Presentation on concept of "Americanization" and it's context within cultural studies

1. AMERICANIZATION
IN THE MODERN
WORLD
By Esteban Barbosa
GEO 310-Cultural Geography
Winter Quarter 2014

2. Table of Contents
Section 1: Abstract
Section 2: Introduction
 Overview and purpose of presentation
 Section 3: Background
 Explore origins of Americanization and it’s
connection to the larger theme of globalization
 Explore Americanization in modern times and it’s
future
 Explain negative perceptions of Americanization
 Section 4: Discussion of cases
 Examples of Americanization around the world
 Cultural examples
 Social examples
 Political examples
 Economic examples
 Section 5: Conclusion
 Summary of findings and connection with the
larger theme of the dynamic nature of culture

3. Abstract
This presentation was designed to
investigate the origins of the phenomenon
of Americanization and it’s context within
the dynamic nature of culture. In particular,
it seeks to answer the question of
Americanization as a negative occurrence
within the cultures of many regions of the
world.
A variety of case studies have discussed
the exact origins of Americanization in the
early to mid 20th century and were
examined in order to come to an
understanding about how it has been
diffused worldwide.

4. Abstract ctnd
Case studies involving the influence of American
cultural features on elections, language acquisition,
and on the organization of social justice
movements in various European, Asian, and
Caribbean countries were examined and related to
the spread of the larger consumer based culture
that has been seen since the mid 20th century
Elsewhere, studies which have written on the
perceived negative consequences of
Americanization, such as the cause of social ills,
were also analyzed
 In summary, the diffusion of Americanization has
had both negative and positive outcomes for
cultures around the world and serves as a good
example of how culture can be dynamic and alter
itself

5. Introduction
While there has been much discussion over the
definition of culture, one commonly held idea is
that culture is dynamic or susceptible to change
One topic that has been an example of the nature of
culture has been that of globalization or the
heightened level of economic and cultural
connections amongst the world’s people and places
(Oakes,Price,2008)
The awareness of globalization has led to a focus
on the increasing economic and social influence of
the United States on other places
Among one of the most recent areas of interest for
social scientists has been the process of
Americanization around the world
Many experts have pointed out the number of
implications that Americanization has on the
economic, social, and political environments of
nations

6. Introduction ctnd
An examination of how American
cultural features have come to have an
impact on foreign cultures and the
perceptions of this impact can reveal
how culture can be dynamic and
modified with differences in time and
space
By understanding the origins and
present perceptions of Americanization,
one can assess if it is an positive or
negative manifestation of the dynamic
aspects of culture

7. Background
When beginning to investigate
Americanization, the need to establish a clear
definition is needed to place the topic of
analysis in context
Americanization has been defined in a variety of ways
but is usually understood to be the transmission of
some form of American characteristic feature on a
social entity, practice, or object (Van Eltern,2006)
Concept of Americanization often used
interchangeably with related subjects of
modernization and globalization and examined
within the same context (Kuisel,2000)
Conceptualizing Americanization has been
made difficult by the fact that what is
considered “American” is purely subjective as
a national culture is neither static and nor
homogenous (Kuisel,2000)

8. Background
The above image is an visual example of what some
have viewed as “cultural imperialism” by the United
States. Here, American cultural features are seen as
being imposed on passive populations around the
world. Recent studies however notes the emphasis on
how recipients of American cultural transfer have
selected and transformed what America has exported
and thus prevented the uniformity of cultures
(Kuisel,2000)

9. Background
 In analyzing the definition of
Americanization, it is important to note the
scale of it’s occurrence and entity on which it
acts upon
The scale may be an individual, nation, cultural
region, or even the globe as a whole (Van
Eltern,2006)
The entity may be a material object or good and it’s
associated practices
An alternate interpretation of the definition
describes processes whereby the economic,
political, social and cultural influences from
America infringe on the norms, customs and
behaviors of non-Americans
This definition has been used to explain the patterns
of increased consumption of goods by individuals
living in both developed and developing nations
(Woodard, 2012)

10. Background
The above image demonstrates an example of
the mass transfer of American based goods and
services to locations around the globe. Some
experts have noted how these features have
become part of the everyday lives of individuals
in many places. Goods such as the automobile,
for examples, have become the primary method
of transportation for many people in areas where
the notion of material individualism was
discouraged (Woodard,2012)

11. Background
Experts differ as to when the perceived process of
Americanization began
 A late nineteenth century account by European
commentators noted the ascendancy of the
United States as a major industrial power that
could potentially have the ability to exert it’s
military and economic influence abroad
(Bergahn,2010)
An early twentieth century book entitled The
Americanization of the World by British journalist
William Stead made the argument that American
ideas on how to structure a modern economy and
society would soon become adopted, rejected, and
altered by nations around the globe (Bergahn,2010)

12. Background
The rise of the United States as an industrial power
was noted on by many European commentators
who began to see the U.S. as a future rival to their
own empires. The image above of America’s
acquisition of overseas territories at the end of the
nineteenth century is evidence of this change in
perception of American influence in world affairs
(Bergahn, 2010).

