GLOBALIZATION101.

ORG
UNIT ON CULTURE AND GLOBALIZATION
Introduction
In this unit, students will read sections from the Culture Issue in Depth about the complexities of
cultural globalization. They will learn how globalization affects cultures around the world and
what some of the responses have been. After suggesting some preliminary discussions and
activities which will help students understand the central issues of cultural globalization, the
lesson focuses on an actual case study which serves to highlight the main points of the topic and
engage students in critical thining.
Instructional Goals
!tudents gain basic understanding of how culture relates to globalization and trade
Learning Outcoes
!tudents demonstrate nowledge of terms related to the study of globalization.
!tudents identify effects of cultural globalization.
!tudents evaluate the international penetration of American goods as a means of
measuring globalization.
!tudents analyze an international trade dispute surrounding global cultural concerns.
!aterials
". Culture Issue in Depth !ections#
a. Introduction http#$$www.globalization"%".org$introduction&'$
b. (lobalization vs. )ocal Cultures http#$$www.globalization"%".org$globalization&
vs&local&cultures$
c. The Dominance of the American *aret http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&
dominance&of&the&american&maret$
d. The Integration of Cultures http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&integration&of&
cultures$
e. The Canadian *agazine Dispute http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&canadian&
magazine&dispute$
+. Copies of ,andout ", -Introductory Discussion .uestions/
0. Copies of ,andout +, -Discussion .uestions for Activity "/
'. Copies of ,andout 0, -Discussion .uestions for Canadian *agazines Case !tudy/
1. Copies of ,andout ', -2ey 3acts in the Canadian *agazines Case !tudy/
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4. The following suggested items# 5ie shoes, baseball hat of 6! professional sports team,
CD of a ma7or 6.!. music group, video starring famous ,ollywood actor, 8arbie Doll,
Time magazine, blue 7eans with 6! label, Coe can, 2ellogg9s Corn 3laes, wrappers
from 8urger 2ing, pac of )ucy !tries cigarettes, !napple bottle
Tie Re*uired
+&0 classes
%rocedure
Introductory Discussion
". ,ave students read the -Introduction/ to the Culture Issue in Depth
http#$$www.globalization"%".org$introduction&'$. This can be done as homewor or in&
class, and either on the computer or in print, depending on student access to computers.
Alternatively, students can read this material following the activity.
+. !hare with the class all or some of the items suggested in the above -*aterials/ section
:either bring the items to class or write them on the board;.
0. <ass out copies of ,andout ". )ead a discussion of the =uestions in ,andout ", which are
designed to allow variety and flexibility in student answers. !tudents should mae a case
for why they answered a certain way.
'. As a final =uestion, as the students if they thin all of these products are American.
<lease note that 8urger 2ing is now publicly&owned. <oint out the one item made by
foreign&owned company :)ucy !tries > 8ritish American Tobacco;, and as students if
they can thin of any other goods and services prevalent in the 6.!. that are made by
foreign&owned companies. ?xamples may include @eep :(ermany9s DaimlerChrysler;,
,oliday Inn :8ritain9s !ix Continents;, Amoco gas stations :8ritain9s 8<;, Taster9s
Choice coffee :5estle !A of !witzerland;.
Activity "
". ,ave students read the Culture Issue in Depth9s sections on -(lobalization vs. )ocal
Cultures/ :http#$$www.globalization"%".org$globalization&vs&local&cultures$; and -The
Dominance of the American *aret/ :http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&dominance&
of&the&american&maret$;. This can be done as homewor or in&class, and either on the
computer or in print, depending on student access to computers. Alternatively, students
can read this material following the activity.
+. ?xplain to the class that globalization does more than simply increase the availability of
foreign&made consumer products. It also increases international trade in cultural products
and services, such as movies, music, and publications. Thus, one of the criticisms of
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globalization is that exposure to foreign cultural goods fre=uently brings about changes in
local cultures, values, and traditions. Concern centers in particular on the influence of
6.!. companies. Divide the class into groups of '&1 students and as them to answer the
discussion =uestions on ,andout +, having a student record the group9s answers. After
groups are given ample time to discuss these =uestions, as each group to choose a
spoesperson to report its findings to the rest of the class.
