In his paper, “Globalisation of
Culture through the Media”, Kraidy (2002) explores the debate between cultural
imperialism and globalisation. He asserts that there was a general consensus
that cultural globalisation was synonymous with westernisation or Americanisation.
This perspective is similar to that of the cultural imperialism theory whereby
cultural products and values from predominately “Western industrialised
countries” are exported and imposed globally, particularly to developing
countries. Kraidy (2002) highlights various reasons for a shift in perspective
from cultural imperialism to globalisation. One group has perceived cultural
globalisation as a homogenising process where local cultures are at risk of
being dominated by Western culture. Others, including Kraidy, regard it as
hybridisation where global cultures adapt and transform to suit local needs.
I agree with Kraidy who perceives cultural globalisation as
hybridisation instead of another feature of Western imperialism. Cultural
globalisation is defined as the “movement of ideas, information, images and
people” across geographical and political boundaries (Keohane & Nye, 2000). This
definition illustrates that globalisation is not merely a process where the
West dominates other cultures.
Keohane and Nye (2000) assert that cultural globalisation
neither implies universality nor homogeneity as global cultural products take
on different meanings for different people. For example, a McDonalds outlet in
Beijing is more than just a fast food restaurant; it serves as a socialising
place as well (Belk, 2006).
Cultural globalisation is not a zero-sum game with the
demise of local cultures and national identities. It is inaccurate to assume that
people are passive subjects who are unable to interact with global cultural
influences. The creation of hybrid cultural products where global products are
transformed to suit local norms is apparent in many parts of the world. For
example, McDonalds reinvents its menu to provide vegetarian burgers instead of
Big Mac in response to India’s culture and belief system. Similarly in
Singapore and Japan, McDonalds offers rice burgers and seaweed seasoning fries
to suit the local palate.
Cultural globalisation is not necessarily a Western
phenomenon. Asian countries in particular, perpetuate their cultures too. This
is also known as “counter-flow”. Green tea, yoga, Japanese manga and Korean pop
music are some Asian inspired cultural products that have been well received in
Western countries.
Globalisation should not be accepted as an inevitable process with a single outcome. Cultural globalisation does not mean homogenisation or the “steamrolling of the world by American values” (Friedman, 2006). Rather, it is a reciprocal two-way process that allows global and local cultures to interact.
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References:
Belk, R. (2006). Out
of Sight and Out of Our Minds: What of those left behind by globalism? In J. N.
Sheth & R. Sisodia (Eds.), Does
Marketing Need Reform?: Fresh Perspectives on the Future (pp. 209 – 216).
Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.
Friedman, T. L. (2006).
The world is flat: The globalized world
in the twenty-first century. London: Penguin Books.
Keohane, R. O.,
& Nye, J. S. (2000). Globalization: What's New? What's Not? (And So What?).
Foreign Policy, Spring(118), 104 –
119.
Kraidy, M. M.
(2002). Globalization of Culture Through
the Media. Retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1333&context=asc_papers