What is the relation between culture and globalization - Jo YeSeul

1. Summary

From my understanding, the relationship between culture and globalization is not a one-way process but an interactive and complex one. Culture is not simply something that is changed or damaged by globalization. According to John Tomlinson, culture is deeply involved in how globalization operates and can even function as a driving force of globalization. Cultural practices, such as consuming global fashion brands or media content, are not just results of globalization but meaningful expressions of identity that collectively influence global trends.

Tomlinson also explains that globalization weakens the constraints of time and space, allowing cultural experiences to expand beyond geographical borders. With the development of communication technologies, from early media to streaming platforms, people can now experience distant cultures more vividly. As a result, globalization does not eliminate local cultures but creates spaces where different cultures interact and generate new cultural forms.

2. New and Interesting Points

What I found most interesting was the idea that culture is not the victim of globalization. I used to think globalization mainly meant the spread of dominant Western cultures and the loss of local traditions. However, cultural theorists like Tomlinson focus more on how cultures actively respond to globalization and create new meanings within it. This perspective made me realize that my view of globalization had been somewhat narrow.

Another interesting point is that globalization does not necessarily lead to cultural homogenization. Instead of cultures simply conflicting, new meanings often emerge through cultural encounters. For example, K-pop is not consumed in the same way everywhere. While it originates from Korea, it is reinterpreted within different cultural contexts around the world, creating new hybrid cultural trends rather than a single uniform culture.

3. Concerns and Discussion Questions

One concern related to this topic is the attitude that presents a particular culture as a universal standard. When elements of Western culture spread globally and are framed as something everyone should follow, other cultures risk being seen as inferior. As Tomlinson points out, this universalistic mindset can reinforce cultural inequality and domination, even when it operates unconsciously.

I also want to raise a discussion question about the role of media and technology. While technological development has accelerated cultural flows and de-territorialization, it has also changed how culture is consumed. The dominance of global platforms such as Netflix or short-form video services may limit content diversity and encourage shallow consumption. Should these changes be accepted as part of cultural interaction, or should we be more critical of their long-term impact on cultural diversity?


I used AI only when I had difficulties with translation and for minor sentence refinement. The ideas, structure, and analysis in this blog post are based on my own understanding of the course materials.

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