Globalisation Drives the Rise of a 'Western'-Based Global Culture Revision Notes for Edexcel A-Level Geography

Globalisation Drives the Rise of a 'Western'-Based Global Culture

🔗The exchange of ideas between different people as they mix and interact as a result of globalisation.

Cultural Diffusion

The spread of culture is sometimes due to coercion (cultural imperialism - promoting a particular culture) - during colonial times people from all around the world were forced to adopt certain languages/customs
Today, seen as a form of soft power (eg. Westernisation)
Can lead to cultural erosion → The loss of distinctive cultural features

TNCs

Global dispersal of food, clothes and other goods by TNCs has played a major role in shaping a common culture
- Some TNCs have rolled out the same product globally ∴ bringing cultural change to some areas Global Media
Media giant, Disney, has displayed its stories of superheroes/princesses worldwide
Common Western celebrations such as Halloween, Christmas feature commonly in its films Migration & Tourism
Brings enormous cultural challenges to places
Europeans travelled around the world during the colonial era, forcing their cultural ideals on others
In modern day, tourists impose some of their cultural values on the places they visit

The rise of 'Globish'

Global English

Become common because…

It has dominated internet communication from its outset
Become the globally recognised language in business, technology etc It is not replacing currently spoken languages, instead people are learning it alongside their native languages

Attitudes to Cultural Diffusion and Erosion

Positive Aspects	Negative Aspects
● Empowers women in some developing nations ● Allows discriminated and disadvantaged groups to succeed 📝 (eg. Paralympic games) ● Reduces levels of prejudice	● The western diet has spread worldwide, and is linked with rising levels of type 2 diabetes and obesity ● Distinctive cultures, languages and ways of life are being eroded • people may be targeted for being different ● Environmental concerns have increased, 📝 eg. rainforest clearance

↳ Cultural landscape - 🔗The landscape of a place that has been shaped over time

Measures put into place to prevent globalisation from impacting on such areas, The Jurassic Coast

Groups → 🔗 Various anti-globalisation movement protest against resource consumption, exploitation of workers and ↑ Inequality
Nations → 🔗 Some suggest the UKs BREXIT referendum vote was a rebellion against the off-shoring of jobs to emerging economies
Individuals → 🔗 President Trump has signalled for more protectionist measures to reshore jobs back to USA