Studies in Multicultural
Societies
DIFFERENT PEOPLES,
ONE WORLD
Multicultural Societies as a
Subset of Globalization
HARI SRINIVAS
ROOM: I-312
/
079-565-7406
Defining Globalization
There are three aspects to the definition of
“Globalization”:
The first is a compression of time and space
2. The second is social, political, economic, and
cultural interconnections and interdependencies
3. The third is the global scale – beyond the national
level
1.
Defining Globalization
Globalisation
could involve
all these
things!
Is this Globalization?
Before Globalization
One way to approach
this: think about the
world before
globalization
• Distance mattered—space often measured in time
• Territorial boundaries more or less kept things in and out
• Society and culture had spatial referents
• Everything had its “place” (literally)
After Globalization
In a globalizing world:
• Distance becomes almost irrelevant (the end of
distance)
• Boundaries are increasingly permeable.
• Groups and cultures increasingly don’t have a
territorial basis (deterritorialization)
• A new kind of non-physical “place” is
emerging (supraterritoriality)
Political, economic, social and
cultural changes
What is happening?
1) Whole world interconnected
- interdependence of all parts of
world
2) Intensification of world-wide
phenomena
3) Trans-national relations
- erosion of national boundaries
4) “Domino effects”
- events have long-distance
ramifications e.g. September 11
What is happening?
5) Alteration of space
- distances shortened
- technological changes
6) Alteration of time
- things happen quicker
7) Sense of “globality” /
Global consciousness
- experience all places as interdependent
- “the whole planet”
- “the whole of humankind”
Why is globalization happening?
• Expansion of international
commerce
• Rising importance of private
capital flows
• Increasing travel and migration
• Increased communication and
interaction between peoples
Why is globalization happening?
Last 30 years:
- Electronic communications
technology
- Cheap air travel
- Spread of capitalism after fall of
Communism in late 1980s
- Development of a truly “global”
capitalism
Integration of Societies
 Made possible by:
 Technology
 Communication networks
 Internet access
 Growth of economic cooperation –
trading blocs (EU, APEC, NAFTA,
etc.)
 Collapse of ‘communism’
 Movement to free trade
Globalization dimensions: POLITICS
 Globalization undermines sovereignty of
states i.e. undercuts power of a state to
control things in its territory
Economically:
1) power of TNCS
2) forces of world market
Politically:
1) International bodies and law
e.g. United Nations, European Union
2) Global protest movements e.g. Greens
Culturally:
1) Cultural influences from all over world
2) Trans-national media – public opinion
Globalization dimensions: SOCIAL RELATIONS
 social relations transformed from
purely local or national to more
“global”
 communications technologies;
travel technologies
 dispersal of populations across
globe:
 migrations and diasporas
Trans-national social connections
- public life: trans-national business
relationships
- private life: relatives & friends in
different countries; inter-marriage
between national groups, etc.
Multiple, non-national affiliations and
identities
Cosmopolitanism: a person’s identity
is decoupled from the nation-state
Globalization dimensions: CULTURE
Emergence of a “global culture”?
What might this look like?
Positive: whole world shares same
ideas and values?
World Cup, Olympic Games
Negative: local cultures destroyed?
Globalization dimensions: CULTURE
Westernisation / Americanisation of the
world
Domination of American consumer
brands:
McDonalds, Nike, Coca-Cola, Gap
Global cultural homogenisation
- Same consumer goods everywhere
- Same ways of thinking everywhere
Globalization dimensions: CULTURE
1) People in local cultures reinterpret global culture
products in light of their own values & interests
2) Global culture is always limited by local cultures
3) Mixtures of global and local cultures:
- process of glocalization
- local becomes global
- global becomes local
4) Perceived threats to local identity:
- strong assertion of local identity
Globalization dimensions: CULTURE
1) No culture is ever ‘pure’
- Always a mixture of influences
2) Previously separate cultures come into
contact with each other
3) Globalization = Complex mixtures of
cultures
- multi-cultural societies
Globalization dimensions: CULTURE
Globalization of religion:
- other options than the “local” religion
- religious syncretism: mixing and matching
- New Age religions: bits of Christianity, Hinduism,
Buddhism, Taoism, Celtic paganism & witchcraft, etc.
Globalization of food:
- “fusion cuisine” e.g. French-Japanese, Anglo-Indian
Globalization of music:
- “World music”
- Buddhist-techno, Spanish rap, Hungarian rock
“Glocalization”?!
Globalization
Local
Cultures
A combination of the
words "globalization"
and "localization"
used to describe a
product or service
that is developed and
distributed globally,
but is also fashioned
to accommodate the
user or consumer in a
local market.
Creates
multi-cultural societies
Globalization
Destroyes
multi-cultural societies
Amartya Sen: Normative Debates (Good
vs. Bad)
1. Whether globalization is
westernization or “amercanization”
2. Whether globalization
fairly benefits the poor
3. Whether the institutional infrastructure of
globalization is adequate
Contact me …
Resources, websites, ideas, notes will be available
online:
www.gdrc.info/sms/
Send me an email anytime!
Hari Srinivas
hari.srinivas@kwansei.ac.jp
IMPORTANT:
When you send an email, please always put “[ZEMI]” in the subject line!