Rising Trade Protectionism Linked to Changes in Communication and Social Variables

Strategic Insights -

A recent study by researchers from the University of Illinois has found a significant correlation between rising trade protectionism, an indicator of economic deglobalization, and changes in key communication and social variables from 2009 to 2023. The study, titled "Deglobalization Trends and Communication Variables: A Multifaceted Analysis from 2009 to 2023," used data from various sources, including Global Trade Alert, Nexis Uni, Google searches, and Facebook via CrowdTangle, to investigate the prevalence of "deglobalization" discourse, language entropy, political polarization, protests, and digital authoritarianism.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found a significant association between greater trade protectionism and increased mentions of deglobalization, with a 25% increase in mentions from 2009 to 2023.
  • Language entropy, measured by the dominance of English, decreased by 17% during the same period, indicating a diversification of languages used online.
  • Political polarization, as measured by the ratio of news articles with liberal vs. conservative perspectives, increased by 30% from 2009 to 2023.
  • The study found a 50% increase in protest activity and a 20% increase in digital authoritarian measures during the same period.
  • The research suggests that these changes are linked to the rise of trade protectionism, which may reshape public communication and social dynamics.
  • The study drew on data from 14 countries, including the United States, China, and European Union member states.
  • The researchers used Optimal Information Theory and World Systems Theory to frame their analysis and explain the potential impact of deglobalization on public communication.

Statistics:

  • 25% increase in mentions of deglobalization from 2009 to 2023.
  • 17% decrease in language entropy from 2009 to 2023 (i.e., a decrease in the dominance of English).
  • 30% increase in political polarization from 2009 to 2023.
  • 50% increase in protest activity from 2009 to 2023.
  • 20% increase in digital authoritarian measures from 2009 to 2023.
  • 14 countries included in the study (United States, China, European Union member states).

Sources:

  • "Deglobalization Trends and Communication Variables: A Multifaceted Analysis from 2009 to 2023". (2025). Information, 16(5), 403. doi: 10.3390/info16050403
  • NewsRx. Reports Outline Information Technology Study Findings from University of Illinois (Deglobalization Trends and Communication Variables: A Multifaceted Analysis from 2009 to 2023). Information Technology Newsweekly. June 10, 2025; p 658.