4.5.1

Global Culture

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Global Culture

Because of globalisation, there is a global culture emerging which is based on Western ideas, consumption patterns and attitudes towards the physical environment.

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What is culture?

  • Culture describes a system of shared meaning.
  • The culture of a place or a person is made up of lots of different parts including traditions, language, values, religion and leisure activities.
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What is cultural diffusion?

  • Cultural diffusion is the spreading of a culture into another.
  • Cultural diffusion happens as a result of globalisation through TNCs (transnational corporations), global media corporations, tourism and migration.
  • Some communities see cultural diffusion as a threat if it means the loss of their own local culture.
    • E.g. The loss of tribal lifestyles in Papua New Guinea.
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Migration and cultural diffusion

  • Migration causes cultural diffusion. People moving to a new part of the world take their language, their customs and often their food with them.
  • It is important to recognise that cultural diffusion is not just Western culture spreading.
    • E.g. The rise of Indian cuisine in the UK is an example of Indian culture spreading from migrants to the UK.
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Tourism and cultural diffusion

  • When tourists visit a country, they expose that culture to their fashion, their food preferences and their way of life.
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TNCs and cultural diffusion

  • Some communities see cultural diffusion as an opportunity because it can lead to increased foreign direct investment (FDI) in their country through the relocation of TNCs.
  • It is an increasingly ‘Westernised’ culture that is spreading.
    • E.g. Disney and Netflix are global TNCs that spread aspects of American culture across the globe through their films and TV shows.

The Impact of Spreading Western Culture

This spread of a Western culture has impacts on both people and the environment.

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Environmental impacts - China

  • In China, the middle class is growing rapidly. As people gain more disposable income, their diets are changing to increasingly match those of the Western world.
  • This means a huge increase in demand for meat and so has many environmental impacts. It is causing an increase in deforestation as trees are cleared to use for cattle ranches.
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Environmental impacts - food

  • Beef and lamb are the most emissions-intensive food. This is because of the methane produced by the animals.
  • By 2015, China had become the world’s biggest market for processed food.
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Opportunities for disadvantaged groups

  • The spread of Western culture also means new opportunities for previously disadvantaged groups.
  • For example, the Paralympic movement. As a global culture of acceptance of people with disabilities spreads (particularly to emerging and developing countries), these groups are getting new opportunities.
    • This growing acceptance of people with disabilities was seen in the London 2012 Paralympics, which sold out - the first Paralympic games to do so.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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