postmodern perspective on globalisation and popular culture

• postmodernist view of media globalisation

  positive, media is central to globalisation

  
  

  main arguments:

  - more individual choice

  - rejection of metanarratives

  - participatory culture (jenkins)

  - cultural hybridity

  - globalisation of protest
• more individual choice


  people more aware of diverse cultures and lifestyles around world

  - more consumption opportunities

  - more opportunities for self-expression via social media

  
  

  strinati (1995): blurring of boundaries between high and pop culture => more consumer choice

  - e.g. classical music accompanying TV coverage of sports, adaption of shakespeare novels into movies (gnomeo and juliet)
• rejection of metanarratives


  media saturation => many diverse viewpoints

  - jenkins: blogs challenge mainstream news metanarratives

  - e.g. challenge media narratives on palestine -> 'hate marches', largely pro-israel

  - produces more media literate audience who reject metanarratives = more critical + participatory culture globally

  
  

  EVAL: cultural hegemony
• participatory culture


  fuchs (2014): participatory culture = involvement of users, audiences, consumers and fans in creation of culture and content

  
  

  shirky (2011): audiences sharing content on social media makes society more democratic

  - global social media => 'wiring of humanity' and free time has become shared global resource, used to interact with social media

  
  

  jenkins (2008): participatory culture => new forms of community, those involved feel connected as they care about what people think about what they've created

  - globalisation of pop/participatory culture enhanced by social media

  - audiences able to critique content

  - empowers consumers e.g. fans of cancelled TV shows lobby for return, e.g. BBC won't use AI to promote dr who after outrage from fans (march 2024)
• cultural hybridity


  thompson (1995):global media products are modified by by local cultures

  - result = new 'hybrid cultures' e.g. bollywood, both indian and hollywood entertainment values

  
  

  all consumers of global media = citizens of the world AND their locality

  - encounter more cultures via global media

  
  

  local culture adapts to global culture; global media domesticated to make sense within local communities --> hybridised media culture

  
  

  cohen and kennedy: local people don't abandon traditions/beliefs by watching global media

  - appropriate elements of global culture, mix n match

  
  

  EVAL: western culture pushed, not adopted
• globalisation of protest


  new media can help fight oppression

  - e.g. use of twitter + facebook during arab spring, saudi women using facebook to campaign for right to drive

  
  

  spencer-thomas (2008): smartphones used effectively in 2007 to raise awareness of military violence in burma (myanmar)

  - anti-govt demonstrations in 1988 failed to have much impact as military regime banned overseas journalists vs new media = instant communication

  
  

  murthy (2013): global media sites e.g. twitter can help increase understanding of political issues e.g. HR abuses + repression, can help co-ordinate mass responses e.g. protests

  - e.g. palestine, DRC, BLM --> citizen journalism
• evaluation of postmodernist view

  exaggerates change and influence of global media

  - attitude surveys: class, religion, ethnicity, nation, family etc seen as having more influence over lives vs media and global culture

  
  

  ignores limits on consumption e.g. poverty, discrim, unemployment

  - internet access -> policy exchange thinktank (2014): 4/10 over 65s in UK have no internet access at home