Cultural Hegemony and Cultural Imperialism
Cultural hegemony is a widespread ideology that has swept through a variety of countries around the world (Mirrlees 16). Countries with influential and affluent cultures are seen as a model for copying and imposing their cultures on less economically rich cultures around the globe. In most cases, Western nations have a plethora of resources to control cultural media dissemination across the world. People in society's general way of life, philosophies, and world views are influenced by history. As a result, the introduction of such cultures stratifies a nation and grants glory and dominion to one population, individuals, or leaders over others (Jacobs 19).
Impact on Low Income Countries
Cultural imperialism is evident in a number of activities that have taken pace in majority of middle level countries. The influence of America on other countries has changed the philosophy of those counties and made the running of such countries be in line with the rules and the demands of the super nations (Mirrlees 25). Therefore, the running of government activities in low income countries heavily lies on high income countries. The finances being supplied by the high income countries makes them have the power to sell their culture, products, and materials to the affected country. This makes once country the subject of the other.
Assimilation of Refugees and Immigrants
Also, considering the refugees, immigrants, and asylums who are hosted in economically wealthy countries, their way of life has been tuned to the host country. They have adopted the culture and the way of life of the host country without hesitation. In this regard, economically rich nations thorough the theories of cultural imperialism dominate and compel other nations and individuals to follow their philosophy and demands regardless of their stands (Mirrlees 33). For example, countries like Somalia where American soldiers have been trying to restore the peace, have adopted and bowed down to the needs and the requirements of the United States.
Transmission and Assimilation of Culture
Furthermore, cultural imperialism is exposed through the transmission and assimilation of a countries cultural and media forces. For instance, most western music, piece of art, movies, internet content, and literature is shared widely across the globe in a number of countries (Jacobs 15). Those countries adopt and use the media without reciprocation. The affected nations use the culture or the media without giving back their own to be used. Therefore, cultural imperialism is unidirectional.
Promoting Cultural Diversity
All in all, cultural imperialism is an indirect method where one county colonizes the other. Though the affected country benefits in a number of ways, negative effects are realized in due course. For instance, the cultural growth of the affected county is capped. It’s imperative that the affected country is given chance to exercise freedom and explore the cultural diversity. This is mostly prominent in African Countries exerted to from the white community.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Babafemi. "Cultural Imperialism and The Evolution of 'White Africa'." Lead City Journal Of The Social Sciences (lcjss) 1 (2014).
Mirrlees, Tanner. Global entertainment media: Between cultural imperialism and cultural globalization. Routledge, 2013.
