Cultural Globalisation: Navigating Beyond Americanisation

Cultural globalisation is the same as Americanisation. Critically discuss this statement using relevant examples to support.

Globalisation is a difficult term to define in an exhaustive sense as it contains different aspects like political, economic, social, and cultural globalisation (Kellner, 1998). The term ‘globalisation’ has been defined in different contexts, including cultural; this essay relates to cultural globalisation and explores whether globalisation is the same as Americanisation in the cultural context. Cultural globalisation brings up issues of the North-South divide, westernization and more particularly, Americanisation as a global phenomenon, which are based on the premise that local events, culture and societies are impacted by non-local phenomenon due to forces of globalisation. If you are delving into this complex topic and require assistance, then consider seeking media dissertation help from the best experts in the field. One of the early definitions of globalisation emphasised on this aspect where globalisation was defined as the phenomenon where “local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa” (Giddens, 1990, p. 64). Thus, there is a complexity that is associated with the processes of globalisation. More recently, similar conceptualisation of globalisation as a phenomenon which sees complexity is seen where globalisation has been defined as “a complex range of processes driven by a mixture of political and economic influences” (Stiglitz, 2015). It is therefore not appropriate to equate globalisation with Americanisation. To do so would be simplistic and would not explain the complexity of the cultural experiences in a globalised world. It would be more appropriate to say that cultural globalisation is more akin to hybridization and not homogenisation of cultural values.

The problem with Americanisation is that it represents western dominance and post-colonial structures that continue to subsume peripheral cultures. Due to this, Asian and African scholarship view globalisation as a western agenda of imposing western ideals of politics and culture on the rest of the world leading to writers like Fukuyama arguing that globalisation is one sided westernisation (Zhou, 2013). Cultural globalisation brings to fore issues of post-colonisation by western nations through the homogenisation of culture and symbols in the non-western world. This essay critically considers whether cultural globalisation today can be related more to Americanisation and not heterogenisation.

Appadurai (2020) argues that the central problem in the global interactions at this time is the tension between cultural homogenisation and cultural heterogenisation. He also observes that the argument about cultural homogenisation is made either in reference to Americanisation or commodification, which are oftentimes these are two interlinked arguments (Appadurai,, 2020). Rather than Americanisation or commodification, what Appadurai (2020) suggests is the process of indigenisation that occurs when “forces from different metropolises are brought into new societies” (p. 92). Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that American cultural symbols have spread far and wide into the different parts of the world, which include commodities as well. This raises concerns about Americanisation as a process that subsumes local cultures and has the effect of homogenisation of local cultures so that they represent American values. However, an argument on Americanisation is also simplistic because it does not take into account how local cultures continue to affect the processes of globalisation and the effect of local cultures. This is one of the themes that will be closely explored in this essay. First, to place the essay in context, the meaning and significance of cultural globalisation and its link to Americanisation is explored below.

Cultural globalisation has emerged as a significant and controversial aspect of globalisation debates. The controversial aspects of cultural globalisation are related to the uneven impact of cultures in influencing other cultures, with western cultures, and predominantly, American culture is considered to have had more impact on other cultures (Allen & Skelton, 2005). The question of whether dominant influence of some cultures has led to homogenisation and standardisation of global culture has come to be seen as an important question because of the perception that American culture has come to have such impact on local cultures in different parts of the world (Allen & Skelton, 2005). One of the most significant arguments made in this context is by George Ritzer, who introduced the concept of McDonaldisation, which he explained as the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world (Ritzer, 2015). The brand of McDonald came to signify the global power of American brands in general, and the spread of contemporary consuming culture or ‘Americanisation’ subsuming other fragile and vulnerable cultures.

Ritzer (2015) based his thesis on ‘Americanisation’ as the predominant form of cultural globalisasion on the premise that American values and consumer culture is becoming synonymous with globalisation. He called this ‘McDonaldisation’ which refers to the changes in cultural and social lives of the local communities due to the adoption of American values especially seen in the adoption of fast food principles (Ritzer, 2015). The principal point of emphasis in this is on contemporary consumerism culture as a major aspect of American culture and being adopted in other parts of the world as part of Americanisation and consequent domination of local cultures by capitalist characteristics (Ritzer, 2015, p. 413). Increased globalisation and movement of tourism, have led to the local cultures adapting and changing to accommodate consumerism culture, thus eroding local cultural habits and food habits.

An example of Americanisation is seen in a study on the Okinawa island of Japan which is known for its diet and food culture and how this culture has eroded and given way to American fast food culture (Willcox, Willcox, Todoriki, & Suzuki, 2009). Okinawa traditional diet is especially known for its low calorie and nutrition rich quality, and has sparked much interest due to its health benefits seen in the higher average life spans of Okinawans. The study notes the following which is relevant to the current issue:

“The traditional Okinawan diet has undergone rapid post– World War II Japanization and Westernization, most notably in terms of increased fat intake. There has also been a decrease in carbohydrate quality, with diversification away from the sweet potato as the staple carbohydrate and toward higher consumption of rice and breads (both mostly white) and noodles as carbohydrate sources” (Willcox, et al., 2009, p. 503S).

