SOCSCI

GLOBALIZATION (ABSTRACTION)
GLIBALIZATION OF CULTURE THROUGH MEDIA
 The globalization of culture through media refers to
the phenomenon where cultural values, beliefs, and
practices are shared and spread across the world
through various forms of media, such as television,
film, music, and the internet.
 The received view about the globalization of culture
is one where the entire world has been molded in the
image of Western, mainly America, culture.
The media has played a significant role in facilitating the
spread of culture, making it easier for people to access
and consume cultural products from different parts of
the world.

As the media has become more globalized, cultural

products have become more widely available and
accessible, leading to the creation of a global popular
culture. For example, Hollywood movies and American
television shows are now widely watched and enjoyed in
many countries around the world, and popular music
genres such as hip hop and pop have become global
phenomena.

However, the globalization of culture through media has

also raised concerns about the impact on local cultures
and the potential loss of cultural diversity. Critics argue
that the spread of global popular culture may lead to
the homogenization of cultural values and practices,
making it harder for local cultures to survive and thrive.
Additionally, some worry that the dominance of
Western cultural products in the global media landscape
may reinforce cultural imperialism and perpetuate
inequality between different cultures.
 In popular and and professional discourses alike, the
popularity of Big Macs, Baywatch and MTV are
touted as unmistakable signs of the fulfillment of
Marshall McLuhan’s prophecy of the Global Village.
 Without global media, according to the conventional
wisdom, how would teenagers in India, Turkey, and
Argentina embrace a Western lifestyle of Nike shoes,
Coca-Cola, and rock music?
 The role of mass media in the globalization of culture
is a contested issue in international communication
theory and research.
 Early theories of media influence, commonly referred
to as "magic bullet" or "hypodermic needle" theories,
believed that the mass media had powerful effects
over audiences. Since then, the debate about media
influence has undergone an ebb and flow that has
prevented any resolution or agreement among
researchers as to the level, scope, and implications of
media influence.
Overall, while the globalization of culture through media
has brought about many positive changes, it is
important to be mindful of the potential downsides and
work towards promoting cultural diversity and
understanding in a globalized world.

LESSON 3: RESEARCHING GLOBALIZATION (MINDANAO)

THE LAND OF PROMISE
Across the Pacific Ocean, just South of the eastern coast
of China, lies the archipelagic country of the Philippines.
Just under a thousand miles north of the equator, the
tropical nation is mostly known in the US as its source
for coconuts, or for nurses; or as a destination where
tourists can enjoy its sunny beaches and exotic fruits.
However, what few know about the Philippines is that
this archipelago, with a total landmass a little under the
size of Arizona, is home to an untold wealth of natural
resources, landscapes, and invaluable biodiversity; and
that its lush forests and verdant mountains may hold a
key to our global efforts to preserve the environment
and combat climate change. Specifically–the island of
Mindanao.
Mindanao is the southernmost region of the Philippines,
and its second-largest island. It contains an ecoregion of
old growth rainforest called Pantaron Mountain Range,
known as a backbone of biodiversity, not only of the
island but of the entire archipelago. More than 30% of
its native species are endemic to the area, including tree
shrews, lizards, moonrats, and various bird species like
the iconic Philippine Eagle. Starting in the 20th century,
people have flocked to Mindanao from far and wide to
settle in the “land of promise”, a nickname that the
island retains even to this day thanks to its vast natural
riches. In the decades since, it’s gained a few more
monikers: “breadbasket of the Philippines” because of
the fertility of the soil that nurtures the food of the
entire country; “mining capital of Asia” because of the
mineral richness that can be found underground.
What’s Mindanao’s secret? How has it been able to
preserve its beauty and vitality for so long, even in the
face of multiple colonial powers who have set their
hungry eyes on the island’s wealth?

