Global Culture and Cultural Flows Notes

Global Culture and Cultural Flows

Introduction

  • Culture, existing as ideas, words, images, and sounds, flows easily globally, especially in digitized forms via the Internet.
  • Digital culture, including movies, music, and news, is easily shared; people maintain cultural connections through email and online media.
  • Despite the ease of digital flow, barriers exist due to unequal Internet access, creating a "global digital divide."
  • The cultures of powerful societies, like the US, spread more readily than those of weaker ones.
  • Some cultural forms, like pop music, travel faster than others, such as social science theories.

Theories of Globalization

  • Three theories of globalization, applicable to culture, economics, and politics:
    • Cultural differentialism: Cultures remain distinct due to barriers.
    • Cultural hybridization: Mixing of global and local cultures creates unique combinations.
    • Cultural convergence: Cultures become more alike due to global flows.
  • These theories focus on flows and barriers:
    • Differentialism emphasizes barriers preventing cultural homogenization.
    • Convergence sees weaker barriers and stronger flows, leading to cultural similarity.
    • Hybridization involves external flows interacting with local culture to create unique hybrids.
    • Barriers in hybridization prevent external flows from overwhelming local culture but allow for unique combinations.

Cultural Differentialism

  • Cultural differentialism posits lasting cultural differences unaffected by globalization.
  • Cultures remain largely unchanged at their core, closed to global processes.
  • The world is viewed as a mosaic of separate cultures or, more menacingly, as billiard balls colliding.
  • Events like 9/11 and increasing multiculturalism are seen as clashes between cultures, such as Western and Islamic cultures.
Civilizations
  • Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" argues for a world reconfigured by cultural differences post-Cold War.
  • Ancient identities and enmities resurface, with civilizations as the broadest level of cultural identity.
  • Huntington identifies seven or eight civilizations: Sinic, Japanese, Hindu, Islamic, Orthodox, Western Europe, North America, Latin America, and possibly Africa.
  • Civilizations differ in philosophical assumptions, values, social relations, customs, and outlooks.
  • Key characteristics of civilizations:
    • Agreement on their existence.
    • Lack clear beginnings or boundaries.
    • Enduring human associations.
    • Broadest level of cultural identity and self-identification.
    • Span multiple nation-states.
    • Aligned with religion and race.
  • Huntington's grand narrative of civilizations:
    • Pre-1500 AD: Civilizations were widely separated with limited contact.
    • 1500-WWII: Western civilization had a sustained, overpowering impact on others due to cities, commerce, bureaucracy, nationalism, and technology.
    • Post-WWII: A multi-civilizational system emerged with clashes revolving around religion and culture.
    • The West is in slow decline, while Asian societies, especially Sinic civilization, experience economic growth.
    • Islamic expansion is rooted in population growth and mobilization, leading to cultural and socio-political changes.
  • Huntington predicts conflict at the fault lines between Western, Sinic, and Islamic civilizations.
  • Conflicts arise from the West's perceived