Module 4

A World of Ideas
See lessons on the succeeding pages.

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 1 of 7
 Learning Plan
Lesson No: 1

Lesson Title: Global Media Cultures

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

 Analyze how various media drive various forms of global integration;
 Explain the dynamic between local and global cultural production.

Let’s Read:

Media is a plural form for medium, a method for passing on something, especially a
channel for correspondence.
Hjrvard (2007) cited in his study that media have an important impact on cultural
globalization in two mutually interdependent ways: Firstly, the media provide an
extensive transnational transmission of cultural products and, secondly, they
contribute to the formation of communicative networks and social structures.
Evolution of Media and Globalization
 Oral Communication – Speech has been with us for a least 200,000 years.
When speech developed into language, Homo sapiens had developed a
medium that would set them apart from other species and allow them to cover
and conquer the world.
 Script – As the very first writing – script allowed humans to communicate and
share knowledge and ideas over much larger spaces and across much longer
times. Writing has its own evolution and developed from cave paintings,
petroglyphs, and hieroglyphs. Early writing system began to appear after 3000
BCE, with symbols carved into clay tablets to keep account of trade. These
cuneiform marks later developed into symbols that represented the syllables of
languages and eventually led to the creation of alphabets, the scripted letters
that represent the smallest sounds of a language.
 Printing Press – With the advent of printing press, first made with movable
wooden blocks in Chine and then with movable metal type by Johannes
Gutenberg in Germany, reading material suddenly was cheaply made and
easily circulated. Literacy followed, and the literacy of common people was to
revolutionalize every aspect of life.
 Electronic Media – Electronic media refer to any equipment or tool used in
communication that require electromagnetic energy–electricity. Examples are
telegraph, telephone, radio, film, and television. The vast reach of these
electronic media continues to open up new avenues in the economic, political,
and processes of globalization.
 Digital Media – Digital media are most often electronic media that rely on
digital codes–the long hidden combinations of 0s and 1s that represent
information. Phones and televisions can now be considered digital. The
computer is the usual representation of digital media.

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 2 of 7
 Several forms of media such as the press, and later radio and television have been
very important institutions for the formation of national communities, global media
support the creation of new communities. The Internet, for example, not only
facilitates communication across the globe, but also supports the formation of social
communities in which members can interact with each other. (Gallinero, 2019)

Globalization of Culture and Media

Media are the primary carriers of culture through newspapers, magazines, movies,
advertisements, radio, television, internet, and many others. They also generate
numerous and ongoing interactions among cultures. In many cases, these
communications are like cultural laboratory experiments. They sometimes result in
startling and stunning hybrid creations. But in some cases they result in ignitable and
explosive mixtures. Pieterse (2004) cited three outcomes with which to consider the
influence of globalization to culture.

 Cultural differentialism suggests that cultures are different, strong, and

resilient. Distinctive cultures will endure despite globalization and the
global reach of American or Western cultural forms. Cultures are destined
to class as globalization continually brings them together.
 Cultural hybridity notes that globalization will bring about an increasing
blend or mixtures of cultures. This combination will result to the creation
of new and surprising cultural forms. This outcome is common, desirable,
and occurs throughout history, and will occur more so in an era of
globalization.
 Cultural convergence proposes that globalization will bring about a
growing sameness of cultures. A global culture likely American culture,
will overtake many local cultures, which will lose their distinctive
characteristics. This outcome leads to cultural imperialism, in which the
cultures or more developed nations invade and take over the cultures of
less developed nations. The result of this process will be a worldwide,
homogenized western culture (Tomlinson, 1991). (Gallinero, 2019)

Cultural Imperialism
Cultural Imperialism theory suggest that audiences across the world are heavily
affected by media messages coming from the Western industrialized countries. The
most important influence of cultural imperialism is the argument that international
communication flows, processes, and effects are permeated by power. (Gallinero,
2019)

Suggested Readings:
“Globalization and the Media: Creating the Global Village” by Jack Lule
“Popular Music and Globalization” by Yara El-Ghadban

Let’s Watch:

Watch “The Internet, Globalization and the Media Future” in YouTube.

Source: (Harvard Kennedy School, 2013)

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 3 of 7
 Let’s Do This:

Log in to Moodle. Check available quiz(es) and activity(ies).

