Globalization and Cultural Imperialism

            According to Prof. Straubhaar’s lecture on Globalization and Media, globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures, and people. Globalization is accelerated by technological developments, so it has grown considerably over the past few decades. Globalization is highly connected to the concept of cultural imperialism, or the “Westernization” of other cultures to the point where all cultures are essentially the same.  Without globalization, we cannot have cultural imperialism. Because of the large amount of power the U.S. has, the U.S. exports its culture much more than it imports other cultures. There is a stereotype that Americans know nothing about the outside world, and although that isn’t totally accurate, there is some truth to it; with the world becoming more and more Americanized, Americans have less of a reason to learn about other countries and cultures. And, with increased Americanization, comes increased consumerism in Americanized countries.

            McDonalds is pretty much the poster child for American globalization and cultural imperialism. It has moved from being only in the U.S. to having restaurants in many countries all over the world. The spread of McDonalds epitomizes many people’s fears that American culture is taking over other countries, causing them to lose their cultural identity. McDonalds does make an effort to relate to other cultures, with different menu items such as these:

However, changing menu items does not take away the effect of Americanization in these countries, nor the fears that go along with it.