Has Global media Changed our Identity

Has Global media changed our Identity: A critical study

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I. Certificate 3

II. Declaration 4

III. Acknowledgement 5

IV. Abstract 6

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 7-20

2. Review of Literature 21-37

3. Hypothesis &Objectives 38

4. Research Design and Methodology 39-41

5. Rationale & Limitations 42-43

6. Results & Data Analysis 44-52

7. Conclusion 53-54

8. Bibliography 55-56

9. Appendix 57

10.Annexure –I (Questionnaire for Respondents) 58-60

11.Annexure-II (List of Participants) 61-62

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project report “Has Global media

changed our Identity: A critical study” has been completed

by Bhanu Joshi under my supervision.

The declaration made by the student is true to the best of

my knowledge.

Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet SabharwalAssistant ProfessorDepartment of JournalismDelhi College of Arts & CommerceUniversity of DelhiNew Delhi

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DECLARATION

The dissertation, “Has Global Media changed our Identity: A

critical study” has been carried out completely by me under

the guidance of Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal, Assistant

Professor, Department of Journalism, Delhi College of Arts &

Commerce (University of Delhi).

I further declare that the work included in the paper is

original and has not been submitted in part or full to any

other university/institute for degree/diploma.

Bhanu Joshi B.A. (Honours) Journalism, III YEARRoll No. 502Department of Journalism, University of Delhi

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I extend my sincere gratitude to my research mentor,

Dr. (Mrs.) Tarjeet Sabharwal, for her guidance,

creative and critical comments and generous supervision

at each and every stage of this piece of research

work.

I am indebted to Prof. K.M. Srivastava, Professor IIMC

for allowing me access to the IIMC library and his

other valuable inputs.

I would also like to thank my parents who extended

their valuable support during the completion of this

research work.

Bhanu Joshi B.A. (Honours) Journalism, III YEARRoll No. 502Department of Journalism, University of Delhi

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ABSTRACT

Media plays different roles in different cultures. It has

been widely recognised as a tool that has helped development

and has also lead to the growth and maturing of societies.

However this seems to be changing in the age of global

media.

With a globalization, identities are being seen alienated,

sometimes stereotyped and a peculiar “rush” is being

observed amongst the societies towards standardization.

This research study correlates the advent of global media

and its influences on concepts of identity, lifestyle and

consumption patterns of college going students in University

of Delhi.

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INTRODUCTION

Globalisation has integrated the world into one. A global

community is being created whose backbone is multinational

organisations, international institutions and a global

society. It is said that media reflects the society we live

in and today we see a global media that has seeped into

every part of our lives and is dominant in creating

perspectives, views and generating ideas. The developing

world is seeing an expansion in its constituency and this

expansion has occurred affiliated with the development of a

complex global society and international flow of media and

cultural products. Some researchers examine these changes

from the framework of cultural imperialism (Schiller, 1991)

where media products are distinctly dominated by a few

multinational corporations from Western industrialized

countries. Other scholars have emphasized the role of

audiences in processing, and interpreting these media

messages (Berger & Huntington, 2002). Regardless of their

positions, researchers have called for a closer examination

of the accounts of audience experiences with global media.

A clear and distinctive example of global media experienced

by audiences in a local context is India. When India changed

its policy and opened its doors to international free market

forces and its airwaves to global media, it set in motion

enormous changes that affected the lives of all its

citizens. The changing media atmosphere prodded a change in

Doordarshan, the state owned broadcasting network.

Doordarshan, in Sanskrit, means distant vision. Describing a

changed Doordarshan in a recent article the writer said

‘today commercial interests dominate Doordarshan’s policies

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and action.’ The mantra now is – entertain, entertain,

entertain.”

The Industrial Revolution shifted economic and social

change, making the world available to all who wanted to

experience it. Efficiency and innovation led society into a

new world, a world that needed to stay connected. Mass Media

by definition is designed to distribute media to as many

people as possible. In essence, Mass Media keeps the world

connected. Understanding the process of how Mass Media

works, primarily in regards to it relationship with society,

one will see the grandeur of the spectacle that is Mass

Media. Some say that we are controlled in every aspect by

what we see, and what we buy. Money, consumerism, radio,

television, printed media, and fame have constructed the

“American Dream”, the spectacle. Thinking for ourselves is

now aided and even guided by our high speed internet

connection and the ten o’clock news. These sources also,

conveniently enough, sell products that help attain the

“American Dream”. Through careful analysis of the current

state of Mass Media and the effects it has on society it is

my contention that the Industrial Revolution has created a

new, pre-packaged and ultimately non-satisfying self image

that is exaggerated by today’s Mass Media and the spectacle

it creates.

1. Origin and rise of Global Media

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, needs were based on

survival. People made, farmed, and bought only what they

needed to provide for their families. Occupations existed to

provide unique services and you were known for your job. For

instance in Europe if you were a blacksmith, your last name

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reflected your occupation and everywhere you went people

knew you as the town blacksmith. News travelled from town to

town via travellers or traders and was inconsistent and

outdated at best. With the advent of the Industrial

Revolution machines made businesses more efficient, money

became more readily available and people began to

communicate across vast distances with new forms of media,

primarily the printing press. However with the increased

production, people were no longer needed for the occupations

they once served. Town blacksmiths were replaced with

machines which could turn out multiple times more products

at higher qualities (Norman and Bodley, 2007). Profits were

soaring and individuality was transforming into a collective

unit serving to better society (McLuhan M, 1999). People

began to assemble the parts that would serve to build modern

society, and in doing so they were overcome with the

sentiment that they were no longer important. A new

sentiment emerged, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation

and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Henry

David Thoreau. Thoreau perhaps encapsulates the entire

problem with modern society in that one sentence.

Society needed news. People wanted to be informed how the

world was advancing and the beginning forms of print

journalism exploited this hunger for information.

The newspaper of 1897 was the sole purveyor of news until

the advent of newsreels in the 1910s (Hearst was a pioneer)

and radio in the 1920s. Its comics, fiction, and features

made it the home-entertainment centre. Ample advertisements

made it the shopping bazaar and wish book, too, both of

which explain why so many homes consumed more than one daily

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each day. The competition for readers in New York was

intensified, writes Campbell, by the decline of the

previously dominant newspapers—Pulitzer's World, Charles A.

Dana's New York Sun, James Gordon Bennett Juniors New York

Herald, and Whitelaw Reid's New York Tribune. Even so,

Pulitzer sensed enough of the crisis to order his business

manager to recruit a spy within Hearst's Journal to find the

source of the paper's ideas and identify what dissatisfied

talent might be willing to leave Hearst and join him.

(Shafer, Jack The Great Press War of 1897, Slate 2006)

After the Industrial Revolution was in full gear, mass

merchandising came into place and people soon discovered

there were many things available to them for buying. With

more things to spend money on people started situating

themselves into jobs that would provide more money, while

not necessarily providing personal satisfaction. More places

to spend money lead to more companies competing to win

money; less personal satisfaction lead people to try and

fill the void with material possessions. The competitions

between corporations lead to mass commercialism.

Commercialism then found its roots within media and the

proliferation of new products was sent to the masses. People

were reading about products that would make their lives

better, help them keep up with the Jones’s. “For consumers

as a whole, Boss sees a collective psychology prevailing.”

We ask, 'What are others doing, and what can I get for

myself?' Nobody wants to admit that there's anybody they're

keeping up with, but we do collectively keep up with one

another." (Gardner, Marylin, A penny earned is a penny

spent, The Christian Science Monitor 2006). With all of

society consuming bigger and better products, innovation was

at a peak. Soon two new technologies came into the spotlight

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that would forever change the way society gained information

from Mass Media, radio and television.

In 1859 Oliver Wendell Holmes described photography as the

most remarkable achievement of his time because it allowed

human beings to separate an experience or a texture or an

emotion or a likeness from a particular time and place — and

still remain real, visible, and permanent. He described it

as a "conquest over matter" and predicted it would alter the

physics of perception, changing forever the way people would

see and understand the world around them. Holmes precisely

observed that the emergence of this new technology marked

the beginning of a time when the "image would become more

important than the object itself and would in fact make the

object disposable." Contemporary advertising critic Stuart

Ewen describes the photographic process as "skinning" the

world of its visible images, then marketing those images

inexpensively to the public (Thoman, Elizabeth Rise of the

Image Culture).

