Imagined World Landscapes, Reaction Paper Example

Appadurai based his paper on five different types of imagined world landscapes which best explain the idea of the new global economy. “Ethnoscapes (people who move between nations such as tourist, immigrants, exiles, guest workers, and refugees); technoscapes (technology, often linked to multinational corporations); financescapes (global capital, current markets, stock exchanges); mediascapes (electronic and new media); and ideoscapes (official state ideologies and counter-ideologies).” (Braziel and Mannur, p. 25). It is important to understand that not everyone travels or crosses borders however there is a substantial consideration for those who do involve themselves in globalization.

There is an important consideration between cultural homogenization and cultural heterogenization. The arguments about homogenization typically rest on the arguments of Americanization or commoditization. However despite the detailed arguments fail to address the various metropolises which occur from new societies. The new cultural global economy is complex and is not easy to understand because it is composed of many factors that are often overlooked. It is important to consider the theorization of culture, economy, and politics.

The reading provoked the ideas that there is still a human capital to consider despite the advancements made in an economy. The global process may continually evolve, however it does not necessarily meet the community. It was important to see that global labor does in fact have substantial strain on families, primarily women as they change their environment in hopes to adapt to a new world. “Generations easily divide, as ideas about property, propriety, and collective obligations wither under the siege of distance and time” (Braziel and Mannur, p. 42).it opens up the consideration of how immigration truly effects on society. This reading provides a lot of information which can be used for the final paper and a stronger understanding of the global cultural economy.

Global communication is also an important consideration. The worldwide usage of radio and television has grown since 1960s. There is a common factor that has continued to grow, the number of individuals who watch public service television has drastically decreased. The growth of radio and television stations has continued to evolve over time. Since there has been an emergence of multimedia giants. “The concentration of medic ownership into fewer corporations and conglomerates is enabling these organizations to shape the leisure and entertainment industries through their capacity to finance, produce, market and distribute products for cinema and television” (Hopper, p.61). The evolution of communication outlets make it difficult to reach the vast majority of consumers.

The reading allowed for a better understanding of cultural globalization and the importance of communication and information technology. With globalization there is no one way to effectively reach the majority, despite the vast outlets which are now available. “What can be said with greater certainty is that while technology may or may not have driven globalization, it has nevertheless provided much of the infrastructure for it to evolve” (Hopper, p.85). The information in this reading will aid in the final paper because it provides a strong basis to understand that media and communication technologies are controlled by different groups with different focuses. However, communication technologies and media directly contribute to globalization and needs to be factored into the equation for a better understanding of the process. The context and purpose may be controlled by the provider but it does still have the capacity to reach vast markets based on the outlet utilized.