Globalization, Transnationality and Culture Diversity

Different elements, similar ramification

Transnationality and Globalization are interconnected phenomena and processes. In popular discourse economic, cultural, technological and military globalization are often presented as the very conditions of socio-economic development and environmental sustainability- a one way process of democratization and modernization of non-western states and people following western format which is shared worldwide amongst all developing countries.

Although globalization proved to connect different cultures, people and countries, the recent collapse of financial markets in big economies and environmental degradation caused by wrong exploitative policies of transnational companies present a full picture of dangers and inequities inherent in a network guided by immoral principles focused on unrestrained self-interest.

Globalization is defined as a process of integrating in world space and a constant motion. However, the current flow of capital, goods, information or migrants is not as liberatory, progressive and free as neoliberal ideology describes. Considering cultural globalization, national and international laws and anti-piracy or copyright laws regulate the free flow of cultural products. Accordingly, the flow of such goods is subjected to international tariff and agreements such as NAFTA. Conversely, the development of communication technologies and outbreak of social networks have accelerated communication among different nations and cultures over far distances, without any limitation to physical and national boundaries. Yet, it would be wrong to idealize and generalize the power of such technologies. Although such means might be considered as transformative and available in popular culture, but...

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...nflict, within and among societies;

- It is important to not limit the culture expressions to the past to let the cultural policies equally consider the capacity of culture to regenerate permanently through infinite and new forms of creativity and innovation;

- ‘Digital culture’ today occupies a widening space with new cultural content, audiences, virtual identities and new social networks. While information and communication technologies (ICTs) play a central role in creation, production, distribution, access and enjoyment of cultural content, they may serve to standardize rather than diversify cultural contents;

- New forms of cultural expression have emerged, experienced principally by young people in urban settings, alongside new media (e-books, visual arts, manga and graphic novels, street art, new music), so any cultural policy must be aware of such matters.