Discontents of cultural globalization

Even though Western cultural globalization has allowed major and important developments all around the world, it also had create discontent in countries, specifically Islamic ones. In fact, many countries such as China or Iran, want to restrict the Western reception of television through licensing regimes judging the content inappropriate due to sexual content or to how the women is represented in the media. For example, in Asia, the Western culture displayed through television is seen as undermining traditional values as for China, the Disney movie Mulan was delayed because the government didn’t like or appreciate the portrayal of the Chinese culture made in the movie. Instead of preferring Western cultural content, India and China choose to reinforce their own culture and values through TV. Indeed, in India, two TV shows based on Hindu epics, named Ramayan and Mahabharat, had a great impact on the society and a huge success in the county which resulted in the production of more religious TV shows. As for China, the screening of classic novels or the Beijing opera had led them to create interest from the population into their own culture and history.

Concerning the Muslim world, the highest resistance remains there. The resistance is shown through obviously the anti-Western movements but also through the Western popular objects. For example, the famous US Barbie doll was replaced by the release of Sara in Iran, as she was dressed with an Islamic dress, the release of Amina for the Bosnian Muslims and Leila for the Arabs.

The complexity of the cultural interferences between the two sides takes place in the way things are interpreted and perceived by a certain civilization or culture and to the fact that it was rarely studied.  If we take the example of Western products such as movies or music, they can be hard to relate to for other cultures due to ignorance, or to deformed and biased perceivable of traditions, cultures or history.

Finally, we can link in some ways this cultural clash to the geopolitical environment where radicalized Islam represents the notable threat to the West. This clash is emphasized and constantly nourished through time, due to the past events such as the 9/11 and the behaviors toward Muslims such as in France, banning the Islamic scarves in schools or the famous offensive representation of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005.

In my personal opinion, I would say that this discontent could be justified and understandable in other countries as we don’t share the same values or beliefs and sometimes the Western content can be seen as disrespectful. If we simply take the example of American movies, those can’t be watch in a Muslim country or projected in a movie theater because it will offend them. However, reinforcing a culture within a country is great but I do think that a certain freedom of choosing what to watch thus what to believe in should be given to the citizen through allowing them to choose.

Finally, concerning this clash of civilization, I do believe that both sides are worsen the situation and reinforcing the clash. For example, the way Muslim are displayed and perceived in Western movies can be really offending for the Muslims as they are always portrayed as ‘terrorist’. Whereas if we take a look at horrible and frightful events that are happening all around the world made in the so-called “name of Islam”, they can be seen as a way to provoke others.