13. Background
Other commentators have remarked that the
post-war period following World War II was
the true beginning of the process of
Americanization as the United States emerged
as a victorious superpower from the conflict
(Bergahn, 2010)
Most modern debate over Americanization deals
primarily with this theoretical third-wave of
Americanization in which the United States
abandoned its isolationist policies and began exerting
a much more significant economic as well as cultural
impact around the world
Commentators noted the increased rate at which both
American high and popular culture features such as
movies, literature, jazz and rock music, and
architectural styles began to be diffused following
WWII and consumed by a mostly younger, working
middle class

14. Background
The above image is of the popular American brand
McDonalds in the Middle East. This particular
McDonalds features signs in Hebrew and offers Kosher
food items. This example corresponds with what some
commentators have known as the selective adaptation
and alteration of American cultural exports to suit local
customs and tastes. (Kuisel,2000)

15. Background
Scholars have noted distinctions with how the
United States exerts it’s influence abroad as
being either an example of “soft power” or
“hard power” (Van Eltern, 2006)
Hard power is usually exemplified by the use of
military intervention, or political/economic sanctions
in order to persuade another country to change it’s
position and/or policies
Soft power is seen as a more indirect method of
exerting influence through the appeal of a certain
lifestyle, values, practices e.g. American popular
culture
 Americanization through the use of soft power has
been widely observed as many nations have
acquiesced to the demands of the U.S out of a desire
to imitate it’s attractive culture
Some commentators have noted the use of soft power
as covers for the use of hard power e.g. introduction
of Coca-Cola simultaneously with military presence
in 1950s Western Europe

16. Background
Despite the positive reception that American
cultural diffusion has seen in some places, it
has not gone without opposition as some
commentators have pointed out the negative
effects of Americanization (Klautke,2011)
America’s increased influence in world affairs has in
turn led some to use it as a scapegoat for the
economic, political, and cultural ills of some societies
The recent use of “hard power” or use of military
influence by the U.S. has led to reduced favorable
views by many other western nations e.g. France,
Germany (Curtis, 2004)
Writings condemning the exertion of American
political influence as well as demonstrations against
U.S. military actions and economic practices have
been seen as examples of the backlash towards
Americanization in the 21st century (Curtis,2004)

17. Background
Further opposition to the process of
Americanization stems from the perceived
threat of homogeneity amongst world cultures
in the wake of increased American cultural
exports (Feigenbaum,2011)
This has led to some nations enacting legislation to
protect their national cultures from the effects of
globalization and related phenomena such as
Americanization
The advent of the American film and television
industry for example has been seen as a deterrent for
the citizens of some countries who would prefer to see
their own cultures represented in cinema and
television
 A related criticism refers to the decrease of diversity
of ideas in nations which have been heavily
influenced by American cultural transfer as cultural
diversity has been often seen as necessary for a
vibrant economy

18. Cultural Examples
Examples of Americanization in the cultural
sphere of nations around the world are
numerous and range from changes in language
to changes in culinary habits (Pilkington,2010)
One notable case study focuses on the increasing
amount of influence that Russia has received from
western culture, in particular American culture, since
the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s
In this case study, the reception of American cultural
transfer has led to a positive growth of English as a
foreign language within Russia
The study notes that formal education is not always
necessary for English language acquisition as exposure
to American cultural features alone is sufficient for a
rudimentary knowledge of English
The case also makes the point that the increased
knowledge of English among Russians is not limited by
generational differences

19. Cultural Examples
This image is of a Western style shopping center within
Russia. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union,
commentators have noted a desire by the Russian people to
match their western counterparts in the realm of goods and
services. This has been partly caused by the relaxed
restrictions on travel abroad by Russians who now seek to
emulate western-style cities. American brands such as
McDonalds and Starbucks have become popular in the
country in addition to American cinema and television
(Pilkington,2010)

20. Cultural Examples
The proliferation of American media in Russia
such as magazines, feature films, and talk
shows has led to Russian adaptations which
reflects the westernized tastes of the population
A study which involved three Russian citizens
of different age groups and with differing
levels of English knowledge was done to
measure the scale of American cultural
diffusion with respect to English language
acquisition
An older Russian citizen with no formal education in
English nonetheless was aware of the meaning of
certain English words such as “account” or “speaker”
which had been introduced by American style media
in the absence of a direct Russian translation

21. Cultural Examples
 Further examples of the effect of
Americanization on a cultural feature such as
language, have been also noted in non-
American English-speaking nations
(Hansel,Deuber 2013).
One case study examined the adoption of American
style spelling and vocabulary in the former British
colonies of Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, and
Singapore
The case sought to make a connection between the
level of globalization in these countries and the
adoption of Americanisms in spelling and
vocabulary
While British English was the original model for
English knowledge in these nations, the rise of the
United States as a economic trading superpower
following WWII led to increased links between
these nations and the U.S.

