Lesson 1.3

Section 3 - Lesson 3

Lesson 3—Promotion of Culture and Language

How effective are the efforts to promote culture and language in a globalizing world?

Cultural places, traditions, values, and beliefs are key to the collective identity of a group. These aspects can be challenged by the influences of economic and political globalization. In response to the challenge of globalization, individuals and groups attempt to develop strategies that will reduce or eliminate challenges to their culture and language. These strategies are implemented locally, nationally, and globally. You will examine and assess how effective these strategies are in meeting the needs and concerns of collective identities in a globalizing world.

Globalization offers opportunities to gain international acclaim and to develop global awareness of an Indigenous cultural form and language. Examine this opportunity. Consider how the emergence of a new artist on the global music scene can be supported by media technologies such as the Internet and the production and distribution of CDs and downloads. An artist’s particular music form can now travel far beyond her or his borders.

Multimedia

Learn more about some artists by clicking HERE.(Learn Alberta)

What are the strategies, and how effective are they in maintaining culture and language?

 Many collective identities have responded to the influences of globalization to preserve and maintain their culture and language in the face of assimilation and homogenization. There is a variety of responses and degrees to which they succeed in keeping culture and languages viable in a globalizing world.

Read

Read pages 56 to 67 in Perspectives on Globalization.

The textbook features many collective identities and strategies. Read the assigned pages.

Select one collective identity’s response to read about in more detail.

• Read Languages of the Land – An Overview of Aboriginal Language Strategies. What strategies are presented to revitalize languages in Michif, Inuktituk, Mi'kmaq, Maori, and Navajo?
• In 2005, the CBC website presented a story on the efforts of the former president of France, Jacques Chirac, to safeguard the French language in a globalizing world. How could an all-French-language news network, such as France 24, be a strategy to maintain the French language? Go to www.cbc.ca, and use the search bar to find the article called “CNN the French way.”
• In the 1990s France joined in efforts to recognize and promote regional languages as part of the European Union's mandate to preserve ancient European languages. How effective have the strategies been? Go to www.cbc.ca, and use the search bar to find the article called “Language inflames French passions.”
• The Catalan language is recognized along with Spanish official languages in Catalonia and Valencia, regions within the country of Spain. In Catalan perspective, the vitality of the Catalan language is criticial to the survival of the Catalan identity. Television is one such effort to maintain the language for over 12 million Catalans. How effective is a Catalan television network in maintaining the Catalan language and culture?
• Examine how the Al Jazeera television network can be a strategy to maintain the Arabic language and the diverse cultures of the Arab world. Go to the Al Jazeera English website. Click on “About Us” in the menu on the home page. Click to view the Corporate Profile to read about the role of Al Jazeera.
• Read about the strategies to maintain the Welsh language.
• Read the article "To Grandparents, English Word Trend Isn't 'Naisu'."
• Read Sections 16–23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada and Francophone Language Rights
• Read "Profile of languages in Canada: English, French and many others" by Statistics Canada.