This slides discuss about the influence of globalization on children

1. Impact of Globalization on Childhood-
A Case Study Of an ancient Neighborhood of a Suburban Area
Presented By
Moumita Dey
Research Scholar,Dept of Geography
University of Calcutta
04-06-2017 1

2. Introduction: We are now in the era of globalisation.India has started to experience this
Phenomena when the Indian market was opened to the world through the implementation
of 1991 Industrial Policy, After this incident, every corner of our country started to utter
the important slogan- “GLOBALIZATION,LIBERALISATION,PRIVATISATION”.
Through mass media it reached almost every single house of urban and suburban household
and spread out the message of cultural globalisation.There is no doubt that globalization
mainly effected the youth of our country as they were directly connected to the nodal centre
of the globalization process through their economic, academic and cultural activities but the
scenario has been changed in recent time. As urbanism has become a way of life, children has
also become an active inherent of this process through their food habits, dressing sense,
recreational pattern, consumer behavior. Family,Institutions,Peer groups, mass media and also
the present production system have played a vital role in this matter.
“WHY ,HOW,WHERE,WHEN AND BY WHOM” – CHIDREN’S ARE INFLUENCED BY
THIS GLOBAL PHENOMENA IN A SUBURBAN AREA IS THE MAIN RESEARCH
QUESTION OF MY PAPER.
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3. Study area: I have selected an ancient neighborhood of Madhyamgram municipality.
Madhyamgram was an a rehabilitation hub of the migrant Bangladeshi people after
Partition of India. In the year 1993 it has become of municipality area. Now it has turned
to a separate legislative area in Westbengal legislative Assembly. Now it has been considered
as “fortune city". This area has been connected with Kolkata through railway and road,Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is at few kilometers distance from this
place.Bidhanpally (word no 24) is one of the ancient neighborhood of this municipality. It is
connected with Madhyamgram rail station and Chowmatha and Newbarrackpore Bus stand by
road. Most of the people of this area are involved in tertiary service mainly quaternary
economic activities. Most of them are employed at Salt lake ,Park
street,Dalhousie,Barabazar.People of this are mainly Hindu. In recent year a few Bihari and
Marwari families has come here to live.
04-06-2017 3

4. Map of Study area:
Source: Urban Planning Dept,Madhyamgram Municipality, 04-06-2017 4

5. Objective:
 This paper is studied to analyze the impact of globalization on childhood of suburban
Area.
This paper is studied to understand the direct and indirect controlling factors of this
process.
 This paper is studied to understand the impact using different markers(food habits,
dressing sense, recreation pattern, consumer behavior).
 This paper will give a brief picture of changing scenario of childhood lifestyle of pre
and post globalization period.
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6. Methodology:
Primary Data have been collected from 25 children whose age is in between 5-14 using
Questionnaire. Data were collected from ten person among which five persons had spent their
childhood before nineties and five persons who had spent their childhood in nineties.Random
sampling method has been used to collect the data.
Focus group discusion,observation,visual techniques, oral narratives has been used as
important methods. Then the data have been analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively and
have been presented with help of cartographic techniques.
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7. Hypothesis:
It has been assumed that the mass media , lifestyle of family members and peer groups
is the main source of the Cultural globalization in children's life.
Children of secondary school are mainly influenced by this process.
Food habit and dress are the main markers of this globalization process .
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8. Demographic Characteristics:
0
20
40
<9 9 to
11
>11
Noofchildren(in%)
Age group
Age structure
0
50
100
Primarysecondary
Childrenin(%)
Level of education
Level of Education
0
50
100
Bengali Bengali
and
hindi
Childrenin(%)
Known language
Linguistic structure
0
20
40
60
Chidrenin%
Family Type
FamilyType
Fig 1: Age Structure Fig 2: Level of Education
Fig 3:Linguistic Structure Fig 4: FamilyType
Source: Primary Data (4/11/15-11/1/15)
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9. Markers of Globalization
Food
Dress
Consumer approach
Recreation Pattern
Religious Activity
Gender concept
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10. Food :
Favorite Food:
Children mainly prefer to eat Indian food but not the traditional Bengali foods.
They mainly prefer to eat Chinese food( like fried rice, noodles) among the globalised
food Items.
They prefer homemade Non Indian food. They think this dishes are more spicy and tasty
 They are not accustomed with the traditional Bengali foods like (Kachu Bata, shak,Tiler
khaja,different Types of pitha), mainly vegetable and sweet dishes.
0
5
10
15
20
Globalised Traditional
Bengali
Indian food
of other
State
Childrenin(%)
Type of Food
FavouriteFood
04-06-2017 10

