Cultural impact of globalization - Research Paper Example

Cultural Impact of Globalization The phenomenon of globalization began in the ancient days with colonization as countries sought to conquer the less developed countries. This caused interdependence among countries which in the modern environment has been propagated by the exchange of ideas, people and capital. This has caused significant impact on people’s economic, social, technological, political and cultural aspects. This paper focuses on the cultural effect that globalization has had in the modern world appreciating culture as way humans exist in a community expressed through different forms of their lives. The focus would be on how globalization has caused the emergence of new global professions, pop culture and global village. It would also discuss the effect of globalization on political culture and enhancing cultural liberty, giving the challenges that have limited the influence of globalization. The paper borrows from various secondary sources including articles from scholarly journals and books supported by evidence from newspaper articles. Introduction Globalization is a term that has been widely used in the modern business community worldwide and among governments, scholars and non-governmental organizations among other organizations. In many forums, participants have sought to demystify the gains and disadvantages involved in globalization. Globalization is deemed to have begun before the 1960s with the word being coined by Roland Robertson to describe the expansion of the policy of European colonies to subjugate parts of Africa and Asia and other underdeveloped countries globally (Razak 61). With the expansion of these colonial powers came the influence through language, customs, administration system, culture, law and order with the Europeans justifying their action as an act of bringing civilization to the uncivilized. Other than this historical explanation of globalization, the modern world has attached various meanings to this phenomenon. Also referred to as internalization, it describes the international exchange growth and the global interdependence of countries through adoption of liberalized economies where capital movement restrictions among countries have been withdrawn. It encompasses the free flow of news, information, people and capital from a country to another without subjection to restriction by the respective governments. The term Westernization has also been used by various scholars interchangeably with globalization to describe the replacement of pre-existing cultures in the underdeveloped countries with the Western culture. The impact of globalization is far reaching and encompasses various aspects of human social, economic, technological, environmental, health and cultural endeavors. Studies on culture largely depend on what and how definitions come about and the reasons for having these definitions, which could be used, modified or at times fall into disuse. According to Lieber and Weisberg (275), culture could be said to be the common form of life in a national community where there is a homogeneous lifestyle and value system and national identity forged through modernization or industrialization. It refers to the way of existence among humans expressed through the varied forms of life specific to communities. Just like other resources, culture is subject to the environment which dictates what should be done and what should not. As such, different people would have different cultures with different meanings; it includes belief, art, knowledge, customs, laws and morals. However, the physical environment has no effect on culture; it is the people who come up with cultural resources and control how they would be accessed. From the viewpoint of religion, ideology, history and tradition, culture would have a social function where the culture would exist as a whole in a society. Globalization has always been associated with the notion of cultural difference. With the increased appreciation of globalization, various cultures interact hence the importance of considering how this interaction affects the respective cultures. The resultant effect could either be positive or negative as noted by Razak (65). Whatever the case, globalization significantly affects cultures across the world. The effects of globalization in creating new global professions, spreading the adoption of pop culture, creating a global village, enhancing multiculturalism and in affecting political culture follows. New global professions Proponents of globalization have argued on various positive effects that globalization has had on culture. First, it has been acknowledged that globalization has created a new concept of global professions where a new class has arisen of people who generally have the skills in their professions in various business fields due to being well educated and trained. These persons have been considered to be the key drivers of the global economy and foreign affairs. In the US, this group comprises about 15% to 25% of the total population. Their ideas would be more cosmopolitan than national; they travel internationally; they speak in various foreign languages; and they are endowed in skills and education such that they have a great economic influence globally. With more of these global professionals, the world would be forced to think global in their activities as opposed to being confined to their national boundaries. Global multiculturalism in professional circles would cause organizations to attract the best skills in the market thus increased quality of products and services. Pop culture Pop culture has received much attention above all the other effects of globalization. It has been widely argued that the form of globalization responsible for pop culture is actually Americanization, with this name inspired by the virtue that America is the number one producer of the popular culture products (Beck, Sznaider and Winter 135). The manifestation of pop culture would be through