cultural-imperialism-a-discourse-vol-9-no-1-2008

Cultural imperialism involves the imposition of dominant cultures from powerful nations onto weaker ones, affecting various dimensions of life including social, political, and economic aspects.
The study examines cultural imperialism, addressing its pervasive influence and suggesting means to mitigate its effects.

Defined within a global context, cultural imperialism emerged from the nexus of globalization affecting Third World countries.
Key figure Marshall McLuhan envisioned a global village, yet the disruptive nature of globalization necessitated critical examination.
Rothkopf (1997) emphasized globalization's cultural significance alongside economic roots.

Definition: Culture encompasses the way of life, traditions, beliefs, and practices of a group as defined by Reddi (1987).
Culture is dynamic, reflecting shifting patterns influenced by society's various subsystems.

Definition: Morgenthau describes imperialism as expanding a state's power and overturning power dynamics through coercive influence.
Lenin considers it a stage of international capitalism, exerting dominance over weaker nations.

Various terms linked to cultural imperialism include:
- Media imperialism (Boyd-Banet, 1977)
- Structural imperialism (Galtung, 1979)
- Communication imperialism (Sui-Nan Lee, 1988)
Schiller (1976) views cultural imperialism as a process of integrating societies into a dominated modern world system.

Conservatives: Deny existing imbalances in international information flows, advocating for the naturally uneven nature of communication (US Department of State, 1982).
Reformists: Acknowledge concerns of imbalance due to Western dominance and call for restructuring international media systems.
Structuralists: Argue that the West's desire to maintain control underpins global information disparities.

The narrative of imperialism dates back to the slave trade and evolved through colonial exploitation of territories in Africa.
Galtung (1979) outlines five types of imperialism: economic, political, military, communication, and cultural.

Meyer (1988) suggested that factors like press freedom and imported media correlate with cultural imperialism, indicating complex interdependencies.
Potential impacts of cultural imperialism include:
- Stereotyping local industries (Edeami, 1991)
- Media influence on vulnerable populations (Beltan, 1976)

Native Capital: Local elites legitimizing dependency systems aiding cultural synchronization (Hamelink, 1983).
Media: Primarily foreign films and television serve to reinforce ideologies and cultural values aligning with their origins.
- Ekweazi (1991): Films act as cultural encyclopedias reflecting national identities.
Communication Technology: Satellite broadcasting facilitates cultural exchanges, predominantly favoring dominant nations (Sinclair, 1995).

Cultural imperialism theory posits that Western nations control global media, negatively impacting Third World cultures (Schiller, 1976).
This framework intersects with Uses and Gratifications and Agenda Setting theories, explaining media dependency and influence dynamics.

Organizations like UNESCO define cultural policy as essential for meeting societal needs, leading to varying opinions on cultural imperialism's validity.
Some thinkers argue that imbalances in information flow stem from a lack of indigenous news systems (Larson, 1979).

Despite arguments for cultural imperialism, studies show serious detriments to local cultures.
Recommendations for addressing cultural imperialism include:
- Developing robust national communication frameworks to enhance local capacities for media production.
- Emphasizing self-reliance to resist cultural domination and promote authentic cultural expression.
MacBride (1980) champions comprehensive national communication policies to rectify imbalances in information flow.