The replacing of the sweet potato, a major source of nutrition in the Okinawan diet with refined grains and noodles is seen to be a sign of the adoption of the peculiar American fast food culture and consumerism (Willcox, Willcox, Todoriki, & Suzuki, 2009). This study supports the argument made by Ritzer that cultural globalisation is synonymous with Americanisation because it shows how consumerist values and fast food principles have come to displace local food culture in Okinawa. Ritzer’s (2015) argument that ‘Americanisation’ will lead to domination of the local cultures around the world and that such cultures will give way to food habits, languages, dress habits, and western brands is seen in the Okinawan example.

Ritzer (2015) is not alone in making the argument that Americanisation or adoption of American values is witnessed greatly around the world. A similar argument is made by Barber (2010) who argues that globalisation led to greater Americanisation in different regions of the world. On the other hand, Appadurai has not agreed with the Americanisation thesis because he believes that the world has become more interactive in the 21st century and the construction of identity no longer depends on Americanisation, but on transnational construction of landscapes that are imaginary (Appadurai, 2006, p. 587). However, this would mean that other cultures have also had similar impacts on America and other western countries as American culture has had.

Indeed, globalisation for many Americans itself has meant that there should be spread of American business standards all over the world (Tsing, 2015). However, while this may be related to some aspects of cultural globalisation, research also suggests that while American businesses have great presence in almost all parts of world today, this economic globalisation has not led to homogenisation of local cultures in a major sense because American businesses have to be part of the local cultures in which they are present in order to be truly successful. An example is provided in a research by Tierney (2004) where she studied the McDonald’s in Moscow and found that the franchise showed influence of Russian culture with customers spending more time in the franchise ‘hanging around’ than is part of the otherwise fast food culture seen in the American stores. This belies the argument that the presence of American fast food restaurants in different parts of the world necessarily homogenise the local cultures.

There is no doubt that American commodities and products have following around the world and that this leads to the increasing presence of American commodities in different parts of the world. This may lead to the spread of American cultural values as well when commodities and culture are interlinked, such as Hollywood movies and American shows. Greater appreciation of western products and culture also comes from the desire on the part of individuals in the other parts of the world to be a part of the larger global consumer community. There is also the desire on the part of individuals to be a part of the imagined existence of the people living in western countries that are thought to be more developed (Appadurai, 2006). Nevertheless, Appadurai (2006) does not agree that Americanisation is the appropriate explanation of cultural globalisation, rather taking the position that there is give and take of different cultures as part of the globalisation process.

This argument is also reiterated by other scholars; for example, Tierney (2004) argues that globalisation is a much more complex process and cannot be explained by a basic imposition of a homogeneous culture on other cultures. Cultural aspects of globalisation cannot be equated to Americanisation, even though there are American cultural products like CNN, and Michael Jordan T-shirts in different parts of the world (Tierney, 2004). Indeed, Tierney (2004) gives the example of McDonald’s to say that even though McDonald’s franchises in different parts of the world, there is also influence of local cultures and food habits in the McDonald’s because franchises are encouraged to introduce local variations like tacos and burritos, in Mexico City (Tierney, 2004). This shows that rather than American culture being prevalent or dominant, what is happening is that the American businesses are pervasive, but are also influenced by the local cultures where they are present, like McDonald’s in different parts of the world also getting influenced by local food cultures and habits.

In his seminal work on globalisation and culture, Pieterse (2019) argues that the process of globalisation have multidimensional characteristics and these operate simultaneously across hybrid yet specific economic, cultural, social, legal, political and institutional landscapes. Consequently, cultural globalisation is not related to homogenization of culture, but there is cultural hybridisation that has given rise to a global mélange (Pieterse, 2019). World music genres are given as examples of how such cultural hybridisation works with there being reinvention and popularisation of music from different parts of the world, like Africa, Latin America, Asia, India and the Middle East (Pieterse, 2019). Therefore, rather than the American music industry dominate the others to the point of homogenising the others, the world music genres are representative of different cultures of the world and present a hybrid form of cultural globalisation and not homogenisation.

The argument that cultural globalisation equates with Americanisation also fails to explain how and why multinational companies seek to assimilate some aspects of local cultures in the countries where they are situated. This argument is made by Talbott (1995) who writes that corporations that seek to represent "world products," can only succeed globally if they adapt themselves to local cultures and markets. Using the case study of McDonald’s in Moscow, she writes that this franchise does not represent cultural homogenisation of the Americanisation kind, but is a case of ‘global localisation’ (Talbott, 1995). In order for corporations to be successful in different local contexts, they have to become insiders as also advocated by Sony chairman Akio Morita who coined the term "glocalisation," which involves looking in both directions so that the businesses can be global and local at the same time (Talbott, 1995). The premise on which glocalisation is based is that while corporations can be multinational, businesses are always local in nature (Talbott, 1995).