Radio became a mainstream technology and transformed once

distant social activities into every household. Radio also

introduced new forms of marketing and more vibrant sources

for news and information. The spectacle was now starting to

take shape and people began to distract themselves from

reality every night through hypnosis of sorts from this

speaking box. The success of the radio fostered the birth of

television, which rapidly transformed the world. The masses

became enamoured with television and the stars it created.

TV shows become commonplace, and commercials become as

important as the show content. Television starts shrinking

the world introducing celebrity fame and furthering the loss

of identity.

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People became so interested in fame they began to wonder if

anyone would ever recognize them as an individual. This

furthered loss of individuality and started moulding society

to emulate importance modelling the lives of the people they

see on TV and read about in beauty and tabloid magazines.

Commercials interlaced with biased news networks sponsored

by media conglomerations started broadcasting stereotypical

personalities; the people society wanted to become (Thoman,

Elizabeth Rise of Image Culture). Furthermore television

moved from information based news shows to more

entertainment based productions.

The rise in these types of magazines has everything to do

with pent-up demand, said Robert Thompson, a professor of

pop culture and television at Syracuse University. Because

our society has no aristocracy, Americans have always been

obsessed with celebrity. In its earliest incarnation,

according to Thompson, celebrity worship translated into

bragging that George Washington slept here. “On a

fundamental level, it is appealing to something deep in the

American soul,” (Davies, 2005 Jennifer Gluttons for Gossip)

In fact, we currently have shows composed of nothing but

celebrity entertainment “news”. To reiterate “Entertainment

News”, people have become so hypnotized by television that

they can’t even distinguish the fact that the news they are

watching is for their entertainment not to inform them of

real problems they face. That same entertainment news is

filled with celebrities talking about face creams or diet

programs they themselves buy and or recommend. This

substance free programming leaves the viewer with a thirty

minute show about nothing of any real consequence. Laced

within the thirty minutes are various commercials selling

products that more or less add no real value to anyone’s

life and are repeated ad nauseam. So in essence, our

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mainstream television has now become a box broadcasting

nothing of any substance, selling valueless products and

indoctrinating our “individual” opinions. People start to

see beauty which is defined by these companies trying to

sell products that will make people beautiful. People start

to believe news that will affect how they vote and place

people into office to make news and control their lives.

People start to see these “beautiful” television and movie

stars and do everything in their power to bring any bit of

that fame into their own lives. “’There’s a real hunger for

this,’ said Steven Cohn, editor-in-chief of Media Industry

Newsletter, which tracks industry trends. ‘There’s not a

hunger for newsmagazines. There’s not a hunger for business

newsmagazines. But there is a hunger for celebrity

newsmagazines” (Davies, 2005 Jennifer Gluttons for Gossip).

The overwhelming tragedy of it all can be seen by what

society has become today, an entertainment consuming,

distracted, bland mixture of subtleties and indifference.

Individuals are few and far between as the masses consume

not just information, but free thinkers. People are so

desperate to be unique that they look to other people for

inspiration, the problem being that our media broadcasts and

highlights the same models of individuality to the masses

creating nothing more than a sea of clones constantly trying

to keep up and follow the newest trend. There are no changes

in the identity of an individual.

The loss of individuality is a terrifying proposition that

most men lead lives of quiet desperation fighting.

2. Historical Context in the Indian Scenario

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When India gained independence in 1947, the leaders of the

time committed the country to socialist principles, which

included a strong state (Adams 1990; Hasan1989), and

government-controlled, development-oriented mass media. When

the Government introduced television in 1959; the goal was

to educate the public. Social development was the norm until

corporate sponsored prime time serials introduced in 1984

created a gradual shift toward entertainment oriented

programming and advertising.

Compared with many other developing countries, the Indian

press has flourished since independence and exercises a

large degree of independence. British colonialism allowed

for the development of a tradition of freedom of the press,

and many of India's great English-language newspapers and

some of its Indian-language press were begun during the

nineteenth century. As India became independent, ownership

of India's leading English-language newspapers was

transferred from British to Indian business groups, and the

fact that most English-language newspapers have the backing

of large business houses has contributed to their

independence from the government. The press has experienced

impressive growth since independence. In 1950 there were 214

daily newspapers, with forty-four in English and the rest in

Indian languages. By 1990 the number of daily newspapers had

grown to 2,856, with 209 in English and 2,647 in indigenous

languages. The expansion of literacy and the spread of

consumerism during the 1980s fuelled the rapid growth of

news weeklies and other periodicals. By 1993 India had

35,595 newspapers--of which 3,805 were dailies--and other

periodicals. Although the majority of publications are in

indigenous languages, the English-language press, which has

widespread appeal to the expanding middle class, has a wide

multicity circulation throughout India.

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Although freedom of the press in India is the legal norm--it

is constitutionally guaranteed--the scope of this freedom

has often been contested by the government. Rigid press

censorship was imposed during the Emergency starting in 1975

but quickly retracted in 1977. The government has continued,

however, to exercise more indirect controls. Government

advertising accounts for as much as 50 percent of all

advertisements in Indian newspapers, providing a monetary

incentive to limit harsh criticism of the administration.

Until 1992, when government regulation of access to

newsprint was liberalized, controls on the distribution of

newsprint could also be used to reward favoured publications

and threaten those that fell into disfavour. In 1988, at a

time when the Indian press was publishing investigative

reports about corruption and abuse of power in government,

Parliament passed a tough defamation bill that mandated

prison sentences for offending journalists. Vociferous

protests from journalists and opposition party leaders

ultimately forced the government to withdraw the bill. Since

the late 1980s, the independence of India's press has been

bolstered by the liberalization of government economic

policy and the increase of private-sector advertising

provided by the growth of India's private sector and the

spread of consumerism.

Since the 1980s, India has experienced a rapid proliferation

of television broadcasting that has helped shape popular

culture and the course of politics. Although the first

television program was broadcast in 1959, the expansion of

television did not begin in earnest until the extremely

popular telecast of the Ninth Asian Games, which were held

in New Delhi in 1982. Realizing the popular appeal and

consequent influence of television broadcasting, the

government undertook an expansion that by 1990 was planned

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to provide television access to 90 percent of the

population. In 1993, about 169 million people were estimated

to have watched Indian television each week, and, by 1994,

it was reported that there were some 47 million households

with televisions. There also is a growing selection of

satellite transmission and cable services available

Television programming was initially kept tightly under the

control of the government, which embarked on a self-

conscious effort to construct and propagate a cultural idea

of the Indian nation. This goal is especially clear in the

broadcasts of such mega series as the Hindu epics Ramayana

and Mahabharata. In addition to the effort at nation-

building, the politicians of India's ruling party have not

hesitated to use television to build political support. In

fact, the political abuse of Indian television led to

demands to increase the autonomy of Doordarshan; these

demands ultimately resulted in support for the Prasar

Bharati Act.

The 1990s have brought a radical transformation of

television in India. Trans-national satellite broadcasting

made its debut in January 1991, when owners of satellite

dishes--initially mostly at major hotels--began receiving

Cable News Network (CNN) coverage of the Persian Gulf War.

Three months later, Star TV began broadcasting via

satellite. Its fare initially included serials such as "The

Bold and the Beautiful" and MTV programs. Satellite

broadcasting spread rapidly through India's cities as local

entrepreneurs erected dishes to receive signals and

transmitted them through local cable systems. After its

October 1992 launch, Zee TV offered stiff competition to

Star TV. However, the future of Star TV was bolstered by

billionaire Rupert Murdock, who acquired the network for

US$525 million in July 1993. CNN International, part of the

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Turner Broadcasting System, was slated to start broadcasting

entertainment programs, including top Hollywood films, in

1995.

