GlobalizationGlobal culture and cultural flows

By Ahtasham Khan

IntroductionCulture tends to flow comparatively easily

throughout the world. That flow is increasingly easy beacuase culture exists increasingly in digitized forms.

The internet permits global downloading and sharing of digitized cultural forms such as movies, videos, music, books, newspaper, photos, and so on.

Before understanding Global culture and cultural flows we have to understand three theories;

I. Cultural Differentialism II. Cultural HybridizationIII. Cultural Convergence

Brief definitions of theories Cultural Differentialism involves barriers that

prevent flows that serve to make alike; Culture tend to remain stubbornly different from one another.

Cultural hybridization is the mixing of cultures and the integration of the global and the local leading to unique combinations.

Cultural convergence is when cultures are subject to many of the same global flows and tend to grow more alike.

Cultural DifferentialismThose who adopt this theory argue that there are lasting differences

among and between cultures, largely unaffected by globalization or any other bi-, inter-, multi-, and trans-cultural processes and flows.

This is not to say that culture is unaffected by any of these processes. Especially globalization, but it is to say at their core they are largely unaffected by them: they remain much as they always have been.

This theory has long history, but it has attracted increasing attention and adherents in recent years because of tow sets of events. One, the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq , and the second, attack on twins tower on 9/11.

To these events are seen as the product of clash between western and Islamic culture and seemingly eternal differences between them.

The other is the increasing multi-culturalism in US(Hispanic population and Western European countries (largely the growing of Muslim population) and the vast differences, and enmity, between majority and minority of population

Samuel Huntington’s Clash of CivilizationsThe most famous and controversial, example of cultural differentialism

theory is samuel huitngton’s clash of civilizations and the remaking of the world order.

Huntington differentiates among seven or eight world civilizations: Sinic (Chinese), Japan, Hindu, Islamic, orthodox (centered in Russia), Western Europe, North America (along with the closely aligned Australia and New Zealand), Latin America, and (possibly) Africa.

Huntington sees these civilizations as differing greatly on basic philosophical assumptions, underlying values, social relations, customs, and overall outlooks on life.

According to Huntington for more than 3000 years civilizations tended to be widely separated in both time and space. The contacts among them were apt to be almost non-existent.

The next phase, roughly from 1500 to WWII, wascaracterized by the sustained. Overpowering, and unidirectional impact of western civilization on all other civilizations.

Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations Huntington attributes this to various structural characteristics of the

west including the rise there of cities, commerce, state bureaucracy, and an emerging sense of national consciousness.

The period after WWII and until about 1990 was characterized by a clash of ideas, especially capitalist and communist ideologies, but with the fall of communism, the major clashes in the world came to revolve around religion, culture, and ultimately civilizations.

Huntington foresees west decline in it’s resources relatively – in population, economic products, and military capability. Other civilization will reject the west but will utilize the advances of modernization.

With the fall of west Asian societies especially the sinic civilization will get great importance. The Chinese economy will become largest in the world and India will experience great economic, growth as well.

Huntington believes Sinic Civilization will emerge on the basis of economy, while Islamic resurgence will base its expansion in dramatic population growth and the mobilization of the population.

Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations Huntington says conflict will occur at the fault lines among and

between civilizations, especially the western, Sinic, and Islamic civilizations. Thus, he foresees dangerous clashes in the future between the west, Islam, and Sinic.

The conflict will arise because west is possessing “Universal Culture,” and its desire to export that culture to the rest of the world.

The west also seeks to export democracy to, even impose it on, other societies and civilizations which often resist it as part of the west’s idea of universal culture.

Huntington argues that where ever Muslims and non-Muslims live in close proximity to one another, violent conflict and intense antagonism are pervasive. He believes islam has been the religion of sword and conquest.

The high birth rate in Islam will force many to move out of the heart of Islamic society in search of income and work. Thi will serve to bring Muslims and their cultue into more and more contact and conflict with those in other civilizations.

Samuel Huntington’s Clash of CivilizationsHuntington warns West and US for its

survival it should follow two things. First, it must reaffirm it identity as western rather than multi civilization nation. Second, it must reaffirm and reassert its role as the leader of western civilization around the globe.

The real danger for Huntington is multiculturalism within the wt and all other civilization. Thus, Huntington ultimately comes down on the side of cultural continuity and something approaching cultural purity within civilizations.

Example of Cultural Differentialism in Saarc

Cultural Differentialism