Globalization and Identity - Essay Example

Globalization and Identity Globalization, in the world nowadays, is no longer a new phenomenon. It has been happening throughout the course of human history. This paper tries to establish an order that is hegemonic and encompassing. Colonization can be considered to be a culprit for domination and order due to political, social, and economic gains that powerful countries want to attain for stability and security. Upon its advent, identity, culture and gender have been changed for countries that have been subjugated by globalization. There are even instances that an entire area or regions have been altered because of the intervention of the nations who have been powerful to establish a global order under their command. In this paper, I am aiming to assess the discourses of globalization in terms of political, economic and social conditions that have affected the identity, culture, class and gender of the people belonging to the Asian Continent. At the same time, I shall provide a synthesis about the contexts and premises I have investigated in this paper with the conditions of Globalization in general sense. In investigating the crucial aspects of globalization in Asia, I will be focusing first on the different regions. Afterwards, I shall look at all the connections that can be established with the different regions after looking on a larger scale. Nevertheless, the shifting paradigms that Asia has undergone shall be engaged in a critical and rigorous manner to explicate the complexities and intricacies surrounding them. The scope is admittedly large but the thorough engagement can suffice the needs for investigation. Most of the progress in this world originated from the West whether it is in the field of knowledge, technology, arts and culture. The conventions of these Western countries can be deemed far superior compared to those of the East. However, the relationship between Asia and the West started with mercantilism (Scupin 325). Economics might have been the prime reason for this engagement. However, it escalated to the period of colonial expansion due to the potential resources, which are abundant in the lands of Asia (Steger 29). Almost all parts of Asia have been subjugated from colonial rule due to such a heated demand to sustain the needs of industrialized nations in terms of raw material supply (Scupin 325). Mostly Western countries have colonized the Asian lands. India was controlled by Britain. Philippines by Spain then United States. The first point I want to analyze, in a critical sense, is the politics, economics and social conditions that surround identity; specifically, the people of a particular nation. One cannot undermine that certain countries in Asia have governments, whether it is an imperial or a feudal one. China, for example, has an imperial government that is centralized (Scupin 325). It cannot be denied that China, under political circumstances, already has a sense of belonging and expansion of influence (Steger 24). Other countries, for the same matter, have feudal societies and tribes that already have a systematized government, possibly ethnic or tribal to a certain extent (Nye 162). Identification is present. These established governments are already propagating a sense of identity. Intervention came from the Western countries since they are forwarding a certain political ideology on their part (Nye 163). This would only mean that the West tries to manipulate the identity of the people in these countries to ensure that they are adherent to the conventions, which are in favour of the Western people. One cannot deny that governments have changed and wars between the colonizers and the colonized burst out due to an assertion of independence and self – governance. In terms of economics, identity is indeed affected. Trading happened between countries of the West and Asia. Cultural exchange is one of the crucial things that must be considered (Steger 24). Upon the exchange of goods and technology, one cannot neglect that there will be interests forwarded. One of them is to gain access to the rich materials that Asia has to offer as seen with the abundance Chinese cultural material (Steger 24). In this case, one can see that there is an accommodation and adaptation of certain cultural practices, which actually led to a change in terms of cultural identity. Thus, it can be seen that the Asian Continent is undergoing a change in material culture (Papastergiadis 46). In terms of the social conditions, identity also has a complex condition in the context of globalization in Asia. This is where origins of ethnicity and traditions are highlighted. It can be seen that there are instances that some of the Asian countries that have been in contact with the West have issues regarding the manner of belief system, which does not complement their lifestyle. In this case, it is worthy to go through a thorough inspection due to the connection between the social and the cultural aspects of Globalization and Western expansion. Identity is always connected with culture since culture gives a condition for standardization of norm beliefs and traditions that are in compliance with the identity exerted by the group. Political and economic conditions have direct intervention with the formulation and development of identity since cultural conventions are altered. There have been cases where culture has become a mixture of ideas; possibly resulting to a compliance with a certain order that leads to a hegemonic condition (Steger 81). One example that must be looked upon, in relation with the changes in culture, is the belief system or religious practices. Muslims, Buddhist, and Hindus have dominated the religious arena in the major cities and countries of Asia (Scupin 327). There are even certain instances that Animistic practices are still present that have been altered by the incursions made by the West, especially for the intention of spreading their religion across their colonies (Nye 164). Upon seeing such, one cannot deny that there has been both resistance and compliance from the people who have been subjects to the global powers. There are belief systems that have been established that are already pivotal for these Asian countries in terms of cultural identity. This signifies that there is hybridity in terms of culture and taht is one of the effects of globalization when it comes to identity of a group of people (Papastergiadis 40). In terms of culture, a political aspect is involved especially in terms of independence and nationalism. This is still connected with identity and culture because this would signify preservation and freedom. Nationalist, reformist and anti – colonial movements have emerged in these places as a response to the domination and incursion of the West (Scupin 328). War and anomalies have been present upon the emergence of these groups (Nye 167). It can be analyzed that people have a sense of identity and independence, which comply with the conventions of their own culture that have been altered, destroyed and undermined by the West. India, for example, has followed a non – violent means to show disgust and abhorrence towards the British colonial rule (Scupin 328). This is a nationalist movement in India that gave prominence for Mahatma Gandhi, who served as its leader and forerunner of independence (Scupin 328). Analytically, the tensions regarding globalization have been rooted from the violent culture of the colonizer that has placed the colonized countries in great social turmoil. Another