Critically Evaluate The View That The Internet Facilitates Not Local Cultures But Cultural Domination By Transnational Corporations

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2003 in the subject Communications - Media and Politics, Politic Communications, grade: 84, University of Leeds (Communication and Cultural Studies), course: Advanced Cultural Production and Policy, 125 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The early internet, whose invention some authors compare to the revolution the exploitation of the power of steam brought about, was developed in the US in an university and military context and mainly financed by ARPA, the US Department of Defence Research Agency. In the 1970s in the US thought was given to the need to back up computing systems in case of nuclear attack which resulted in yoking the machines together, which then formed part of what we today call the internet. Its development from there has been viewed as being in the hands of its users. The fundamental principles of the internet were 'free circulation of information, belief in the productiveness of confrontation and interaction, autonomy, and individual responsibility'. What is more, because the academic and countercultural computing cultures were made up of intellectuals, these cultures were able to produce accounts of themselves with some advocates highlighting the capacity of the internet to (re)establish community and foster local cultures. In the following pages we will be looking at how the internet has altered existing social relations of production and consumption. It is being examined in how far the internet offers the opportunity 'to challenge the authority of the producer, democratise production capability, and empower consumers' and in how far it remains a public space free of interference, both from government control and commercialism.

In this provocative book Terhi Rantanen challenges conventional ways of thinking about globalization and shows how it cannot be understood without studying the role of the media. Rantanen begins with an accessible overview of globalization and the pivotal role of the media.

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2010 in the subject Politics - Topic: International Organisations, grade: 1, -, language: English, abstract: “We live in a world where markets are not less important than countries and where multinational companies are not less important than governments” – this claim by Shimon Peres (cited in Rosenau, 1998, p.28) shows two essential developments in the area of international relations: nation states ́ power has suffered a decrease, while transnational corporations (TNCs) have become more powerful political actors (Hildebrandt, 2003). Some of the TNCs have annual sales that are higher than the GDP of countries: 21 companies were among the 100 largest economies in 2000 if salaries and benefits, depreciation, amortization, and revenues summed (Sarfati, 2009). The central question then is how much power TNCs nowadays have and what their actual role and influence in the area of international relations is. Do TNCs dictate the conditions under which they operate? Or are states still the unchallenged main actor of international relations? And how do TNCs, states, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) work together? In this environment of economic globalization, global rules for global markets are essential. The question is how these should be implemented, and who should do so. Taking into account the mentioned declining regulatory capacity of nation states it becomes obvious that there have to be other institutions fulfilling the demand for international rules, in order to achieve a balance between market and social concerns (Brown, 2010). Taking these developments into consideration, this paper will discuss the research question, in how far TNCs are able to fill existing institutional voids, and what their motives are. Do they initiate actions because they are willing to do so, or are they forced to? The hypothesis is that TNCs are able to cope with existing institutional voids by using codes of conduct, which emerge as informal institutions that set international rules. In order to analyze this problem the paper will take the United Nations Global Compact (GC) as an example of one specific code of conduct that has been set up to create global rules.

"Introduction to Sociology 2e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical, one-semester introductory sociology course. It offers comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories, which are supported by a wealth of engaging learning materials. The textbook presents detailed section reviews with rich questions, discussions that help students apply their knowledge, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. The second edition retains the book's conceptual organization, aligning to most courses, and has been significantly updated to reflect the latest research and provide examples most relevant to today's students. In order to help instructors transition to the revised version, the 2e changes are described within the preface."--Website of text.

The interwoven futures of humanity and our planet are under threat. Urgent action, taken together, is needed to change course and reimagine our futures.

This report analyses all aspects of cultural diversity, which has emerged as a key concern of the international community in recent decades, and maps out new approaches to monitoring and shaping the changes that are taking place. It highlights, in particular, the interrelated challenges of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue and the way in which strong homogenizing forces are matched by persistent diversifying trends. The report proposes a series of ten policy-oriented recommendations, to the attention of States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, international and regional bodies, national institutions and the private sector on how to invest in cultural diversity. Emphasizing the importance of cultural diversity in different areas (languages, education, communication and new media development, and creativity and the marketplace) based on data and examples collected from around the world, the report is also intended for the general public. It proposes a coherent vision of cultural diversity and clarifies how, far from being a threat, it can become beneficial to the action of the international community.

There are billions of internet users in China, and this number is continually growing. This book looks at the various purposes of this internet use, and provides a study about how the entertainment-consuming users form into publics through the mediation of technologies in the era of network society. It questions how individuals, mediated by new information and communication technologies, come together to form new social categories. The book goes on to investigate how public(s) is formed in the era of network society, with particular focus on how fans become publics in a society that follows the logic of network. Using online surveys and in-depth interviews, this book provides a rich description of the process of constructing a new social formation in contemporary China.

Provides a comparative perspective on the state of social problems and deviance in a variety of societies around the world. This book explores the theory of the weakness of the strong, in other words, strong or wealthy nations may have greater vulnerability to some social problems than less developed or affluent societies.