3.6A Cultural diffusion

• Cultural diffusion = the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one place to another

  -> most of the world has become 'westernised'

  -> global culture has impacted the environment and people
• cultural diffusion as a result of TNC's :

  Impacts on people:

  • TNCs influence the global dispersal of food, clothes and other goods.
  • Large corporations (Apple and Nike) have rolled out uniform products globally, bringing cultural changes to places


  evaluation :

  • waste generation
  • impact local economies and lifestyles
  • Impact agricultural practices
  • tourism impact
• cultural diffusion as a result of global media:

  Impacts on people:

  • Media corporations (Disney) have exported their superheroes and stories globally.
  • Westernisation on film
  • BBC helps maintain the UKs cultural influence over seas

  evaluation:

  • electronic waste
  • loss of traditional practices
  • resource consumption
• Cultural diffusion as a result of migration and tourism:

  impacts on people:

  • migration brings culture to places
  • tourists introduce cultural change
  • tourism brings people to new cultures 


  Evaluation:

  • Migrants affect the culture of the host country, possible eroding it
  • impact the language spoken, e.g. Britain
  • impact cultural traits, like sports
• Changing diets in ASIA:

  -> spread of western diets to Asia increased the amount of meat eaten (5 - 50KG)

  -> Changing diet has impact the ways of agriculture, there is more livestock farming (increasing greenhouse gases)

  -> Food demand increasing