Issues In Americanisation And Culture

This textbook offers students an interdisciplinary and theoretically informed understanding of the cultural processes of Americanisation.

Many contemporary issues cannot be readily or fully understood at the level of the nation state and the concept of globalization is used to develop understanding through the analysis of global (transnational) processes. This volume explores the phenomenon of Americanization, and its worldwide impact, and the cultural consequences of globalization.

This book is the first research work to discuss global Americanization from a historical view in China. Since the 20th century America has been in the leadership of world culture development because of its power, and it continues to attempt to Americanize subordinate cultures. However, America's attempts have proved that Non-American culture grows stronger during the process of American and Non-American culture conflicts, rather than weaker. The author traces the source of global Americanization, presents the challenges that American culture has spread to other cultures since the 20th century, and provides historical references and information to study Americanizing issues in China. The book not only discloses the essence of the hegemonism of American culture, but also delves into the diverse trend of world culture

With the current state of foreign affairs, the terms "Americanism" and "Americanization" sometimes take on an unexpected--and an unflattering--connotation. Americanism essentially involves values, beliefs, ideals, goods and practices in local settings outside the United States that are in some way related or attributed to American influence. While the validity of this influence may be under scrutiny, it requires a detailed historical--and sometimes cultural--analysis to understand all the dynamics and implications of Americanization. A variety of factors contributes to this influence, including the preoccupation and reception of the relevant culture itself. For instance, many European countries have at times demonstrated a preoccupation with all things American which was not necessarily swayed by any action of America itself. The overall actualization of Americanization, however, encompasses a number of societal dimensions, including power differentials in the exchange processes concerned. Informed by a history of relevant developments since the early nineteenth century, this volume presents an in-depth critical analysis of the Americanization process. Beginning with a survey of early European preoccupations with things American, the book goes on to discuss European concerns regarding American influence after World War II. The work then looks at Americanism and its influence within the United States itself, especially regarding developments during the New Deal and beyond. The primary goal of the analysis is the construction of an interpretative framework, allowing for a more balanced approach to the study of Americanism abroad. Written from a critical, social-emancipatory perspective, the author's approach blends economic, military, social, political, cultural and psychological dimensions as well as an examination of the ways in which these areas interact. Finally, Americanism is examined as part of a U.S.-style corporate globalization at the current juncture. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

