Key concepts

Question 1

What is globalisation

Answer 1

• a process in which groups of people become increasingly interconnected on a global scale due to developments in communication, technology and transportation
• This has lead to national boundaries becoming less significant, businesses being able to operate internationally and the economy now has a global dimension

Question 2

The Digital Revolution

Answer 2

• over the last few decades, there has been a drastic shift from analogue, mechanical and electronic technology to digital technonology (AKA digital revolution)
• these forms of communication could be referred to as **2 types of ‘new media’: **
  -* Online newspapers and a range of radio and TV channels through satellite and cable
• the growth of computers, smart and tablets with a range of programmes and apps (primarily social media) *
• in 2020, the total share of mobile connections was **82% **
• e.g. using chatgpt, ai as opposed to notebooks
• e.g. newspapers can be accessed online as opposed to before where we print it out

Question 3

Global village

Answer 3

• digital communication has drastically increased interactions which do not occur on a face to face basis which refers to global village
• this is where people create and maintain relationships with people online
• the internet allowed people to easily contact others who share similar interests, through search engines and social media websites
• McLuhan: predicted that a global village would occur, where one world was interconnected by an electronic nervous system
• now information can be passed on electronically and due to its ‘moving at the speed of light’ this creates new patterns of communication and social interactions
• he suggests that these progressions in digital communication and the creation of a global village means that everybody lives in the utmost proximity created by our electric involvement in another persons life
• this brings information from all corners of the planet and invests distant events with a personal dimension
• communitities across the globe become entwined in one anothers affairs and the internet reduces the entire globe to the dimensions of a village
• e.g. facetiming people means that we are able to get a close proximity to others as we can contact people from across the world
• e.g. social media enables us to get an insight on other peoples lives once they share something on the internet

Question 4

cultural homogenisation

Answer 4

• the idea that different cultures, which may well be seperated geographically, politically an religiously have become more similar due to technological advancements in communicaton
• however, it has been agreed that due to technological dominance originating in the west,
• western values liberal democracy and consumer capitalism have become the dominant values in all cultures across the world

-** cultural homogenisation is often characterised by:**
- capitalist ideology
- consumerism
- secular ideas
- increased individualism *

• Featherstone and Rogerson: argue that cultural homogenisation is occurring due to:
• Computer software not being localised and therefore microsofy for example reflexts western ways of thinking
• Advertising by the west is broadcasting on a global scale therefore presents ideas on what is desirable
• Antisocial behaviour on the internet can reflect western ideas about morality and deviance for example, accessing private information, racism, sexism and other forms or harassment
• Digital communication does not give rules or police morality and ethics than can occur in cultures such as Western views regarding liberalism

Question 5

capitalist ideology

Answer 5

ideas and beliefs that support capitalism and in favour of the ruling class

Question 6

consumerism

Answer 6

the promotion of goods to benefit customers and has positive effects on the economy

Question 7

secular ideas

Answer 7

• the seperation of religion from the state and other aspects of human life such as politics

Question 8

increased individualism

Answer 8

• importance and focus on individual rights and self reliance rather than group interests

Question 9

Virtual communities

Answer 9

• refers to a social network of indiviuals who create an online community which may or may not reflect their lives offline
• virtual communities can be formed through message boards, chat rooms, virtual worlds and groups/pages on social networls
• Carter: virtual communities: cybercity- We live in a global village as communication is used to create and maintain relationships. Found that people who have a relationship with people online do often then continue these online friendships in their offline lives by meeting them in person
• Boelstorff: *second life *- we are able to chsange our identities in virtual reality that may change our faces, race, identities however there are issues with this such as criminal acts that may occur in virtual reality.

Question 10

Digital social networks and social media

Answer 10

• Social networks have always existed in a face-to-face form, however the growth of digital technology has lead to online, digital social networks which are linked to:
  *- friendship groups
• work networks
• family networks
• networks linked to hobbies, interests or religion *
• social media refers to any form of digitally based platform which have a global reach
• e.g. social media sit on a gobal scale is facebook

Question 11

Big data

Answer 11

• The global growth of the internet has lead to an increase in the volume of data being recoded (it used to be that people would store information on paper with only a few people being able to gain access to it)
• Big data refers to large sets of data that can be analysed to identify trends and patterns in behaviour and interactions.

5 features of big data:
- Volume
- velocity
- variety
- variability
- complexity

Question 12

The network society

Answer 12

• The notion that the internet has enhanced communications between individuals in post-industrial society and the world of work
• it can be argued that those who do have access to the online world have greater social capital and can therefore have greater rewards with regards to employability and have a higher status than those who do not have an online presence
• Castells: The information age and the network society - Described globalisation as esentially a whole new phase of human history. claims that new information technologies have not only transformed the technology of communication but have brought about a new age
• states that the world has shifted from industrialism to post-industrialism to informationalism (the determining technology of our age is not mechanical but informational
• This has brought about a new way in which economic activity and production is connected through networking
• this takes place within companies so the new information technologies is bound to have a rapid and dramatic impact on everyday human relationships we now

Question 13

Media convergence

Answer 13

• Multiple forms of social media can be accessed from one device
• patterns have been adopted to promote capitalist, western ideas such as the pursuit of profit, private ownership.
  -e.g. our phones can be used for many different ways, instagra, and facebook can be linked together
• Boyle: States previously seperate forms of media can now be accessed through one device
• a range of media such as videos, text, images can all be stored and accessed on one website
• social media profiles are also interlinked (e.g. you can access your facebook friends in instagram)