Globalisation: Homogenisation or Diversification?

demesne-wideisation Homogenisation or Diversification?Yannick BuitenhuisIntroductionGlobalisation has brought changes and has increased global interaction. This growing interconnectedness has led to the movement of reports, values, ways of living and attitudes eludewise the world. Despite that the interaction between floriculture and globalisation is non a new matchless, this process of ethnic globalisation has brought forth a comparatively recent debate about its outcomes for the world (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 3 7). The debate revolves or so deuce diverse trends that cultural globalisation backside bring, namely if the globalisation is homogenising, or contraryiating the world. In communication channel with Nederveen Pietserse (1996, p. 137), these argon non the only trends that great deal be distinguished, but argon probably two of the main aces. This musical theme pull up stakes therefore focus itself on this debate by discussing twain sides and exiting ke ep the following question in mindIs globalisation cultural homogenising or differentiating the world we live in?The discussion brings the arguments of two sides to the light and will be elaborated on the basis of approximately worldwide and local spends. Subsequently, my receive opinion about the matter of cultural globalisation is given in the conclusion to answer the above question. give-and-takeAs earlier mentioned, the discussion will focus on two different views in the debate of cultural globalisation. The two views crowd out be seen as each(prenominal) other(a) opposites. The first that will be discussed will be the idea of homogenisation. Subsequently, the idea of differentiation will be discussed. nearly(prenominal) views will be elaborated at the afford of holidays that atomic number 18 illustrious across the world.HomogenisationThe first meter reading of the process of cultural globalization is the idea that as a cause of technological innovation, commercial a nd cultural synchronisation arising from the West, the world is change state more the same, more standardised and more uniform (Nederveen Pieterse, 1993, p. 265). Homogenisation brings about a world that is becoming overwhelmed by forces making for sameness that is the global standardisation of culture and institutional structures (Robertson uninfected, 2003, p. 15). This concepts argues that the connections between geographical places and cultural experience are existence weakened by the dynamics of globalisation and that the feeling of spatial blank is wearing down (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 9).A key assumption is that of cultural imperialism, the idea that a few Western societies or the society of the United States select out their culture upon the world (Ritzer as cited by Kuhn, 2009, p. 56). The transtheme intricacy of common codes and practices is the cultural element of this process and pile be think to the concept of consumer culture. By adopting the Western/American example, cultures and consumption practices are becoming globally more the same (Kuhn, 2009, p. 56). This can also be related to the revolve of roughly holidays. For example, citizenry worldwide buy a go for their love on Valentines Day in February. This (commercial) aspect of this holiday blown over from the Anglo-American world is now part of many cultures in the world. another(prenominal) example is Halloween. People worldwide dress themselves in costumes and are decorating their houses with pumpkins and cobwebs. Special events are also organised revolving roughly Halloween, for instance the Halloween apprehension Nights in amusement park Walibi in Biddinghuizen. So in this case, one could hence argue that some aspects of (western) culture are being spread across the world and are carried out upon other cultures. The same holidays are being abide byd and their practice is the same worldwide.DifferentiationThe second interpretation is the opposite of homogenization. Diffe rentiation assumes that the world is becoming diverse and focuses on the diversification between places. Individuals and groups lease influence on globalisation and globalisation copes with and is characterised by a diversity of reactions. The idea rejects that this process establishes a homogenisation of cultures resulting from one way interaction from Western cultures (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7 Kuhn, 2009, p. 58). Also, Ritzer (as cited by Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7) argued that differentiation relates to barriers which nix flows that contribute in making cultures ascertain the same. civilizations will therefore bear different form each other and cultural differentiation will stay in a globalising world. Practices of other cultures are present in different cultures, but will stay within the margins of local and national cultures. Thus, different global and local cultures will coexist next to each other. Only the criteria that cultural groups use to define their identity and t o differentiate from others can change (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 8).The intensification of flows across cultures causes a more inwardly appearing world. local anesthetic cultures can indeed be affected by globalisation and its flows, and this can influence the transformation of cultures, but the core of the culture will persist intact (Ritzer, 2010. Cited by Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 7). Even so, these multi-directional global flows and world processes do not wipe out local cultures, but they modify some of their characteristics and build up others (Hassi Storti, 2012, p. 8). The strengthening of some characteristics can come hand in hand with an attempt to differentiate from the global or a form of granting immunity against the forces of globalisation (Kuhn, 2009, p. 59). Link to this, the fact that Valentines Day is banned in the Middle-East since 2008, because it does not fit in the Islamic world (BBC recents, 2008). Also, cultural groups will react differently to these forces and will develop differently, different environments ask for different efforts to adapt.Just deal that there are holidays that are global, there are also national and local holidays. For instance, only in the Netherlands and Belgium people celebrate Sinterklaas. Even with the debate revolving around Zwarte Piet and reactions from other countries, a lot of people in the Netherlands embrace the holiday as part of their culture. Reactions were mixed, when it came to the public perplexity that the UN, a global institution, came to investigate this cultural heritage for racism in 2013, which even strengthened the will for some to celebrate Sinterklaas even more. Another holiday that connected to a culture is the celebration of New division in the Asian world. Instead of the first of January, many Asians celebrate New Year according to the lunar calendar. Or another example, Thanksgivings Day in Northern America. These examples show that despite the flows of globalisation, some holiday s do not cross over and are related to specific cultures, because of the deep historical grow and context. So, globalisation cannot fully eradicate a culture and its core features which characterises it and does not always spread certain cultural aspects out across the world. consequenceTwo different views are present in the debate revolving around cultural globalization. At the one hand, the view that globalisation is homogenising, and at the other hand the view that it is differentiating. Therefore, in the introduction was asked if globalisation is cultural homogenising or differentiating the world we live in?In my own opinion, cultures can be seen as dynamic and therefore undergo certain changes over while and are exposed to external forces. Globalisation, time-space compression and technological innovation have made global interaction easier and, thus, interaction between different cultures is winning place. Indeed different characteristic of cultures, mostly Western, are bei ng copied al around the world and some facets in cultures are becoming the same, look at Valentines Day or Halloween. So, there are indeed some homogenising effects of globalisation.But my opinion is also in line with what Hassi Storti told, namely that the core of cultures will not let itself as easily influenced. A culture can be seen as concentric circles. The outmost rings of a culture can be influenced easier, exchangeable some consumption patterns, but this is different for the core. Some aspects are not so easy changed or blown over to others, because they are historical grow and/or do not fit in other cultures, like Sinterklaas, New Year in Asia or Thanksgiving. There are salve cultural differentiations in the world. Thereby, I reason that just like cultures differ, their reactions on aspects of other cultures also differ. Aspects that are recognisable and stand close to their own culture will be embraced, but other aspects can be cast away. People can influence global isation and there is, like Kuhn said, a diversity in reactions. In this way globalisation can be seen as the wind in a Chinese proverb, and when it blows, some build walls, while others build windmills (European Commision, 2013).ReferencesBBC News (2008), Saduis Clamp Down on Valentines. http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7239005.stm. Last used on 5 October 2014.European Commision (2013), The Commissioners (2010-2014) Connie Hedegaards articles. http//ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/hedegaard/headlines/articles/2013-07-05_01_en.htm. Last used on 5 October 2014.Hassi, A. Storti, G. (2012), globalization and Culture The Three H Scenarios. In H. Cuadra-Montiel (ed.), Globalization Approaches to Diversity, pp. 3-20. 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