MODULE 6: A WORLD OF IDEAS THE GLOBAL FLOWS OF IDEAS

The global flows of ideas is apparent in the

computer, smartphone, e-readers, mp3 players,
We all know that globalization is the process mp4, and other technologies that fill out everyday
of increasing economic interdependence among
lives.
nations and it is reflected in the growth of the cross-
border trade in goods and services. Ideas like goods o Measuring the production of ideas and their
and services also flow across borders and their flow is not easy. Ideas are intangible.
globalization is well underway. For example, from o However, use the number of patent filings as
the US to China, people are trading ideas and indirect evidence of new ideas. The global
everyone is benefiting from it. flow of ideas is measured by cross-country
patent statistics.
o A single patent does not protect an idea
IDEAS worldwide, a single idea can be patented in a
number of countries.
What is an Idea? o Typically, patents are sought wherever
An idea is a set of instruction to produce a new good, inventors expect their ideas— designs for
to increase quality or to reduce costs. An idea is new products or production processes—to
different from a good or a service because it is be made, used or sold.
nonrival. It can be used by different producers o Therefore, we can use the distribution of
simultaneously. Therefore, an idea is not scarce in patent applications as a proxy for the global
the same way that a good or service is scarce. flow of ideas.

• Because ideas are intangible, measuring the Quantifying the flow is difficult. However, patent
impact of imported ideas on a country’s filings can provide indirect evidence on the
production of ideas. Further, cross-border patenting,
economic well-being is challenging.
the patenting of idea in several countries can help
• Imported ideas, however arrived in a physical
trace the flow of ideas. What we learn from those
form. Most importantly as new capital goods
data is that idea production has taken off in the
whose impact on economic growth can be
developing BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
measured.
economies. That idea imports and exports of ideas
• It is different from goods or service because
have grown substantially.
it is nonrival. Nonrival in a sense that it can
be used by different producers Also in the countries that have been the traditional
simultaneously. Therefore, an idea is not locus of global idea production, is like the US,
scarce in the same way that a good or Germany, and Japan. We can say that ideas are
service is scarce. For example, house under great engines of economic growth, precisely
construction provides good, to illustrate the because everybody can use them simultaneously.
concept of nonrivalry, the land on which the Once the cost of creating a new set of instructions –
house stands and the material of which it is the instructions can be used over and over again at
constructed and the tools, skills, and labor no additional cost. Nobody needs to recreate an idea
hours of carpenters are all rival goods. Using because it is already available for everybody to use.
them to build one house, they cannot be Therefore, the flow of an idea is as important as the
used to build another house at the same idea itself. Ideas become more valuable as the
time. By contrast, one idea can be used by number of users increases.
unlimited number of people simultaneously.
Another example is a carpenter using the
Pythagorean theorem to calculate the length “GLOBAL CULTURE AND MEDIA”
of a triangle side does not stop anyone else
from doing the same thing at the same time. The media industry is perfect in many ways for
globalization or the spread of global trade without
regard for traditional political borders. We can say
that media is largely cultural product, and the

0 0
transfer of such product is likely to have an influence Language and cultures are intertwined. A particular
on the recipient’s culture. Increasingly, technology language usually points out to a specific group of
has been also propelling globalization. We know that people. For example, when you interact with another
technology allows for quick communication, fast and language, it means you are also interacting with the
coordinated transport, and efficient as marketing culture or you are also interacting with the culture
which have allowed globalization especially, that speaks the language.
globalized media.
You cannot understand one’s culture without
assessing the language directly. Language is
learned which means it can be culturally transmitted.
What is culture?
We can say that the culture of humans is as different
Global media cultures explores the relationship as the world’s languages. So, they are likely to
between the media, culture, and globalization. change overtime.

o Culture refers to the In industrialized countries, the changes in the

unified style of human language are more rapid. Modern techniques for fast
knowledge, beliefs, communication transmission across the globe
and behavior from through broadcasting and the presence of
which people learn, translation services around the world. It helped make
and the ability to communicate knowledge to usable knowledge to be accessible to people
the next generations. anywhere in the world. And the world benefits form
o Its development has been mainly influenced the fast transference in availability and exchange of
by media. social, political, technological, and scientific
knowledge.
The media have an important impact on cultural
globalization in two mutually interdependent ways:
• The media provide an extensive SCRIPT
transnational transmission of cultural o Script allowed humans to
products. communicate over a larger
• They contribute to the formation of space and for a much longer
communicative networks and social duration. It allowed the
structures. permanent codification of economic, cultural,
religious, and political practice.

MEDIA’S FIVE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Also in script, knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors
were written and made available for transmission to
the next generation, to the other nations and
cultures.

PRINTING PRESS
o Printing Press
allowed the continuous
ORAL COMMUNICATION production,
reproduction, and
o Language became the circulation of print
most important tool for materials.
exploring the world and
the different cultures. This period of media development affects
o Oral communication led to markets, trade, globalization by transforming various institution such
and crosscontinental trade routes. as school, markets, businesses, churches,
governments, and many others.

