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Approach To Cross-Cultural Theory By Appadurai And Smith

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THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
FACULTY OF ARTS
SCHOOL OF ENGLISH
ENGL6073 Introduction to Cross-Cultural Theory
First Semester, 2015-2016

Essay Question:
With Appadurai and Smith we have two approaches to globalization and ‘world culture’. Write a critical analysis of EITHER Appadurai OR Smith, including your own attitude towards these issues. (You can also bring in any relevant examples you like.

Name: Peter Wah Fun MOK
Student Number: 1971034767
I declare that this essay represents my own work, except where due acknowledgement is made. I gave permission for my assignment to be submitted for electronic checking in plagiarism.

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Introduction
This essay intends to present the background of Arjun Appadurai in connection with …show more content…

It can be construed as the flexible and fast movement or interchange of people (Ethnoscapes), technology (Technoscapes), money (Finanscapes) and information (Mediascapes); all of the above movement could bring about a “melting pot” effect, thus achieving Globalization.
But for ideology in the Ideoscopes, the movement of one ideology towards another could lead to crash, rather than conglomeration.
One can image under Appaduri’s ‘scapes’, an investor from Europe could move money quickly into China for the establishment of manufacturing facilities that make espresso coffee machine for export to the rest of the world. A consumer from Australia can purchase through the Internet, pay by credit card, and the product shipped to the destination immediately. He learnt to make coffee by watching food and leisure programmes from the television network produced in Italy and viewed in Australia, but originally he was from Singapore assigned to work in Sydney, and eventually settled down there.
However, for Ideoscapes, it would be difficult to cross boundaries; China does not allow access for Facebook, and the Islam State is now eliminating all other religions, which are in their eyes …show more content…

The central feature of global culture, for Appadurai, is the endless interplay of sameness and difference, including positive outcome and destructive struggles of states and ethnic movements . Heyman and Campbell also criticized that Appadurai’s approach to modern history changes from simple, static, localistic past to a radically mobile, complex, global present . They are also of the view that globalization could be a definable network among spatially located entities, which may eventually lead to truly global coverage

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