Cultural DiffusionObjective 1: Describe cultural traits in terms of language, customs, beliefs, dress, images, music, food and technology.
Objective 2 - To examine the diffusion of cultural traits resulting from the international movement of workers and tourists and commodities. Worksheet is here for the following tasks. What is culture? •the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group Or •a particular society at a particular time and place Where have we come from? The original culture hearths are: (see map to right) 1) The Nile River Valley 2) The Indus River Valley 3) The Wei-Huang Valley 4) The Ganges River Valley 5) Mesopotamia 6) Mesoamerica 7) West Africa 8. Andean Task 1 - Watch the Idiot Abroad (some strong language) at the top of this page. In what way could culture be diffused here? Look at your objective at the top of this page for key points. Task 2 - Then watch 'Whopper Virgins' and 'Scandale au Pays du Cassoulet' (French only). Which type of diffusion is happening in both? Take notes. Download this fact sheet that gives you information on the key aspects of culture and how each can be diffused. Group Work: Produce notes on the diffusion of selected culturals trait by the international movement of workers, tourists and commodities. To do this, follow the instructions below... Task 3 - Take notes on how diffusion can happen as a result of the three movements. From Greenfield Geography - here. Task 4 - Use this grid with its eight case study boxes to summarise the diffusions occurring by clicking the links below. The Eight Case Studies 1. Language - Twitter & the French language - or this 2. Customs - Case study - St Patrick's Day or this case study of British style weddings in France. 3. Beliefs - Islam in France 4. Dress - Union Jack fashion in France 5. Music - English Music in France 6. Food - Spread of McDonalds into France 7. Technology - Wiko - Chinese / French Phones 8. Images - British Top Gear TV show to air in France Task 5 - Are we approaching a single, dominant homogenised 'global culture'? Is such a thing desirable? |
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Consumerism & Culture
Objective: Describe the role of TNCs and media in spreading consumer culture. Select two different branded commodities and examine the spatial and temporal pattern of adoption on a global scale.
Starter: Watch the two short commercials underneath. What countries are involved? How is the product being glocalized?
Coca Cola & McDonald's
Task 1
i. Click here to access interactive graphs based on dominant world brands.
ii. Click on both Coca Cola and McDonalds and make a note of their growth and income in $. Scroll down and then make further notes on why both brands have remained successful in recent history
Task 2: Turn to page 157 - 166 in the Global Interactions textbook and complete the two sets of activities.
Starter: Watch the two short commercials underneath. What countries are involved? How is the product being glocalized?
Coca Cola & McDonald's
Task 1
i. Click here to access interactive graphs based on dominant world brands.
ii. Click on both Coca Cola and McDonalds and make a note of their growth and income in $. Scroll down and then make further notes on why both brands have remained successful in recent history
Task 2: Turn to page 157 - 166 in the Global Interactions textbook and complete the two sets of activities.
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france Diasporas
Objective: To examine the role of Diasporas in preserving culture in one country and the adoption of minority traits by host societies.
Starter - Read this Economist article on Diasporas. This would seem to be an ideal opportunity to use the international setting in Toulouse to examine the various diasporas that exist in the region. You could even be your case study example! You may want to choose from the following list.
Task 1 - You will need to fill in the two sheets below with as much information as possible, keeping it relevant to France and, if possible, the Toulouse area. There are four more links to the right to help to guide you. To help you fill in some of the sections on the sheets above, take a look at the links below.
Task 2 - Complete the IB exam question set out to the right. For a named host country, examine the role of Diasporas in preserving their culture within it and the adoption of minority traits by host society. [10 Marks]
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Alternative Diasporas work
Objective: To examine the role of diasporas in preserving culture in one country and the adoption of minority traits by host societies.
Case Study - China Town, San Francisco, USA.
Background reading - Mapped Twitter Languages in London.
USA Interactive Map showing Diaspora settlements - 2013
Task: Complete the tasks set out on geographyalltheway by clicking here
Case Study - China Town, San Francisco, USA.
Background reading - Mapped Twitter Languages in London.
USA Interactive Map showing Diaspora settlements - 2013
Task: Complete the tasks set out on geographyalltheway by clicking here
Cultural Diffusion on Indigenous Society
Objective: To examine the impact of cultural diffusion on one indigenous and remote society through the influence of international interactions.
This has a link with the Sports, Leisure and Tourism option on Remote Tourism and the First Contact video. We need to consolidate what we have learnt by examining how their culture has been defused as a result of tourism (international interactions).
Task 1 - Click go to www.survivalinternational.org and choose a case study like this. Print a copy out and complete a piece of writing evaluating how cultural diffusion is happening as a result of the interaction.
This has a link with the Sports, Leisure and Tourism option on Remote Tourism and the First Contact video. We need to consolidate what we have learnt by examining how their culture has been defused as a result of tourism (international interactions).
Task 1 - Click go to www.survivalinternational.org and choose a case study like this. Print a copy out and complete a piece of writing evaluating how cultural diffusion is happening as a result of the interaction.
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Cultural Imperialism
Objective: to examine the ways in which international interactions may result in the homogenization and dilution of culture. Define and exemplify the concept of cultural imperialism.
Greenfield Geography Definitions: Link
Cultural imperialism: The practice of promoting the culture values or language of one nation in another.
Cultural dilution: Local cultures becoming less pronounced as they are influenced by outside (foreign) cultures.
