Cultural homogenisation and cultural defence

Question 1

What is cultural homogenisation ?

Answer 1

• developed world dominates the generation and use of digital communication
• Spreading ideas and influencing non-western culture
• E.g English is the main language used for internet content
• Western ideas might include capitalism, patriarchy and consumerism
• Leads to a lack of cultural diversity

Question 2

What is cultural defence ?

Answer 2

• A response to western ideas
• Local cultures are promoted (to resist the takeover of ideas)

Question 3

What did Gidden study about cultural defence ?

Answer 3

• Religious fundamentalism is a type of cultural defence
• They reject ‘de-traditionalisation’ and view global culture as blasphemous
• Insistence on children learning native language and traditional clothes clothes

Question 4

What is Mohammadi study ?

Answer 4

• Simple image of western media and cultural domination over the world is exaggerated
• Ignores important complex interactions that occur between different cultures

Question 5

What was Giddens study about reverse colonisation ?

Answer 5

• Less powerful cultural groups dominate western culture
• For example: Mexicanisation of California (food, dress and music)

Question 6

What is glocalisation ?

Answer 6

• one way to overcome cultural defence
• glocalisation = combining globalisation with local cultures
• Companies do this to make their products seem less threatening
• For example = Nike’s -year of the rat’ sneakers were popular in China as they combined global and local culture

Question 7

What is a positive of globalisation ?

Answer 7

Globalisation is a sensitive balance of global culture while observing local traditions

Question 8

What is a negative of globalisation ?

Answer 8

Manipulates consumers by offering something superficially familiar in order to make profit for big capitalist companies