Competition from the satellite stations brought radical

change to Doordarshan by cutting its audience and

threatening its advertising revenues at a time when the

government was pressuring it to pay for expenditures from

internal revenues. In response, Doordarshan decided in 1993

to start five new channels in addition to its original

National Channel. Programming was radically transformed and

controversial news shows, soap operas, and coverage of high-

fashion events proliferated. Of the new Doordarshan

channels, however, only the Metro Channel, which carries MTV

music videos and other popular shows, has survived in the

face of the new trend for talk programs that engage in a

potpourri of racy topics.

All channels beaming into India do so from outside the

country and are, therefore, beyond direct Indian government

control. Doordarshan and All India Radio continue to be

state owned and controlled institutions subject to

government censorship.

The transformation of the media environment has been viewed

in many ways. Some are delighted by the availability of a

wide range of programming. Others are quite concerned about

the social, cultural and political impact of televised

programming. For instance the 1994 report of the

parliamentary standing committee of human resource

development stated: “nothing in the recent past has had such

dramatic and deleterious impact on both our cultural

traditions as the invasion of the Mass media, both

indigenous and foreign” (HRD, 1996).

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3. Interplay between Global Media and Culture

During the 1990s, Indian media experienced its

efflorescence, when India joined the countries embracing

globalism. Indian media products increasingly began to be

seen as an instrument of Indian cultural/media imperialism

within South Asia, similarly to how American products were

perceived starting in the 1960s. This challenged the linear

West-centric perspective in this globalization age.

In the early 1990s, Indian television channels had their

highest audience ratings within the region and forced

foreign channels to adjust their programs so as to fit into

the Indian national and local culture (Sonwalkar, 2001). At

the same time, a UNESCO report shows that India has been one

of the lowest importers of international programming. In

1990 only 8 percent of the Indian television programs were

from foreign sources (UNESCO, 1994, cited by Sonwalkar,

2001). India’s import of foreign media has further dwindled

since 1992 due to the rapid development of domestic channels

and the growth of domestic production houses. The national

experience of India indicates a transition in the previously

unbalanced cultural flow: “Between 1975 and 1991, the flow

of cultural goods from the developed to the less developed

countries has gone down and the flow from (less developed

countries) to (developed countries) has increased”

(Ambirajan, 2000, p. 2146).

3.1 Technological Reasons

International communications systems redistributed among

regions and countries have been growing more and more

complicated since the boom in information technology. The

earlier theory of “blanket effects” of western media

products is now being criticized for failing to account for

this much more complex cultural interaction. Due to the

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effects of globalization, technology is being transferred at

a much faster rate from the West to the rest of the world;

and new knowledge, ideas and notions spread quickly. Yanal

(1999) argues that “thanks to the multi-pronged channels of

globalization, the gap between the haves and the have-nots

today has a fairer chance of being narrowed at a faster rate

than has been the case so far” (cited by Sonwalkar, 2001).

The one-sided, incomplete picture given by critical

theorists of the US and European media influences on the

Third World has ignored those cultural flows not originating

from the west.

3.2 Cultural Reasons

Indians prefer to be entertained in their mother tongues

(Malhotra, 2000, cited by Sonwalkar,), with Hindi being the

most widely spoken. This has forced the main foreign

satellite channels such as Star TV to adopt Hindi-language

programming. Patrick Cross, the managing director of the BBC

World Service, said that his corporation had plans to

introduce programs in Hindi (Sonwalkar, 2001). This is the

first time the BBC has shown interest in local language

broadcasting outside the UK, although England has had an

intimate and protracted relationship with the Indian

subcontinent.

Still, the foreign organizations who have made attempts to

reach Indian audiences through adopting Hindi in the

development of programs have so far failed to make a profit.

For example, early entrant Star TV continues to lose heavily

on its Indian operations, even after it adjusted its

programming and shifted popular English language soaps like

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Baywatch and The Bold to Star World to make way for Hindi

shows (Ninan, 1999, cited by Sonwalkar, 2001).

In the localized backdrop of India, the concept of

imperialism acquires new meanings. “…Within South Asia, the

notion of Western-based media imperialism is being replaced

by the Indian-based version. Within India, the pre-eminent

position hitherto enjoyed by Hindi in the national cultural

discourse until recently has given way to the suzerainty of

local languages” (Sonwalkar, 2001). In the case of India,

internationalization of media clearly does not tend to

undermine national culture. Reversely, the strong local and

regional media in India play a very important role in

protecting their national culture.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Culture, Cultural Identity, and Communication

The word culture describes everything that makes a large

group of people unique. Members of a culture share similar

thoughts and experiences (Jandt, 2004). Collier and Thomas

define culture as “a historically transmitted system of

symbols and meanings, and norms” (Collier & Thomas, 1988).

Our culture teaches us rules or norms that tell us how to

behave inside our culture. One’s culture is a part of one’s

identity (Jandt, 2004,). We communicate our identity to

others and we learn who we are through communication.

Communication does not refer just to language; rather,

actions, rules, behavior, discrimination, and labels are all

communicative. Identity and communication are mutually

reinforcing).

Everyone has multiple identities that are created and

negotiated through communication. Identities emerge when

messages are exchanged between individuals. Presenting one’s

identities is not a simple process. Identities are dynamic;

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they are created by the self and at the same time by others

in relation to group membership (Martin & Nakayama, 1997)

To create a culture, a group must first define itself as a

group. This may be on the basis of nationality, ethnicity,

gender, profession, religion, organization, or others. Once

the group defines itself as a unit, then a cultural system

may develop. Cultural identity is the particular character

of the group communication system that emerges when people

claim group membership in a particular situation, event, or

communication context (Collier, 2003).

1.1 The Dynamics of Culture

Culture is a complex phenomenon. It includes the religious

practices of a region, the kinds of architectural

developments embraced by modern cities, recurring ethnic

practices, language loyalty, and other aspects of the milieu

of social practices that constitute culture.

Culture is a constantly changing phenomenon. Globalization

has not only affected world cultures but also the world

economic system with nation-states increasingly becoming

influenced by a capitalist world-economic system.

Globalization and cultural exchanges have resulted in

complex forms of cultural hybridity. While modernism has to

do with the belief in steady-states that are either in

equilibrium or near equilibrium, the postmodern world does

not address the nature of steady-state systems. It is

concerned with the dynamics of change and the nature of this

change is closer to the behavior of non-linear systems. It

is about change in a cultural flux.

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The late Ilya Prigogine (1983) and colleagues addressed

these kinds of concerns in their work on “dissipative

structures.” They noted that from one perspective such

structures contained order and structure and from another

perspective they were unordered and in chaos. Their concern

was in how a steady-state or a system in equilibrium

dissipated and then reorganized itself into a new steady-

state. How does order emerge out of chaos? When the old

system began to break up, the process was irreversible. It

appeared as though there was no order when this dissipation

occurred. However, there was order in the flux of change and

it emerged as a new system in equilibrium. It can be argued

that postmodernism is the quest for a new order within a

state of dissipation. Postmodernists are trying to make

sense of the chaos. They are beginning to see the signs of

the new system and this is what they are writing about.

Because of the novelty of change, such systems are difficult

to express. This difficulty has been interpreted by some as

a kind of nihilism, but it is not. The sedimentation theory

of cultural space is presented within this context. It is a

theory of cultural change that is trying to find a new order

in the flux of cultural change

1.2 The Postmodern Approach to Culture

MIT researchers have examined how modern communication

systems function without central control and move

intelligence to the end user (e.g.). They studied these

networks in terms of their “viral architecture.” The term

“viral” was adapted from biology for use in marketing,

computer technology, and the social sciences. Just as a

virus in a biological environment can replicate and become

diffused within a system, it is argued that informational

objects and processes can also expand within communication

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networks. Lippman and Pentland (2004) considered viral

communication to be a consequence of economic, social, and

technical forces within communication networks. Lippman and

his colleagues have noted that such systems create the

potential to embed communications into the sociology of

everyday life. They have discussed the fact that this

phenomenon has expanded greatly within modern society. They

have also argued that these new forms of connectivity

facilitate the formation of new social behaviors

They have similar views on cultural change under the rubric

of viral culture. In a postmodern society, the use of viral

communications has shifted. For example, the role of agency

has shifted from one of vertical control to the horizontal

transmission of information of the same generation. With the

advent of these new forms of computer-mediated technology,

they have also become producers of knowledge within the new

viral culture. In essence, societies bend technology to

their own uses. These new mediated networks are no longer

locally restricted and participate in various forms of

global communication. Most importantly, viral communication

is no longer associated with what people buy. It is what

people do. It has become the way in which people experience

life.

