Americanisation, Globalisation and the development of a global cultural hegemony

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Maintaining control
Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
What do these images suggest? Are they fair?
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
We will look at 1. Cultural domination/ hegemony
and consequences. 2. Backlash against this.
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What is Global Culture?

• Is global culture simply
• American cultural imperialism?
• the spread of American consumer culture?
• the McDonaldization of the World?
• YES, AND NO

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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
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For the following photos explain how they show
evidence of cultural dominance of the west.
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http//www.youtube.com/watch?vvuIKbR_IWkMfeature
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http//www.youtube.com/watch?vLD5lxpuY9Qw
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Global Culture what is it?

• Since the 1990s some people have identified
  the idea of a global culture. This is linked to
  the dominance of the USA as a superpower, the
  growing influence of the EU and the influence of
  some TNCs. It is difficult to define exactly
  what this term is but some characteristics are-
• A culture of consumerism
• A culture of capitalism and gaining individual
  wealth
• English as the dominant language
• White, Anglo-Saxon culture
• A culture that selects the best bits of other
  cultures and absorbs them into theirs.

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Oxford p172-175
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
1) Key Terms Americanisation Globalisation
Cultural Hegemony Cultural Imperialism
Cultural Imperialism The imposition of one
culture over another
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vaeVFD5X_svk always
coca cola
2) What are the features of this new cultural
hegemony we can see in the world? What things are
important and what are not?
Capitalism Traditional Cultures Profit Religion Local languages
English Morals Power Being connected Consumerism
Ethics Material goods Socialism Non-conformity Conformity
Attaining wealth Family Friends Sense of identity Independent thought
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
1) Key Terms Americanisation Cultural
globalisation by the USA Globalisation The
increase in global economic and cultural
communication and homogenisation. Cultural
Hegemony Dominance of one culture and way of
thinking over others Cultural Imperialism The
imposition of one culture over another
2) What are the features of this new cultural
hegemony we can see in the world? What things are
important and what are not?
Capitalism Traditional Cultures Profit Religion Local languages
English Morals Power Being connected Consumerism
Ethics Material goods Socialism Non-conformity Conformity
Attaining wealth Family Friends Sense of identity Independent thought
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
Complete a cultural traffic road map on a blank
map of the world. Use your own examples but
heres some to start Sushi, soaps on
tv Football, white weddings, getting into debt,
Burgers and fast foods Hollywood Baseball Capital
ism Curry Ikea (design) Political ideas e.g.
Vietnam 1960s, Nicaragua, Afghanistan Language con
sumerism
Get examples of Americanisation in the globe,
Include country examples. Use Oxford p172-175 and
p94-95 Pearson and internet. Write around the
outside of your sheet. Include images of
Americanisation and label.
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Global McDonalds

• McDonald's franchises and operates more than
  32,000 fast-food restaurants in over 100
  countries.
• See pg 94-95 Pearson

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Advantages of McDonaldization (Ritzer)

• A wider range of goods and services is available
  to a much larger portion of the population.
• People are able to get what they want or need
  almost instantaneously.
• Fast, efficient goods and services are available
  to a population that is working longer hours and
  has fewer hours to spare.
• In a rapidly changing, unfamiliar, and
  seemingly hostile world, there is comfort in the
  comparatively stable, familiar, and safe
  environment of a McDonaldized system.

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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
The role of Media
Movies - Rocky - Rocky 4
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vMsJnxlXepsY 1. How
is Hollywood a mechanism of neo-colonial control?
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One has only to listen to the cheers of an
African audience as Hollywoods heroes slaughter
red Indians or Asiatics to understand the
effectiveness of this weapon. For, in the
developing continents, where the colonialist
heritage has left a vast majority still
illiterate, even the smallest child gets the
message contained in the blood and thunder
stories emanating from California. Kwame
Nkrumah 1965
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony

• Case study The role of Media
• The Sun 1991 election

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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony

• Case study The role of Media
• Fox News USA style

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vzV9uZ00bqD8 media
blackout on occupy movement
2. How is the news media a mechanism of
neo-colonial control?
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Further reading
Its Only a Movie Right? Deconstructing
Cultural Imperialism Examining the Mechanisms
Behind U.S. Domination of the Global Cultural
Trade Emilee Rauschenberger 2003

• http//politics.as.nyu.edu/docs/IO/4600/rauschenbe
  rger_thesis.pdf

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The media can change lots of things
including How people see the world How people
see their prospects How people understand their
roles in society What is just and fair what is
not. How people view politicians and parties and
who to vote for Peoples desires or what their
desires should be/ aspirations What a proper
life is and what a weird life is. How we
should spend our money and how much we should
spend
2. How is the media a mechanism of neo-colonial
control? Consider films and the news
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
Case study p 175 Oxford

1. What does NewsCorp own?
2. Why might this be a problem in the world
   concerning News organisations?
3. Why might this be a problem in the world
   concerning all media?
4. Are there any benefits?
5. Does it support the idea that the USA is flexing
   its superpower status?

