Impact of Digital Forms of Communication on Culture Flashcards
What did Howards study find
He found ‘Digital Jesus’ and that the internet played a key role in creating an online network or web of Christian fundamentalist groups in the USA. Howard describes this as a ‘virtual church’ which differed from conventional religion in that there was no physical leader or place of worship
What did Kirkpatrick observe
That digital communication can play a major role in mobilising profound and widespread social change because it:
- Enables instantaneous communication
- Allows individuals to come together in online social movements
- Provides anonymity in sharing sensitive information
- Provides the oppressed and exploited with a means of being heard
What had Kirkpatrick documented
The ‘Facebook effect’ in Colombia - he argues that a Facebook site mobilised 10 million people to take part in street demonstrations which stopped an armed movement and entered into peace negotiations with the government
What happened between 2010 and 2013 and sociologists argue about
Arab Spring movement.
It succeeded in removing totalitarian dictates in Tunisia and Egypt because of global social networks
What does Curran argue in criticism of Arab spring
That the role of social media has been greatly exaggerated. Curran argues that the Arab spring was caused by deep-seated economic, political and religious factors.
What did Curran conclude
That social media played a role in the build up of dissent and the co-ordination of protests but it did not cause the uprisings
What does it mean because of the fact that most the developed world has internet and other uses of digital communication
The majority of communication is in English
What does the majority of communication in English lead to
Cultural homogenisation is occurring. The western culture is dominating all other cultures
What does Mohammadi argue
That cultural homogenisation is exaggerated and fails to acknowledge that interactions between the global and the local are complex and unique.
What does Giddens argue
That the global homogenisation argument neglects reverse colonisation where powerful cultures may be infiltrated and influenced by less powerful cultures, such as the Mexicanisation of parts of USA
What do many societies do
Defend their culture against both globalisation and cultural imperialism, a process that has been termed cultural defence.
What is an example of cultural defence
France introduced quotas which limit the distribution of cultural products such as film.
What does Glocalisation refer to
How local cultural products
are combined with globalised cultural products to produce unique cultural forms or hybrids.
It can also refer to how local cultures adapt and use global social networks.
What are the two elements to glocalisation
- Western media and cultural producers often adapt their products so that they appeal to local markers and audiences
- Local cultures select and appropriate elements of westernised global culture that pleases them, which they then modify and adapt to their local culture and needs.
