CHIJ SJC SS Issue 3 Chapter 10

© CHIJ SJC/ SS Unit (2024)/ Notes for Chapter 10 1 Secondary 4 Express/ Normal (Academic) Humanities - Social Studies Issue 3 - Chapter 10: How Can We Respond to the Cultural Impacts of Globalisation? Name: _______________________ ( ) Class: ____________ Date: ____________ Key understanding for Chapter 10 • Different responses of countries and individuals to the cultural impacts of Globalisation Learning goal for Chapter 10: • Students will be able to explain the cultural impacts of globalisation on countries and on individuals. • Students will be able to describe the government’s and individual’s responses to the cultural impacts of globalisation. Key concepts for Chapter 10 • Ethnic culture • Popular or consumer culture • Spread of culture • Dilution of culture I am able to do the following: ▢ Explain, with valid examples, what ethnic culture and popular culture is. ▢ Explain, with valid examples, the cultural impacts of globalisation. ▢ Explain, with valid examples, the response of governments and individuals to the cultural impacts of globalisation.

© CHIJ SJC/ SS Unit (2024)/ Notes for Chapter 10 2 What is culture? Factor Description Ethnic culture • Ethnic culture is often understood in terms of the customs and traditions of different ethnic groups. • It encompasses the beliefs, values and practices that shape the behaviours, interactions and way of life of members within the ethnic group. • “Pure” culture does not exist, since people have travelled and influenced the cultures that they encounter. • Ethnic culture may evolve overtime due to people’s actions, choices or influences from other cultures. Popular and consumer culture • Popular and consumer culture is a relatively recent creation, largely due to globalisation. • It influences people’s behaviour, and preferences as consumers. o Examples of popular and consumer culture include watching Hollywood films (such as Marvel movies) or shopping at similar clothing stores (such as Uniqlo, H&M). What are the cultural impacts of globalisation? Key understandings: • The advancements and increasingly prevalent use of digital technology (e.g. social media and smartphones) have facilitated the spread of cultures more easily. • The business activities of MNCs also encourage the spread of popular and consumer culture (e.g. entertainment, food and beverage, and fashion). Factor Description Impact/Response Outcome Spread of culture • Globalisation has led to the spread of popular and consumer culture and the consumer lifestyle associated with it. • Example: American influences on fast food and media o American fast-food chains such as MacDonalds, Starbucks, Subway and KFC are among the largest in the world today. o The American entertainment industry is known to be the largest in the world today, representing a third of the global media and entertainment industry. The Walt Disney Company, Universal Pictures and Netflix are some examples of multi-billion- dollar American MNCs that produce shows which are distributed to the rest of the world. • As popular and consumer culture becomes increasingly prevalent, it has become part of many people’s lifestyles. For instance, American and Korean influences can be observed in people’s entertainment choices, food and fashion. Thus, they may also adopt the value and beliefs

© CHIJ SJC/ SS Unit (2024)/ Notes for Chapter 10 3 o As people continue to enjoy and consume American media, they may also adopt the values and beliefs represented in American shows and movies. This may also shape their lifestyles and preferences. • Example: The Korean Wave, or Hallyu o Since the mid-2000s, Korean influences have spread through beauty products, television dramas (K-dramas), electronics, food and Korean pop music (K-Pop). represented in the American or Korean shows and movies. • The exposure to popular and consumer culture can also enrich their lives by offering them more lifestyle choices. Dilution of culture • Local cultures may come under threat as a result of the spread of other cultures through globalization. • When people become more immersed in global cultural products and lifestyles, the practice of local cultures or ethnic traditions may become less widespread. • The dilution of local cultures may eventually lead to some of these cultures being forgotten overtime, and people may lose the rich meanings and ways of life connected with these cultures. • In the long run, younger generations may grow up under the cultural influences of globalization. They may face more difficulties relating to older generations who may be more deeply rooted in local and ethnic cultures. • Example: Singaporean music scene o A survey conducted in 2022 by the National Arts Council showed that only 53% of respondents found music by Singaporeans appealing and relevant. o Only 55% found music by Singaporeans have international appeal and can be marketable overseas. • The influx of global influence and cultures may replace local culture or result in their gradual loss overtime, along with the understanding of their significance.

© CHIJ SJC/ SS Unit (2024)/ Notes for Chapter 10 4 Responses to the cultural impacts of globalisation Countries and individual have varying degrees of acceptance and rejection of cultural globalisation due to various social, political or economic reasons. Factor Description Impact / Outcome Responses of countries • The cultural products that spread around the world may sometimes contain controversial elements that are deemed offensive to the moral or religious values and beliefs of the local community. • Example: the role of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) o The IMDA cancelled a scheduled live concert by an overseas band following an online petition. o The Minister for Home Affairs and Law expressed serious concerns about how the band’s past performances had promoted violence, hateful sentiments and religiously offensive content. The government may also limit the import of foreign entertainment to protect their local cultural industry and economic interests. • Example: Control of foreign film distribution in China o Chinese authorities limit foreign film distribution through censorship, policies limiting the import of foreign movies and control of release dates. o Foreign films can only be distributed in China through state-owned business cinemas. o Majority of movies (about 83%) screened in China are locally produced while foreign movies only contribute to 15% of the total box office revenue in the country. • Example: limiting exposure to non-French songs in France o 35% of all songs played on radio must be French. This is meant to counter the rising cultural influences from English-speaking countries and to protect the French domestic cultural industries. • As Singapore continues to embrace globalisation, the government is also mindful of its impact on local culture and identity. • The local government may choose to reject cultural products that threaten the values and beliefs of the local community to avoid tension among the locals. • Governments may choose to implement strict measures and guidelines to protect the domestic cultural industry. • Limiting exposure to foreign entertainment also ensures the preservation of local culture since locals continue to be exposed to local- produced cultural products.

© CHIJ SJC/ SS Unit (2024)/ Notes for Chapter 10 5 Responses of individuals • Individuals may choose to actively consume foreign cultural products and embrace the ideas, values and beliefs that they promote. • Individuals may embrace the spread of foreign cultural products to