Glocal Cultural Items
The primary purpose of “glocalization” in terms of culture is to address criticisms regarding globalization as an emerging trend in fusing together nations to fortify the global village. Apparently, globalization leans toward a single direction focusing on unifying nations, amalgamating social practices, setting a universal culture, and such, that it fails to recognize or acknowledge independent entities that comprise the global village. When it comes to culture, globalization only looks into unifying the people in order to accomplish its goals and objectives, while glocalization sees the development of cultural groups and local communities as a means of reintegrating them to the global village. In simpler terms, glocalization follows the idea of “going global whiles staying local.” (Global Metro City – The Glocal Forum)
With this in mind, we realize how cultural items become objects of glocalization. Since glocalization focuses on social fair play and cultural understanding as a means of accomplishing the aims of globalization, (The Glocalization Manifesto) we perceive that the glocalization of cultural items follows the process of sharing and exhibiting local culture for social acceptance and consideration. Glocalization supports peace as it fosters social and cultural equality that brings about harmonious relationships and collaborative efforts between nations. However, it differs from globalization such that it prioritizes the social and cultural needs of local communities with the infusion of local economic growth and development and free societies by means of stimulating culture as a primary recipient of globalization.
Glocalization is a complex process, requiring full participation from stakeholders and worldwide acceptance from citizens. In glocalization, the role of cities and the youth are most important as they are primary agents of change to bring about changes in the worldwide social and cultural atmosphere. Cities around the world and its leaders are regarded as seats of culture. Cities represent the cultural identity of the locality, therefore, their high involvement is a necessity for worldwide recognition and understanding of different social and cultural rehearsals. Cooperation between cities is also likely to foster diplomacy that facilitates the process of glocalization. For human agents of worldwide acceptance and practice of glocalization concepts, the role of the youth is distinguished. Empowering the youth is one goal of glocalization believing in the enthusiasm and dynamic nature of the younger generation to actively participate in the process. To realize the purpose of cities and the youth, information communications technology or ICT are believed to be an important medium to carry out glocalization operations and practices. (The Glocalization Manifesto)
Cities, the youth, and ICT, with the help of other local, government, and international organizations, work together to develop and promote projects and activities that realize the purpose of glocalization. Since worldwide acceptance and understanding of culture is a main goal of glocalization, its agents of change concentrate on glocalizing cultural items for its amalgamation to the global unifying culture. Therefore, cultural items may be considered as glocal if they introduced not only to local proximities but around the world, and when they are accepted, adapted, appreciated, comprehended, and grasped by the global community with respect to their local social dimensions and culture. Building an international youth council, promoting inter-city tourism, conduction exhibits showcasing cultural mosaics, city photo projects, music concerts, and such are just some specific processes that glocalization agents are promoting to put glocalization to work. (Global Metro City – The Glocal Forum)
To cite specific examples of glocal cultural items, elements that represent the culture of the United States and other nations will be discussed. Culture is composed of material and non-material culture; material culture including clothes, food, music, movie themes, architecture, etc., while non-material culture talks about beliefs, traditions, values, and practices. Some material cultural items representing the U.S. have long become glocal in the sense that most nations around the world have adapted it as part of their own culture. For instance, fast-food chains established and identified to US has been adapted by foreign countries around the world. McDonald’s have over a hundred branches all over the world. However, its dimensions and compositions are altered depending on a particular locality. The menu in McDonald’s Japan includes beyond the usual content of McDonald’s USA, such as shrimp nuggets, green tea ice cream, and Koroke burger. (Lamb, 2008)
Media is becoming a primary agent for glocalization with films and television shows. Although the premise of films and television shows are based on a single concept and libretto, the conditions under which these films and television shows are presented vary culturally. Take the reality television show “Big Brother” for example. All “Big Brother” shows being shown around the world follow a group of people who are sheltered in a “Big Brother House” who are tasked by Big Brother to accomplish several activities and responsibilities around the house. Although this is the central premise of all shows, the social interaction and activities being presented in each nation vary depending on culture. (Davis, 2007) Worldwide blockbuster movies such as Harry Potter films and the Lord of the Rings trilogy have been translated slightly different from the English language to fit the context of various cultures. (Jenkins, 2007)
Carmen Consoli’s music is also an example of a glocal cultural item with her music moving global. Her songs that are categorized as Italian music became part of the U.S. pop charts. Consoli acknowledges that representing her culture was in a way one of the major elements that pushed her music to other cultures. She said that the American culture is open to new musical dimensions. Americans were highly curious about her music that in the end, they find themselves enjoying Italian music as a whole. Consoli reiterated that her musical style follows that of local Mediterranean music, and strongly revealed that she does not want to stray away from her roots. However, in the process, Consoli also wants to fuse typical western influences to her musical style. (Hochman, 2008)
References
Davis, W. (2007). Film & Television: World Television from Global to Local. Retrieved October
2, 2008, from Francisco Burzi. Website: http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2334
Global Metro City – The Glocal Forum. (2008). Retrieved October 2, 2008 from Glocalization
Development Organization. Website: http://glocalization.developmentgateway.org/uploads/media/glocalization/Forum_Profile. _current.doc
The Glocalization Manifesto. (2002). Retrieved October 2, 2008, from Glocal Forum. Website:
http://www.glocalforum.org/mediagallery/mediaDownload.php?mm=/warehouse/docume nts/the_glocalization_manifesto.pdf
Hochman, S. (2008). Going Glocal with Carmen Consoli – Hold the Fried Air. Retrieved
October 2, 2008, from AOL LLC. Website: http://www.spinner.com/2008/08/26/going- glocal-with-carmen-consoli-hold-the-fried-air/
Jenkins, H. (2007). ‘Oh, Those Russians!’: The (Not So) Mysterious Ways of Russian-language
Harry Potter Fandom (Part One). Retrieved October 2, 2008, from Henry Jenkins. Website: http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/07/
Lamb, R. (2008). What is glocalization? Retrieved October 2, 2008, from HowStuffWorks, Inc.
Website: http://money.howstuffworks.com/glocalization1.htm