0 0
ELECTRONIC MEDIA OUTCOMES OF THE INFLUENCE OF
GLOBALIZATION ON CULTURE
o Electronic media
includes the telegraph,
telephone, radio, film,
Cultural Differentialism
and television.
o The wide reach of these o Cultural differentialism views cultural
media continues to open up new difference as immutable.
perspectives in the economic, political, and o As the West and non-Western civilizations
cultural processes of globalization. interact or are brought in contact through
The electronic age is the invention of the transistor globalization, clash of civilizations such as
that of the West and Islam logically follows.
ushered in the electronic era. People harness the
power of transistor that led to the transistor Example: the terrorist attacks during 9-11 attacks
communication and it became more efficient and and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
effective. For many people, this event is seen as the product
of a clash between western and Islamic culture and
the eternal differences between them.
DIGITAL MEDIA
o Digital media
relies on digital Cultural Convergence
codes. It can o Cultural convergence suggests that
be created, globalization engenders a growing
modified, and stored in any digital electronic sameness of cultures. However, the culture
device. of powerful and progressive countries
o Digitalized content is transmitted over the becomes culture.
internet and computer networks. o Example: the K-pop culture.
Digital media is also known as new media. Other examples are the use of technology
Consisting of contents that are organized and participation in global sports and the English
distributed on digital platforms. Platforms include language.
internet, social media, and computers.
Cultural convergence occurs when multiple cultures
become more like one another through exposure to
their traditions, ideals, and languages.
What is media?

o Media is a carrier of culture. It is a tool for the

interaction of people with different cultures. Cultural Hybridity
o The real media is the people.
o Pieterse (2004) asserts that the only o It is the mixing and merging of cultures
outcomes of the influence of globalization on resulting in the creation of new cultural forms
culture are cultural differentialism, cultural in language, food, fashion, arts, music,
convergence, and cultural hybridity. among others.

The term media comes from the word, “medium” Example: global restaurants like KFC or McDonalds
which is defined as channel, means, or methods. because they modify their menus to suite the taste
Media is the generic term for all human invented of different cultures.
technology that extends the range, speed, or
channels of all communication. Media can also be
tied to what we call mass media or the media that GLOCALIZATION
reach large audiences.
The continuous accommodation and assimilation by
local cultures of the cultures of the world due to
globalization.

0 0
Glocalization is the combination of the words 2. Islam → is monotheistic. Monotheistic means they
“globalization” and “localization”. The term is used to believe only in single god. It follows the teaching of
describe a product or service that is developed and Prophet Muhammed born in Mecca. Muhammed is
distributed globally but is also adjusted to seen only as a Prophet not as a divine being and he
accommodate the user and consumer in a local is to believe the messenger of Allah or their god who
market. is divine.
A common example would be cars that are sold Islam means peace and submission. So, the sacred
worldwide but adjusted to meet local criteria such as text of Muslim or the sacred book which is called
emission standards, the side of steering wheels (left “Quran”. As with Christianity’s old testament, many
or right). of the Quran stories are shared with the Jewish faith
and division exists within Islam, but all Muslim are
Another is global fast-food chain offering guided by their five beliefs or practices which they
geographically specific menu items that cater to local sometimes called “pillars”.
taste.
Pillars:
o Allah is the only god and Muhammed is his
THE GLOBALIZATION OF RELIGION
prophet.
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, beliefs o Daily prayer
systems, and world views that establishes symbols o Helping those in poverty.
that relate humanity to spirituality and to moral o Fasting as a spiritual practice.
values. o Pilgrimage to the holy center of Mecca.

Religion is the foundation of modern republics. It is 3. Hinduism → the oldest religion in the world.
the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling Hinduism originated in the Indus River Valley with
power, especially a god or gods. It is also may be roughly 1 billion followers.
defined as cultural system or designated behaviors Hinduism is the 3rd largest of the world’s religion.
or practices even morals, prophecies, ethics,
Hindus believe in divide power that can manifest
organizations that relates humanity to supernatural different entities.
transcendental or spiritual elements.
Hindus also believe in karma and reincarnation.
TRIVIA: Malaysian government places religion at the
center of their political system. 4. Buddhism → was founded by Siddhartha
Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama was said to have
given up a comfortable upper-class life to follow one
THE MOST KNOWN RELIGIONS ACROSS THE of poverty and spiritual devotion. At the age of 35, he
WORLD famously meditated under a sacred fig tree and
vowed not to rise before he achieved enlightenment
The major religions of the world mentioned differ in called “Bodhi”. After this experience, he became
many respects including how each religion is known as Buddha or the enlightened one. So, the
organized and the belief system each upholds. followers are drawn to Buddha’s teaching and the
Other differences include the nature or belief in a practices of meditation and he later established
higher power, even in the history of how the world monastic order.
and the religion began and the use of sacred text and According to Buddha’s teachings, he encourages his
objects. followers to lead a moral life.
5. Confucianism → was the official religion of China
1. Christianity → largest religion in the world. It until it was officially abolished when Communist
started 2000 years ago in Palestine with Jesus of leadership discourage religious practice in 1949.
Nazareth, a charismatic leader who thought his The religion was developed by Confucius. He is an
followers about caritas. The word caritas means extraordinary teacher, his lessons which were about
charity or treating others as you would like to be self-discipline, respect for authority, and tradition
treated yourself.