22. Cultural Examples
The results of the case study reveal that Kenya has
remained the most faithful to the original British English
that was introduced there. Singapore and Trinidad and
Tobago were observed to have adopted American style
spellings such as using “or” as opposed to “our” in word
endings. The author notes the degree to which nations adopt
Americanisms is reflective of their participation in
globalization. Kenya has been noted to be a relatively poor
performer in the global economy with little economic
connections to the U.S. By contrast, Trinidad and Tobago is
geographically closer to the U.S. and has more economic
trade connections with it as well as receiving tourists from
the mainland U.S. which accounts for it’s greater adoption
of American English (Hansel,Deuber 2013)

23. Social Examples
Americanization has also been seen to have
affected the social connections in foreign
countries
Policies addressing issues of social concern
such as racism have been observed to be
gradually more influenced by the American
model (Bonnett,2006)
A recent case study has examined how the cultural
power of the U.S. abroad has distributed ideologies
related to race equity
Commentators have noted the American impact on
worldwide social justice movements as a result of the
appearance of U.S. influence as being of counter-
authority
Within non-Western societies, the American influence
on movements which challenge the traditional
hierarchies which perpetuate racism has been seen as
an example of America being seen as a model of
modernity

24. Social Examples
The impact of globalization and the greater
connectedness of nations has been seen as a force for
change within the social issues of some locations. The
heavily U.S. influenced World Bank is an instance
where an intergovernmental organization has actively
promoted ideologies reflecting social and political
progress (Bonnett,2006)

25. Social Examples
Social relations within regions such as Latin
America have been an area where the World
Bank has taken an interest in improving the
social standings of previously underprivileged
groups (Bonnett,2006)
Through the American influenced World Bank, the
U.S. has been able to disseminate ideologies relating
to neo-liberalism and globalization which have been
associated with ideas of democracy, multiculturalism
and modernity
As a result of it’s situation within world affairs, the
United States has often been noted to be the unofficial
enforcer of these ideologies

26. Social Examples
One longstanding criticism of Americanization
has been it’s tendency to cause the cultures of
multiple nations to become homogenous
The media systems of many countries have
been seen as an example of this as
Americanization has led to a perceived
homogeneity in the media of several nations
(Nielsen,2013)
One case study however, disproves this criticism as
the media outlets of six western democracies were
examined and reported a non-convergence of media
systems in contrast with what was widely theorized
by commentators
The dissemination of the commercialized “Liberal
Model” of media into Europe that was predicted to
occur in the new millennium has gone largely
unnoticed as the more state-influenced “Democratic
Corporatist” and “Polarized Pluralist Models” have
been maintained as the dominant forms of media

27. Social Examples
The heavily commercialized "Liberal Model” of media
systems often associated with Americanization has not had
the effect on other media systems as previously thought. Data
from newspaper industries, public funding of media outlets,
and internet use however suggest that a convergence of media
systems has not occurred in Europe as it has in the U.S.
While some convergence in areas such as content and
political campaign communication have occurred, it has not
been at the structural level as predicted. Experts have noted
the comparatively homogenous population of European
nations the as well as their smaller market and geographic
areas as being reasons for the public sponsored media outlet
systems in those regions (Nielsen,2013)

28. Political examples
• The connection between Americanization and
the political process of other nations has been
another area of interest for social scientists
• As mentioned previously, Americanization has been
observed to have had the effect of changing the
political campaign communication within some
nations (Nielsen 2013)
• One case study has examined the increasing adoption
of American political strategies within Spain and their
applications in regional elections
• The de-ideologization of politics, the utilization of
mass media, and the planning of a campaign objective
that facilitates communication with the intended
listener are just some political strategies that have
been adopted in Spain and other parts of Europe
• These strategies were first popularized in the United
States following WWII and were later dispersed
elsewhere (Xifra,2011)

29. Political examples
An image of the victorious candidate of the 2008 Spanish
elections, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Commentators
have noted the increased reliance on electoral rhetoric
within Spanish politics that mirrors that of the American
political process. Electoral rhetoric refers mainly to
emotional appeals made by candidates which was seen as
a point of reference for Zapatero, whose campaign also
utilized electoral ads and other mass media techniques
(Xifra, 2011).

