Nissim Kadosh Otmazgin

Steger chap. 5: The cultural dimension of globalization —Wed. April 4 Recitation —Chap. 5 Response paper due: Tues. April 3

10:00 PM

Chap 5 reading March 28 Thurs. lecture: Social convergence and the appeal of pop culture — Reading: Nissim Kadosh Otmazgin, “Japanese Popular

Culture in East and Southeast Asia: Time for a Regional Paradigm?” japanfocus.org (2008)

Steger Chap 5: What is culture?

An aspect of social life concerned with the symbolic construction, articulation, and dissemination of meaning

Culture: 3 meanings 1. Human culture: symbolic expression,

universal to all human societies (Steger) 2. Cultural sphere: symbolic expression in one

group of societies that separates it from another group — “Western culture,” “Asian culture” “Islamic

culture” 3. National culture: symbolic expression in one

society that separates it from other societies — “Chinese culture,” “Japanese culture,”

“Korean culture”

Homo sapiens—modern humans

—Homo sapiens are capable of symbolic thought —Words, objects, visual forms are invested

with meaning

Ex: China’s symbol of “soft power”

Stylized symbol

Manipulated symbol

Japan’s symbol of soft power

kawaii “cute”

Hello Kitty toast

Manipulated symbol: Goodbye Kitty

Manipulated symbol: USA

Steger’s 3 important themes

1. The tension between sameness and difference in the emerging global culture

2. The crucial role of transnational media corporations in disseminating popular culture

3. The globalization of languages: some languages are increasingly used in international communication while others may disappear

Downside of Media Corporations — TV & Internet dominate social life; civic bonds

weaken — Pop culture takes over; news and educational

programs have been transformed into entertainment shows — Cultural globalization includes weakening of

professional autonomy of journalism — No more objectivity in news; business and politics

shapes the news for their own interests

Electronic devices OFF

Nissim Kadosh Otmazgin Japanese Popular Culture in East and Southeast Asia: Time for a Regional Paradigm? (2008)

Population map—major cities

Japanese pop culture (2008) — Anime films and TV cartoons

— Miyazaki Hayao, Doraemon, Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, Lupin, Ampan Man, and Poke’mon

— Manga — Singer-actors (‘talent’/ ‘idol’) — TV dramas

— 1992 (Love Generation); 1997 (Long Vacation) — gambaru message (“do your best in adversity”)

Clickers ON

Which form of Japanese pop culture are you most familiar with?

A. Japanese anime films and TV cartoons B. Japanese manga comic books C. Japanese pop singer-actors (‘talent’/‘idol’) D. Japanese TV dramas E. Not familiar with any of them

Doraemon episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWhUtlg MMUA

Culturally specific: “Flowing noodles” Universal: “Boy wants to impress girl”

Explaining the appeal of Japanese popular culture Hypothesis 1: “Asian fragrance” — Japanese popular culture appeals to local

consumers in East and Southeast Asia because of its Cultural Proximity.

—Therefore, cultural confluence is geo- cultural and not simply transnational.

Problem with “Asian fragrance” hypothesis: àIt does not explain the uneven appeal of Japanese popular culture in the region.

[Also, does not explain appeal outside Asia.]

Explaining the appeal of Japanese popular culture Hypothesis 2: “Faceless”

— Japanese popular culture appeals to local consumers in East and Southeast Asia because it is non-national and no longer recognized as particularly “Japanese”.

— Therefore, it is highly transferable and can be easily indigenized into local pop culture without a trace. Ex. Gambaru message

Problem with “Faceless” hypothesis:

àIt does not explain the actual local awareness of Japanese origin of animation, film, music.

Explaining the appeal of Japanese popular culture Hypothesis 3: “Hybrid Product” (Iwabuchi)

— Japanese popular culture appeals to local consumers in East and Southeast Asia because it exports the Japanese experience of indigenized Western culture to the rest of Asia.

— Therefore, Asian people encounter a mediated West in Japanese popular culture.

Japan plays role of mediator In East Asia, Japan was the first to modernize beginning in the late 19th century

— In South Korea, Japanese popular culture “projects modernity”

— People watching Japanese dramas in Taiwan feel “ambivalent ‘anxiety and desire’ for modernity”

Problem with “Hybrid Product” hypothesis: àEast Asia is treated as a passive player in a universal globalizing process.

—Rest of East Asia = receiver of mediated “global” culture

— Japan = indigenizer/mediator to “global” culture

—West (U.S.) = giver of “global” culture

Otmazgin: Globalization ≠ Americanization —Some equate globalization with

Americanization, but the Asian experience complicates this picture, because Japanese and other Asian cultural forms are being circulated in and beyond Asia.