References/Sources:

Gallinero, W. B. (2019). The Contemporary World. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing

House, Inc.
Harvard Kennedy School. (2013, June 11). The Internet, Globalization and the Media
Future. Retrieved September 8, 2020, from [Link]
v=XuzvmoMCygg

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 4 of 7
 Learning Plan
Lesson No: 2

Lesson Title: The Globalization of Religion

Let’s Hit These:

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

 Explain how globalization affects religious practices and beliefs;
 Analyze the relationship between religion and global conflict and, conversely,
global peace.

Let’s Read:

Effects of Globalization to Religion

Globalization–because of the approach of communication and transportation
innovation and the parts played by media–has added to the deterritorialization and the
complicating of geographical spaces and limits. This has come about clearly in
making the world a little town where individuals, societies, and personalities come in
day by day, eye to eye contact with each other.

Religion is a “structure of beliefs and practices.” It comes from the Latin term
“religare” which means “to bind together again that which was once tied but has
since been torn apart or broken.”

The inward idea of religions and the reason to be grasped and polished by individuals
prompt it to spread all through the world’s topographical spaces. So as to rise and
spread, in this manner, religions make great utilization of the advancements of
globalization. Having land limits and outskirts obscured and broke down, religions
think that it is simple to spread and achieve all aspects of the world.

Purposes of Religion:
 Group identity
 Social cohesion
 Social control
 Spiritual enlightenment

Five Major World Religions

 Hinduism
 Judaism
 Islam
 Buddhism
 Christianity
(Gallinero, 2019)

Globalization has assumed an enormous part in giving a setting to the current

extensive recovery and the resurgence of religion. Today, most religions are not
consigned to the couple of nations where they started. Religions have scattered on a
worldwide scale. Because of globalization, religions have discovered a prolific milieu
to spread and flourish.

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 5 of 7
 Relationship Between Religion and Global Conflict/Peace
In the light of globalization, religion has increased impressive centrality and
significance as a non-regional touchstone of identity. Being a wellspring of
personality and pride, religion is as a rule dependably elevated by its professionals to
achieve the level of globality and be held onto by many individuals as could be
expected under the circumstances.

Globalization changes the nonspecific ‘religion’ into a world-arrangement of

contending and clashing religions. This procedure of institutional specialization has
changed nearby, differing and divided social practices into unmistakable framework
of religion. Globalization has therefore had the amazing impact of making religions
(by means of their religious pioneers) more hesitant about themselves as being ‘world
religions.’

Despite the fact that religion is reinforced and braced by globalization, it speaks to a
test to its (globalization’s) hybridizing impacts. Religion tries to state its identity in
the light of globalization. Thus, unique religious personalities go to the fore and assert
themselves.

Some Contemporary View on Religion

A nationwide poll conducted by the Social Weather Stations Inc. (SWS) in the
Philippines from Dec. 8 to 16, 2017 revealed that three out of four Filipinos consider
their religion “very important” ([Link]). However, views on religion also evolved
through time. Below are some contemporary views on religion.
 It is no longer a set of beliefs that people arrive by reflection.
 It is a symbolic system which carries our identity which are called in general
“identity- signifiers” and marks out social/ethic and other boundaries.
 It leads to an increased understanding and respect for others cultures.
 It marks crucial moments in life cycle with rituals.
 It provides powerful mechanisms for psychological and social tension.
 Religion-based conflicts are on the rise.
 Religious issues ought not be considered independently from globalization.

Notable Result of Globalization: Secularization

 Society becomes increasingly modern, religion becomes less and less
important.
 A decline in religious practices within modern societies.
 Religious institutions become separated form worldly institutions and spheres
of influence.
 Religion has retreated into the private sphere.
(Gallinero, 2019)

Suggested Readings:

“Religion and Globalization” by Victor Roudometof

“Religion and Global Conflict” by Mark Juergensmeyer
Let’s Watch:

Watch “Religion in the global space”.

General Education: The Contemporary World (for instructional purposes only) Page 6 of 7
 Source: (MaxPlanckSociety, 2012)

Let’s Do This:

Log in to Moodle. Check available quiz(es) and activity(ies).

References/Sources:

Gallinero, W. B. (2019). The Contemporary World. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing

House, Inc.
MaxPlanckSociety. (2012, December 4). Religion in the global space. Retrieved
September 8, 2020, from [Link]

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