music, movies, newspapers, television shows, clothing, satellite broadcasts and fast foods among many other consumer goods and entertainment. For America, the industry of entertainment has become an important aspect of its economic activities with the industry generating more revenue from the sales overseas, beating all the other industries apart from aerospace industry according to LaFerla. This juggernaut has propelled the adoption of American pop culture globally. Just like movies, American television shows have been broadcasted globally. Since these shows deal with typical American subjects such as cotillion and American high school life among others, the younger generations get enlightened on these cultures and start integrating them in their home countries. Furthermore, these shows promote certain music, restaurants and brands leading to a worldwide imitation. Referring to one of these popular shows, Gossip Girls, LaFerla noted in The New York Times that “although the series has had only middling success in the ratings, in stylistic terms it “may well be the biggest influence in the youth culture market,” said Stephanie Meyerson, a trend spotter for Stylesight, a trend forecasting company. The show has given an unexpected mass appeal to patrician staples like crested blazers, layered polo shirts and kilts.” The comments and interviews posted on the Internet and particularly on social media support the fact that the show became influential in the culture of many countries. The film industry has also been affected by Americanization. According to Pickering (47), American films made up 56% of the film market for Europe in 1987. After a decade, this had risen to 90% and by 2009 the composition was at 67.1%. Referred to as audiovisual services in trade, television shows and movies could thus be considered as important components of American exports. This has caused many countries to be worried for their domestic entertainment industries and the effect this has on their cultures. Pop culture has gathered immense following globally because of popularity and many countries have been concerned with how the younger audiences adopt these cultures. Pop culture carries with it a significant freight of values and beliefs. Beck, Sznaider and Winter (57) give an example of rock music whose attraction would not be pegged on preference for loud music accompanied by dangerous dance but rather on its symbol of cultural values on spontaneity and self expression. Focusing on the reverse, Lieber and Weisberg (286) also noted that Americans could be influenced by globalization. Citing the September 11 terrorist attacks, the researchers note that the people of America have shown tendencies of going back to the traditional cultural values having appreciated that components of globalization such as the Internet, cell phones, technology, openness and modern air travel could have murderous effects. The researchers also appreciate the influence that has been brought into the American culture including religion, notably Islam. Asian immigrants have transformed some Americans from their previous religions to adopting Islam. Various foods, being traditional in various countries, have found their way into influencing the American culture. Global village Globalization has a way of making the most dominant cultures to grow and dominate over the weaker ones. In as much as significant views consider globalization as Americanization, globalization could play an important role in culturally enriching the world. Cultural exchange has been widely associated with the creation of diversity and tolerance (Lieber & Weisberg, 282). The vision that this promotes is that of a multi-cultural global village in which ideas and practices would be appreciated and freely exchanged. The global foundations networks, non-governmental organizations, academic networks and multinational and governmental agencies propagate positive cultural values. For example, the United Nations is known for bringing peace and tolerance for the welfare of all humanity in the world. Non-governmental organizations such as the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, the Amnesty International and the French Medicines Sans Frontiers have been winners of Nobel Peace Prize due to their various efforts to ensure the well being of humans globally. Such organizations cause the world to abide by a common culture that propagates humanity. In what Pickering (47) terms as self-selected culture, people have been forced to form groups with people they consider to be like-minded. Such persons share common values and have their idols that they aspire to be like. It creates a homogeneous world where everybody would like to be associated with a particular genre of music. Cultural liberty Globalization disrupts traditional identities and fragile societies. According to Beck, Sznaider and Winter (53), globalization does not necessarily lead to homogeneity; in some respects, it fosters differences. For example, in any major city today, there would be restaurants offering a variety of food choices; be it Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Italian or French. This multiculturalism exists beyond cuisine to encompass education, finance, religion and corporate management. Due to these many diversity forms, it becomes confusing to determine whether there are ethical or moral commonalities binding people together. All these cultural effects of globalization point out at the varied choices that globalization has caused. The global flows of ideas, people, capital and goods could cause people to abandon their traditional values and practices which would thus dismantle economic basis on which the indigenous culture survives on. Multicultural policies are aimed at protecting the cultural liberty as opposed to preserving tradition in spite of the notion that it creates a homogeneous culture. Preservation of traditions keeps options open. Globalization could also cause strengthening of communication among various cultures which could elevate pluralism