There is a new kind of social and cultural habits associated

with this new virtual culture. The forms of social and

cultural capital have changed. The authors have noticed that

capital takes time to accumulate and reproduce itself.

However, such is not the case with viral capital. Miller and

Bruenger (2005) have noted, “within viral networks viral

capital accumulates and reproduces very quickly”. It is an

infectious cultural process.

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2. Identity

2.1 Identity in the Age of Information

A quick glance at the criticisms and resistance challenging

cultural globalization indicates most of it is aimed to

challenge the virtue of globalization and its contradiction

with integrity of identities.

For example, Manuel Castells, the Spanish sociologist and

professor at the University of Berkeley, concludes that our

world and our lives are being shaped through two opposite

trends namely, globalization and integrity of identities.

The information revolution and reconstruction of capitalism

have established a new society that could be called the

“network society” (Castells, 2005). The most important

characteristic of this society is its prevalent culture

established by a diverse and comprehensive media system.

This novel society threatens traditional social institutions

and alters both culture and collective identity.

Simultaneously, it creates wealth and poverty and thus

introduces fresh threats and opportunities.

For Castells Identity is “the process of construction of

meaning on the basis of a cultural attribute, or a related

set of cultural attributes, that is given priority over

other sources of meaning”. For a given individual, or for a

collective actor, there may be a plurality of identities,

but these are a source of stress and contradiction in both

self-representation and social action. Lacking a concise and

accurate definition of identity in the age of information

and globalization, it is impossible to define the role of

mass media as the most important contemporary instrument for

strengthening or weakening of the identity crisis.

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In the definition of identity, two conflicting components

namely its old elements and historical roots along with the

elements of current events and future changes must be

considered. Thus, identity has two components of correlation

and individuality. A relevant example is the interaction of

an individual with his/her society (either the national

society or the international society). The individual

constantly receives input from the environment and at the

same time possesses his/her unique characteristics, which

differentiates his/her independence from social pluralism.

If the aforesaid definition of identity is accepted, then it

is evident that correlation and interaction causes

alterations in the individual as well as the surrounding

environment.

Cultural identity is not a mere collection of thoughts,

beliefs, traditions, languages and behaviors accumulated

through time. Rather it is a cultural selection on how to

respond to an outside stimulant in various time frames. As a

result, cultural identity is a work plan created by people

for their future activities based on past experiences.

Some sociologists believe “the combination of economic

participation and cultural identity is made possible not by

a choice between equality and difference, but by the desire

to construct or reconstruct a personal or collective

experience which combines both universes and a desire to be

a social actor”

The social manifestation of identity has always been

affected by power struggles and basically has three

contributing sources for its inception:

26

Legitimizing Identity: introduced by the dominant

institutions of society to extend and rationalize their

domination over social actors. Legitimizing identities

generate civil societies and their institutions, which

reproduce rational power.

Resistance Identity: produced by those actors who are

in a position/condition of being excluded by the logic

of domination. Identity for resistance leads to the

formation of communes or communities as a way of coping

with otherwise unbearable conditions of oppression.

Project Identity: proactive movements which aim at

transforming society as a whole, rather than merely

establishing the conditions for their own survival in

opposition to the dominant actors. Feminism and

environmentalism fall under this category

During the era of modernization, planned identity stemmed

from the heart of civil society. However in network society,

the emergence of planned identity comes from the core of

resistive social groups.

Some scholars especially Castles argue that the crisis of

legitimacy has engulfed all institutions, since the

development of globalization has dried up the fountain of

legitimate identities. Institutions and organizations of

civil society established on the foundation of democratic

governments and the social contract between labor and

capital are becoming increasingly superficial and are unable

to address the living values of most people and have lost

contact with ordinary citizens. The deterioration of common

identity is synonymous with a decline of meaningful social

orders, which vividly depicts our status (Castells, 2005).

27

The social challenges pressing the patterns of dominance in

network society, usually manifests itself in the form of

establishing independent identities, which are alien with

the organizational principles of the network society. They

confront the ascendancy of technology, legitimacy of power

and the logic of the market economy with their traditions

and beliefs. One of the main distinctions of the social

movements and cultural upheavals surrounding the issue of

identity in the age of information (regardless of their

type, either religious fundamentalism, nationalism, ethnic

separatism) is that these identities do not stem from

institutions of civil society. They introduce an adversarial

social logic, completely distinct from the functioning

principles of the dominant social institutions.

In the age of information, the prevalent logic of global

networks is so powerful that the only way to defy their

authority and dominance is to rebel against the whole system

and depart from it by establishing another order with

distinctive values and beliefs (Castells, 2005).

Moreover, there is a diversity of opinions in relation to

the issue of identity and globalization. For example,

Giddens believes that it is erroneous to envision

globalization only on a large scale and solely for giant

systems. This process is not exclusively an external

phenomenon; rather it is also an internal matter and is

directly intertwined with individualistic aspects of our

livelihood including our individual identity. Therefore, it

has a great influence.

From this perspective, the globalization theory of Giddens

is similar to that of Robertson. Robertson defines

globalization as “a form of institutionalization of the two-

fold process involving the universalization of particularism

28

and the particularization of universalism” (Robertson, 1992,

cited Castells). In other words, globalization tends to

integrate and dominate on the one hand and particularize on

the other hand and the output of this particularization is

the development of localization. Thus, globalization is

inclined towards uniformity and integration and

simultaneously strengthens cultural uniqueness.

Therefore, the inception of uniformity and generalization

alongside the intensification of cultural distinctiveness

are concurrently evident, which has its own impact on the

formation of identities.

According to Robertson’s theory, globalization cannot be

interpreted as creation of a global culture, rather there is

an opportunity for various cultures to interact on a global

scale. The identity crisis is not a mere hypothetical and

scholastic concern. There is a strong apprehension in regard

to the conflict between global and local cultures and its

implications. The clash of local and global cultures is the

paradox of globalization on the international scene. In

fact, there is no independent global culture, more

accurately, certain aspects of national or regional culture

enters the arena and becomes universal.

Localization is the manifestation of an individual’s or a

group’s attempt to regain its identity. Thus, the most

comforting and suitable reaction is to search deep inside

the historical memory of a group or nation and try to regain

past glory and supremacy. These self-assuring memories are

intertwined with a specific place and time, which is the

core of localization in eastern societies. These societies

under the constant barrage of western cultures have no

choice but to return to their traditional cultures

(Mohammadi, 1992)

29

3. Globalization, the New Phenomenon

Globalization, which also has been called global

construction, global orientation and global expansion by

various schools of thought, is the latest phase process in

an old process rooted in the expansion of modern capitalism

and encompassing the political, economic and cultural realms

worldwide. Modern capitalism that first emerged in the

sixteenth century is a far more complex phenomenon embracing

a broader economic spectrum and a more detailed definition

than the concept of common market. Thus, some experts view

it as “contraction and condensation at the global scale

coupled with ever-increasing expansion of awareness”

Many have expressed different and even contradictory

definitions of globalization in their discussions over the

past few years. According to British sociologist Anthony

Giddens, some social sectors are utterly pessimistic about

globalization and reject it in its entirety. On the other

hand, there are those who perceive globalization as an

undeniable reality with profound and inevitable

consequences.

Yet there are others, who are generally referred to as

Global Expansionists. They view globalization as an

inescapable development developing ever-increasing momentum

due to the intensification of global interactions and the

waning importance of national boundaries. They believe that

national economies, cultures and policies will integrate

into a global network and that local and national authority

and hence dominance will diminish in favor of a homogenous

global economy and culture.