Activity +# Discussion of Culture and the *ovies
". ,ave students read the section of the Culture Issue in Depth entitled, -The
Integration of Cultures/ :http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&integration&of&cultures$;.
This can be done as homewor or in class, and either on&line or in print, depending on
student access to computers.
+. As students if they have seen any foreign films. Did they lie themA ,ow
did they differ from American moviesA ,ow were the plot, characters, setting, effects,
and themes differentA
0. <ose the following =uestion to the class# ,ow can movies impact :in both
negative and positive ways; the people of another countryA !ome positive effects may
consist of a better understanding of human rights and democratic ideals, and some
negative effects may include the emphasis on material goods and physical loos. !ome
students may choose to address the impact that foreign movies have on Americans.
<ositive effects may consist of a better understanding of foreign culture such as religion,
familial structure, or nature of community in foreign countries. 3oreign movies also may
lead to a misunderstanding of foreign culture and stereotyping.
Activity 0
". As a way for students to recognize and comprehend how concern over the effects of
cultural globalization plays out in the international arena, the following group activity
will focus on picing apart the complicated and varied issues involved in the Canadian
magazine dispute of the "BB%s. ?xplain to the class that the Canadian magazine dispute
is particularly good in illustrating the cultural concerns of globalization as well as its
complex political and economic impacts.
+. Ceview with the class the basic facts of the case study, as shown on ,andout 0 and$or
online at The Canadian *agazine Dispute# http#$$www.globalization"%".org$the&
canadian&magazine&dispute$.
0. 5ext, as students to try to determine some of the central issues involved in the case and
why it became a dispute that had to be settled by an international organization. Distribute
Copies of ,andout ' to help them focus on the ey points of the case.
'. Divide the class into five groups and assign the groups one of the following sides#
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". American magazine producers
+. Canadian magazine producers
0. 6.!. government
'. Canadian government
1. Canadian consumers
?ach group must decide on its position based on the central issues and facts of the case,
using a student to record all decisions.
1. Dnce each group has settled on a position, assign groups to present their sides to the rest
of the class. After all sides have presented, allow each side to raise a counterpoint to any
of the aforementioned points and provide each group an opportunity to respond. The
final result of this activity should be a resolution to the dispute. At the end, as the class
if it is possible for all groups to be satisfied by the final resolution. If the resolution
favored Canada, what can the 6nited !tates doA If the ruling favored the 6!, what can
Canada doA
4. 3inally, describe the final outcome of the dispute# the ETD decided that the tax was
indeed discriminatory and unfair to foreign producers and ruled in favor of the 6!.
Canada, as a conse=uence, too additional measures to protect the Canadian magazine
industry and counter&measures were contemplated by the 6nited !tates. At one point, the
6nited !tates threatened to impose retaliatory measures against Canadian steel, textiles
and apparel, wood products, and plastics. ?ventually, the Canadian government chose to
settle the matter and removed most of its barriers to split&run magazines.
Conclusion
6se the following discussion =uestions from the Culture Issue in Depth in assessing the
students. The teacher can have students answer the =uestions in essay form or give them as
an in&class essay test.