and enhance mutual understanding. As people focus on being citizens of the world as opposed to being localized citizens to their countries of origin, various values would be adopted such that they fit within the global environment. Political culture Spurred by the search for modernization, the global politics have been reconfigured in line with cultural lines. Borrowing from the definition of globalization from Beck, Sznaider and Winter as “the growth of transnational politics, the integration of the world economy, and a subsequent blending of cultures around the world,” globalization indeed has a role to play in the political culture of the involved countries (31). Following a research on how politics in Australia has been influenced by globalization, Pickering (50) observed that globalization threatens the politics in Australia as indicated by the regular claims of international organizations interfering with its national sovereignty which restricts Australia from upholding its fundamental values and determining its collective identity. Globalization has been said to promote liberalism and democracy so that people from various countries interact appropriately. More so, it causes a shift in status quo such that political leaders try to be at par with globalization which in the long run curbs political conflict. Global terrorism has also affected politics to a greater extent. Take for instance the September 11 US terrorists’ attack. With the government seeking to provide security to its people, politicians would appeal for help from others so as to provide protection and for identification with the greater cultural communities which cross the nation state boundaries. Similarly, there are countries that largely depend on others for conditional or unconditional aid. People with similar cultures would thus come together while those with different cultures who seek to work together would seek to compromise their cultures in search of common bonds. As such, political boundaries would be drawn to coincide with each county’s cultural boundaries. Challenges The Asian nations have been rigid to adopt the Western culture and have insisted on adherence to Asian values. These values have embodied Confucian ideals that call for hard work, thrift, respect for authority and uphold the importance of the community over an individual. This has been said to have a preference for social, cultural and economic rights more than political rights. Lieber and Weisberg (281) criticize these values viewing them as contrary to the universal human rights and disregard democratic undercurrents. As such, these values have stunned the economic growth of various Asian countries. Similarly, in an attempt to protect their native languages, governments have also banned what they refer to as intrusion by foreign culture. French has been noted to protect its language against intrusion by words in foreign language by banning some notably English words and finding French replacements for them. Quebec, a French speaking province in Canada has a legislation that informs the inclusion of French words in fonts with double the size of those used for English words for signs in English. More so, immigrant students have been required to learn French while businesses should be transacted in French. The Chinese government has also been keen to protect its language and recently required all foreign companies in the republic to change their brand names to Chinese-sounding. Conclusion Globalization is an ancient phenomenon that started during the era of colonialism and the Roman Empire as nations sought to conquer the less developed countries. As such, there was exchange of people, capital and ideas which resulted into interdependence of countries. In the globalization arena, culture has remained a contested issue among scholars and researchers alike. While some cite the negative effect that globalization has, there are those who cite various positive aspects of the modern phenomenon. But the point of convergence is that globalization liberates economies from geographies. It opens countries to the exchange of ideas, information and products. As such, various cultures interact and influence each other. America has been cited as the leading influencer with its pop culture in the music, clothing and foods that people consume globally, thus the term Americanization. But various factors of globalization have also influenced the American culture causing them to be wary of their security concerns and converting some of its people from their previously held doctrines. But on the brighter side, the rise of new global professions that drive the global economy has been attributed to globalization. More so, globalization has turned the world into a global village where people and ideas interact freely without government restrictions. This liberty has caused the interaction of cultures thus providing a range of choices from which people choose what to adopt. In the political culture perspective, globalization has provided a solution to political conflicts in many countries. But the enhancement of globalization has faced resistance from Asian nations seeking to preserve their cultures and from countries which look up to protecting their native languages free from foreign language interference. Works Cited Beck, U., Sznaider, N. and Winter, R. eds. Global America: The Cultural Consequences of Globalization. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2003. LaFerla, R. “Forget Gossip Girl; the buzz is about the clothes.” The New York Times 8 July 2008. Web. 21 October 2012. Lieber, R. J. and Weisberg, R. E. “Globalization, culture and identities in crisis.” International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society 16.2 (2002): 273 – 296. Pickering, J. “Globalization: A threat to Australian culture.” Journal of Australian Political Economy 48 (2002): 46 – 59. Razak, M. A. A. “Globalization and its impact on education and culture.” World Journal of Islamic History and Civilization 1.1 (2011): 59 – 69. Read More