Title: 13.7 Cultural Imperialism – Understanding Media and Culture
Headings: 13.7 Cultural Imperialism
13.7 Cultural Imperialism
Learning Objectives
Cultural Hegemony
Spreading American Tastes Through McDonaldization
McDonaldizing Media
Cultural Imperialism, Resentment, and Terrorism
Freedom, Democracy, and Rock ’n’ Roll
Key Takeaways
Exercises
End-of-Chapter Assessment
Critical Thinking Questions
Career Connection
References

Content: 13.7 Cultural Imperialism – Understanding Media and Culture
13.7 Cultural Imperialism
Learning Objectives
Describe how hegemony applies to different aspects of global culture. Identify the attributes of McDonaldization. Analyze the ways that local cultures respond to outside forces. Cultural imperialism was around long before the United States became a world power. In its broadest strokes, imperialism describes the ways that one nation asserts its power over another. Just as imperial Britain economically ruled the American colonists, so did Britain strongly influence the culture of the colonies. The culture was still a mix of nationalities—many Dutch and Germans settled as well—but the ruling majority of ex-Britons led British culture to generally take over. Today, cultural imperialism tends to describe the United States’ role as a cultural superpower throughout the world. American movie studios are generally much more successful than their foreign counterparts not only because of their business models but also because the concept of Hollywood has become one of the modern worldwide movie business’s defining traits. Multinational, nongovernmental corporations can now drive global culture.