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Cultural Imperialism Essay

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The term "globalization" is commonly used to describe the increased mobility of goods, services, labor, and technology throughout the world. Globalization is a social change; it is really an increase in connections among societies and their elements. Globalization has become identified with a number of trends, most of which developed in the period after World War II. The developments of technology, organizations, legal systems, and infrastructures helped enable this movement to occur, thus leading cultures toward the idea of modernity. The ongoing "globalization debate" confronts the world of social sciences with a series of theoretical and empirical challenges.

One could feasibly determine that the term "globalization" means to …show more content…

In return, these "depictions or portrayals" of cultures have ignited heated debates amongst the international communities surrounding the concepts of cultural globalization.

Cultural imperialism also referred to, as "Americanization," or "westernization," is a homogenization that critics insist the mass media is to be blamed for. The cultural imperialism debate becomes highly important shortly after the decolonozation begins to produce dozens of new states in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific (Lechner and Boli: 287). Hence, with the formations of new states, come the births of new cultures.

During this particular time period in history, the "politico-military" can no longer exercise their forces in the same manner as before. Therefore, the neo-colonialists began using symbols and psychological control as a means of force. These individuals carry this process out via global telecommunications systems, especially by the "proliferation" of television.

As previously mentioned, heated international debates stem out of the media's portrayal of societies, as well as new commissions of concerned individuals, challenging the cultural imperialism debate. During the 1970's the membership grew to more than ninety countries (nonaligned nations) plus several regional groups and represented a majority in various United Nations bodies. These UN agencies embraced a "developmental ideology," meaning that high priority would be given

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