Global Culture
Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 4.5.1
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tourism and cultural diffusion
- When tourists visit a country, they expose that culture to their fashion, their food preferences and their way of life.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on Global Culture
What is the rise of Indian cuisine in the UK an example of?
What are the two most emissions-intensive foods?
Which country is the world's biggest market for processed food?