Clash of cultures? Comparative Sociology Week 17

Recap Looked at different forms of capitalism Agreement that there are differences between national cultures But what those differences are and how they relate to other factors in each society is debated

Outline New world order –Conflict within post-colonial relationships Cultural imperialism –Conflict between the west and the developing word Clash of cultures –Conflict between Islam and the West

New World Order The term ‘New World Order’ has multiple definitions and different starting points. Post-colonial world Collapse communist states After attacks on the World Trade Centre All refer to change in macro political relationships which impact on everyday lives

Post-colonial theories Focuses on the power-relationships between the western and ‘third worlds’ Examines the ongoing effects of the relationship between colonisers and colonised Looks at the shift from overt political control to neo-colonialism

Post-colonial Colonial countries begin to disconnect from their former colonisers

‘Free’ trade Trans-national free-market system –Liberal capitalism enforced by World Bank/IMF –Structural adjustment Privatisation of utilities such as water –Trade agreements GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)

Globalisation Growth of western dominated multinationals

Fair trade? Move production to labour costs –Lower wages –Child labour –Reduced health and safety

Free trade? Discuss with you neighbours the advantages and disadvantages the globalisation of free market capitalism?

Cultural imperialism Cultural imperialism is the way in which one culture is ‘forced’ onto another In history this has been through military power or law –Certain languages banned from education Often used now to explain the domination of the western media and its impact on local cultures

Cultural imperialism Economic dominance has been accompanied by cultural dominance, particularly through media –Growth of English as a world language –Western dominance of internet –Multinational media corporations Reshaping world culture to a western model?

America Dream as export? Disney is often the key example

Cultural dominance? Discuss with your neighbours to what extent you think cultural imperialism is happening and/or a problem

Clash of cultures Since the collapse of the communist states debates started about a new ‘clash’ of cultures. A new ‘enemy’ of centred around particular Islamic cultures has been constructed in the media and political rhetoric

‘Them and Us’ Freedom Democracy Rule of law Rational Constraint Totalitarian regimes Unjust Fundamentalist

‘Our values’ New Legislation –Patriot Act (USA) Power to access information about everything from medical records to books bought without probable cause. –Terrorism Act 2000 (UK) Can stop and search for articles connected with terrorism without having grounds to suspect the person is carrying such an article. Both have been used primarily on minority- ethnic groups Opponents of the Patriot Act have been branded as supporters of terrorism

Fundamentalism? Terrorism is not ‘new’ in the US or UK In Oklahoma City 19 April 1995 –government building –168 people died, 500 injured Timothy McVeigh was not a ‘white terrorist’ or a ‘Christian extremist’despite being linked to anti-government militias

Clash of cultures? Discuss with your neighbours the extent to which you think there is a clash of cultures?

Cultural Values? Inglehart and Norris have used the world values survey to examine the cultural divide They argue that in terms of political principals such as democracy the West and Muslim countries have similar values The biggest divide is in attitudes towards acceptable societal behaviour –Divorce, abortion, gender equality, and gay rights

Summary Considered how national culture is developed through history particularly in relation to colonialism Considered if ‘cultural imperialism’ is a social problem Explored the emerging ideas about a clash of cultures

Next week Looking at welfare systems –particularly Europe and the US Look in more details at the development of different forms of welfare Consider the relationship between capitalism and welfare