Critically Appraise The Concept Of Cultural Homogenization

Cultural Homogenization
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Cultural Homogenization
Critically appraise the concept of ‘cultural homogenization’ while providing relevant scholarship and examples to support your argument.
Introduction
As the world becomes increasingly globalized, many aspects of human life such as culture are shifting from their earlier distinctive qualities. Technology especially the internet, media and international travel have increased, and these elements have transmission of ideas, values, meanings, virtues, beliefs in ways that have intensified social interactions. A new concept under culture globalization known as cultural homogenization was coined by scholars to refer to the reduction of cultural diversity. Homogenizing culture is the process through which a culture is transformed and or is assimilated by another culture such that it is discernible from its previous self. Cultures evolve, and cultural homogenization is a form of cultural evolution, but the agent of evolution is another culture(s). Sociologists, economists, anthropologists, approach cultural homogenization differently through the lens of their respective fields and argue whether cultural globalization will ultimately lead to a global culture of global cultures.
One of the key figures in defining the approach to the issue of cultural homogenization is Immanuel Wallerstein and Leslie Sklair. Wallerstein, a world system theorist, approaches the concept from a capitalistic angle arguing that the world system is pegged on the ‘the ceaseless accumulation of capital' CITATION Hop07 \l 1033 (Hopper, 2007). From Wallerstein’s perspective, capitalism is the main engine that drives globalization. Though his approach has been criticized, it is important to note that concepts such as McDonaldization and Cocacolization are largely connected to capitalism. The influence of MNCs around the world cannot be underestimated or perceived as unimpactful to local cultures. Other capitalistic corporations such as social media tech companies, television studios such as CBS, Time Warner, Sony etc. haven’t affected global culture.
Sklair approach to cultural homogeneity is also related to economics but pegged on consumerism unlike Wallerstein’s approach pegged on capitalism. According to Sklair, ‘consumerism provides much of the glue that holds the global system together: Without consumerism, the rationale for continuous capitalist accumulation dissolves’ CITATION Hop07 \l 1033 (Hopper, 2007). In Sklair’s structuralist approach, denies that culture is not a separate entity, but it is associated with other ideologies. Viewing culture from the lens of economics tends to position it as a subject of economic ideologies. it is the approach adopted by Sklair and Wallerstein, and they argue that culture evolves due to the internal impact of economics. Wallerstein and Sklair’s perspectives are criticized for a narrow approach to a culture which is based on world systems and overlooks human agency in the development of culture. They are centred on a single facet of global structures which pay scant attention to the other influential elements that affect cultures.
Jesús Martín Barbero is a...