30

On the other side of the spectrum, there are opposing

arguments against the virtues of globalization. Giddens

refers to them as the pessimists, and they include a gamut

of those from the traditionalists to those challenging the

dominance of capitalism. They perceive globalization as

synonymous to westernization and Americanization. They even

include the environmentalists.

This school of thought argues that globalization will create

a world of winners and losers along with the global conquest

and economic domination of specific political groups,

especially in the wealthy nations like the U.S. These groups

are strong enough to resist any pressures to alter the new

world-order and could impose their desires and goals as

global agendas and work plans. The promoters of this school

of thought point out to the waning of national sovereignty

and local identity and the eventual prevalence of inequality

and injustice in the world.

Meanwhile, some dispute the idea of the “global village”

introduced by Marshall McLuhan and envision more of a

“global pillaging” for the underdeveloped countries.

There are other theoreticians who dispute this widely held

view. For example, Giddens challenges this prospect and

believes that the wealthy should not be blamed for all the

negative aspects of this phenomenon, which actually is to

some extent very similar to the westernization process.

However, globalization is becoming ever-increasingly

decentralized and thus it is not dominated by a certain

group of countries or multinational companies. Even the

western countries are being affected by this new trend.

There is increasing evidence of Inverted Colonialism.

Inverted Colonialism could be defined as the impact of non-

31

western countries on the development of western culture and

economy (Giddens, 1999).

According to Giddens not only is globalization a novel

experience, it is a revolutionary phenomenon. In addition to

its economic consequences, its political, technological and

cultural impact cannot be underestimated. More than

anything, globalization is influenced by the advancement of

communication systems.

In the middle of these two extreme positions, there is a

third opinion, which is called “transformationalism.” This

perspective gives limited importance to globalization and

emphasizes the significance of national and local

institutions (retrieved from the International Media

Dialogue). This third view does not condemn the whole of

globalization and praises its positive aspects. These

scholars note that although globalization imposes a great

deal of pressure on local economies and cultures, it is

possible to transform this threat into an opportunity,

thereby resisting being conquered by it.

Based on this viewpoint, the leaders of the world would

support the notion of democratization of global

institutions; and nations could play a decisive role in the

policy-making process under the framework of the new world

order and solidify their territorial rights and legitimacy.

The acceptance of this notion is reflected in the response

of former French Premier Leonel Jospin on the issue of

France’s national identity in the globalization process. He

said, “We will do our best to make globalization an internal

and endemic process in compliance and harmony with our way

of life.” He argued that “The course this globalization

process takes will depend on the action we take in relation

32

to it, because although globalization is a fact, it is not

an end in itself. We must bring it under control if we are

to enjoy its benefits and prevent its negative aspects” It

can thus be concluded that the present range of opinions on

globalization, differs from the definition of capital

expansion of the 16th century. In this sense it is a new

concept based on the ever-increasing time-space compression

and the enhancement of public knowledge and awareness due to

the profound alteration in communication systems and its

immense impact on economic, political and cultural trends.

It can be stated fairly that “Globalization is a complex

phenomenon, marked by two opposing forces. On the one hand,

it is characterized by massive economic expansion and

technological innovation. On the other hand, there is

increased inequality, cultural and social tumult, and

individual alienation”.

4. Media and Identity Challenges of Globalization

The assessment of mass media and its role in the age of

information on the issue of identity and cultural crisis in

the network society, which itself is the inevitable by-

product of globalization, has become vitally important. The

subject of globalization and the function of mass media are

so intertwined that it is impossible to imagine

globalization without the presence of media.

Some scholars go even further in emphasizing the

significance of media and consider the mass media as the

main player in the globalization process. They regard the

media not just as a mere instrument, rather as an identity

in its own right, which could compete with national

33

governments in respect to its power and influence to alter

the nature and essence of human societies.

The information and communication revolution and the

emergence of new technologies have redefined the meaning and

realm of politics and power structure within societies.

Thus, power is entrusted to those who produce, control and

disseminate information more effectively. Many theoreticians

hold that power magnates and moguls prepare the news,

information, science and political decisions at the national

and international levels and then inject them to the

societies through the media. Therefore, mass media is an

instrument in the hand of the ruling class that not only

justifies its authority it gains the support of its

audiences.

On the other hand, it is impossible to ignore the great

transformation and evolution taking place in international

telecommunication during the era of globalization including

centralization and integration of mass media and the advent

of giant media tycoons. This new ownership of mass media has

greatly influenced the content and dissemination of news as

well as the commercial nature of cultural products.

Although, some scholars promoting globalization praise the

positive impact of mass media, there are many experts who

criticize the negative role of media in weakening the

identity of various societies.

The followers of the Frankfurt School like Aderno and his

colleagues argue that the media has deprived humanity from

its intellectual capacities and flexibility and has reduced

mankind to a single dimensioned and isolated entity.

Meanwhile, Markuze explains this subject as the creation of

one-dimensional man. Men and women involved in this powerful

34

media network, contribute to a society in which its members

do not have strong links with each other and do not play a

part in the stability of the social order in any meaningful

form. Moreover, many other scholars argue that one of the

prominent tasks of the media in the globalization process

has been its pursuit in developing a single cultural world.

The culture sponsored by the western media is a culture,

which dictates to the society what to eat, what to wear, how

to live, what to think and what to know. This enormous chain

of global communication institutions and its allies in the

camp of capitalism have transformed the majority of ordinary

people into obedient consumers, without identity or ability

to command their destiny.

Thus, it is possible to divide the mass media in the

globalization process into two categories, namely the

aggressive media and the resistive media. The aggressive

media are the colossal information institutions with

countless audiences. Although they provide a diverse range

of news and information, they pursue a limited set of

objectives. These objectives include entertainment for

leisure and pleasure as well as education for greater

uniformity and harmony of audiences.

These institutions tend to remove spatial and temporal

boundaries in order to eliminate identity barriers. The

successful implementation of this task would pave the way

for the strategic goal of the capitalist tycoons and giant

industrialists to conquer the world market through

exploitation of minds, the draining of brains in the

developing countries and injecting a superficial sense of

happiness and satisfaction.

35

On the other hand, the resistive media tends to utilize the

open atmosphere in the global information system in order to

disseminate its own culture and ideology. However, these

information institutions generally do not comprehend the

depth and dimensions of the prevailing tragedy and insist on

promoting their local and national aspirations instead of

finding a broader message for the vast global audiences.

Thus, they always fail to compete with the aggressive media

in absorbing potential audiences. It is important to point

out that technical and practical methods used in presenting

the contending culture, is its Achilles heel, not the

culture itself.

Globalization of Culture and Identity in the Information Era

On the subject of globalization, the most controversial

debate is raised on the issue of cultural globalization and

its main topic, the “identity crisis” and the role of mass

media as a facilitating tool for its expansion or

limitation. The notion of cultural globalization has

prompted various reactions, reflecting contradictory

implications. Some perceive this phenomenon as an instrument

for establishment of universal unity and democracy based on

a global culture signified as the “global village.”

According to the principles of McLuhan, this is due to the

expansion of new communication systems. However, others

disagree and contend that globalization has not resulted in

a unified political and economic identity (Rajaei, 2001). In

contrast, cultural globalization has destroyed national

identities.

Fukuyama challenges the idea of cultural globalization. He

argues that despite external economic pressures, societies

tend to preserve their individual identities and cultural

36

values eventually determine the economic direction of the

countries. This doesn’t mean that societies will not be

impacted by the globalization trend. However, there are more

profound elements in national cultures, which resist the

uniformity derived from economic and political ideologies.

Critics argue that cultural globalization will result in

cultural dominance and supremacy. The deterioration of

endemic cultures will be replaced with a universal culture

promoting excessive consumption and dominance of the

economic and information technology powers of the world.

These scholars believe that the western world is unfit to

provide a suitable response to cultural globalization. This

is because it is being challenged by numerous social and

cultural predicaments, itself.

Tomlinson says: “The cultural globalization that we are

witnessing today is not the net result of human endeavors

and experiences and even it has not equitably benefited from

cultural diversities. Rather it is the manifestation of

dominance of a certain overpowering culture”.

