Wikipedia, as a leading source of global information, reflects a broad spectrum of knowledge contributed by a diverse, international community of users. The inherent user-generated nature of this online encyclopedia allows for a representation of a vast array of subjects, offering insights into various cultural, historical, and scientific topics. Despite its extensive coverage, the creation and editing process of Wikipedia articles occur independently within each language version, leading to disparities in the content's depth and breadth across different languages. These variances provide a unique lens through which the phenomenon of Americanization—a term referring to the global influence and spread of American culture and values—can be analyzed.
To quantify the concept of Americanization on a global scale, this study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of the representation of American topics across 58 language versions of Wikipedia. By meticulously examining over 90 million Wikidata items and over 40 million Wikipedia articles, this research sheds light on the dominance, or lack thereof, of Americanization in various languages, regions, and cultural contexts. The findings reveal that interest in American subjects is not universally prevalent. The study results reveal differences in the interest in American topics, depending on the development of countries.
As an important part of the research, American sources of information in Wikipedia articles were identified and analyzed. Analysis of over 300 million references of encyclopedic content allows us to compare the importance of information sources across various language versions.
This investigation marks the first global, quantitative confirmation of the Americanization phenomenon, substantiating hypotheses and assumptions that have been long-discussed within the literature on cultural influence and globalization. By leveraging the vast datasets of Wikipedia and Wikidata, the study demonstrates the feasibility of quantifying complex social science concepts that were previously considered beyond the scope of empirical measurement. This approach not only validates the significance of Americanization as a subject of academic inquiry but also illuminates the methodological potential of using online platforms as tools for social science research.
Furthermore, the findings of this study contribute to ongoing debates about the biases inherent in Wikipedia. By highlighting the uneven distribution of content related to American topics across different language editions, the research calls attention to the broader implications of such disparities for global knowledge representation. It underscores the necessity for a more equitable and inclusive approach to content creation and editing on Wikipedia, ensuring that the encyclopedia remains a balanced and comprehensive source of information for users worldwide.
In conclusion, this research offers a groundbreaking perspective on the quantification of Americanization through the lens of Wikipedia, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of cultural influence and the utility of digital platforms in social science research. It also prompts further investigation into the biases of Wikipedia, advocating for strategies to mitigate content discrepancies and foster a more inclusive global knowledge repository.

Session recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/b0W8f4nhdh8?feature=shared&t=3664