Globalization and Culture

Author: (English) John Tomlinson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: Globalization is now a hot topic, but various debates always remain confined to certain specific academic discourses. This book is the first to introduce a sociological theory and cultural studies approach to understanding globalization issues. It first analyzes the relationship between the process of globalization and contemporary cultural change, then connects this analysis to debates about modernity in society and culture. The core of the book is an in-depth and detailed analysis of the complex and ambiguous lived experience of global modernity. Tomlinson argues that we can now see a dissolving universal pattern in the interplay between cultural experiences and regional places. The author discusses the uneven nature of this experience and its relationship with Third World societies, explores the issue of cultural hybridization, and examines the special role of communication and media technologies in this non-territorial expansion process. Globalization and Culture concludes by discussing the cultural politics of cosmopolitanism.