Globalization is Challenging the Preservation of Local Culture

Are we willing to accept a global society by sacrificing our local customs?

By Megan Harris, Staff Writer

As we progress farther into the 21st century, so lengthens our path down the road of globalization. The world’s cultures and economies have become more and more intertwined, and a debate has grown as to whether or not this is a good thing. Some argue that globalization is good because it means more trade between countries, therefore leading to lower prices and more economic growth. It provides greater investment opportunities–like, multi-national corporations investing in smaller companies.

Supporters of globalization also counter that it creates more jobs in developing countries – though critics disagree with this, and say that industrialization in smaller countries by larger ones puts those small nations at the larger nations’ mercy. Another viewpoint here is that although jobs are being created in developing countries, this outsourcing results in a loss of jobs in the local economies of developed countries. A prime example of this is the amount of products Canadians use that are made by outsourcing labour in other countries.

In the past, these goods were made in Canadian factories, by Canadian workers, but now this is not always the case. Companies like outsourcing production to developing countries, because for them it cuts down on labour costs, and that often means less stringent requirements for working conditions. This is seen by many as a clear injustice and a downfall to globalization.

To others, increased global trade means that people, especially in Canada and the rest of the Western world, have easy access to products that are off-season or not produced in their home country. Fruits such as kiwis, pineapples, and bananas can be found in most Canadian grocery stores year-round. Arguably, is this positive because it enhances the lifestyle of people in the Western world, as well as creating jobs for people who produce these fruits (and other foreign-made products), or is it negative because it controls and regulates what these smaller nations are able to do?

Alongside the issues and debate over industry and trade in relation to globalization, we should now turn our discussion to the cultural impact of globalization. Which is better – working towards improving the already ever-present globalization, or preserving local cultures?

A huge example of the cultural effect of globalization is the “Americanization” of the world–the North American culture finding its way into societies across the world–societies that have previously been independent and culturally unique. This is not to say that globalization has replaced local culture, but the debate around these issues lies in the fact that the two things are increasingly at odds.

Does it take away from the culture of a small European city when American restaurants (such as McDonalds) can be found in those cities, and food from those places (such as Italian food) can now be found in many places worldwide? Or is this a positive thing because it connects people from these small cities in Europe to people in the West and other parts of the world, making them seem closer?

Another example is holiday traditions. In the 1980s, Chinese people didn’t really celebrate Christmas in their home country, however, now an increasing number of people in China, especially younger generations, are recognizing and celebrating this holiday. Does this undermine traditional Chinese culture? Should we work to preserve Chinese culture, or should supporters of Christmas in the West celebrate that more people are embracing their traditions?

Zhou Chunyu, Masters of Public Administration student at the School of Government and Society at the University of Birmingham in England, has an interesting take on this issue. He says that while globalization is a huge influence on our world today, including in the area of culture, traditional and local cultures can co-exist with globalization.

“Local culture is an important element of peoples’ roots, and is very difficult to be changed,” says Chunyu. “Local culture can be influenced by globalization to some degree by way of local peoples’ behaviour and attitudes. Although globalization might change people’s lifestyles to some extent, traditional culture can’t be replaced by external cultures, and it dominates the local populations minds and hearts.”

“Local culture can be preserved and can’t be replaced by other cultures, while globalization as a driving power has been instrumental in shaping lifestyles of local residents in some ways.” Chunyu adds that there could be a difference if someone was born and raised away from their native country or culture from a young age. In this case, their original roots and culture could be replaced or dramatically influenced by the culture and experiences they were immersed in growing up.

Chunyu also believes that globalization is a form of progress and is positive on the whole, in that it facilitates the global movement of people, ideas, money, and materials, and also creates a greater respect and understanding between different cultures around the world, as it diversifies the world’s culture.

Canada is an interesting example of globalization because of its image as a patchwork quilt of cultures (contrasted to the so-called “melting pot” of the United States). Especially in larger cities in Canada, such as Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, the cultural diversity Chunyu mentions is especially evident.

An hour-long streetcar ride through Toronto, for instance, can take you through areas representing different cultures, including Chinatown, Korea Town, Little India, and more. On one hand, this can be seen as a positive effect of globalization, because there are people from different backgrounds and societies co-existing in the same city–sharing beliefs and ideals and lending bits of their cultures to each other.

However, it is argued by some that these pockets of culture within a city are a form of self-segregation of people into their own cultures. For example, we can look at Chinatown (in any major city), which, for the most part, comprises of Chinese people congregating in shops and other businesses, speaking their native languages, and attracting visitors who are also Chinese.

Chunyu says that in his opinion, though this may seem like deliberate segregation, it is just a normal and comfortable part of life for people. “People who have the same nationality or heritage, similar cultural background, native language, and a way of thinking, are more likely to have a good and deep understanding, trust, and a sense of safety and comfort with each other than if they were dealing with foreigners,” says Chunyu.

In this way, the Chinese or any other culture is being preserved, even while within a culturally diverse city like Toronto, which could be seen as a natural “compromise” between globalization and the preservation of local culture. Chunyu also says that globalization has a limited role in bringing people together, despite it being a positive influence on the world’s population, in terms of causing greater sharing of knowledge, communication, and greater migration around the world.

“People who come from different heritages live in the same country, but it is very hard to have a deep cohesion, consolidation, and shared values – both socially, politically, and physiologically, as a whole, because of different races and socioeconomic inequality,” says Chunyu. “Different people have different social cycles. In reality, the majority of native speakers always dominate mainstream society, while minorities always get together to acquire a sense of safety.”

Chunyu adds that globalization cannot take away the uniqueness of a certain place – even given the “Americanization” of the world, as discussed earlier. In many metropolitan cities, especially, it is easy to find food or products from different nations. Given this, someone could argue that there’s no longer a need to visit a place to experience its culture, since you can experience many parts of it from home. You can find Indian restaurants in most cities in Canada, at least the major ones, and also experience other aspects of Indian culture, including shopping, entertainment, or even cultural education.

“China, for instance, is famous for Chinese food, even though there are lots of Chinese restaurants across the world,” Chunyu says. “Chinese food originated in China – and therefore, the food is still distinct to China. Likewise, goods made in China are exported to other countries, but the exportation of goods from China can change China as a large manufacturing base in the world.”

In the end, Chunyu personally finds it very important to preserve local culture. Globalization has its benefits, and he says that this preservation can still occur even as globalization grows larger. “Local culture has to be preserved since it is about your roots, your heritage, and your nation.”

“When I say I am Chinese, I am proud of my country, which includes Chinese culture. Imagine if a person lost a sense of his or her home culture – he would probably lose his or her social identity. The person may not care where they are from, or where their parents come from. Also, if a local culture is replaced by an external culture, then the host nation will lose its own distinction and uniqueness. The nation can be completely changed or dominated by other nations, and the nation or race may end up disappearing or becoming assimilated.”

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