11. Daily food Habits:
Mainly they eat globalised food like cake, Pastry and Bauli Crosa and noodles in their ,Tiffin
time in school and Tiffin in the evening Time.
They prefer mostly cake and Bauli Crosa in Tiffin and Maggi and yepii and noodles in the
evening time Tiffin.
Breakfast Meal before
school
Tiffin at
school
Meal after
School
Tiffin the
Evening
Dinner
Tea,Biscuit,Ro
ti
(60%)
Rice,Dal,Curry
(99%)
Cake, biscuit,
Noodles(80%)
Rice &fish,
Curry(92%)
Maggy,Chop,
Noodles(80%)
Ric,curry
(100%)
Rest of the
children
Rest of the
children
Rest of the
children
Rest of the
children
Rest of the
children
Rest of the
children
Health drinks They did not eat Mid day meal They did not
eat
Do not have
this concept
Same
Source: Primary Data(4/11/15-11/11/15)
Table No :1 Showing the Food Habits of The Children
04-06-2017 11

12. Reason for in taking globalised Food:
Tiffin:
In different schools mainly primary and English medium schools,parents are advised to
send dry foods in Tiffin.
It has been found that student use to bring packaged food items because it has created a
good impression among their friends.
Due to their busy routine mother in nuclear family are not able to make their Tiffin
within few Minutes before school.
So here we find that family structure ,Regulation of Schools and influence of friends are
the main reason to include globalised food item in their Tiffin and Evening time tiffin.
Reason percentage
School and Family 52
Friends 8
Others (Not specific) 40
Source: Primary Data,7/11/15-
11/11/15
Table No 2 :Showing the Reason for Selecting Globalised Food in School Tiffin
04-06-2017 12

13. Tiffin in the Evening:
80% prefer to eat some light food in the evening.
40% prefer to take globalised food Item at that time.
Most of them take the Tiffin just after one or two hours after lunch before going to tuition
or after coming back from tuition.
As this type of food are easy to cook and it takes few minutes, mothers prefer to give it to
them. It saves time and energy Both.
04-06-2017 13

14. Dress:
68% prefer to wear western dresses. They mainly prefer jeans and T shirts.
Everybody prefer to wear traditional Indian dresses on special day like puja,
Marriage.
32%
68%
Preferable Dress
Indian
western
Source: Primary Data,7/11/15-11/11/15
04-06-2017 14

15. Economic reason(Influence of Parents) Cultural Reason(influence of mass
media)
Jeans and T shirt is available at 1000 rs as
a set at local malls and shops where as a
gorgeous salwar piece cost 1000 rs and
then people have to pay making
charge(following the concept of
comparative cost advantage By Richardo)
Children mainly intimate the dressing
style of the hero and heroins.In every
serials , Movies, advertisements actor and
actresses wear western outfits.
A jeans and Tshirt can be wore with
another jeans and Tshirts.
Even their favourite Cartoon character
Ben 10,Chinchaan,Lopita ,Barbies,wear
western Dresses
Jeans can be lasted for long Time
Source: Primary Data,4/11/15-
11/11/15
Table no 3: Showing the Reason for preferring western dresses by Children and Their
Parents
04-06-2017 15