These researchers emphasize that the efforts made to conform

to the aggressive culture or interpret western culture in

various parts of the world have had disastrous results and

have revealed insurmountable cultural gaps. Thus, it is

impossible to create a global culture with this procedure,

and it only widens the existing gap between cultures.

Doubtless, globalization has affected certain values rooted

in major religions and cultures of the world. Concepts of

good and evil, right and wrong, individualism and pluralism,

individual interaction with the society and the very meaning

of life are all warped and corrupted by global capitalism,

international markets, mass media and the promotion of

37

excessive consumption. Even some local languages and

valuable traditions are on the verge of disappearance as the

result of globalization. Global consumerism is now forming a

homogeneous global culture where indigenous cultures of the

South are being replaced by Western cultures.

Others like the philosopher like Coleman James express their

dissatisfaction with the globalization. He notes the

alienation of societies with their history and their

fascination with foreign values. These new values and

beliefs have no root or connection to their national

identity. Therefore, globalization weakens the traditions

and values of local cultures for the sake of universal

uniformity and dominance of a commanding culture through the

formidable power of international media.

HYPOTHESIS

The following research question was hypothesized after

reviewing the literature on culture, identity and global

media. :

It was hypothesized that global media contribute to a great

extent in establishing the cultural identity cultural

identity, lifestyle and consumption patterns of respondents.

OBJECTIVES

Specific objectives of the study:

To study the demographic profile of college students

who use global media.

To study the extent of use of global media of

respondents.

38

To analyse the understanding of the concept ‘cultural

identity’ from the respondents point of view.

To examine the effects of global media on the

respondents in terms of changing:

1.Identity

2.Lifestyle

3.Consumption pattern

To study whether the respondents maintained the status

quo of their cultural identity with respect to time.

To analyse if there is gap between their cultural

identity and that of their parents/grandparents.

RESEARCH METHODOLGY

The present study was designed to examine new media issues,

cultural value identity, and their correlations among

college students in Delhi. To control other possible

influencing factors, all of the participants are

undergraduate students from University of Delhi. All of the

participants were randomly chosen from 5 Colleges in the

city. From these 5 colleges 10 students each were

interviewed. Access to internet, socio economic conditions,

and interface with different components of global media were

kept in before handing over the questionnaire.

To guarantee good quality, I was on site for their

reference. This sample seems representative of the young

college students in Delhi.

The problem can be attributed to ‘I’. The environment in

which ‘I’ stays can be called ‘N’.

Two Outcomes are possible:

39

1. O1: The identities have influenced under global

influence.

2. O2: The identities have not changed and remain intact.

The survey was conducted with an interview schedule tool

adopted and a questionnaire was designed with both open-

ended and close ended questions. The respondents had to

answer without any initiation or help.

Method of Study

1. POPULATION

For this study the students of the University of Delhi

formed the population. Students in the age group between the

17- 25 years were purposefully selected, since the said

group has been exposed to global media and are

quintessential of the modern Indian identity. Five colleges

under the University of Delhi were chosen for conducting the

survey. This sample was exhaustive since it covers most of

Delhi.

2. SAMPLING

Non probability sampling technique was adopted and 5

colleges were purposefully selected and fifty students were

selected randomly from these colleges where questionnaire

was distributed and asked to submit. To select the colleges

an equal emphasis was given to 5 areas of Delhi. Quota

sampling, technique was then adopted in which the population

was first segmented into mutually exclusive sub-groups, just

as in stratified sampling. Then judgment is used to select

the subjects or units from each segment based on a specified

proportion. In this study 50 students between the ages 17-25

were selected out of random sample space.

3. Limitations of the sampling method:

40

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratified_sampling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutually_exclusive

In quota sampling, the selection of the sample is non-random

unlike random sampling and can often be found unreliable.

For example interviewers might be tempted to interview those

people in the street who look most helpful, or may choose to

use accidental sampling to question those which are closest

to them, for time-keeping sake. The problem is that these

samples may be biased because not everyone gets a chance of

selection. This non-random element is its greatest weakness

and quota versus probability has been a matter of

controversy for many years.

4. Sample Size

Ten students from five colleges were chosen for the

interview. The total sample size came out to be fifty. All

these students were studying in various colleges of

University of Delhi and were residing in Delhi NCR.

5. Study Design/Research DesignA survey was conducted with an interview schedule tool

adopted and a questionnaire was designed with both open

ended and close ended questions keeping the following

dimensions in mind.

1- Access to internet

2- Socio Economic Conditions

3- Amount of exposure to internet & other inter face

The method of data collection was through paper

questionnaire. The questionnaire included items regarding

the importance of Internet, the time online, access to

English websites, the specific online activities frequency,

relation with any TV show etc. In doing this, I hope to

explore the correlations between global media items and

identity, further understanding the transforming process of

identities in the global media world India.

41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biased

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental_sampling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random

The questionnaire consists of two parts. The first part is a

self-made assessment of global media questionnaire. In this

study, the Internet, as a well-accepted global media form,

was chosen to be measured. The questions cover almost all

kinds of online activities and main cultural influences,

like movies and cultural texts.

The second part concerns cultural value identity. This part

probed in to questions of identity and how do youngsters

interplay with their identity.

RATIONALE & LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

1. Rationale The focus of this study is on college students who are

enrolled in the various colleges where I will conduct the

survey. This group was chosen because of their previous

exposure to Global Media. College students are tech savvy

and hence questions on their identity and relation between

media were asked.

Global media has wide reach but has limited audiences

because of technical, low user awareness, etc among other

limitations.

The study is intended to find out the status of cultural

identity of college students in relation with the rise of

global media. Previous studies have articulated that

identity can either be defined in one’s own

42

constituency/frame or can be the defined by a third

party/foreign body. Accordingly it has been seen that global

media is increasingly being seen as setting their agenda and

distorting the cultural identities in developing countries.

This study is an effort to probe this view and find out

whether new media is actually influencing the identities of

an individual or is it being subsided by strong cultural

influences.

The study places a premium to understand the underlying

views of Individuality, Consumerism, Globalisation, and

Identity amongst others as seen by college students aged

between 17-25 years. The study probes into their attitudes,

views and perspectives on various tenets of the Indian

cultural identity (taking the Shivdesani study into view,

2007).

The research study hence provides a unique opportunity to

research and study the role of global media in the making of

cultural identity. In addition, it provides an opportunity

to consider the extent to which global media can inculcate

multicultural values in young people. However, as is shown,

the idea of ‘cultural identity’ itself is contested and

problematic. The notion that ‘identity’ is a singular set of

ideas and practices or the idea that the making of cultural

identity is a simple process akin to changing one’s clothes

is fraught with difficulties.

These are things I knew intuitively before this study. I

knew them as a college student who negotiates his identity

through new cultural worlds. But as a researcher I try to

bring a logical angle t the study.

2. Limitations

43

This study is restricted to the students studying in

University of Delhi and cannot be generalized to the entire

population. Since the respondents belong to the urban city

where levels of education and awareness on issues like

identity, individuality and global media are quite high,

hence expecting honest/unbiased views seems doubtful.

Similarly the sample space of the population does not

reflect the views/notions of the young population of the

country.

RESULTS & DATA ANALYSIS

On the basis of the hypothesis a research survey was carried

out and the results were then collated and final analysis

was done. The ground research work took a span of seven days

after which the results were compiled and evaluated.

Following are the results and the analysis:

Question: Which of the following in your opinion, best define “Identity”:

Response Frequency Percentage %

Avowal Identity 39 78

Ascribed Identity 11 24

Total 50 100 %

Analysis:

78% of the studied sample agreed with statement 2 and 24%

agreed with statement 1.The two definition are viewed on the

concept of ‘avowal’(you describe yourself) and

44

‘ascribed’(third part defined identity) notion of identity.

It was seen that majority of the college students believe

that there identity is described best by themselves. But

they do mention in most of the studies that the notion of

identity for them is best described by the societal and

family members/organisations.

Question: Do you identify yourself with any of the

characters from TV shows.


FRIENDS 21 42

South Park 6 12

MTV Roadies 5 10

Others 18 36

Total 50 100

Analysis:

An amazing 42% of the total respondents pointed towards

FRIENDS being one show with which they relate the most.

