Globalization VS. Local Diversity: Conflict or Opportunity?

GROUP ACTIVITIES:

As a group look at/read all of the readings below. As a group you will create an informative poster that sums up what you have learned from the readings. Your poster should mostly be visual and tell the “story” of globalization as your groups sees it after reading the links below. Be sure that you discuss as a group who will be bringing the creative supplies (markers, crayons, etc) needed to make the poster. I will give you a sheet of colored butcher paper, but it is up to you as a group to make the poster “visually pleasing”.

STEP ONE: Readings.

Read each section and write out the answers to the questions. You will hand in the questions/answers as a group with your poster. You may divide these articles among group members. Before you begin creating your poster, you will meet as a group and “debrief” each other on what you have read collectively.

  1. Introduction;
  • What are the opposing viewpoints on globalization and its affect on culture?
  • Globalization vs. Local Cultures (notice that you have to click “Next: the influence of…” at the bottom to get the article to continue on the next page.)
  • Define more (pronounced more-ay) check the glossary on the left menu
  • What does the map show ?
  • What do you think is meant by the “McDonaldization” of culture?
  • Why do the Italians object to Starbucks?
  • What are some issues with McDonalds and Starbucks in China?
  • The Dominance of the American Market
  • How does the United States compare economically to other countries? (be sure to also look at the statistics in the blue box)
  • The Integration of Cultures
  • How does globalization influence the blending of cultures and interaction of cultures?
  • Specific cultural issues and globalization: and
  • Give a detailed explanation about how BOTH Islamic and Asian cultures have responded to globalization.

STEP TWO: Creating the poster

1. Create a mind map about the readings above. Remember, this should be visual/symbolic for the most part. Also, you can draw your ideas individually and then tape or glue them to the poster. There shouldn’t be anyone “standing around” with nothing to do.

2. Now,as a group, brainstorm and list all of the impacts, both positive and negative, that globalization might have on the following general culture groups. On the back of the poster that you created above, divide it into four sections and make a graphic organizer that shows the positive and negative for EACH country/region listed below.

American

European

Japanese

Indigenous group

STEP THREE: Political Cartoon

As a group,find one political cartoon that reflects globalization. Your cartoon must be approved by your teacher before you print it out. This will ensure that we have several different cartoons to interpret. Print it out and interpret it as a group. Please do not just print the first one you find… make sure it is a political cartoon that sums up globalization that you can understand.Write your groups interpretation below the cartoon. (It is okay to print the cartoons smaller… save some ink!) This DOES NOT need to go on your poster as we will pass these around the class before our discussion so that everyone gets a chance to see the political cartoons you chose.

STEP FOUR: Socratic Seminar preparation (individually)

When your group is finished with each of the tasks above, you need to (individually) come up with two questions about ANY aspect of globalization for our Socratic Seminar. Remember… globalization is thought of as both a positive and a negative AND can be either economic or cultural. ** Remember: a higher level question is one that makes us THINK and DEBATE… it is NOT a question that has a simple yes or no answer. You need to both create AND answer your own questions.

CLASS ACTIVITIES: Large group discussion the following day:

Compare charts

What are the pros and cons of globalization for the world’s cultures?

How is the impact different for different cultures?

Do you agree or disagree, and why, with Erla Zwingle’s statement that,

“globalization will give us new ways not only to appreciate other cultures more, but to look on our own with fresh wonder and surprise” ?

Socratic Seminar with the two questions you create individually.

GROUP PLAN: THIS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE YOU CAN BEGIN STEP ONE

TASK / PERSON COMPLETING
Reading a) Introduction
Reading b) Globalization vs. Local Cultures
Reading c) Dominance of American Market
Reading d) Integration of Cultures
Reading e) Specific Issues
Political Cartoon