Definition
The emerging global culture is dominated by the world's superpower, the United States. This dominance has been referred to as cultural imperialism . U.S. cultural influence is at least as strong as U.S. military influence. If there is a world language, it is English. If there is a "president of the world", it is more likely the U.S. president than the UN Secretary-General. U.S. films and TV shows dominate world markets. Culture may be just another economic product, to be produced in the place of greatest comparative advantage, but culture is also central to national identity and politics. Industrialized countries have responded in various ways to U.S. cultural dominance. Canada has allowed U.S. cultural influence to become fairly pervasive, which some resentments but few severe frictions. France and other European states have been much more wary of U.S. influence. On the other hand, Japan seemingly incorporated whole segments of U.S. culture after WWII, from baseball to hamburgers, yet has remained Japanese.
Cultural Imperialism - This is a paper that discusses the diffusion of American culture into the lives of the French and France's resistance to the dominance of American culture. A shorter version of this can be found by clicking here.
Are the online services yet another medium of cultural imperialism? - This is an article written for Europe Online. It discusses the arrival of American online services to Europe and the negative impact it will make. American online services is believed to be just another way American culture integrates itself into other cultures.
Cultural Imperialism on the Internet - Information from a Panel Discussion at Harvard University.
Last updated: 03/28/2001
UC Davis International Relations