16. Consumer approaches:
44%
56%
Preferable Places For shopping
Local Shop Shopping Mall
35%
50%
15%
Location of the malls
Madhyam
gram
Other Part
of North
24 pgs
Kolkata
Source: Primary Data,7/11/15-11/11/15
04-06-2017 16

17. Reason For thisTrend:
Children are attracted by the set up and interior decoration of The shopping
Mall.
They can try different dresses and select the best one according to their
choice.
Some shopping malls provide rides for the Children( Diamond Plaza at
Dumdum).
Shopping in mall has become a status symbol for them.
As their parents and family members are involved in private jobs,They get
gift Coupon of this shopping mall and they bring their children to the malls
for shopping.
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18. Consumer approach:
56%
44%
Preferable Place for shopping
Shopping mall local market
Source: Primary Data(7/11/15-
Amenities used by children
98%
2%
Reason for going to shopping Mall
Buying dress others
04-06-2017 18

19. Recreation Pattern:
0
50
100
Tv Play
Childreninpercentage
Recreation Medium
Main recreation Medium
40
50
60
Preferable Games
0
50
100
ForeignIndian
Chidrenin%
Type of Channel
FavouriteTv Channel Children Prefer to watch cartoon Channels
All foreign cartoon channel are available in
cable network.
Bengali cartoons are telecast on Sunday evening
When they have drawing clas s and tutions.
Mainly Boys prefer to play football cricket
whereas girls prefer to play indoor games like
rannabati,teacher teacher,ludo etc which requires
a few persons to play
04-06-2017 19

20. Religious activities:
Children celebrate Durgapuja,Kalipuja as well as christmas .
Though they have Muslim friends they are not aware of Muslim culture or festival .
They have seen the x-mas celebration in tv programmes so they are influenced by it.Some
Children receive gift from their parents on Christmas.
GenderConcept:
99% children prefer their best friend from same sex group.Boys and girls prefer to play different
games at different place.Their parents do not give them permission to play with the male friend.
Children upto class four have some friends of opposite sex.They are very much influenced by
the gender ideology of Indian society.In this matter globalised media is unable to spread the
message of gender equality.
04-06-2017 20

21. Food Dress Recreation
Pattern
Consumer
approach
Gender
Concept
Religious
activity
•Children
mainly prefer
to eat
rice,meat,fish
,rice
pudding,
•They
carried their
Tiffin in
paper and the
Tiffin was
roti and sugar
Children
mainly prefer
to wear
cotton
frock(girls),c
huridarcotton
pants and t-
shirts(boys)
They like to
play outdoor
games like
hide-n -
sick,Kumir
danga,Burich
oo,Kabadi,an
d boys play
football.
Boys and
girls play
together in
all the
game(expect
football)
They wore
those dresses
which their
parents had
bought for
them.They
carried their
books in
plastic and
they did not
have any
concept of
pencil box
Boys and
girls plated
together and
they had
good
friendship
They were
aware of
xmas but
they did not
celebrate it.
Childhood before
90s
04-06-2017 21Source: Primary Data

22. Food Dress Recreation
Pattern
Consumer
approach
Gender
Concept
Religious
activity
They prefer
to eat rice
and
fish,meat.
They often
eat fast food
like
eggroll,chow
min.They
had their
Tiffin box
but the main
food item
was roti and
curry or
suji.They
drink health
drinks.
They use to
prefer wear
skirts,jeans
,frocks and
churidar.
They prefer
to play
games and
mainly
outdoor
games girls
and boys
both play
cricket and
tennis
together
They bought
their dresses
from local
shop and
Hatibagan.
Boys and
girls play
together and
they were
good
friends.They
have good
connection
till now.
They sent
xmas card
and new year
card to their
friends.
04-06-2017 22
Childhood in 90’s

