Culture and Global Cultural Economy Essay

Submitted By RodrigoOberlander
Words: 861
Pages: 4
Open Document
Appadurai states that the new global cultural economy is too complex to be understood by simpler models such as center-periphery or surplus-deficit models. A brief analysis of the complexity of its different aspects as Appadurai observed will make this clear. In order to back this argument up, I will first detail the difference between cultural heterogenization and homogenization, and how that shows current models are not fitting to describe the new global economy. Secondly, I will then verify Appadurai’s claim by analyzing what he says about each aspect or scapes as he refers to them as (33)
The most discussed issue regarding the global cultural economy are the two extremes of cultural homogenization and heterogenization. Cultural homogenization is when the world’s culture blends together until the cultures that mixed are the same, an example of a homogenization theory is Americanization. Cultural heterogenization, on the other hand, is when different countries or regions have already shared their cultures, but use that to enhance their own local culture, resulting in a multicultural world or area. Appadurai states that “[a]t least as rapidly as forces from various metropolises are brought into new society, they tend to become indigenized in some way or another” which raises the question on why does that result not match the models we work with (33). As mentioned earlier, the so-called scapes mentioned in Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy serve as solid indicators that the economy is too complex for simple models.
Appadurai states that there are 5 scapes: ethnoscapes, mediascapes, technoscapes, financescapes and ideoscapes. Ethnoscape deals with the movement of people through cultures (tourists, immigrants, etc), and nowadays due to travel technology this is done at a much larger scale and at a faster pace. Appadurai provides the reader examples of Indian villagers dreaming of moving to Houston instead of a local Indian town (34). This is due to globalization, as it has given the villager in question the opportunity to at the very least be more aware the outside world and fuel their imaginations through culture that is exported from Houston or anywhere else. Mediascape relates to both the technology linked to media (such as TVs, recording studio, newspaper, etc.) and the media itself. It can’t be said that there haven’t been worldwide advances in media forms, with movies and series available to stream online and e-book readers facilitating access to novels and periodicals. Additionally, the sharing of media culture is even more widespread as not only American movies but the occasional Asian or European movies have some time in the global spotlight. Technoscape deals with technology across the world, and the speed at which technology travels nowadays is constantly increasing. A phone nowadays could have its parts manufactured in China, be assembled in Vietnam and sold in the UK, and one country’s innovation in a certain field will spread across the globe in a matter of seconds. Something very closely linked to technoscapes are financescapes, which relate to the exchange of capital around the world, and likewise these transfers are being done as fast as can be accomplished in some cases. For instance, the stock market at Wall Street operates at such a pace that companies rent buildings near the Wall Street servers in order to maximize the data transfer
Show More

Related Documents: Culture and Global Cultural Economy Essay

Essay on Group Project Globalisation

the New World. The scholars generally think it closely relates to the booming of transportation, telecommunication infrastructure and also includes the rise of the internet stimulation. Additionally, the influences of the international economic and culture activities are also essentially affected (Schwartz et al, 1999). Until now people have been unable to get rid of the influence of globalization in their daily life. For instance, a French visitor who spent a holiday in the UK binging a banana, exported…

Words 3108 - Pages 13

Ecoliogy and Population Growth Essay

around them can eat and be consumed by the very area of their surrounding (Text, 2011). Uncontrolled and explosive culture change towards a global uniform, simplified with the unsurprising result of the estimated economies could be larger than the current, depending on the measures used at the time. As it increases in size, these emerging economies will increasingly provide the motor for global growth. But the world might not be able to sustain such a rapid growth without serious repercussions on the world’s…

Words 536 - Pages 3

Globalization and Its Impact on Marketing Strategies Essay

the effects of globalization on firms’ international marketing cooperation and performance of firms, both in developed and emerging economies. This dissertation mainly focus on two questions, first is does globalization affect firm performance? And second is the relationship between global market opportunities and performance stronger than the relationship between global market threats and performance? By answering these questions, the study indicates the extent to which firms in two different economic…

Words 5002 - Pages 21

Globalization In South Africa

One of the benefits of globalization is the rise in living standards of people in countries around the world. The dynamic structure of the global economy as a result of globalization has influenced the macroeconomic policies in the world towards the realization of even greater globalization benefits. Some of the key policy making bodies that have been impacted include; the academic economists, the national policy making bodies, the general policy making community and the International Monetary Fund…

Words 1195 - Pages 5

Globalisation: Globalization and Specific Home Base Essay examples

Choose one dimension of globalisation (the economic, cultural, political) and identify the major issues in the debate regarding the advantages and disadvantages of globalised world, with consideration to how this affects Wales. Introduction Nation-states are all now facing dramatic challenges in an increased global world, where lives are shaped by events or decisions which are difficult if not impossible to control. Familiar topics such as war, entertainment, news, money or pollution are all…

Words 1330 - Pages 6

my work Essay

BUSINESS STUDY SKILL ASSIGNMENT TASK 2 ESSAY WRITING TOPIC: “GLOBALIZATION” Definition “Globalization is a process of increasing changes world-wide of natural and cultural resources.” Advancing in transportation and telecommunication infrastructure, including rising of telegraph and its posterity the Internet are major factors in globalization. The term globalization is increasing its use since the mid 1980’s and the mid 1990’s. An endless controversy has appeared over globalization…

Words 1488 - Pages 6

Creative Cities Analysis

to harness community intellectual and cultural capita to foster socio-economic growth, which in this case carry along another impact of cultural preservation. His idea that has currently grown into a global movement attempts to detach arts and culture from just having decorative purposes, and to embrace it as resources with massive potentials to drive urban regeneration (Vickery, 2011). Seeing its potential to propel three elements of social, economy and culture at the same time, aptly considered as…

Words 996 - Pages 4

HSC GEO World City Essay

Urban Places | World Cities & Global Networks Essay Examine the role of world cities and the operation of these cities within global networks Introduction World cities maintain a central role in the operation of global networks and the flow of capital, information and goods and services, as well as providing distinct cultural authority. A world city is a city that is dominant at a national level and has outstripped its national identity to become a key player in global networks. Whilst their spatial…

Words 1402 - Pages 6

Challenges to global business for a non-specialist audience Essay

Challenges to global business for a non-specialist audience Content 1. Introduction Error: Reference source not found Introduction: Due to the business globalization, the global market brings more opportunities and creates more profits to the companies which invest in. Likewise, the interest attracts more and more investments which is targeting this big cake. Because of this, a product tend to consist…

Words 1186 - Pages 5

Capitalism and Industrial Revolution Essay

THE STRUCTURE AND CULTURE OF THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE SINCE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION Sara Link Thomas Edison The structure and culture of the American workplace since Industrial revolution Introduction Before the industrial revolution, people were agricultural based in farms that were spread out in America. The mode of production was traditional and the output was dismal. Since the start of the Industrial revolution to date, the structural and cultural workplace in America has been…

Words 1700 - Pages 7