The statement above exemplifies the era of global expansion and encounter. What other word also reflect this theme. "Individuals, cultures, societies, and the world change through times of conflict and cooperation."

A. Technology

B. Trade

C. Monopoly

D. Hegemony

D: Hegemony.

The correct answer is D: Hegemony. This can be explained through the understanding of the concept of hegemony and its relation to the statement in the question.

Hegemony is a concept that was born since Ancient Greece, maybe even before that, in the 8th century BC and it denoted the control that one city-state had over others through mostly military and economic power. However, in the 19th century, this concept changed to the social and even cultural domination that a group (be it a group of people, a nation, a region) may have over others and later on it came to be known as it is used today: the domination that a group (primarily a nation) may have over another through culture, language, military, economic and political power. These leading states, or nations, have the power to affect all aspects of other nations' and regions' aspects of life. This is why the answer is D.