Due to the increase in what is called as cultural hybridisation, it is argued that it is incorrect to say that globalisation is Americanisation; this is explained by Pieterse (2019) as follows:

“Thus, rather than cultural homogenization McDonald's and others in the family of western fast food restaurants (Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Wendy's) usher in difference and variety, giving rise to and reflecting new, mixed social forms. Where they are imported, they serve different social, cultural, and economic functions than in their place of origin, and their formula is accordingly adapted to local conditions. In western metropoles, we now see oriental fast food restaurants and chains along with Latino, Middle Eastern, Turkish, and French eateries” (p. 51).

To bring into perspective how the argument made by Ritzer (2015) contrasts with the one made by Pieterse (2019), while the former argues that the presence of McDonald’s and other fast food chains in different parts of the world signify the spread of American culture and the homogensation of local cultures, the latter argues that the spread of American businesses like McDonald’s represent hybridisation of culture with the corporations also reflecting local values and preferences in how they function.

Roudometof (2005) brings in a different angle to this discussion from what is discussed above as he emphasises the differences between those who can be termed as cosmopolitan and local in how they approach issues of identity and culture and then using these differences to explain how transnationalism (the movement of people from one to the other country) does not really mean that there is greater homogenisation because even when people (who are locally minded) move to different parts of the world, they remain attached to their homeland and its culture and therefore not as much affected in terms of homogenisation. Therefore, according to Roudometof (2005), cosmopolitan minded people are not affected by their native culture and can adapt to other cultures and values, native minded people are more rooted. The significance of this perspective to the current discussion on whether globalisation has led to Americanisation is that because there is a presence of nativism, there is resistance to homogenisation in terms of foreign cultural impacts. Indeed, as Roudometof (2005) points out, the transnational communities that are formed by immigrants and expats do not necessarily lead to cosmopolitism and instead there is proliferation of both cosmopolitan and local attitudes due to such transnational movements.

This argument can be extended to say that transnationalism also leads to hybridisation of culture and not necessarily homogenisation of the American kind. An example can be seen in the growth of the ethnoburbs in the United States by the Chinese immigrant communities as studied by Lin and Robinson (2005). Chinatowns are the examples of nativism and resistance to Americanisation by Chinese communities in the United States, where these can be seen in many American suburbs and it is challenging assumptions related to spatial and cultural assimilation of Chinese immigrants (Lin & Robinson, 2005). Indeed, Chinatowns are not just spaces for Chinese communities and are also popular among the non-Chinese communities (Lin & Robinson, 2005). If cultural heterogenisation can be seen in the Chinese communities’ experience in America, and the spread of Chinatowns, it will not be too far-fetched to suppose that there is cultural heterogenization taking place due to the processes of globalisation that see transnational movement of people and cultures.

It is argued that instead of homogenisation of culture in the sense of Americanisation, what globalisation has done is to make the cultural differences clearer because global processes like

“cultural communication, mobility, migration, trade, investment, tourism, all generate awareness of cultural difference” (Pieterse, 2019, p. 56). Therefore, the processes of cultural globalisation lead to more revelation about cultural differences and leads to hybridisation as there is synthesis of different cultures as seen in the example of world music genre.

To conclude, cultural globalisation is not appropriately described as Americanisation or McDonaldisation as Ritzer does. It is more appropriate to think of cultural globalisation as hybridisation with different cultures also having an effect of synthetisation as seen in the example of world music genre. Even in the example given by Ritzer (2015) about McDonaldisation as a process that sees fast food industry principles becoming prevalent around the world, what can also be seen is that the fast food corporations like McDonald’s are also impacted by local food cultures and values as shown in the case study on the Moscow McDonald’s by Talbott (1995). Today, it is a more common phenomenon for corporations like McDonald’s and Pizza Hut to have local varieties of food items. Thus, McDonald’s in Shanghai is more likely to have Chinese variety of food items. At the same time, there is proliferation of other food cultures like Chinese and Japanese and Indian. The presence of Chinatowns in the United States is also reflective of the ways in which nativist feelings about local culture can lead to forces of resistance to assimilation with what are viewed as non-local cultural elements. Therefore, it is more appropriate to see cultural experiences in the globalised world as a process of hybridisation and not homogenisation. It is clear that there is an impact of American cultural values in the other parts of the world, but it is also seen in research that there is a process of cultural give and take and in that different cultures of the world play a role in influencing cultural globalism such as that seen in the development of the world music genre.

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