Blogging through Media Trends and Globalization (2026)

  1. Summary Cultural globalization is the process of connecting different cultures around the world. According to John Tomlinson, globalization is not only about the economy but also about politics, technology, communication, and culture. People can now share information, music, movies, food, and ideas more easily than before. However, the author argues that globalization does not necessarily create one global culture. Some people worry that American and Western culture will spread everywhere and replace local traditions. However, people do not simply accept foreign cultures. They understand and use global products in their own ways. The author also introduces the concept of "deterritorialization." It means that culture is becoming less connected to a specific place because of technology, media, and international communication. For example, people can watch foreign movies, listen to music from other countries, and communicate with people around the world without traveling. I...

  1. Summary Globalization is the process of making the world more connected. It is not only about international trade and business but also about culture, politics, and social relationships. According to the authors, globalization has two important features: global connectivity and global consciousness. Global connectivity means that countries and people are becoming more connected through technology, communication, trade, and migration. Global consciousness means that people are becoming more aware of the world as one connected place. The authors also explain four main dimensions of globalization: economic, political, cultural, and social. One important example is McDonald's, which changes its menu depending on the local culture. This is called "glocalization." It shows that globalization does not always make every country the same. Instead, global ideas and products can change to fit local needs. Overall, globalization means that the world is becoming more connected wh...

1. What I Understood from the Reading and Class   Before reading materials on John Tomlinson's cultural globalization, I thought that cultural globalization referred to the spread of cultural economic goods such as products and trends across the world. The reason I thought so is that most articles and news explain cultural globalization by citing cultural economic products, such as K-drama and J-pop, so for me, cultural globalization naturally came to mean a combination of culture and economic products. However, after reading the materials, I realized that the cultural globalization John Tomlinson refers to means the spread of nearly every dimension worldwide, not only capital, commodities, trends, and images, but also information, disease, and people. Some of the claims and materials I have examined regarding the globalization of culture argue that the world will be unified under a single culture or a single Earth. However, John Tomlinson argues that an increase in connectivity do...

  1. Summary John Tomlinson begins by defining globalization as a complex and accelerating process of global connectivity unfolding simultaneously across the spheres of economy, politics, technology, environment, and culture. He is wary of the view that places causal superiority on the economy for two reasons. First, economic activity is not completely separate from culture. Second, expressions like "the impact of globalization on culture" treat culture merely as a passive object to be influenced. For Tomlinson, culture is the creation of meaning, and that meaning drives action. Choosing jeans is also an act of self-expression for young people, and these choices collectively support the global market’s network. Therefore, culture is both formed by globalization and, in turn, creates it. He also questions the common notion that globalization creates a single global culture. Globalization is uneven, and the spread of brands like McDonald's or Coca-Cola across the world only...

1. What I Understood from the Reading and Class Before reading Tomlinson, I thought of globalization as mainly an economic process, and of culture as something that gets changed by it afterward. Tomlinson argues that this view is too simple. Economic activity is also cultural. When people choose jeans or a phone, they are also expressing who they are, and millions of these choices together shape the global market. So culture is not just a victim of globalization. It is also a participant in it. He also rejects the idea that globalization means the whole world is becoming Western. Selling the same product everywhere is different from people living the same culture, because people give their own meanings to what they use. He adds that many visions of a “global culture” were really one culture mistaking itself for the whole world. His examples are the medieval Ebstorf map, which put Jerusalem at the center of the world, and Marx’s future society, which was based on a European view of hi...

1. Summary  For Blog 2, I read "Cultural Globalization" by John Tomlinson. The article mainly discusses the relationship between culture and globalization. Tomlinson believes that globalization is not only about the economy. It also includes politics, technology, the environment, and culture. Globalization connects people around the world more closely, allowing goods, information, ideas, and culture to spread across countries. However, culture is not only influenced by globalization. People's cultural values, personal interests, and lifestyles also affect their choices as consumers, which can influence the development of globalization. Therefore, culture and globalization influence each other.  The article also discusses whether globalization will create one global culture. American movies, music, and brands have spread around the world. Because of this, some people worry that different countries will become more similar and may even lose their traditional cultures. Howev...