0 0
and Jen. Jen is a kind treatment of ever person Globalization has a great impact on religion
which were collected in a book called the Analects. as people and culture move across the globe, as
ideas are mobilized and transported by media
Some religious scholars consider Confucianism technology, the religious globalization will go on and
more of a social system than a religion because
on.
Confucianism focuses on sharing wisdom about
moral practices but does not involve any type of
specific worship nor does it have formal objects.
TOOLS OF UNITING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
WORLD ON RELIGIOUS BASIS
6. Taoism → the purpose of life is inner peace and 1. Books
harmony. “Tao” is usually translated as way or path.
2. Movies
The founder of the religion is generally recognized to
be a man named Lao Tzu. Their beliefs emphasize 3. Cell phone apps
the virtue of compassion and moderation. 4. Social networks
The concept of Ying yang symbol came from Taoism 5. Charity funds
and the concept of polar forces or central Taoist
ideas. 6. Special internet sites

Some scholars have compared these Chinese 7. Religious schools

traditions to its Confucian counterpart by saying that
Confucianism is concerned with day-to-day rules of
conduct while Taoism is concerned with a more Types of Religious Organizations
spiritual level of being.
Religion organizes themselves, their
th institutions, practitioners, and structures in a variety
7. Judaism → after their exodus from Egypt in 13
century, Jews or a nomadic society became of fashions. According to sociologists, they say that
monotheistic or worshiping only one god. The Jews they use different terms ecclesia, denomination, and
covenant or promise of special relationship with sect to define these types of organizations.
Yahweh or their god is an important element of
Scholars are also aware that these
Judaism.
definitions are not static. Most religions transition
Their sacred text is called “torah” which Christians through different organizational phases. For
also follow as the first five books of the bible. example, Christianity began as a cult and
transformed into a sect, and today, it exists as
The collection of a sacred Jewish or oral ecclesia.
interpretation of the Torah is called the Talmud.
1. Cults – this term is sometimes used
Jews emphasizes moral behavior and action as interchangeably with the term new religious
opposed to beliefs or personal salvation in the next movement (NRM). These groups are often
world. disparaged as being secretive, highly controlling of
To sum up, religions epitomizes the definition members’ lives, and dominated by a single,
of globalization due to the fact that it can be spread charismatic leader.
more efficiently than ever before through the use of We think this is negative.
different technological tools. It is now possible for
every religion to spread beyond national borders Cults, like sects, are new religious groups. In the US,
allowing even small new religious movements to this term often carries pejorative connotation.
engage in overseas activities and leading to a new, However, almost religions began as cult and
unseen religious developments. Small religious gradually progress to levels of greater size and
developments are also spreading thanks to the organizations.
celebrities for advertising them.
Cult continuum because they have a mixture of sect-
like and a denomination like characteristics.

0 0
2. Sects – it is a breakaway group that may be in
tension with larger society. They sometimes claim to
be returning to “the fundamentals” or the contest the
veracity of a particular doctrine. When membership
in a sect increases over time, it may grow into a
denomination.
It is small and relatively new group like cult. Most of
the well-known Christian denominations in the US
today began as sects. For example, the Methodist,
the Baptist protested against their parent Anglican
church in England when Henry the VIII protested
against the catholic church by forming the Anglican
church from protest.
A sect begins as an offshoot of denomination. When
a group of members believes they should separate
from a larger group. Some sect dissolve without
growing into denominations where it is called
“established sect” such as Jehovah’s Witness, which
falls halfway between sect and denomination.
3. Denomination – is a large mainstream religious
organization, but it does not claim to be official or
state sponsored.
Denomination is one religion among many. For
example, Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal,
catholic, and seventh-day Adventists are all
Christian denominations.
4. Ecclesia – originally referring to a political
assembly of citizens in ancient Athens, Greece, now
refers to a congestion. In sociology, the term is used
to refer to a religious group that most all members of
a society belong to.
Ecclesia is considered a national recognized or
official religion that holds a religious monopoly and
is closely allied with state and secular powers.

One way to remember these religious organizational

terms is to think of cults, sect, denomination, and
ecclesia representing a continuum with increasing
influence in society.
Cults are least influential, ecclesia are most
influential.

0 0