Cultural Globalization: A Critical Analysis of Identity Crises in the Developing Economies

Abstract

Cultural globalization and local identity are two indivisible words. There is a crucial debate whether cultural globalization thrives or deteriorates local identity. The main objective of this chapter is to justify whether cultural globalization is a threat to local identity. This study used a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) that reviews literature on cultural globalization in the developing economies. Results showed that in many countries especially in the developing one, cultural globalization has emerged as a threat to local identity. As a result, these countries perceive a number of socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological problems such as poverty and social inequality, erasure of local cultures and heritages, regional disparity, and lack of development ownership. Many of these aspects are closely related with the threat to local identity. This chapter argues that there are many benefits of globalization, but the vast negative consequences are related with the scope of local identity such as cultural dislocation and displacement, cultural realm, breaking cultural autonomy, diffuse cultural traits, and destruction of local traditions and occupations. The finding would be useful to development thinkers, policymakers, and cultural activists.