". To what extent do you thin the 6.!.&Canadian magazine dispute was motivated
by genuine desires to protect Canadian cultureA To what extent do you thin the
government of Canada was pressured to see to protect its maret because of the
financial interests of the Canadian magazine industryA (iven that Canadian
magazines constitute only "" percent of magazine sales in Canada, how important
is this matter to Canadian cultureA
+. If Canadians seem to prefer buying American magazines, why should they not be
allowed to -vote/ with their purchasing habitsA Is it fair to levy extra taxes against
foreign magazines>which has the effect of forcing Canadian purchasers of foreign
magazines to subsidize local publicationsA
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Introductory Discussion Questions
.uestions on Candom Items
". Ehat are the common features of these productsA
+. Ehich of these products are commonly available in other countries :thin about the type
of product and not the brand name;A
0. Ehich products are uncommon in other countries and why do you thin soA
'. Are any of these products necessitiesA
1. Ehat might a citizen of 3rance use instead of these productsA A villager in IndiaA A
resident of CussiaA
4. Ehat factors might affect how these individuals view these productsA ,ow does this
compare with your view of these productsA If you thin the views are similar, why might
this be soA If not, why notA
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Discussion Questions for Activity 1
". Ehich American products$corporations have spread to other countries around the
worldA Ehat is it about American products$corporations that have caused them to
spread :as opposed to other products$corporations;A
+. Ehat positive and negative impacts do these products$corporations haveA ,ow could
they alter local culturesA
0. Ehy is the American maret is so dominantA
'. Ehat role do other countries play in cultural globalizationA ,ow do other countries
contribute to American cultureA
1. Do you feel uncomfortable or threatened by foreign productsA Ehy or why notA Do you
thin other Americans areA Ehy or why notA
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Key Facts in the Canadian Magazines Case Study
The Canadian government believed that domestic production of magazines was
lined to national identity.
The Canadian government placed restrictions on foreign magazines and in "B41
prohibited the importation of -split&run./
In Canada any magazine that was printed outside of Canada and imported into the
country was considered foreignF thus, tariffs or prohibitions could easily be
enforced at the border.
,owever, advances in technology and trade agreements :in short, globalization;
have altered the way the government can deal with foreign magazines.
In "BB0 Time Earner started to produce a split&run version of Sports Illustrated.
5ew technology allowed Time Earner to produce the magazine in the 6! and
then transmit the contents electronically to a Canadian printer via satellite.
The old determination of whether a magazine was foreign or domestic was based
on where it was printed. 5ow, SI Canada was managed by Time&Canada :a
division of Time Earner;, printed and distributed in Canada, and even had
Canadian content. Eith domestic status, SI Canada, under Canadian law, could
offer tax deductions to Canadian advertisers which could draw those advertisers
away from Canadian magazines.
Canadian publishers and the Canadian government feared many Canadian
magazines would be forced out of business.
In "BB1 the Canadian government tried to protect Canadian magazines by
imposing a tax on all advertising revenue for what it considered to be split&run
publicationsF to avoid the new tax a magazine would have to contain at least G%H
Canadian content.
American magazine producers accused the Canadian government of
discriminatory practices, which violated one of the core principles of the ETD.
The 6! government decided to institute a ETD dispute settlement case against
the tax.
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Discussion Questions for Canadian Magazines Case Study
". In an age of globalization, what does it mean to say that a publication is -domestic/ or
-foreign$split&runA/ Ehat ind of criteria would you establish to distinguish between the
twoA Can these be applied to other things, such as musicA Ehat constitutes
-domestic$localA/ If the singer is a Canadian citizenA If the song is recorded in a studio
in Dttawa rather than in )os AngelesA Ehat if the writer of the lyrics and music is a 6!
citizen but the singer is CanadianA
+. Ehat does it mean to -protect local cultureA/ Is it fair to disadvantage consumers who
want access to -foreign/ cultural productsA After all, no one is forcing Canadians to buy
-foreign/ productsJthey do so out of choice. Ehy should one group be disadvantaged
for the sae of anotherA And who gets to mae the decisions as to which groups are hurt
and which benefit from such policiesA
0. Ehat if the shoe were on the other footA Eould it be fair for the 6! to restrict access to
Canadian cultural products :for example, banning Celine Dion concerts; or to subsidize
6.!. performers :for example, giving grants to 8ritney !pears;A ,ow would Canadians
reactA Indeed, many Canadian performers have used access to the 6nited !tates to mae
it bigJCeline Dion, 8are 5aed )adies, 5eil Koung, 8ryan Adams, <aul !chaffer.
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