels. Learn about Iran's plans, amidst all of its problems with the West, to encourage tourism. Uncover the story behind manga magazines, which sell upwards of several million copies every week in Japan. Focusing on the cultural distinctiveness and diversity of the modern world, this six-volume reference set is designed to meet the needs of today's multicultural classrooms and libraries.Thematic organization makes studying a broad range of topics - ranging from film and folk art to foods and fashions - ideal for students of American history and culture. Appealing to a wide range of audiences, the encyclopedia gives readers quick access to the most intriguing countries of the world, while offering critical insight into the influence of regional pop culture on contemporary societies over the past century.