(Homework Watch How TV ruined your life ep3
aspiration)
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vMzQTBkGzIj4feature
related pt1 http//www.youtube.com/watch?vPNnayv
J2hcMfeaturerelated pt2
How does Television act a mechanism of control?
What things /lifestyles does it promote?
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Americanisation, Globalisation and the
development of a global cultural hegemony
What do the following terms mean Electronic
colonialism Cultural evolution and
extinction Cultural hybridisation
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Backlash against the cultural hegemony
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In Saudi Arabia Barbie dolls are banned from
being sold, the government says the dolls are
anti-Islamic and portray Jewish role models. In
the Middle East a number of alternatives are
manufactured, including Fulla, who is sold in
Brazil, China and Egypt. (CP)
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Commentators have argued that Disney Theme parks
disneyify (cleanse) culture, would main street
American really look they that! Many French
people were against the Paris theme park,
believing it encouraged American consumerism.
Workers were also angry at strict dress codes,
which they believed went against the French
culture of individualism. The park has not been
popular and has seen losses each year from 1992.
One commentator called it a culture Chernobyl.
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In some countries, such as China, the internet and access to certain sites is censored, so that the population doesnt access subversive information. International Corporations, such as Google and Yahoo, have colluded with the government so they can have access to growing markets. (T) The European Union requires 50 of all T.V. programming to be from Europe. France has increased this to 60 but requires 40 to be in native French language. (LE) Worried about Microsofts domination of the market, programmers have come together to produce free operating systems such as Linx, free browsers, such as FireFox and free word processing programmes such as Open Office. (T) Arabs have been incensed by their portrayal in Disney films, such as in Alladin, True Lies, and the Siege. They believe that Disney portrays Arabs as terrorists or murderers. In the Middle East there have been widespread boycotts of Disney products. (LE)
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China has a quota on American films, it allows only twenty a year to be shown in the country (with are politically appropriate), so that local films receive a 50 share of the market. (LE) Concerned about the rise of English language culture on the Internet, the French government has funded a project to digitise French literature. (T) In 1999 Joseph Bove concerned at the impact of McDonalds on farming practices, particularly the use of growth hormones in beef farming, dismantled a McDonalds in his town of Millau. (CP) Regional news broadcasters, such as Al Jazeera, have become increasingly popular. During the Iraq war the network showed the impact of the war on civilians, images that were being censored by Western media. (NM)
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Microsofts dominance of personal computing led to worries that it had a monopoly, less choice for consumers and potentially higher prices. As a result the European Union has forced Microsoft to make its code open to other developers, so that their programmes will work with Microsofts systems. (T) To protect Chinese language, officials look at the names of new products entering the country they have forced companies to change over 2,000 to more Chinese sounding words. (CP) Local alternatives to multi-national products have been developed, such as Quibla Coke in the United Kingdom, an Islamic alternative which gives 10 of all its profits to charity. (CP)
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1. Give 5 examples of backlash against the cultural
   hegemony
2. To what extent is this backlash going to affect
   the USA as a superpower?

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• Essay
• Using examples, examine the extent to which
  neo-colonial mechanisms of control are used by
  superpowers (15)
• Use a detailed bibliography.

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Essay Using examples, examine the extent to
which neo-colonial mechanisms of control are used
by superpowers (15)
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Essay Using examples, examine the extent to
which neo-colonial mechanisms of control are used
by superpowers (15)

• Power can be maintained directly or indirectly
  colonial direct rule and its legacy versus
  neo-colonial models of indirect influence for
  instance trade, aid and debt.
• Superpowers play a key role in international
  decision-making, policy and action through direct
  and indirect processes (the UN, G8, NATO, the EU,
  the Davos group).
• Control of trade, in terms of generating wealth,
  power and maintaining global influence is
  important.
• Superpower influence extends to the idea of a
  developing global culture of ideas and norms
  for instance ideas of Americanisation and
  McDonaldisation which has led to a backlash
  among some groups.

Examples Ghana