Lesson 1.3

Section 3 - Lesson 1

To what extent is globalization an opportunity and/or challenge to identity and culture?

The forces of economic, social, and political globalization will affect individuals and groups in varying degrees. In this lesson you will examine the impacts of these forces on culture and identity. From the perspectives of the group, is globalization a force of opportunities or challenges?

The impacts are often categorized as effects of acculturation, accommodation, cultural revitalization, affirmation of identity, integration, assimilation, marginalization, and/or homogenization.

To better understand these effects, click to view Identity and Changes(Learn Alberta). The slide show includes many terms about the effects on individual and collective identity. You may replay the presentation as many times as necessary.

Multimedia

Go to the Internet to explore the Karen website created to share the history and culture of the Karen people of Burma. Click HERE to be taken to the website automatically.  Click Culture in the menu of the homepage. Select Karen History. Explore how the Karen people have faced the challenges of assimilation by another cultural group. Research who the Karen people are and what are the issues they face with retaining their culture and identity.

Learn more about the Ami people of Taiwan.  Click HERE for more information options.

Read

Read pages 70 to 79 and pages 92 to 101 in Perspectives on Globalization

Lesson Summary

Whether globalization affects people economically, socially, or politically, the outcomes for a group’s culture or language will vary. Drastic economic, social, or political impacts of globalization may lead to language and cultural loss for a collective identity. There are also opportunities to embrace and sustain a unique culture and language through the technologies that globalization can offer.

Section 3 - Lesson 2

Lesson 2—Media and Communication Technologies

What is the impact of media and communication technologies on diversity?

Access to new media and communication technologies is very evident in entertainment, quick global contact at your fingertips, and in the pop culture side of the everyday lives of many people. This aspect of globalization influences economic, social, and political dimensions of society. These technologies can unify a community across great distances and geographical obstacles. With these tools, people can instantly be informed by a click of a mouse or a tap of a finger. These tools also create opportunities and challenges to maintaining unique cultures and languages. Some who view globalization as limiting predict that these technologies will develop a homogenized pop culture that will dominate diverse cultures. Those who recognize the potentials of globalization use these technologies to establish a space for the maintenance of their culture, language, and identity in a globalizing world.

Read

Find out what these media and communication technologies are, their impacts on collective identity, and how groups have responded to these technological influences. Read the Chapter Focus on page 46 of Perspectives on Globalization.

Read the introduction to the issue in your textbook, and then respond to the Chapter Focus questions in My Understanding.  (Not for marks).

What impact do multinationals have on cultural and linguistic diversity?

There is great appeal in quick and universal access to communication, information, and entertainment. What impact does this have on cultural and linguistic diversity?

Read Universalization of Pop Culture and Hybridization on pages 49 to 57 in Perspectives on Globalization.

Read about the relationship between ethnic identity and global media on pages 5–15 in "From Ethnic Media to Global Media."

Multimedia

Which multinationals are in the business of creating a global village of communication, entertainment, and information?

Click HERE to find out! What services do they provide? List the areas of influence of these multinationals.

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.

Section 3 Summary and Module Assingment

What new understandings have you gathered at the end of this section to help you respond to this issue?

In a globalizing world, there may be many opportunities and challenges to expressing who you are and want to be. Aspects of your individual identity may be of personal choice or shaped by one of several collective identities that may be a part of your community. The future of your individual and collective identities may depend on the forces of globalization. Identities may strengthen as people use the forces of globalization to celebrate or affirm their identities. Media and communication technologies may be twenty-first-century tools that will complement efforts to maintain identity. The identities of some groups, however, may find limited opportunities if the forces of globalization lead to the assimilation and homogenization of their culture and language. These groups may need to rely on strategies to respond to the overwhelming influences of globalization. The response in favour of or against globalization is not always easy because of the many diverse experiences with globalization.

Assignment

Your final assignment for the Module is simple!  Check it out on the home page - Taking Action on Expressing Identity in a Globalizing World Assignment.