Cultural Diffusion
- Imagine walking through a city where you see a McDonald's next to a traditional tea house, hear pop music blending with local folk songs, and spot people wearing a mix of Western and traditional clothing.
- This is cultural diffusion in action - the spread and adaptation of cultural traits across the globe.
- This can also reflect the coming of global culture.
What is Cultural Diffusion?
Definition
Cultural diffusion
Cultural diffusion is the process through which cultural traits, such as beliefs, norms, practices, ideas, technologies, and items are spread from one place, society or group to another.
Types of Cultural Diffusion
- Expansion Diffusion: When a culture expands its influence to other areas while maintaining its original presence.
- Relocation Diffusion: When people move from one place to another, they bring their cultural practices with them.
Globalization Amplifies Cultural Diffusion
- Globalization provides and enhances vehicles of cultural diffusion including:
- Migration and Tourism: People bring their cultural practices to new regions.
- Trade and TNCs with their Global Brands: Goods and ideas are exchanged between cultures.
- Media, Communication, and Technology: Television, movies, and the internet disseminate cultural content globally.
- Globalization facilitates the spread of ideas, languages, and traditions but also raises concerns about cultural imperialism.
Cultural Imperialism
Definition
Cultural Imperialism
Imposing values, beliefs, practices, and products of a dominant culture on other cultures, often leading to the diminishment or erosion of local cultures.
- Means: Cultural imperialism can be driven by economic or political and military power.
- Impact: This can lead to the erosion of local cultures as global brands and media overshadow traditional practices.
Westernization refers to the imposition of a combination of European and North American cultural traits, norms, and values at a global scale that occurred due to:
- European colonization and imperialism.
- Superiority of Western socio-economic system (capitalism) and technologies.
- Promotion of Western values (e.g. human rights), ideologies (e.g. liberalism), and systems of governance (e.g. democracy).
Americanization refers to the global spread of American culture, including:
- Music: Genres like hip-hop and pop dominate global charts.
- Movies: Hollywood films are popular worldwide.
- Food: Chains like McDonald's and Starbucks are found in nearly every major city.
