“What is the relation between culture and globalization?” - 전진이 (Jeon Jin E)

 1) Summary

Tomlinson describes globalization as a multidimensional process in which global connectivity is strengthened, rather than a simple economic spread or unilateral penetration of Western culture. This process includes culture as well as economy and technology, and culture is both a result of globalization and an element that creates it. In other words, it is the view that globalization does not affect culture, but that the cultural practice itself that people give meaning and choose constitutes globalization.

He is also critical of the claim that globalization creates a single 'world culture'. Even if global cultural products are widely consumed, people interpret and transform them in their own social and cultural contexts. Therefore, globalization is more of a process in which differences are revealed than a uniformity of culture.

In addition, Tomlinson explains that through the concept of deterritorialization, culture is no longer fixed in a specific area and deeply connected to global elements through media and communication technology. This does not mean the extinction of local culture, but a new cultural experience in which locality and globality work at the same time.


2) Something new and interesting

The most impressive part was the explanation that everyday consumption or choice is a cultural activity that constitutes globalization. The view that individual choices are part of a global network made globalization feel like a much more realistic problem for me, who has only recognized globalization as a huge problem.

It also came to a new light that globalization not only weakens cultural identity, but can also make people more aware of their belonging and differences. This was an explanation that made the relationship between globalization and identity not viewed as a simple confrontation structure.


3) problem consciousness

On the other hand, Tomlinson's discussion raises the question of whether the issue of power and imbalance is handled somewhat optimistically as it emphasizes the activity of cultural acceptance. I felt that additional criticism was needed as to whether all cultural interpretations were made under equal conditions in a situation where the influence of the global media and cultural industry was very large.

Additionally, the prospect of de-territorialization leading to cultural openness and ethical responsibility is limited in reality. This is due to the fact that encountering more world issues does not necessarily lead to deeper empathy or behavior. In this regard, I hope that the discussion on the conditions for the expansion of connectivity to lead to actual practice will be further supplemented.


Conclusion

Through this article, I came to understand that globalization is not a simple result of the destruction or homogenization of culture, but a complex process in which meaning and identity are reconstructed. Tomlinson's discussion is persuasive in that it makes us see globalization as a reality that operates in individual everyday choices and interpretations rather than a huge structure. At the same time, his perspective allows us to reflect on the possibilities and limitations of globalization together, leaving questions about what cultural attitudes and responsibilities we should have in global connectivity.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is globalization--Kim younggyun

 1) Summarize From what I understand, globalization is not merely an economic trend. It is a broad concept in which the world becomes increasingly interconnected on cultural, social, political, and even individual levels. Because globalization is such an all-encompassing idea, it is only natural that debates continue over its definition. This is exactly what made studying the concept of globalization difficult for me. That is why, like Robertson and White, I tried to understand globalization mainly through the two dimensions of increasing connectivity and growing consciousness. I find their approach persuasive. When internet, transportation, and trade expand, the connections between countries grow stronger, and naturally, people begin to perceive the world as a “single place.” 2) Interesting point What I found particularly interesting while studying globalization is that it does not simply lead to “one-sided homogenization.” I used to think of globalization only as the expansion of...
Read more

What is globalization? | Yun Shinji

1.   Summary It is difficult to define the concept of ‘globalization’ with a single meaning, as the term is used in various contexts with different implications. Sociologist Roland Robertson describes globalization as “the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole". Robertson and White further elaborate it as two main trends “an increase in global interconnectedness” and "an increase in global consciousness". In this way, globalization is a complex phenomenon in which the world becomes closely connected across borders, and it is used in multiple ways in different contexts. Globalization can be broadly divided into three dimensions cultural, political, and economic. Among them, cultural globalization is the phenomenon we experience most directly in our daily lives. For example, a cultural content that becomes popular can spread worldwide and be shared globally. However, this phenomenon also raises concerns about cultural hom...
Read more

What is the relation between politics and globalization? - Yun Shinji

1) Summary The author views “political globalization” as a multidimensional, accelerated, and interconnected form of organization that transcends national borders across space and time. Rather than seeing globalization as a simple reality, the author understands it as a “relational dynamic” that produces a complex and constantly shifting political landscape. According to the author, political globalization is driven by three key processes. First is global geopolitics. This involves interactions mainly between states, including traditional balances of power, international security, territorial disputes, and other state-centered dynamics. These geopolitical interactions continue to shape how states position themselves in an increasingly interdependent world. Second is the global normative culture, which refers to political values and norms—such as human rights and democracy—that are shared or diffused across the world. These norms influence how states govern internally and how they are e...
Read more