Globalization and Convergence

What is Globalization?‘a process (or set of processes) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organisation of social relations and transactions, generating transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction and power.’

Held and McGrew, 1999

‘the process whereby political, social and cultural relations increasingly take on a global scale and which has profound consequences for individuals’ local experiences and everyday lives’. Bilton, 1996

Optimists’ view The Internet is spearheading a global

communications revolution. It liberates people from time and space constraints, creating communities of interest

Growth in International travel has widened experiences and understanding, this is culturally enriching

Can empower local communities to produce own media products and have the potential to make possible greater autonomy for different lifeworlds eg multilingual TV (Cope and Kalantis, 2000)

Pessimists’ view rich got richer poor got poorer. Information

imbalance. manual workers in the west under threat national cultures and identities under threat? Less regulated multichannel media systems

undermine the concept of collective audience or common culture

corporate power is restricting individual freedoms. Increasing invasion of private spaces by mass media culture, global commodity culture and communications and information technology (Cope and Kalantzis, 2000)

Academics’ view

Globalization lacks precise definition a ‘global shift’ is a better description

‘it is clear that the international media environment is far more complex than that suggested by the cultural imperialism model...depiction of hegemonic media pied piper leading global mice, appears frozen in the 1970’s.’ Sreberney-Mohammadi, 1991, p/21

3 stances

The hyperglobalist: erosion of nation states, states are no longer the decision makers but the decision takers

The sceptics: reinforcement and enhancement of state powers

The transformationalists: state powers transforming

4 types of change a stretching of social, political and economic

activities across political frontiers, regions and continents.

the intensification, or the growing magnitude, of interconnectedness and flows of trade, investment, finance, migration, culture, etc

a speeding up of global interactions and processes, with the evolution of world-wide systems of transport and communication

the growing extensity, intensity and velocity of global interactions can be associated with their deepening impact

www.polity.co.uk/global/executive.htm

National cultures

Globalization of culture has a long history

ruling cultures passed through a mosaic of local cultures and particularisms

rise of nation states technological innovations

Cultural communication

Global diffusion of radio, tv, the Internet etc made instantaneous communication possible

made border checks and controls on information ineffective

exposed many to diverse cultural outputs and values

global dominance of English

Corporations and cultural imperialism

Corporations are central producers and distributors of cultural products

majority originate in the USA and other key societies

evidence in support of ‘cultural imperialism’ is thin?

cultural flows are transforming the politics of national identity more generally

Convergence

content and voice and packaging

distribution

devices

consumption

Conclusions

What are the possible repercussions of these rapid changes?