Others came second under which most pointed towards shows

like ‘Hip Hip Hurray’, ‘Gossip Girl’,’ Heroes’ etc. This

result can be attributed towards the inundation of the

American popular culture in the Indian society. FRIENDS is a

sitcom involving five friends staying in a suburban NY area

and grappling with the nuances of the American life. Many

concepts which were alien to the majority Indian society

like ‘young kids moving away from parents house’,

‘discussion on matters concerning sexual orientation or sex’

were quiet openly displayed and were amongst important

contents of the programme. A stark 42% relation with the

programming points towards an audience that accepts the

above debates more openly and can identify with the show

that in a way defines globalisation and American popular

culture.

45

Question 3: Which seminal text have you read / you find is

most relevant for our times

Response Frequency Percentage

%

The Mahabharata 18 33

The Clash of Civilizations 14 28

My Experiments with Truth 3 10

Others 15 29

Total 50 100

Analysis:

The majority of the respondents showed an inclination

towards the historic text ‘Mahabharata’ (33%). This can be

attributed to the Social inequity theory as projected by

Fukuyama according to which ‘historical text distraught with

crime and deceit are increasingly recognised by the

knowledge society. it is this mix of philosophy and pain

that attracts an evolving society”. A lot also point towards

others where George Orwell’s writing like “Animal Farm” and

“1984” which are left leaning writings talking about

oppression of state and the aftermath. A good 28% also talk

about “The Clash of Civilisations” as a text that they hold

important for the present times.

Question: How will you define your Identity.


Indian 17 34

Caste/Regional Identity 8 14

Global Citizen 22 44

Others 3 6

Total 50 100

Analysis:

This is perhaps one of the most important results of the

survey which points towards changing identity of the college

46

student. A whopping 44% of the respondents say that they

have a global identity as compared to 34% who subscribe to

the Indian identity. The increasingly growing trend of

describing yourself as a global citizen can be seen in the

survey where college students ascribe them as global

stakeholders in not only there countries but the worlds

progress. Second is the Indian identity but what is also

important is that not many like to describe their

state/caste as an identity for themselves (only a meager

14%).

Question: What in your opinion is most important in shaping

one’s identity:


%

Education 15 30

Family 15 30

Money/Social Status 10 20

Others 10 20

Total 50 100

Analysis:

This result seems to balance on every proportion with no

clear result. Majority of the respondents believe that an

equal (30%) education and family are most important sources

which shape identity. This only reinforces the Indian

concept of family and bonding that is important in the

development of one’s character. Another good 20% talk about

the importance of money and friends in shaping ones

identity. This 20% seem to be representative of the emerging

middle class that sees money and social status as important

symbols of identity and identity formation.

Question 6: Do you think you possess a unique identity:


%

Yes 42 87

47

No 5 10

To a great extent 2 2

Can’t Say/Others 1 1

Total 50 100

Analysis

An overwhelming and clear 87% say that they do possess a

unique identity. The open ended question that followed was

answered in different perspectives while the view since

he/she is an entity and hence holds a unique identity. This

also points at the larger question of how identities are

framed.

The discussion points at that in most cases the identity

becomes synonymous to individuality, where the possibility

of misunderstanding the concept as a whole and mixture of

distraught identities can be contested. This is what reveals

of the analysis of this data that reflects the identity.

Question: Which of the following, in your opinion does an

‘Indian Identity’ best/most symbolise :


%

Debates & Discussions 9 18

Non Violence/Resilience 11 22

Hard Working 10 20

Culturally Diverse 20 40

Total 50 100

Analysis:

Most of the respondents find that Indian identity most

embodies diversity which nowhere else is to be found. This

also points towards a greater sense of understanding of the

48

Indian identity which is reflective of their informed

opinion on issues of nationalism and other aspects. Another

aspect highlighted in the survey is the thinking that

Indians are non violent or resilient in nature. This is also

echoed in the contemporary debates against terrorism where

Indians resilient nature has been highlighted.

Question: In your opinion is your generation more clear about their identity then the

previous generation:


%

Yes 14 28

No 35 69


Total 50 100

Analysis:

The questioned was aimed at finding the levels of generation

gap and whether there is an understanding that the levels of

identity was more clear to the parents/grandparents was more

clear to the parents than them. The results show that 69%

said that they believe the previous generation was clearer

about such issues than the present generation. In addition

it was seen that this result is in continuation to the above

results where the respondents have embraced global citizens

which in essence means blurring the content and generation.

Question: Statement 1: ‘Globalization is large scale and

solely meant for giant systems.’

Statement 2: ‘Globalization is an internal matter and is

directly intertwined with individualistic aspects of our

livelihood including our individual identity.’

Result:


49

%

Option 1 22 44

Option 2 14 28



Total 50 100

Analysis:

This part was specifically aimed at inquiring the

respondent’s level of inquiry into global institutions and

globalisation. The respondents were expected to answer

questions related to effects of globalisation on individuals

versus global organisations. Most of the respondents favour

globalisation only for big institutions and systems. They

don’t believe that this may be a cause of any effect to them

as an individual or as a society, or as a nation as a whole.

Question: Do you regard Internet as the most important media

in your life:


%

Yes 29 58

No 11 22



Total 50 100

Analysis:

Around 60% of the respondents said that internet was the

most important media in their life. They said that they

would confirm to various sources on the internet for their

news input amongst which international news organisations

and others rank higher. This point towards the fact that a

50

large majority of the respondent’s work and use the internet

as a major source of their daily news dose.

Question: Which of the following in your opinion is the most

credible news provider:


%

BBC 19 38

CNN 4 9

Doordarshan (DD NEWS) 9 18

NDTV 13 25

Zee News 5 10

Others 50 100

Analysis:

The majority of the population holds BBC in high regards as

far as news dissemination is concerned. NDTV and Doordarshan

News follow a close second and third. This result shows that

students are highly motivated towards reading unbiased and

other information which according to the sample survey

points towards international organisations taking a lead and

also finalising the information provided by them in full

data. This result can also be interpreted as students

consuming more of global media and hence treating them as

the most credible news provider.

Question: What do you read the most in News:


%

Culture & History 31 62

Celebrity 5 10

Editorials 13 26


Total 50 100

Analysis:

51

The results point towards a clear favourite of the young

population. 60% of the respondents have pointed towards

culture and history as their first choice which they read in

the news, which is closely followed by editorials in the

newspaper (26%). This clearly is a distinction to other

results which show a certain kind of inclination towards

other media. This can also be correlated to other question

on Indian identity where a majority of the respondents

answered culturally diverse as their preferred choice. Thus

conclusion can be drawn that cultural diversity is a subject

that students manifest in a lot many ways.

Question: Do you feel rise in consumerism is a direct result

of global media:


%

Yes 42 88

No 6 18

Maybe/Others 2 4

Total 50 100

Analysis:

A clear majority of the respondents feel that the global

media has made them consumers and hence has resulted in

increased consumerism. But strikingly the data is also

points towards another 16% talking about consumerism being

an inherent virtue that can’t be affected by any external

factor. But the major population seems to disagree with this

view and believes rising consumerism is a direct output of

global media exposures.

52

CONCLUSION

The following conclusions were derived on the basis of the

research survey:

1- The study shows that respondents between the ages 19-22

have maximum exposure to global media. The average time

spent consuming such media ranges from six to eight

hours per day. Another result borne out of the survey

was that consumption pattern soared between age 17-22

and then drastically lowered after 22.

2- The study shows that average consumption of global

media varies with different age group. It was concluded

that age groups 17-21 spent more time consuming the

media compared to users between age groups 22-25. The

second derivation is that respondents are being exposed

to different tools of global media at their personal

level.

53

3- The study shows that avowal identity is the ‘preferred’

identity of the respondents (78%). Thus, it can be

concluded that the respondents consider their self as

their identity which they derive from family (32%),

education (32%), friends (28%) and social status/money

(8%). It can also be concluded that the respondents are

confused about their identity because 78% of the

respondents feel that their idea about their identity

is not clear from that of their parents/grandparents.

