Emergence of a Global Culture (Edexcel A Level Geography)

Cultural Diffusion

• Cultural changes happen naturally over time: 
• Globalisation has sped up the rate at which these changes take place
• Throughout history, influential civilisations have brought cultural change to other places and this spread is called cultural diffusion
• However, sometimes cultural change is achieved through coercion often referred to as cultural imperialism   

Impacts of Cultural Diffusion

• The role of Europe and North America in global cultural change is referred to as ‘Westernisation’
• One indicator of this is the use of 'Globish' as the English language is adopted by many countries for two main reasons:
• It is the dominant language used on the internet
• It has become the global language of business, technology and education
• Global culture change impacts people and the environment in many ways for example:
• Asian diets have changed from a low meat, high vegetable diet to eating more meat and fast food
• Cultural attitudes towards disability have changed as the media has contributed to making the Paralympic Games into one of the world’s biggest sporting events
• There are several factors that have led to an increasingly ‘westernised’ global culture

 Factors Leading to a ‘Westernised’ Global Culture 

TNCs	Global Media	Migration & Tourism
Global distribution of products such as food and clothes has contributed to creating a common culture Some TNCs have introduced uniform products globally e.g., Nike, Apple and Lego Some TNCs have adapted their products to suit each country, reflecting local cultures e.g., McDonalds (glocalisation)	Western celebrations of Halloween and Christmas appear in films and TV BBC contributes to the UK’s cultural influence abroad Other countries experience American and UK culture through TV shows such as Downton Abbey However, other shows are adapted and each country has their own version e.g., Britain’s Got Talent	Throughout history, Europeans have travelled around the world sharing their language and customs Migration can have an impact on the culture of the host country Sometimes, this change may only be partial e.g., British migrants exporting their English language and love of cricket to other countries but having a minimal impact on other things such as religion

Cultural Erosion

• The idea that a ‘westernised’ culture is spreading as a result of cultural erosion in different countries is called hyper-globalisation
•  Some people view this negatively because:
• They are concerned that as the use of the English language spreads it will result in the loss of other languages
• They worry that ecosystems are becoming devalued as economic growth is prioritised
•  However, some people view this positively because:
• The emergence of a global culture is placing more value on equality and reducing discrimination

An Example of Cultural Erosion

• Indigenous people living in the tropical rainforests of Amazonia and Papua New Guinea are some of the most isolated groups remaining in the world
• More and more indigenous people are becoming aware of western culture and lifestyles which has changed the way they live:
• Many members of these tribes now wear westernised clothing such as t-shirts when traditionally they would wear very little
• Many young people are moving to urban areas like Manaus in search of jobs, education and healthcare

Opposition to Globalisation

• There are a range of individuals, pressure groups and governments that all have some concern over the impacts of globalisation
• Countries have reacted in different ways from resisting almost all change (e.g., North Korea) to being more selective over how much change is accepted, for example:
• China prevents internet users from using BBC or Facebook and has a strict quote of 34 foreign films a year however, Christmas is now celebrated by many Chinese people
• France is very protective of its culture with the government encouraging work filmed in French through subsidies and 40% of television must consist of French productions under local content law
• There have been many movements where groups of people have taken a stand against globalisation, for example:
• Occupy Wall Street Movement - a 59 day extended protest against economic inequality
• Global Justice Movement promotes the equal distribution of resources and access to advances in technology