23. 04-06-2017 23
1. It has been found that their dressing style is the main indicator of the influence of
globalization process in their life(Hypothesis 3 is proved partially wrong).But their
dressing style is the result of present economic or production system of our society. So
here we have find the eco of Marxist approach of material culture.
2. In case of food habits , it has been seen that their choice is affected by their family
members ,daily routine, Peer groups ,regulation of school. This conclusion is the reflection
of words of the structural approach of material cultural theory.(Hypothesis 1 is proved
right)
3. In case of consumer approach, They are influenced mainly by mass media and prefer to
buy globalised items. It supports the theory of structural approach.(Hypothesis 1 is
proved right))
4. In case of religious activities ,they are influenced by globalization through mass media
and advertisement. It supports the theory of structural approach.(Hypothesis 1 is proved
right)
5. In case of gender concept, their ideology supports the cultural approach of material
culture partially as girls are allowed to wear jeans and tshirts,but they always maintain
difference from the boys of same age. It is the result of the fear generated through the
news of child molestation in our state so here we find the eco of the theory of
“Geography of fear”.Globalisation can’t change our concept gender ideology of the
society. Children of every age have been influenced by globalization equally.(hypothesis 2
is proved right
6. If we compare the lifestyle of the children between pre and post globalization and recent
time we can understand the influence of globalization properly mainly in their dress,
food habits and recreation pattern.
Findings:

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Recommendation:
Globalization has mainly affected our traditional culture. We have to take the globalised
technique but also try to save our ancient resource our culture.
We have to include our ancient cultural practice in our daily life.
Children should be given traditional nutritious food items in their daily food chart but in
modernized way, parents have to make the food item more attractive by garnishing.
 In school programmes,students may be asked to wear ethnic dress and parents can encourage
them to wear ethnic dresses in family functions also.
Cartoon channel in Bengali should be launched where children can see the cartoons in
Bengali.
In school curriculum, traditional games and sports should be included mandatory and
Games period should be included in regular routine. School must provide scholarships for
the potential player.
In schools, co- ed education should be started immediately so that children can learn to
deal the children of the opposite sex as friend.
PARENTS-TEACHER-CORPORATE WORLD- GOVT WORLD MUST HAVE TO COME
TOGETHER TO
MAKE OUR CHILDREN GLOBALISED INDIAN WHO WILL LEARN THE
GLOBALISED TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE INDIAN CULTURE ,RESOURCE AND
HERITAGE IN THE WORLD STAGE.

25. 04-06-2017 25
Acknowledgement :
I want to express my deep gratitude to my honorable guide Dr Nilanjana Das .
I want to express my thanks to the guardians of the children for allowing me to collect
the data.
I want to express my thanks to my fellow research scholar Bratati Dey,Debolina Sen ,Nayan
Roy to generate ideas for developing the research plan.
I want to express my thanks to the respondant s of three generation for providing me sufficient
Information.
Limitation:
There are no seasonal data
I was not able to collect huge number of data for shortage of time.

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Literature review:
Journal:
Banaji,Shakuntala(2012),A tale of three worlds:young people , media and class in India.In:
Christine,Generation x go global: Mapping a Youth Culture in Motion,Routledge Research
In Cultural and Media Studies,Routledge,New York,USA,pp 33-50.
Overguaard, Lousie(2010),An analysis of Culture in an era of Globalisation,working Paper
,Department of Language and Business Communication,Aarhas School of Business,Aarhas
University.
Pingali,Prabhu, Khawaja Yasmeen (2004),Globalisation of Indian Diets and the Transformation of
Food supply System.ESA working paper no 04-05.
Lukose ,Ritty(2005),Consuming Globalization : Youth and Gender in Kerala,India,Journal of
Social History, Penn Libraries,Vol 38,Issue 4,June 2005,PP 915-935.
W.Little , Angela,Sebates Richard(2008),Economic Globalisation,Youth expextations and
Social Class :The case of Srilanka,International Journal Of Education Development,Vol 28,708-72
Books:
Woodward,Ian( ),Understanding Material Culture,Sage Publication
Bhattacharya,D.C(1993),Sociology,Vijoya Publishing House,Calcutta.

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