The secret lies in the people who have made their

homes there. The Indigenous people of Mindanao have
resisted the destruction of their land throughout
successive waves of colonization–first by the Spanish,
then by the United States. Mindanao’s native peoples
were able to maintain stewardship of their ancestral
land for centuries, while other regions of the
archipelago were systematically plundered. It’s thanks
to the sustained land defense of the Indigenous people
of Mindanao, collectively known as the Lumad, that the
destruction of Mindanao has historically been kept at
bay.
Mindanao is a big island and its land area is as big as the
combined area of Hokkaido and Shikoku. Having been
called as "Land of Promise", it is rich in biodiversity and
natural resources, its soil is fertile and it barely
experiences typhoons.
 Mindanao is a major breadbasket of the Philippines,
providing agricultural commodities, rubber, cattle,
and goats.
Mindanao’s economy thrives on agriculture, fishing, and
forestry. It is the country’s foremost source of crops
such as banana, coffee, and pineapple, and other
agricultural commodities–which is why the region is
called the major breadbasket of the Philippines.
Mindanao is also the major supplier of rubber, cattle,
and goats. Its economy is about 14% of
the whole country’s Gross Domestic Product and grew
by 7.1% in 2017.

 Metro Davao and Metro Cagayan de Oro are

experiencing a boom in trade, tourism, and call
center companies, creating opportunities for a better
life.
Of the cities and provinces comprising the island, the
growth centers have been Metro
Davao and Metro Cagayan de Oro. Aside from being
agro-industrial centers, these metro
cities are experiencing a boom in trade and tourism and
the surge of call center companies
that have chosen these cities as their base.
Opportunities for a better life continue to flourish
as jobs are created and cities transformed to provide
modern conveniences and upgraded
lifestyles.
HISTORIC UNITY AND VICTORY AGAINST THE LOGGERS
 The story of successful Lumad resistance to logging
company Alcantara and Sons in the 1990s is famous.
Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, the first woman
chieftain of her tribe, united her people and other
tribes in the region to wage tribal warfare against
Alcantara and Sons. Bai Bibyaon has become a
celebrity in the Philippines, asserting that her
people's identity is connected to Pantaron Mountain
Range.
THREATS TO THE LAND AND PEOPLE, IN THE THIRD
DEADLIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS
 Logging and mining corporations, palm oil investors,
and the monocrop plantation industry are
threatening to place the health of the ecosystems in
Mindanao in jeopardy. Open-pit mining is an
especially pressing threat, and President Duterte's
government lifted a ban on new mines in 2021. The
danger of these extractive corporations' interests in
Mindanao is environmental degradation, hazardous
labor conditions, and extreme militarization. The
Philippine military is stationed in Mindanao,
equipped with machine guns, heavy artillery, and
drones. This presence has led to surveillance and
harassment of Lumad communities, as well as threats
or killings of key leaders. Last year, the military
massacred 3 Lumad farmers, including a 12-year-old
girl, in a mineral-rich area. This is only the latest in a
long string of human rights abuses against Lumad
community leaders, teachers, and children.

WEAVING SOLIDARITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

AND RESILIENCY
 Lumad communities have responded to
environmental attacks by evacuating to urban centers
and forming alliances to support them. They re-
established Sabokahan, an organization founded in
2005 to strengthen Lumad women's role in the
defense of their ancestral lands. Last year, they self-
published a book about their intergenerational fight
for their land, told from the perspective of Bai
Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay and Sharmaine Dausay. We
Call Her Ina Bai: How Strong Women Are Made
chronicles the stories of defense against the logging
corporation in the 90s, and how that legacy continues
through the activism of young Lumad women today.
Many people around the world mobilize through
Liyang Network, an international advocacy network
formed in response to Sabokahan's calls. The Lumad
struggle is an example for global movements of
environmental protection, and benefits all people on
earth who face climate change and destruction. Chad
Booc's words echo across mountains and rivers:
“Seeing the Lumad people continue to fight back, and
continue to struggle, despite all the life-threatening
experiences they underwent… It also gives me hope
and optimism that there is freedom, that there is
victory awaiting ahead of us. It gives us a lot of moral
support to see that there are a lot of people [around
the world] fighting with us.”