As my previous blog demonstrated, global decline in cultural
diversity is now recognised as a significant modern trend. Therefore, in my
next few blog posts I want to consider each of the three processes associated
with this decline – globalisation, westernisation and homogenisation- by first
of all providing a definition, and then by discussing their relationship with
global culture. Let’s get started with globalisation...
It is argued that the process of globalisation has been
taking place for hundreds of years, but as a recognised concept it really took
off in the 1960s when the Canadian media scholar Marshall McLuhan coined the
term global village to capture the
impact of new communications technologies on social and cultural life (Johnson et
al., 2000). Since then the process has sped up enormously, but what is
globalisation really all about?
The term ‘globalisation’ simply means that the
world we live in is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of “time-space
compression” – this basically refers to our increased ability to travel and trade
across the world in a much shorter amount of time than previously possible, and
with relative ease and comfort. This global interconnectedness has then transformed
the structure and scale of our human relationships that social, cultural,
political and economical processes operate at, from a national and local scale
to a global one.
There are several key factors that have influenced the process of globalisation:
1.
Improvements in transportation – larger
cargo ships means that the cost of transporting goods between countries has decreased.
Transport advances have also meant it is quicker and cheaper to move people and goods from one place to another.
2.
Freedom of trade – organisations such
as the World Trade Organisation promote free trade between countries which
means a lot of our goods can come from all over the world.
3.
Improvements in communication
technology - the development of the internet and mobile technology has allowed
better communication between people in different countries.
4.
Labour availability and skills – countries,
such as India, have lower labour costs (in other words it is cheaper to pay someone
there to do the same job as in another country). Labour intensive industries
such as the clothing industry have taken advantage of this and set up
businesses in these areas to increase their profits.
At the following link there is a useful video summarising the key points of what has influenced globalisation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation/globalisation_video.shtml
The pros and cons of it all...
There are many heated debates about globalisation and its positive and negative effects. For instance, while globalisation is thought of by many as having the potential to make societies richer through trade and to also bring knowledge and information to people around the world, there are many others who perceive globalisation as contributing to the exploitation of the poor by the rich, and as a threat to traditional cultures. The video below is a good resource for in the classroom and highlights clearly some advantages and disadvantages of the globalisation processes visually:
So
now we are a bit clearer on the process of globalisation, it is time to just
quickly consider its role with culture. Global interconnectedness via increased
communication and transport has breached the existing social and physical
barriers that had previously controlled cultural diffusion. As a result traditional
cultures are being overpowered and cultural ideas are spreading faster and
further than ever. Increased internet and mobile technology means that people
are increasingly aware of one another’s cultures and so
adapt traits of various others into their own daily routines. Additionally,
global communication between individuals and companies sets new standards and
expectations for us as consumers and subsequently we seek aspects of
other societies (e.g. role of women, farming practises, education etc.).
Finally, to illustrate the idea of interconnectedness that globalisation provides, there are a couple of classroom activities that come to mind:
- Firstly, a timeline could be produced from students own research
regarding how mobile, internet and transport technology has changed in the last
century.
-Secondly, pictures of their local high street could be projected and
the students must identiy shops and services that typify the concept of
cultural diffusion.
-Thirdly, students could be provided with information of a local
migrant community in their area and look at their culture in order to discuss what new
morals and products they might introduce to the surrounding community.
Definition of globalisation:
Johnston. R.J et al., (2000) The Dictionary of Human Geography,
4th edition, Oxford: Blackwell
Publishing Ltd.
General concept of globalisation:
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