The Spread of a The Spread of a Globalized Culture Globalized Culture Nino Boccara Nino Boccara What is globalization? What is globalization? • Globalization refers to the growing integration of economies and • Globalization refers to the growing integration of economies and societies over the past two decades made possible by the rapid societies over the past two decades made possible by the rapid advances in communication technologies. advances in communication technologies. • It has created a smaller world in which ideas and money can move • It has created a smaller world in which ideas and money can move across borders almost instantly. across borders almost instantly. http://www.sociology.emory.edu/globalization/about.html http://www.sociology.emory.edu/globalization/about.html Frank J. Lechner and John Boli (editors) The Globalization Frank J. Lechner and John Boli (editors) The Globalization Reader Reader (Malden, MA: Blackwell 2003) (Malden, MA: Blackwell 2003) 1
Since the early 1990s, globalization has triggered a storm of Since the early 1990s, globalization has triggered a storm of controversy among social activists, intellectuals, business leaders, controversy among social activists, intellectuals, business leaders, policy makers and politicians. The debate over globalization is policy makers and politicians. The debate over globalization is often passionate and, sometimes, even violent. often passionate and, sometimes, even violent. Proponents consider market liberalism as highly productive, Proponents consider market liberalism as highly productive, raising living standards worldwide, and favoring innovations. raising living standards worldwide, and favoring innovations. Critics argue that globalization creates inequalities, loss of jobs, Critics argue that globalization creates inequalities, loss of jobs, environmental degradation, and `` is a declaration of war upon all environmental degradation, and `` is a declaration of war upon all cultures.’ ’ cultures.’ ’ To understand why globalization has engendered the hostility of so To understand why globalization has engendered the hostility of so many protesters, and why developing countries are not in fact many protesters, and why developing countries are not in fact developing, refer to Joseph Stiglitz, Globalization and its developing, refer to Joseph Stiglitz, Globalization and its Discontents, (New York, Norton & Company 2002) Discontents, (New York, Norton & Company 2002) What is culture? What is culture? Culture is Culture is an integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, an integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations. succeeding generations. National Association of School Psychologists National Association of School Psychologists www.nasponline.org/culturalcompetence/definingculture.html www.nasponline.org/culturalcompetence/definingculture.html 2
Sociologists and the globalization Sociologists and the globalization of culture of culture Samuel P. Huntington , The Clash of Civilizations and the Samuel P. Huntington , The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order , (New York: Simon & Shuster, 1996) Remaking of World Order , (New York: Simon & Shuster, 1996) It is far more meaningful now to group countries not in terms It is far more meaningful now to group countries not in terms of their political or economic systems or in terms of their level of their political or economic systems or in terms of their level of economic development but rather in terms of their culture of economic development but rather in terms of their culture and civilization. and civilization. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future. future. George Ritzer , The McDonaldization of Society: an George Ritzer , The McDonaldization of Society: an Investigation into the Changing Character of Contemporary Investigation into the Changing Character of Contemporary Social Life , (Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 1993). Social Life , (Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 1993). McDonaldization does not only refer to robotlike assembly of McDonaldization does not only refer to robotlike assembly of food, McDonaldization is rationalization taken to an extreme food, McDonaldization is rationalization taken to an extreme level. level. McDonaldization was preceded by a series of social and McDonaldization was preceded by a series of social and economic developments such as Frederick Taylor 's system of economic developments such as Frederick Taylor 's system of industrial management and Henry Ford 's automobile assembly industrial management and Henry Ford 's automobile assembly line technology. A McDonaldized society emphasizes routine line technology. A McDonaldized society emphasizes routine and consistency. and consistency. McDonaldization is a set of threatening and inevitable tendencies to McDonaldization is a set of threatening and inevitable tendencies to dehumanization. dehumanization. The key features of McDonaldization are: The key features of McDonaldization are: efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. In the U.S. these principles are even applied in higher education. In the U.S. these principles are even applied in higher education. 3
Benjamin Barber , Jihad vs. McWorld , (New York: Times Books, Benjamin Barber , Jihad vs. McWorld , (New York: Times Books, 1995) 1995) The alternative of the aggressive economic and cultural globalism of The alternative of the aggressive economic and cultural globalism of McWorld is Jihad, understood not as Islam but as disintegral tribalism McWorld is Jihad, understood not as Islam but as disintegral tribalism and reactionary fundamentalism. and reactionary fundamentalism. Caught between Babel and Disneyland, the planet is falling Caught between Babel and Disneyland, the planet is falling precipitously apart. precipitously apart. The two axial principles of our age---tribalism and globalism---clash at The two axial principles of our age---tribalism and globalism---clash at every point except one: they may both be threatening to democracy. every point except one: they may both be threatening to democracy. McWorld is a product of popular culture driven by expansionist McWorld is a product of popular culture driven by expansionist commerce. Its template is American, its form style. Its goods are as commerce. Its template is American, its form style. Its goods are as much images as matériel, an aesthetic as well a product line. It is much images as matériel, an aesthetic as well a product line. It is about culture as commodity, apparel as ideology . about culture as commodity, apparel as ideology . Only global democracy can regulate global markets and a capitalism Only global democracy can regulate global markets and a capitalism uprooted from the constraints of the democratic nation state . uprooted from the constraints of the democratic nation state . Is it possible to protect cultural Is it possible to protect cultural diversity? diversity? According to UNESCO, cultural diversity is as necessary for According to UNESCO, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature humankind as biodiversity is for nature http://europa.eu.int/comm/avpolicy/extern/gats2000/decl-en.pdf http://europa.eu.int/comm/avpolicy/extern/gats2000/decl-en.pdf In September 1993 Europeans, led by the French, demanded that In September 1993 Europeans, led by the French, demanded that trade in audiovisual products be left outside the GATT agreement, trade in audiovisual products be left outside the GATT agreement, arguing that cultural products cannot be treated as ordinary arguing that cultural products cannot be treated as ordinary commercial products. commercial products. This so called exception culturelle (cultural exception) was that This so called exception culturelle (cultural exception) was that without imposing restrictions to control the flow of cheap without imposing restrictions to control the flow of cheap American products onto European markets, European culture American products onto European markets, European culture would be threatened. would be threatened. European protectionism, of course strongly resisted by the European protectionism, of course strongly resisted by the US, was seen as an essential condition to prevent all the US, was seen as an essential condition to prevent all the globe from becoming Disneyland globe from becoming Disneyland 4
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