Otmazgin’s thesis of Regional Paradigm

It’s a mistake to see Japanese popular culture as part of a universal global process; rather, inter-regional relations shape the circulation and consumption of cultural products.

Regional paradigm

The regional paradigm challenges the idea that globalization is a process of universal homogenization on a U.S. model (“Americanization”). —Steger: Chap. 5 critique of “cultural

imperialism”

Global/Local Nexus modified to reflect Regional axis as part of Globalization

Global

Regional Loc

al

(wi thin

reg ion

)

Real reasons for appeal of J Pop Otmazgin makes 4 important observations:

1. Emergence of urban middle class

— Social convergence 2. Media platforms

3. Major metropolises “World Cities”

—Nodes where culture and consumerism meet 4. Metropolises dominate cultural flows, not

nation-states

Observation 1 Chinese, Malaysian, and Indonesian urban middle classes can aspire to the same cultural access as their counterparts in Seoul, Singapore, and Bangkok

—Erases boundaries between East and Southeast Asia

Observation 1 Asian markets & communities are converging

—RAISES ISSUE OF SAMENESS/DIFFERENCE

Observation 2 Companies have created platforms from which urban communities access popular culture regionally.

—Related to Steger’s discussion of MEDIA EMPIRES and the INFOTAINMENT TELESECTOR in Chap. 5

Observation 3 Major metropolises are the central nodes where culture and consumerism meet, leading to new regional consciousness.

—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo

—Related to Steger’s point in Chap. 5 that media platforms impact global imaginary

Observation 4

Metropolises are more important than nation-states for understanding cultural flows

—Related to Steger’s discussion of the challenges to the NATION-STATE in Chap. 4

Clickers ON

What strategy does Rupert Murdoch’s Star TV use as Asia’s biggest media platform, to reach 300 million homes China to India? A. Star TV focuses on presenting U.S. media content to

interested consumers in the region B. Star TV favors localizing content and broadcasting in

local Asian languages C. Star TV presents sports content, which is very

popular in the region

Which statement do you think Otmazgin would agree with about the younger generation in East Asia A. Wartime history makes them less receptive to

Japanese pop culture B. Wartime history makes them more receptive to

Japanese pop culture C. Wartime history has little impact on their receptivity

to Japanese pop culture

Pop Culture & Historical Memory

War-time history has limited impact on acceptance of Japanese popular culture in Asia among the younger generation.

Global-Regional-Local-Urban Nexus “Millions of youth in Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, and Jakarta covet the latest fashions from Tokyo, read Japanese comic books (translated or in the original), and watch Japanese animation series.

— However, they also listen to American pop music, watch Chinese dramas on television or DVD, and go with friends to watch the latest Korean movie.”

— Steger-MEDIA EMPIRES CREATE GLOBAL CITIZENS (optimistic globalizers)

Korean Wave: Girls Generation

SNSD Girls Generation: Gee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpoKx48WmEM (3.35) — Girl’s Generation (Shojo jidai)

Globalization & Culture (2009) Jan Nederveen Pieterse identifies three major

paradigms to describe globalization’s impact on culture:

1. Pieterse: Homogenization (=Steger: sameness)

2. Pieterse: Hybridization (=Steger: hybridity)

3. Pietrese: Polarization (⌿Steger: new)

Pieterse: Awareness of difference = function of globalization

— “Growing awareness of cultural difference is a function of globalization. Increasing cross- cultural communication, mobility, migration, trade, investment, tourism, all generate awareness of cultural difference.” Pieterse, p. 60

Positive results of Korea Wave — 36% jump in Japanese tourism to ROK 2003-2004 — Popularity of Korean food in Japan — Hanryu magazines

— More men featured in magazines for female audience — “Koreascapes” flourished—Shin-Okubo, Tokyo

— Resident Koreans “Zainichi”

Negative reaction to Korea Wave (Pieterse: polarization)

— Anti-Korean Wave movement in bookstores — Ken-hanryu

— Harassment of Koreans in Japan — Increased friction over territorial claims

— Dokdo Takeshima

SNSD Showa Generation: Gee — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrlNExm8z5c

(2.03) — Showa Generation − — Gee—Male Edition Showa jidai

Moranbong Band (North Korea)

Maronbang: Let’s Study — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0zMFu-Ziz4

(1.18) — Go study, for our motherland

China restricts foreign TV shows 2012 restrictions on cable and satellite — Banned foreign dramas during prime-time — Stations may only give 25% of their airtime to non-

Chinese dramas — The rules were aimed at giving the domestic television

industry an advantage over Asian competition, especially from South Korea

Global East Asia Response Paper