Arjun Appadurai is an influential Indian-American anthropologist known for his work in globalization and cultural studies. He was born in 1949 in Mumbai, India, and has contributed significantly to understanding how global cultural flows affect local societies. His concepts, such as "ethnoscapes" and "mediascapes," explore how people, media, and technology shape cultural identities. Appadurai has held academic positions at various prestigious institutions, including University of Chicago and New York University. His notable works, such as "Modernity at Large," examine the complexities of modern life in a globalized world, emphasizing the interplay between culture and economy.