5.2 Changing identities and cultures

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 6

5.2 Changing identities and cultures

How global interactions bring cultural influences and changes to places

This presentation is for a large extend based on: Matt Podbury -ibgeographypods 

At the end of this section you should know: 

What cultural diffusion is.

What cultural imperialism is.

What glocalization is. 

What cultural hybridity is.

How cultural landscapes changes in the built environment.

How diaspora's change cultural diversity and identity. 

Watch the video and take notes. 

Explain in your own words what cultural diffusion is. 
Give an example. 

Watch the video's and answer:

How is the video related to the concept of 'cultural diffusion'?

Where are the places being connected?

Is this a positive or negative development to you? 

Cultural imperialism: 

Cultural imperialism is the practice of promoting the culture values or language of one nation in another. In the past cultural imperialism has been associated with colonialism. When the U.K colonized 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. 

Cultural imperialism: 

The U.S 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 Westernization and/or Americanization. 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:

1. 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.

2. 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).

3. Global Brands: Apple, Google, Coca-Cola, McDonald's are all brands recognised and used around the World. 

4. The Media: Disney, Time Warner, HBO, BBC , CNN, etc. all have enormous influence in terms of thetelevision programmes made and aired as well as the music played and the news reported.

5. 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.

Write down 3 advantages of cultural imperialism: 

And write down 3 disadvantages: 

Write down 3 advantages of cultural imperialism: 

• There may be a greater variety of commodities available
• It may mean new technologies are introduced
• Economic development may take place as trade increases between two locations

And write down 3 disadvantages: 

• Places around the World become increasingly the same
• Local cultures are lost or diluted 
• Local businesses maybe forced out of business they can't compete with large international TNCs
• Economic exploitation e.g, taxes not paid.

What is glocalization?

Glocalization: The adaptation of a global product for a local market place. The word comes from an amalgamation of the words globalisation and localisation.

Globalization: The spread of economic, cultural and social ideas across the world.

Localization: The act of operating locally in terms of employees, product, supply of raw materials, etc.

What is cultural hybridity?

Cultural Hybridity 

Hybrid: Something of mixed origin or composition, such as a word whose elements are derived from different languages.

Cultural Hybridity: Constitutes the effort to maintain a sense of balance among practices, values, and customs of two or more different cultures. In cultural hybridization, one constructs a new identity that reflects a dual sense of being, which resides both within and beyond the margins of nationality, race, ethnicity, class, and linguistic diversity. Many immigrants, for instance, face this process as they attempt to accommodate new environments and experiences, while holding on to their indigenous socio cultural principles or beliefs. 

Can you give your own example of cultural hybridity?

Cultural landscape changes in the built environment...

Where is this place? 

1990

2003

2007

The same spot in Dubai

Which other examples do you have of cultural landscape changes in the built environment?

What is a diaspora?

What is a diaspora?

A population of a country who have migrated abroad and keep strong identity ties with the homeland.

A permanently displaced and relocated collective.

The forced or voluntary dispersal of any population sharing common racial, ethnic or cultural identity, after leaving their settled territory and migrating to new areas

Diaspora on a local scale 

Fill in the 2 sheets for your own group/diaspora on a local scale. 
Example: fill in this sheet for the Pakistani community in Amsterdam. 

Use images to show the influence of your own diaspora on a global scale.

Explain how diasporas influence cultural diversity and identity at both global and local scales (10).

Big thanks to: 

Matt Podbury -ibgeographypods 

www.ibgeographypods.org/