What is global culture?
A set of shared experience, norms, symbols and ideas that unite people at a global level to reflect a standarisation of cultural expressions around the world. Global culture is spread through mass communication as globalisation has allowed the world to become more connected and interdependent. One example is the growth of American fast food such as McDonalds that utilise their products and advertisements to keep up to date with cultural trends and emphasise idealised American values like freedom to maintain large scale markets. Another example is global sporting events that involve the participation of most countries drawing them together through a sense of celebration, national pride as well as competition
What does Cohen and Kennedy (2000) believe about globalisation?
A series of transformations of the world including changes in the concept of time and space, independent economies, increasing cultural interactions and increasingly shared problems
What does Giddens (1990) believe about globalisation?
Globalisation can be defined in the intensification of worldwide social relations linking distant localities and local places together through events
What does Cochrain and Pain (2000) believe about globalisation?
The emergence of global economic and cultural system which is incorporating the people of the world in a single global society
How does economic globalisation break down national boundaries?
- interconnectedness of world economies
- global trade and financial flows
- transnational companies
- international economic institutions
How does political globalisation break down national boundaries?
- the spreading of democratic ideas and human right
- increased international cooperation
- global governance institutions
- interventions in global affairs
How does cultural globalisation break down national boundaries?
- sharing of cultures across borders
- potential for cultural homogenisation
- influence of media and technologies
- global trends in fashion, music and entertainment
What does Albrow (1990) argue about globalisation?
It is the process by which people are incorporated into a single world society
What does Waters (2001) argue about globalisation?
It is the decline of geographical, economic, political, social and cultural constraints
Why are there difficulties to define globalisation?
- Doesn’t imply power dynamics
- can result in cultural homogenisation
- limits itself to economic, political and cultural factors
- doesn’t consider challenges
- it can be rejected as a form of cultural resistance
What are the advantages to globalisation?
- access to global knowledge and resources
- opportunities for cross - cultural understanding
- economic opportunities through e - commerce
- online communities
- changes in communication such as language and slang
- exposure to diverse perspectives
- collaborative problem - solving on global issues
What are the disadvantages of globalisation?
- digital divide and unequal access to opportunities
- spread of misinformation
- cybersecurity threats
- potential loss of local cultures and traditions
What are the ethical considerations of globalisation?
- data protection and privacy issues
- digital sovereignty
- algorithmic bias and fairness
- balancing innovation with regulation
What are the future trends of digital globalisation?
- artificial intelligence and automation
- internet of things (IoT)
- virtual and augmented reality
- 5G
What did McLuhan (1964) foresaw?
The rise of the concept global village as he compared the growth of communication and media to a massive central nervous system that would link everyone on earth creating a single, “super - culture,” resulting in cultural homogenisation
What are the positives of the global village?
- increased interconnectedness and communication across borders allowing collaboration on a global scale
- cultural exchange and understanding
- it allows the expansion of markets, access to a wider rnage of goods and services and potential economic growth for individuals and businesses
- access to information and knowledge
- global cooperation and problem - solving towards climate change, poverty nd pandemics
What are the negatives of the global villages?
- cultural homogenisation
- benefits help first world countries more than third world
- loss of local control and autonomy as national sovereignty and local decision making is undermined
- spread of misinformation and harmful content through hate speech allowing the coordination of civil wars in Africa and the growth of terrorist groups and individuals as they see it as a form of global propaganda
- increased global trade and consumption can effect the environment through carbon emissions and resource depletion
What does Steven (2004) argue about globalisation?
Despite vast differences in background and location, a large part of the world’s population now consumes the same entertainment through these digital networks and social media
What is the digital revolution?
It is the massive and rapid advances in technology in the past few decades through forms of communication. Initially, there was the extension and development of existing forms of media on various platforms. For example many newspapers now have significant readership online as well as on paper. Another important way in which traditional forms of media have evolved through satellite transmission and cables meaning that people can access television and a larger range of shows can be watched on demand and streaming platforms. This can be further seen through the development of phones, laptops and tablets to further communication. This communication can be adapted through different aspects of life such as shopping, relationships, diets and health
How has access to technology in the global north changed from 2002 - 2012?
2002 - 50 - 60%
2012 - 70 - 100%
What does Castells (2002) argue?
Through Marxist influence, there is a shift from post - industrialism to informationalism as the growth in communication has caused a shift from oil to information as a central characteristic of society. However, it leaves behind people with lower economic capital to not being able to afford the technological advances decreasing their social mobility
What is a virtual community?
A social network of individuals who create an online community which may or may not reflect their offline lives over geographical, political and social boundaries. This can be formed over:
- message boards
- online chat rooms
- virtual worlds
- social networks - Instagram, snapchat and tiktok to maintain friendships, WhatsApp for family and friend networks and LinkedIn and Facebook for work networks
- specific services communities - Tumblr and Pinterest and specialised dating sites help connect people with similar interests
What did Carter (2005) conduct?
She researched a virtual community called cybercity with 1,062,072 users in June 2004. When visiting the community, she carried out participant observation and questionnaires as well as semi - structured interviews. Her research discovered it as a place to meet people with similar interests as she found that people who meet a person online do in fact often then continue these friendships offline by meeting them in person as cyberspace is embedded into their daily lives
What was Boellstorff (2008)’s research?
They engaged in virtual communities by spending two years on fieldwork in the game second life. Through his role as Tom Bukowski, he used participant observation and online interviews on a range of issues such as gender, race, sex, money, conflict and anti - social behavior as these could be altered in the game. Despite the adult censorship of he game, add - ons allowing to assault other players as well as pornography and prostitution leading the Belgian police to patrol the game in 2007