1. Summary    For Blog 1, I read "What Is Globalization?" by Roland Robertson and Kathleen E. White. At the beginning of the article, the authors explain that globalization is a complex concept without one clear definition. Different scholars may understand globalization in different ways because of their research interests and social, historical, and cultural backgrounds. Globalization is not only about economic activities or international trade. It also includes changes in politics, culture, and society. The authors explain globalization through two important ideas: global connectivity and global consciousness. Global connectivity means that different parts of the world are becoming more connected, while global consciousness means that people are becoming more aware of the world as a whole.  The authors also argue that globalization should not be understood only from an economic point of view, such as economic growth or the expansion of markets. It includes at least fou...

Summary In the article Cultural Globalization, John Tomlinson explains how globalization changes the relationship between people and culture. Globalization is not only about the economy or business between countries. It also includes technology, politics, communication, and culture. Because of globalization, people from different places are becoming more connected than before. We can buy products from other countries, watch foreign movies, and learn about different lifestyles. One important point in the article is that culture is not just something that is influenced by globalization. Culture also helps create globalization. People’s choices and daily activities can influence global connections. For example, when people choose to buy a product from another country, their decision becomes part of the global market. The author also discusses the possibility of one global culture. Some people believe that globalization will make different cultures become more similar. This concern is ofte...

 Globalization: A More Connected but Unequal World Summary Globalization is the process through which countries become more connected through economic, cultural, political, and technological exchanges. It allows people, goods, information, and ideas to move across national borders more easily. One important aspect of globalization is cultural exchange. Music, movies, fashion, and social media trends can spread from one country to another. As a result, people in different countries may share similar interests and lifestyles. Globalization also creates economic opportunities through international trade, investment, and technological development. Economic, cultural, and social globalization are closely connected and can promote one another. Economic globalization allows countries to exchange goods, technology, and capital. Cultural globalization spreads music, movies, and lifestyles across national borders, while social globalization makes communication between people easier. These pr...

    Cultural Globalization :       In this chapter, Tomlinson explores the relation between globalization and culture, challenging some of the most common assumptions we often make about how global flows affect local societies. A lot of traditional media theories used to argue that globalization is basically a form of « cultural imperialism », where powerful Western nations (especially the United States) export their media, consumer products, and lifestyle values to dominate and erase local cultures around the world. However, Tomlinson argues that this model is too simple and outdated. Instead of viewing cultural globalization as a one way street of dominance, Hé explains it through the concept of « deterritorialization. » This term refers to the process where culture becomes unmoored or detached from specific physical geographies. Because of modern media technologies, satellite television, the internet, and increased human mobility, cultural practices and...

  Blog 2: Cultural Globalization-Yufei Sun 1. Summary In Cultural Globalization , John Tomlinson explains how globalization has changed the way people experience culture in their everyday lives. Globalization connects people from different parts of the world through technology, travel, trade, education, and media. As a result, cultural experiences are no longer limited to the places where people live. We can listen to music from another country, watch foreign films, and learn about different lifestyles without traveling abroad. An important idea in Tomlinson's discussion is that globalization creates connections between cultures, but these connections do not necessarily make all cultures the same. When people encounter foreign cultural products, they may interpret them differently or combine them with their own traditions. For example, international music may include local languages and traditional instruments, while foreign fashion trends may be adapted to suit local tastes. This ...

