globalisation and culture Flashcards
americanisation
the action of making a person/thing American in character or nationality
Hybridised culture
the merging of two or more cultures to create a new hybrid culture, like bollywood
Homogenised culture
two or more cultures are lost as they blend into one
Cultural imperialism
the imposition of American cultural values on non-western cultures
Global village
the media shrinks barriers of time and space
McDonaldisation
the principles of fast food dominate and standardise aspects of economic and cultural life
Popular culture
the cultural products enjoyed by the masses of ordinary people (as opposed to high culture)
Infotainment
- material which is intended to both entertain and inform
- consequently, it has to be simplistic with no nuance, creating misinformation, folk devils and moral panics
- examples: ragebait politics, crime news which is exaggerated and dramatic to entertain people, horrible histories
- due to this, information is no longer objective, culture becomes entitled to entertainment, information has to constantly become more interesting
- reactionary information emphasises the extremities rather than being accurate portrayal, which creates polarised debates and stress
Americanisation (analysis)
- it is pushed through coca-colonisation and instills cultural imperialism
- erasure of cultural diversity and traditions, lessens other cultures and implicates americans as superior
- superficial cultural understanding
- ghettoisation of non americans, they aren’t understood/ perceived form a western lens
- american culture is glorified and glamourised over others and seen as desireable
Coca-colonisation
- refers to the globalisation of American culture (also referred to as Americansiation) pushed through popular american products such as coca cola
- cultural homogenisation (tiktok speech)
- media can cause youth to seek these products
- romanticising fast food and overconsumption under capitalism
has media led to a global popular culture? (analysis)
- media had led to a global popular culture because culture has become americanised via american cultural products like mcdonalds, leading to mcdonaldisation
- however, in some ways culture has become hybridised between some characteristics, for example bollywood
- cultural imperialism can be seen as something which homogenises culture via enforcing americanised and western culture. for example, the ‘global village’ created by the media is dominated by the english language, suggesting that pop culture may not be as globalised as we think
has media led to a global popular culture? (FOR and against arguments)
- flew- new technology enabled
- kellner- global lifestyles anf views
- sklair- global market of pop culture, ‘culture ideology of consumerism’
- ritzer- companies and brands on global scale, digitalisation and globalisation = same media around the world
has media led to a global popular culture? (for and AGAINST arguments)
- stirnati- lots of differing choices, not just 1 culture
- marcuse- mass culture is dumbed down, taking away critical thinking and repressing us, vacuous
- livingstone- it is actually educational and not singular since it encourages political debate
- blended/ hybridised culture adapting to one’s own identity
- cohen and kennedy- people don’t just abandon their local culture due to media.
what are some ways that the media might contribute to a global popular culture? (identity)
- Strinati (1995): distinction between pop culture and high culture blurred, there is more choice because they imitate each other
- expansion of new media= global audience and presence attracted in short space of time
- choice increases with identity and lifestyle: more opportunities for consumption
- global media like this= essential for spreading consumption of global images, logos, brands etc which have become integral to the way people present their identities (eg social media)
what are some ways that the media might contribute to a global popular culture? (analysis: media and local culture)
- Spencer-Thomas argues that the globalisation of communication have become so extensive that consumers of global media are citizens of the world and their locality, but the media products are often domestic and by local folk
- local cultures therefore adapt to global culture (hybridising rather than homogensing)
what are some ways that the media might contribute to a global popular culture? (popular protest)
- global media help increase political awareness of issues such as human rights abuses, repression and protest, which help co ordinate mass political response to these issues
- media can be seen as icnreasing protest
what are some ways that the media might contribute to a global popular culture? (decline in metanarratives/media saturation)
- disillusionment with metanarratives about thr way society works or should work
- media saturated society= a more literate audience that is aware that one absolute truth doesn’t exist (due to the diversity of output)
- knowledge is actually underpinned by diversity, plurality and difference
- more critical global culture- all viepoints are valid and knowledge is subjective
what are some ways that the media might contribute to a global popular culture? (participatory culture)
- consumers are involved in the creation of culture and content
- Shirky (2001)- global culture and society = more democratic because users and audience are enabled to produce culture themselves (prosumer)
- wiring of humanity: free time is used to interact with social media via uploading text and images, this becomes a shared global resource
- Jenkins: this participatory culture= new forms of community because those involved feel connected, people care about their creations
- Jenkins: globalisation of pop + participatory culture has been sped up and enhanced by social media. fans being encouraged to shape the flow of content spreads it
- participation empowers consumers to speak out- they can challenge producers and metanarratives