case of violent movement against the domination of the West is the struggles that happened in China. Sun Yat Sen, a Chinese educated in the West, is the one who started the nationalist movement in China (Scupin 329). This shows an implication that the Easterners who have been educated in the West are using or applying the knowledge that they have acquired in the West to generate the social change and freedom that they need against the globalized status quo. Clashes have becomes more problematic between the colonizer and the colonized. What seems to be another predicament is that there are internal conflicts that even emerged along the process. In this case, there are also clashes when it comes to groups inside the countries who are competing for ruling the country after the resistance has been won. In China, there has been a conflict between Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai – Shek (Scupin 329). In this case, a political culture changed which allowed China to shift from the Western – dominated, capitalist mindset into a socialist, communal ideology that is fit for their mindset (Scupin 329). The same condition has happened in Vietnam when clashes and divisions occurred; dividing the country into factions (Scupin 329). In this case, politics, economics and culture have been synthetic. Politics has provided a premise to set the standards of governance. Economics, on the other hand, would serve as the means for the government to exert policies that will be beneficial for the political order established. In terms of culture, the politics and economics gives conditions as to how people shall act and uphold values to ensure the progress of their society. Upon seeing that culture, politics and economics start to change standard in a country affected by globalization, gender is also affected and opens up a new and totally different level of discourse. Asian countries have a totally different ideal when it comes to gender roles and stereotyping. One common practice when it comes to marriage in Asia is the Dowry (Scupin 337). This is an act of sharing wealth among wealthy families and isconsidered to be an arranged marriage among the elites (Scupin 337). This practice is not present in the West since most of them can push through for a marriage regardless of status except those of the monarchs (Steger 29). In this case, a political interest can be seen since class structure plays a crucial role in maintaining hierarchy domination and power. This kind of domination in gender and marriage can be considered parallel to the motives of globalization in terms of world domination. In China, the entry of knowledge from the West resulted in a change in terms of the roles assigned to a particular sex. Upon the advent of the Communist regime in China, the patriarchal conventions that follow the Confucian framework have been changed to allow freer and safer conditions for women in the Chinese society (Scupin 337). This shift in paradigm is considered to be an inclination of what the Western education has done to change the mindset of people. This is something that can be considered commendable to a certain extent due to democratic ideals that entered the Asian domain. Through analysis of all the three aspects mentioned, it cannot be denied that there will be lapses between the West and East in terms of cultural, political and economic grounding. Their values are totally different from each other. Conflict will definitely be inevitable. In terms of identity, it is shaped by the political manoeuvring of the West in the East to make the East follow the conventions of the West. Having this condition, the identity of the East has been conditioned by the West to dispel the barbaric and uneducated notions that the East possesses (Steger 75). In terms of culture, one must also see that globalization has a tendency to purport a hegemonic culture (Goldstein – Gidoni 67). The danger of this condition is that the hegemonic condition can undermine the cultural sensibilities of other countries for the sake of progress (Steger 118). Conflict of culture and ideals emerge among different groups because of the specificities that they have. When it comes to gender, one must also understand paradigms have shifted, especially when it comes to outlook, values and perception. West and East differ invariably. Each has their own standards and conventions. However, upon the interaction of the East and the West, there are mixed norms. Thus, gender has complemented the new cultural condition, which can be regarded as a mixture of the East, and the West interaction brought upon by globalization (Goldstein – Gidoni 68). In the end, one must understand that Globalization has both positive and negative effects. This will mostly be dependent with what will be the perception of a certain group of people about a global order being established. There will be hostilities, atrocities and reparations that happen along the way. However, one cannot deny as globalization reaches its apex, culture becomes at risk. This would become a matter of possible homogenization and hegemonic phenomenon and changes in culture. Interests of those considered powerful countries in the world replace the sense of identity and tradition. Heritage is affected. People become pawns of the global order. On the other hand, there are even cases that globalization advances the status of people, changed convention which have been good for others. Nevertheless, globalization has been a constant practice of almost all countries trying to vie for world domination, control and influence. This has been part of the history and already a part of identity and culture of almost all the people in the world. WORKS CITED Goldstein – Gidoni, O. The Making and Marking of the Japanese and the Western in Japanese Contemporary Culture. Journal of Material Culture. 2001. 67 – 90. Print Nye, J. Understanding International Conflict: An Introduction to Theory and History. New York; Pearson Longman. 2007. Print Papastergiadis, N. Hybridity and Ambivalence: Places and Flows in Contemporary Art and Culture. Theory, Culture and Society. Nottingham Trent University. 2005. 39 – 64. Print Scupin, R. Cultural Anthropology: A Global Perspective. New York; Pearson. 2011. Print Steger, M. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction. London; Oxford University Press. 2003. Print PRESENTATION PAPER: In this paper, I shall attempt to discuss the effects of Globalization to certain groups; particularly, in Asia. During the process of investigating and research, I have focused on the political, economic and social aspects of certain issues like gender, identity and culture which are all crucial matters when it comes to assessing the impacts of globalization. When it comes to identity, I have delved into the matter of pre – colonial, colonial and independence of certain countries in Asia. There is an in – depth approach of how the politics played a role in manipulating identity together with the economical and social aspect of it. The same thing goes for the culture since this appears to be one of the most controversial aspects of the paper. In this part, there is a careful investigation of what are the problematic conventions that have been imposed, which are all based on the interaction of the East and the West. Gender, for the last part, is an engagement of how the roles have been fulfilled in accordance to certain cultural conventions and philosophical developments that have shaped the mindset of the people in terms running things in society. Read More