List of Figures. Preface. 1. Globalization I: Liquids, Flows, and Structures. Some of the Basics. From Solids to Liquids (to Gases). Flows. Does Globalization Hop Rather Than Flow? Heavy, Light, Weightless. Heavy Structures That Expedite Flows. Heavy Structures as Barriers to Flows. Subtler Structural Barriers. Structure and Process. On the Increasing Ubiquity of Global Flows (and Processes) and Structures. Thinking About Global Flows and Structures. Chapter Summary. 2. Globalization II: Some Basic Issues, Debates, and Controversies. Is There Such a Thing as Globalization? If There Is Such a Thing as Globalization, When Did It Begin? Globalization or Globalizations? What Drives Globalization? If There Is Such a Thing as Globalization, Is It Inexorable? Does Globaphilia or Globaphobia Have the Upper Hand? If Globalization Is Not Inexorable, Has It Gone Too Far? What, if Anything, Can be Done About Globalization? Chapter Summary. 3. Globalization and Related Processes I: Imperialism, Colonialism, Development, Westernization, Easternization. Imperialism. Colonialism. Development. Westernization. Easternization. Comparisons with Globalization. The Era of the "Posts". Chapter Summary. 4. Globalization and Related Processes II: Americanization and Anti-Americanism. Clarifying Americanization. Some Useful Conceptual Distinctions. America's Logistical Technologies. A Broader and Deeper View of the Americanization of Consumer Culture. An American Empire? Minimizing the Importance of Americanization. Anti-Americanism. Post-Americanization. Chapter Summary. 5. Neo-Liberalism: Roots, Principles, Criticisms, and Neo-Marxian Alternatives. The Past, Present, and Future of Neo-Liberalism. Neo-Liberalism: An Exemplary Statement and the Basic Principles. Popular Neo-Liberal "Theory": The Case of Thomas Friedman. Critiquing Neo-Liberalism. Neo-Liberalism as Exception. Neo-Liberalism: The Case of Israel The End of History. The Death of Neo-Liberalism? Neo-Marxian Theoretical Alternatives to Neo-Liberalism. Chapter Summary. 6. Global Political Structures and Processes. On Political Processes and Flows. The Nation-State. Threats to the Nation-State. In Defense of the Nation-State. "Imagined Community". Changes in Global Nation-State Relations. Other Global Political Developments and Structures. Regional Political Organizations. Global Governance. Civil Society. Other Players. Chapter Summary. 7. Structuring the Global Economy. Before Bretton Woods. Bretton Woods and the Bretton Woods System. The End of Bretton Woods. Changes in, and Critiques of, Bretton-Woods-Era Organizations. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). European Union (Common Market). North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). MERCOSUR. OPEC. The Multinational Corporation (MNC). World Economic Forum. The Myth of Economic Globalization? Chapter Summary. 8. Global Economic Flows: Production and Consumption. Trade. Increasing Competition for Commodities. The Economic Impact of the Flow of Oil. Race to the Bottom and Upgrading. Outsourcing. Financial Globalization. Corporations, People, and Ideas. Consumption. Chapter Summary. 9. Global Culture and Cultural Flows. Cultural Differentialism. Cultural Hybridization. Cultural Convergence. Cultural Imperialism. Chapter Summary . 10. High-Tech Global Flows and Structures: Technology, Media, and the Internet. Technology. Media. The Internet. Chapter Summary. 11. Global Flows of People: Vagabonds and Tourists. Migrants. Migration. Tourists and Tourism. Chapter Summary. 12. Global Environmental Flows. Differences among Nation-States. Collapse. The Leading Environmental Problems. Global Responses. Chapter Summary 13. Negative Global Flows and Processes: Dangerous Imports, Diseases, Crime, Terrorism, War. Dangerous Imports. Borderless Diseases. Crime. Corruption. Terrorism. War. The Impact of Negative Global Flows on Individuals. Chapter Summary. 14. Global Inequalities I: Patterns of Inequality. Inequality. Rural-Urban. Chapter Summary. 15. Global Inequalities II: Global Majority-Minority Relations. Majority-Minority Relations in a Global Context. Social Definitions. Race and Ethnicity. Ethnicity. Race. Gender. Children. Sexual Minorities: Gays and Lesbians. Responding to and Resisting Minority Status: The Case of Women. Chapter Summary. 16. Dealing with, Resisting, and the Futures of, Globalization. Dealing with Globalization. Resisting Globalization. The Futures of Globalization. Chapter Summary. Appendix: Disciplinary Approaches to Globalization. Anthropology. Sociology. Political Science. Economics. Geography. Psychology. Literary Criticism (Postcolonial). Other Fields. Glossary. Index.

Explaining the mechanisms behind the larger processes of globalization, modernization, and cultural imperialism, this book explores the realms of daily life in Sweden and how cultural impulses are actually integrated in the lives of ordinary people. The dreams, opinions, actions, and consumption desires of individuals with different social backgrounds are considered, determining the significance the processes of Americanization have had in shaping and influencing the form and content of everyday life in Sweden.

Exploring the central themes in modern American cultural studies and discussing how these themes can be interpreted, American Cultural Studies offers a wide-ranging overview of different aspects of American cultural life such as religion, gender and sexuality, regionalism, and ethnicity and immigration. The fourth edition has been revised throughout to take into account the developments of the last four years. Updates and revisions include: discussion of Barack Obama’s time in the White House consideration of ‘Hemispheric American Studies’ and the increasing debates about globalisation and the international role of the USA long-form television and American Studies up-to-date case studies, such as Girls, The Wire and Orange is the New Black more material on Detroit, the Mexican border, same-sex relationships and Islam in America updated further reading lists and new follow-up work. Illustrated throughout, containing follow-up questions and further reading at the end of each chapter, and accompanied by a companion website (www.routledge.com/cw/campbell) providing further study resources, American Cultural Studies is a core text and an accessible guide to the interdisciplinary study of American culture.

The ongoing discussions about globalization, American hegemony and September 11 and its aftermath have moved the debate about the export of American culture and cultural anti-Americanism to center stage of world politics. At such a time, it is crucial to understand the process of culture transfer and its effects on local societies and their attitudes toward the United States. This volume presents Germany as a case study of the impact of American culture throughout a period characterized by a totalitarian system, two unusually destructive wars, massive ethnic cleansing, and economic disaster. Drawing on examples from history, culture studies, film, radio, and the arts, the authors explore the political and cultural parameters of Americanization and anti-Americanism, as reflected in the reception and rejection of American popular culture and, more generally, in European-American relations in the "American Century." Alexander Stephan is Professor of German, Ohio Eminent Scholar, and Senior Fellow of the Mershon Center for the Study of International Security and Public Policy at Ohio State University, where he directs a project on American culture and anti-Americanism in Europe and the world.