What Is Globalization?

In the globalizing world of today, the term “Americanization” has many connotations, both positive and negative for people of all cultures and races. Ironically, the term “Americanization” was once used to describe the process by which immigrants became American citizens, however in recent times, some perceive it to be a type of Globalization that is nothing more than the imposition of American culture on the entire world. As a result, a highly debated question amongst the “victims” of “Americanization” is “How greatly has America’s culture affected ours and are its effects reversible or have they gone too far?” Americanization can be described as the process of conforming to American culture, ideologies and consumption of material goods and is therefore largely seen as a means of economic development for the United States. America has become a role model for other cultures as it represents an abundance of social, economic and political freedoms. America can also serve as a reference point to other countries in these areas of society, as well as in attitudes toward minorities, including those who differ in ethnicity, religion, race, or sexual orientation. At this point in time, it is crucial to understand the way in which American culture is diffused throughout the world, as well as how it affects the people it reaches. Perhaps the most essential element to observe is how the attitudes towards our country’s culture from non U.S. citizens have been shaped as a result of its diffusion. Following this judgment, our focus will be primarily on the cultural effects that “Americanization” has had thus far on different countries and cultures around the world, such as Israel, Albania, France and India to name a few. As it is important to understand both sides of the issue, we will be acknowledging both the American and non-American points of view on each case study. From the developed countries of Europe and Asia, to those that are underdeveloped in Latin and South America, there is no doubt that the United States has a secure hold on the influence of foreign cultural trends and ways of living. We will examine more specifically the striking spread of world dominating corporations such as McDonald's and Coca Cola into nearly every country, but also concentrate on the subtle details of Americanized language slang, media (the press, television and movies) fashion statements and the gradual replacement of American culture over that other nations in general.