In the past cultural imperialism has been associated with colonialism. When the UK colonised large parts of the world they took with them their language (English), their sports (rugby and cricket), their forms of transport (railways), their dress (suits), their legal system, police system etc. and imposed it upon their colonies. Now cultural imperialism is more associated with economic forces, although former colonial powers often have some influence over many of their former colonies e.g. The Queen is still head of state for many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Jamaica, Canada, Belize and New Zealand. The US currently has the World's largest economy and has been able to export its control and influence through the commodities of its TNCs e.g. Google, Ford, McDonald's, Walmart. America's cultural imperialism has sometimes be described as Westernisation and/or Americanisation. Cultural imperialism may also take place via global institutions like the IMF, WTO and World Bank (many of which are heavily influenced by the US and Western Europe). Five common areas that are often studied to look at the impacts of cultural imperialism are:
i. Language: There are currently over 6,000 languages spoken around the World, but half my disappear by 2100. Although Mandarin is spoken by the most people, English is becoming the dominant international language.
ii. Tourism: Tourism is one of the World's largest industries and at the moment it is mainly citizens from developed countries (US, UK, Germany, Japan) that can afford to travel internationally and spread their culture (although they also experience new foreign cultures).
iii. Global Brands: Apple, Google, Coca-Cola, McDonald's are all brands recognised and used around the World. Check out this video of protests against McDonalds in France (check out the comments too!)
iv. The Media: Disney, Time Warner, HBO, BBC , CNN, etc. all have enormous influence in terms of the television programmes made and aired as well as the music played and the news reported.
v. Democracy: The US as well as organisations like the World Bank and the UN have often promoted Democratic Capitalist systems instead of systems like Communism.
As well as controlling culture through the economy and media, it has also been suggested that some countries impose culture and ideas through their military and/or electronically. This maybe through occupation, many people claim that the US and its allies are trying to impose their ideals of Afghanistan and Iraq through occupation. China has also been accused of imposing its ideas through its military presence in Tibet and its state wide censorship of the media.
ADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
DISADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
Task 1 - Write a clear definition of Cultural Imperialism and Cultural Dilution in your book under the title above. and take notes on the five impacts as set out above as well as the key advantages and disadvantages.
Task 2 - Choose a suitable case study of cultural imperialism from the following list and complete a case study (5 W's ) of the study.
Greenfield Geography Definitions: Link
Cultural imperialism: The practice of promoting the culture values or language of one nation in another.
Cultural dilution: Local cultures becoming less pronounced as they are influenced by outside (foreign) cultures.
In the past cultural imperialism has been associated with colonialism. When the UK colonised large parts of the world they took with them their language (English), their sports (rugby and cricket), their forms of transport (railways), their dress (suits), their legal system, police system etc. and imposed it upon their colonies. Now cultural imperialism is more associated with economic forces, although former colonial powers often have some influence over many of their former colonies e.g. The Queen is still head of state for many Commonwealth countries including Australia, Jamaica, Canada, Belize and New Zealand. The US currently has the World's largest economy and has been able to export its control and influence through the commodities of its TNCs e.g. Google, Ford, McDonald's, Walmart. America's cultural imperialism has sometimes be described as Westernisation and/or Americanisation. Cultural imperialism may also take place via global institutions like the IMF, WTO and World Bank (many of which are heavily influenced by the US and Western Europe). Five common areas that are often studied to look at the impacts of cultural imperialism are:
i. Language: There are currently over 6,000 languages spoken around the World, but half my disappear by 2100. Although Mandarin is spoken by the most people, English is becoming the dominant international language.
ii. Tourism: Tourism is one of the World's largest industries and at the moment it is mainly citizens from developed countries (US, UK, Germany, Japan) that can afford to travel internationally and spread their culture (although they also experience new foreign cultures).
iii. Global Brands: Apple, Google, Coca-Cola, McDonald's are all brands recognised and used around the World. Check out this video of protests against McDonalds in France (check out the comments too!)
iv. The Media: Disney, Time Warner, HBO, BBC , CNN, etc. all have enormous influence in terms of the television programmes made and aired as well as the music played and the news reported.
v. Democracy: The US as well as organisations like the World Bank and the UN have often promoted Democratic Capitalist systems instead of systems like Communism.
As well as controlling culture through the economy and media, it has also been suggested that some countries impose culture and ideas through their military and/or electronically. This maybe through occupation, many people claim that the US and its allies are trying to impose their ideals of Afghanistan and Iraq through occupation. China has also been accused of imposing its ideas through its military presence in Tibet and its state wide censorship of the media.
ADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
- There may be a greater variety of commodities available
- It may mean new technologies are introduced
- Language skills may increase
- Economic development may take place as trade increases between two locations
DISADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM
- Places around the World become increasingly homogenised (the same)
- Local cultures are lost or diluted (language, dress, food, music, etc.)
- Local businesses maybe forced out of business they can't compete with large international TNCs
- Economic and political exploitation e.g. resources may be stripped
Task 1 - Write a clear definition of Cultural Imperialism and Cultural Dilution in your book under the title above. and take notes on the five impacts as set out above as well as the key advantages and disadvantages.
Task 2 - Choose a suitable case study of cultural imperialism from the following list and complete a case study (5 W's ) of the study.
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Resource 1 - The embedded book to the left focusing on the Xingu people of the Amazon Basic (note link with HL work and SLT optional unit)
Resource 2 - Thanks for the show - Cultural Imperialists! - UK/Africa fallout - click here Resource 3 - George Lucas attacks US Imperialists & Hollywood. Click here & here too Resource 4 - Shakespeare - Evil Cultural Imperialist? Click here Resource 5 - Banning of dog meat in China. Click here for YouTube video & 2015 Dog Meat Eating Festival controversy here Resource 6 (In French) Jose Bove v McDonalds. Video and news report |