In his paper, “Globalisation of
culture through the media”, Kraidy (2002) 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 because the
latter suggests a process where the West dominates other cultures. According to
Keohane and Nye (2000), cultural globalisation refers to the “movement of
ideas, information, images and people” across geographical and political
borders.
Keohane and Nye (2000) assert that cultural globalisation
neither implies universality nor homogenisation. For example, global cultural
products take on different meanings for different people. Larsson (2001) states
“the Chinese do not cease to be Chinese the moment they get their teeth into an
American hamburger”.
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 serve vegetarian and chicken 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 are 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 both global and local cultures to interact.
(397 words)
(Edited - 17th Feb)
References:
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
Larsson, T. (2001). The
race to the top: the real story of globalisation. Washington, DC: CATO
Institute.
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