flew (2007): cultural globalisation = americanisation
- america imposes its cultural products on other nations e.g. through facebook, hollywood, US sports + advertising
- american life is most viewed
crowther: american-produced audio-visual media like movies, music and TV provide significant means by which images of 'american' way of life are transmitted across world
- fastfood e.g. mcdonalds, coke and pepsi, NBA basketball, the superbowl, levi's jeans = global cultural icons. how the rest of the world sees american values
mcchesney: americanisation = result of increasing media ownerships by US companies
- e.g. disney, microsoft, apple, google, newscorp
globalisation of american pop culture = aimed at replacing authenticity, vitality + diversity of local cultures with dumbed-down/sterilised american culture
- kellner (1999): global media culture is about sameness, erases individuality, specificity and difference
- crowther: loss of cultural diversity, focus on consumerism
backlash to americanisation => rise of fundamentalism
- barber (2003): provokes jihad
- fundamentalists see american pop culture as threat that undermines their people's commitment to god
aspect of americanisation = mcdonaldisation (ritzer)