30. Political examples
• Other examples of the Americanization of the
political campaigns of Spain involve the
portrayal of the candidate as being bigger than
the party they represent
• This strategy was first seen in U.S. politics and has
since been transplanted overseas. Here, a particular
candidate has an entire campaign built around his/her
name with all related imagery and communication
revolving around their name
• This marks a departure from the usual ideological
based campaigns of most political parties in Europe
• Recent examples include the 2008 Spanish elections
where debates revolved around the ideological
differences of the two main candidates rather than that
of their respective parties (Xifra 2011)

31. Political examples
• Some other experts have noted the more long-
term effects of Americanization on the political
process of other nations
• Americanization has been argued as having raised
people’s awareness of politics as the narrower
political spectrum offered by the American model has
reduced people’s sense of their political options
• The American spectrum of politics for example
emphasizes a simple dichotomy of liberal versus
conservative. This spectrum has influenced political
thought in places such as Great Britain where the term
liberal formerly described a moderate to conservative
position. The influence of American media has since
shifted this spectrum where the term liberal has now
become equated with left-leaning politics
(Feigenbaum,2011)

32. Political examples
An image of the many political parties of France. The
combination of the de-ideologization of political
campaigns combined with other American ideas of the
political spectrum has been seen as a challenge for citizens
of nations which have multiple parties offering various
political platforms(Feigenbaum,2011).

33. Economic examples
• One of the most widely explored areas of
Americanization has been it’s influence on the
economies of the world
• Like Globalization, Americanization sees increased
connections between the economies of the world and
the United States particularly in the period following
WWII (Hagemann,2011)
• Sees United States as a major component of the global
economy
• The production of food and it’s consumption abroad
has been noted to be increasingly tied to the U.S. as
commonly consumed goods such as coffee, sugar, and
certain fruits are produced in developing nations for
export to the U.S.
• U.S. import of goods exceeded exports for a lengthy
period between 1925 and 1970 signifying the growing
economic influence of the U.S. upon the rest of the
world (Hoganson,2006)

34. Economic examples
• Americanization has also been seen as a
cause of change in consumer behavior
• One case study cites the notion of “consumer
diplomacy” where the promotion of tourism to
developing countries would serve to aid in it’s
economic growth while simultaneously diffusing
American cultural features
• Tourists to these developing nations would
later have an influence on the consumer
behaviors of the native population (Hoganson,
2006)

35. Economic examples
The emergence of the United States as a major
economic power after World War II led to increased
economic links between it and other regions of the
word. The above image is of the many brands which
have been diffused around the world and are now
consumed by non-Americans. The change in
consumer tastes of other nations has also been
seen as a result of the “consumer diplomacy” where
American tourists would be the agents of economic
growth in developing nations and simultaneously
influence foreign tastes (Hoganson, 2006)

36. Economic examples
• The economic relations between the United
States and post-WWII Europe provide unique
insight into the Americanization of foreign
economic systems
• American economic aid policies such as the Marshall
Plan of 1947 aimed at stimulating the economies of
post-war Europe would later give way to increased
consumerism in the region
• American industrial practices such as Fordism which
linked mass production to the growth of consumption
would soon gain a foothold in the economies of some
European nations
• Changes in marketing and distribution would later
accompany the changes in production providing another
example of Americanization’s impact on economic
behaviors (Bergahn,2010).

37. Economic examples
The above image relates to terms commonly associated
with the economic aspects of Americanization. Some
have seen the process as an extension of capitalism as
evidenced by the emphasis of mass consumption of
goods and services (Bergahn,2010)

38. Conclusion
• The concept of Americanization has had a long
and complex history since first being
formulated in the early twentieth century
• Early commentators noted it’s relevance to social and
economic matters much before notable examples of
American cultural influence could be referred to
• It’s difficulty to conceptualize has been
matched by the difficulty to view it as either a
force for good or bad in the world with respect
to economic, cultural, and political identity
• Some critics have made the case that as what is
considered “American” is purely subjective,
Americanization does not exist and is merely an
extension of the larger theme of globalization
• Numerous case studies referencing both positive and
negative examples of American influence abroad have
made assessing the implications of Americanization
problematic

39. Conclusion ctnd
• Numerous criticism of Americanization include
the homogeneity of cultures and loss of
economic and social independence
• A backlash to Americanization has been seen in some
places who reject the cultural and economic practices
of the United States
• Defenders of the process will point to the social
benefits of American cultural transfer such as the
promotion of equality and democracy as well as an
increased awareness of other cultures
• As cultural study is highly subjective, an
objective judgment of Americanization may be
impossible
• Americanization may then be seen as another
part of the dynamic nature of culture or a
constantly flowing set of meaningful symbols
by which people live out their lives

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