Globalization Culture Globalization Culture Globalization focuses on changes

Globalization & Culture

Globalization & Culture • Globalization focuses on changes in the economic and political spheres • Cultural impact is uncharted territory • World changes; forced policy makers to respond to crisis • Culture vs. Globalization less studied; harder to see effects • Production and distribution of goods • Welcomed & blessed event in the World • Concern of local goods vs. global goods (products) • Increased exposure of other cultures - via movies, music, publications, » brings about changes in local cultures, values, and traditions • Undermine their own cultural identity

World “Americanization” • Spread of American corporations – cultural identity can be seen with regard to food – First, food is in many countries an integral aspect of the culture. – Second, food restaurants can influence the mores and habits in societies • Increased fast food eliminates undermines culture – crowd out foreign products – Mc. Donalds vs. French cusine • Influence the traditions • Starbucks causes cultural concerns in Italy • Mc. Donalds & China – Kids buying own meals (unheard of) – Popularized birthday parties • Cultures change & evolve; globalization may & have accelerated cultural change

World Market & Influence • Why is the American market so dominant? • The size of the market - access to the U. S. market and 300 million people, provides a large advantage of economies of scale. • Wealthy cultures of the world -being one of the richest countries in the world and one of the largest in terms of population put the U. S. market in a dominant position. • Hemogenous cultural traits - The ability to speak English grants one access to larger markets; no mother language; limits market exposure (Nigeria/ India) • Global Affluence – The U. S. has such a rich or economically affluent culture.

Integration of Cultures • Hollywood - good example of integration • Not an entire American institution – Subject to foreign influence – American movies are remakes of foreign films (Magnificent 7; Jungle to Jungle; Disney) – Producers are not even America (Columbia Tri-star and Fox are owned by Japan's Sony and Australia's News Corporation) • Famous Actors (Nicole Kidman; Mike Myers, Jet Lei, Penelope Cruz, ) • Hollywood is typically a global institution

Culture • Reaffirmation of Local Culture • Reinforce local cultures – (India) Satellite T. V. ; identify with regional ties – Violent back lash (Islam); protect their traditional cultural values, against disruptive onslaught of Western beliefs. • Global companies to take into account the culture where they sell products. This enhances cultural awareness • Clash of Civilization • Samuel Huntington; Harvard Prof. – “The great division will be culture” – He divides the world into major cultural groups: Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic -Orthodox, Latin American, and African civilization – End of global competition over economic ideology, » will result in fault lines of world conflict along rifts between these great cultures

Cultural Impacts • 3 ways globalization affects global culture • Development of a new culture of global elite (business persons) • Increase of pop-culture • Diffusion of beliefs and Values – Implications of political systems and gov’t policies • Davos Culture (elite culture) • Drivers of economic process, foreign affairs, & pursuers of globalization • Immersed in a shared culture: – cell phones, travel abroad, laptop comp. , proficient in English, ignore cultural norms • Vanguard of multiculturalism – Immigration, mobility, = people learning to deal with each other

Cultural Impacts • Pop-culture • Most visible influence (T. V. , Movies, Music, Clothing, etc. ) • Reverse immigration • Entertainment the most important export of U. S. – Dominates 90% of world entertainment – Huge cultural diffusion from U. S. to other countries: threaten cultures • Spread of American Pop-culture – Americanization imports brings in U. S. culture – Choke countries ability to produce their own cultural products or influence. • Seizure of Foreign culture by U. S. dominance of pop-culture – Cultural genocide – largest & dominant cultures are doing so at expense of others

Cultural Diffusion • Global village • Opportunity for global interaction & exchange (promote tolerance) • Foreign policy driven by what is seen/observed (George Clooney) • CNN effect • Press coverage influences outcomes (Famine in Ethiopia 1984) • U. S. & Somalia (famine) – public pressure (1992) • Diffusion of values: • Created shared cultural values (human rights) – Doctors w/out boarders – Noble Peace Prize • Efforts are limitless with technology – applying pressure

Cultural Conflict • Canadian Case Study • 89% of magazines sold in Canada are Foreign • Magazines constitute the only national press we possess in Canada. – Magazines, can help foster in Canadians a sense of themselves • Relatively protective of their economy/magazines (foreign highly taxed) – Foreign Magazines – anything imported to Canada was taxed at the border • Technology blurred the line • 1993 Time Warner – Sports illustrated magazine • Produced in the U. S. electronically sent to Canada to be published – Time Warner argued that their magazine was Canadian (offered tax breaks to magazine subscribers in Canada)

Cultural Conflict • Canada defends market • Magazines have to have 80% content (Canadian) - Avoid tax – Attempt to protect their market; in name of culture – Other magazines screamed discrimination – Foreign magazines placed at disadvantage (tax) – U. S. threatened retaliatory measures (textiles, steel, etc. ) • WTO ruled in favor of U. S. – practice is discriminatory – non-discrimination between foreign and domestic producers – Almost trade wars over something so asinine • Trade disputes not like criminal disputes; – Difficult to determine who is at fault

Protecting Family Farm • Small Farmers • Increased difficulty in competition – Lower trade tariffs • U. S. & others lobbied for protection (subsidize & price support; tax imports) – Protect small farmers from going under – Proponents argue that we are losing economic efficiency by taxation – Small farmers argue that a way of life is being lost • Farmers argue that they are multifunctional – Multifunctional = value beyond just producing goods – U. S. western plains = lost nearly half their populations • Farmers lose money that are breaking into the new markets

Globalization of Values • Imposition of economic sanctions – 40% of countries • Enacted against countries with whom U. S. disagreed with • Nuclear Weapon use; human rights issues; • Nations accuse U. S. of wielding arrogance & self-righteousness • Confucian Ideals • Promotes hard work, authority, thrift, & belief in community – Criticism: run contrary to popular democratic practices – Created authoritarian regimes who wield too much power • Many Asian cultures economies have grown due to this the Confucianism – They’ve also been able to promote Asian traditions & ideals

Western Values & Back Lash • • Irans Rapid Modernization • 1960 -1970 s Shah of Iran sought quick modernization despite Islamic ideals – Back lash of these beliefs Ayatollah Khomeini – Islamic clerics railed against the “westoxicfication” – Called for revolutionary movements; expel all western influence Protection of culture & language • Provide protection of foreseen foreign intrusion • France efforts to protect language – Carry out random raids of the language to eliminate English terms & replace them • Canada’s efforts – All signs in English must have French counterpart (lettering twice as large) – Immigrants graduation from college; using French only

Conclusion • China’s Efforts – Western product names (2, 000) had to be changed to more Chinese sounding names • U. S. English only groups – – Ensure that English remain a integrating force among ethnic groups • Demonstrates perceived threats to native culture by gov. • Human Phenomenon: What cultural components are worth protecting • Call for special committees to address cultural strains and disputes