1. Summary In the reading Cultural Globalization, John Tomlinson explains how globalization connects people and cultures around the world. Globalization is not only about money and business. It also includes food, music, fashion, technology, media, and ideas. Today, people can learn about other countries more easily through the Internet, movies, TV shows, and social media. However, the author explains that globalization does not mean every country will have the same culture. People do not always accept foreign culture in the same way. They may change it to fit their own habits and lifestyles. Also, even when people enjoy foreign products and entertainment, their local cultures do not necessarily disappear. Another important point in the reading is the influence of media. Information can travel very quickly, and people can learn about places without visiting them. However, receiving information quickly does not mean that people truly understand it. The author also discusses cultural ide...

 1. Summary The author sees globalization as the world becoming connected faster and more densely, and he sees culture as the thing that gives meaning to our lives. The meanings that culture creates give people motivation and direction, and this moves them to act. When the small choices of countless people add up, they affect the global market, workers in faraway countries, and even the environment of the planet. People often think of globalization mainly in economic terms, but the author argues that the relationship is not simply one where an active globalization changes a passive culture. Culture is shaped by globalization, but at the same time it is also where globalization is made. Some people in the West worry that if globalization continues, Western culture, especially American culture, will spread everywhere and other countries will lose their own cultures. However, the author argues that connection does not mean unification, and that we need to separate the spread of goods...

   1. Summary Tomlinson does not view globalization merely as an economic phenomenon, but explains it as a complex interconnected process in which the economy, politics, technology, environment, and culture intertwine and expand. He states that globalization is a phenomenon in which capital, goods, people, information, images, and beliefs flow across borders, deeply permeating the daily lives of modern people. It was impressive to learn that familiar experiences, such as using mobile phones and the internet, traveling abroad, and consuming global brands, are all part of this vast network. In particular, the author criticizes the attitude of understanding globalization solely through an economic lens. While the significant influence of the global market and capitalism cannot be denied, economic activity itself cannot be separated from people's desires, values, and cultural significance. In other words, the author argues that a one-way explanation suggesting that "the economy in...

What is the relation between culture and globalization? 1. Summary After reading John Tomlinson’s  Cultural Globalization, I realized I used to misunderstand what globalization really means. A lot of people, including me before reading this text, tend to link globalization only to business, money and international trade. We often hear news talking about global markets and multinational companies, so it is easy to reduce this huge social process purely to economics. But Tomlinson explains globalization is multi‑dimensional. It is all about growing global connections: ideas, media content, lifestyles, people and even environmental risks keep flowing across national borders. These interwoven networks shape almost every part of modern‑day life. He warns us not to fall into “economic reductionism”. Global capitalism is undoubtedly powerful, yet economic activities are also shaped by cultural desires and human values. Culture is not just something passively “hit” by global market forces....

 1. Summary The authors argue that globalization should not be understood merely as a phenomenon of increased trade between nations or global companies expanding overseas. This is because globalization is a process in which culture, society, and politics are intertwined, not just the economy. Therefore, focusing solely on economic aspects can lead to overlooking important issues such as individual identity, communication among people, and changes in local culture. The article's most crucial point is that globalization brings both increased connectivity and a rise in global consciousness. Increased connectivity means that exchanges and relationships between nations and people become closer. A rise in global consciousness means that people come to recognize the world as a whole, not just the society to which they belong. However, shared global consciousness does not mean that everyone shares the same values ​​or agrees on the same opinions. On the contrary, as people become more conn...

 1. Summary of the Class and Reading In class, we learned that cultural globalization can lead to homogenization, heterogenization, or fusion. These ideas show that globalization can make cultures more similar, maintain their differences, or create new forms of culture by mixing different influences. We also discussed Americanization and McDonaldization, which explain how certain products and ways of life spread across different countries. Tomlinson's reading made me look at cultural globalization from another angle. He argues that the spread of cultural products does not necessarily mean that people accept the culture behind them. McDonald's, for example, is popular in many countries, but its popularity alone does not tell us whether people are adopting American values. The same product can have different meanings depending on how people use it. This suggests that looking at which products become popular worldwide is not enough to understand how globalization affects culture. ...