Beyond Cultural Imperialism

Globalization, Communication and the New International Order

The massive international flows of films, television programs, and other media around the world have long posed vital questions of culture and power. But how can we best understand this central feature of the modern world? Is a model of "cultural imperialism" a valid way of understanding global communications as we approach the end of the century? In this broad-ranging analysis of the new international context of world communication, an international group of leading scholars review and take forward these debates. They discuss different perspectives of the role of the state, the range of cultural impact and influence beyond the media, the roles of international organizations and business interests in world communication, and the potential for resistance and alternatives. They reflect on the "New World International Communications Order" as delineated since the 1970s, and examine its changing nature. Throughout the book they connect analysis of the flows and forces that form the world of media and communication with the fundamental themes of social science, and illuminate the ways in which underlying questions of inequality, power, and control reappear within new media environments.