What is Cultural Homogenisation? Choose the correct answer from the following options.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Domination of the culture of the dominant power.
Option (1) Emergence of a global culture. — Incorrect. The rise of a uniform culture is not the emergence of a global culture: what is called a global culture is the imposition of Western culture on the rest of the world.
Option (2) Domination of the culture of the dominant power. — Correct. Cultural homogenisation is the rise of a uniform culture: the culture of the politically and economically dominant society leaves its imprint on a less powerful society, and the world begins to look more like the dominant power wishes it to be.
Option (3) Synthesis of different cultures. — Incorrect. A mixing of cultures is the other side of globalisation: outside influence can produce a new combination that is unique, such as a khadi kurta worn over jeans. That enlarges choices; it is not homogenisation.
Option (4) Rise of different and distinctive cultures leading to clash among cultures — Incorrect. Each culture becoming more different and distinctive is called cultural heterogenisation, the opposite effect of the same process.
NCERT (2026-27): “Cultural Consequences … The cultural effect of globalisation leads to the fear that this process poses a threat to cultures in the world. It does so, because globalisation leads to the rise of a uniform culture or what is called cultural homogenisation. The rise of a uniform culture is not the emergence of a global culture.… …The popularity of a burger or blue jeans, some argue, has a lot to do with the powerful influence of the American way of life. Thus, the culture of the politically and economically dominant society leaves its imprint on a less powerful society, and the world begins to look more like the dominant power wishes it to be.… …Here the outcome of outside influence is a new combination that is unique — a khadi kurta worn over jeans. Interestingly, this clothing combination has been exported back to the country that gave us blue jeans so that it is possible to see young Americans wearing a kurta and jeans! While cultural homogenisation is an aspect of globalisation, the same process also generates precisely the opposite effect. It leads to each culture becoming more different and distinctive. This phenomenon is called cultural heterogenisation.…” |