4- The respondents accept that there has been a change in

their consumption patterns after being exposed to the

global media. 92% of the respondents feel social

networking sites, blogs, international news channels

have encouraged them to move towards a ‘standardized

identity’ reflective of the American popular culture.

44% of the respondents identify themselves with shows

like FRIENDS, South Park and find BBC to be the most

credible news disseminator.

5- It was concluded that the respondents did not maintain

their identity with time. It was noticed that views on

identity changed between the age groups 17- 21 and 21-

25. This can be attributed to the change of space

(college/school to office/workplace) and general trend

of maturity that is seen amongst students.

54

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books Consulted:

1. Castells, M. (1997). The power of identity, the information age: Economy, society and culture, Vol. II. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell.

2. Castells, M. (2005). The network society: A cross-cultural perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.

3. Collier, M. J., & Thomas, M. (1988). Cultural Identity: An Interpretive Perspective.

4. Geertz, C. (2000) Available Light: Anthropological Re.ections on Philosophical Topics.

5. Giddens, A. (1999a). Globalization: An irresistible force. Daily Yumiuri.

6. Giddens, A. (1999b). Runaway world: How globalization is reshaping our lives. London: Profile.

55

7. Howes, D. (ed.) (1996) Cross-Cultural Consumption: Global Markets, Local Realities. London: Routledge.

8. Jandt, F. E. (2004). An Introduction to Intercultural Communication, 4th edition. Thousand.

9. Kaldor, M. (1999) New and Old Wars. Cambridge: Polity Press.

10. Lippman & Pentland, (2003).Identity and Intergroup Communication.

11. Lull, J. (2000) Media, Communication, Culture: A Global Approach. Cambridge: Polity.

12. Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (1997). Intercultural Communication in Context.

13. McLuhan, M., & Fiore, Q. (1968). War and peace in the global village. New York: Bantam.M

14. McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions of man. New York: McGraw Hill.

15. Morley, D. (2000) Home Territories: Media, Mobility and Identity. London: Routledge.

16. Touraine, A. (2003). Equality and/or difference: Real problems, false dilemmas.

17. Yakima,Y. & Gudykunst, W. B. (Eds.), Theories in Intercultural Communication.

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APPENDIX

57

ANNEXURE –IQuestionnaire for the study

1. Name:2. Age:3. College & Course:4. Instructions:

a) There are two parts to the questionnaire, please do not leave any part unfilled.b) If you are filling the form online/in the form of a soft copy then please bold your answers, otherwise

just mark the options.

QUESTIONNAIRE Part 1: Cultural Identity

1. Which of the following in your opinion, best define “Identity”:

“the process of construction of meaning on the basis of a cultural attribute, or a related set of cultural attributes, that is given priority over other sources of meaning”

“the process where your character is borne out of one’s social, economic and political surroundings”

2. Do you identify yourself with any of the characters from the following shows: FRIENDS South Park MTV Roadies Others _______________

3. Which seminal text have you read / you find is most relevant for our times: The Mahabharata (Rishi Ved Vyas) The Clash of Civilizations (Samuel P. Huntington)

58

My Experiments with Truth (M.K. Gandhi) Others _______________

4. How will you define your Identity : As an Indian As a state/caste identity i.e. (Himachali/Punjabi/Bihari/Brahmin/Dalit etc.) Global citizen Others _______________

5. What in your opinion is most important in shaping one’s identity : Education Family Money/Social status Friends Others _________________

6. Do you think you possess an unique identity: Yes No To a great extent Can’t Say/Others ____________________

If the answer to the previous Question is Yes/No, then please elaborate on WHY you think so.Answer: “

. ”End

7. Which of the following, in your opinion does an ‘Indian Identity’ best/most symbolise: Debates and Discussions Non Violence/Resilience Hard working Culturally diverse Others _______________

8. In your opinion is your generation more clear about their identity then the previous generation: Yes No Can’t say/Other: _______________

9. Statement 1: ‘Globalization is large scale and solely meant for giant systems.’Statement 2: ‘Globalization is an internal matter and is directly intertwined with individualistic aspects of our livelihood including our individual identity.’You agree with:

Statement 1

59

Statement 2 Both Can’t say/None/Others _______________

10. Statement 1: ‘Sacrificing individual identity for common good is justified.’Statement 2: ‘Individual good means common good, so upholding individual identity reinforces common good.”You agree with:

Statement 1 Statement 2 Both Can’t Say/None/Others _______________

Part 2: Global Media:

1 .Do you regard Internet as the most important media in your life: Yes No To a great extent Others _______________

2. Which of the following in your opinion is the most credible news provider: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Columbia News Network (CNN) Doordarshan News (DD News) New Delhi Television (NDTV) Zee News Others _______________

3. What do you read the most in News: News about Culture and history Celebrity News Editorials Others _______________

4. Do you feel rise in consumerism is a direct result of global media:

Yes

No

Maybe/Others _______________

5. Are your parents on your Facebook/ Orkut friend list:

Yes

No

6. Are you aware of large conglomerates that own media like Time Warner, Rupert Murdoch:

Yes

No

Can’t say/Others: _______________

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ANNEXURE - IIList of Participants of the Survey

No.

Name College Age Email Id

1. Cheishtha Kochar Sri Venkateshwara 20 [email protected]

2. Harsimar Khorana Sri Venkateshwara 21 [email protected]

3. Atirek Dhir Sri venkateshwara 20 [email protected]

4. Ranjit Arora Sri Venkateshwara 21 [email protected]

5. Saumya Chaterjee Sri Venkateshwara 20 [email protected]

6. Gagandeep Singh Sekhon

Sri Venkateshwara 20 [email protected]

7. Shravan Gupta Sri Venkateshwara 21 [email protected]

8. Ishita Singh Sri Venkateshwara 20 [email protected]

9. Saransh Ahmed Sri venkateshwara 19 [email protected]

10. Divya Setya Sri Venkateshwara 21 [email protected]

11. Ishita Bahadur D.C.A.C. 20 [email protected]

12 Sumegha Gulati D.C.A.C. 20 [email protected]

13. Nabeel D.C.A.C. 20 [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]













14. Udayan Biswas D.C.A.C. 20 [email protected]

15. Aneena Aggarwal D.C.A.C. 21 [email protected]

16. Sandeep Kathuria D.C.A.C. 19 [email protected]

17. Karan Oberoi D.C.A.C. 20 [email protected]

18. Paras Chander Mohan

D.C.A.C. 21 [email protected]

19. Himantika Verma D.C.A.C. 19 [email protected]

20. Pranav Sukhija D.C.A.C. 21 [email protected]

21. Udit Rastogi Hansraj College 20 [email protected]

22. Shashank Shekhar Rai

Hansraj College 21 [email protected]

23 Srishti Gupta Hansraj College 19 [email protected]

24. Sumati Arora Hansraj College 21 [email protected]

25. Mugdha Jain Hansraj College 20 [email protected]

26. Ishita Aggarwal Hansraj College 20 [email protected]

27. Dikshant bagh Hansraj College 20 [email protected]

28. Archit Ashwani Hansraj College 20 [email protected]

29. Sarthak Kwatra Hansraj College 19 [email protected]

30. Neha Kamra Hansraj College 21 [email protected]

31 Garima Rana SSC of Bus. Studies

20 [email protected]

32. Abhishek Asthana SSC of Bus. Studies


33. Phalguni Aneja SSC of Bus. Studies


34. Kartikeya Batra SSC of Bus. Studies


35. Sidhi Isherwalia SSC of Bus. Studies


36. Hamid Mailk SSC of Bus. Studies


37. Sawan Goyal SSC of Bus. Studies


38. Abha Parekh SSC of Bus. Studies


39. Aditi Gupta SSC of Bus. Studies


40. Ankit Chambiyal SSC of Bus. Studies


41. Sonali Vij Kamla Nehru 21 [email protected]

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College42. Parul Kaul Kamla Nehru

College19 [email protected]

43. Anchal Dhupar Kamla Nehru College


44. Molly Gambhir Kamla Nehru College


45. Pratiksha Khanduri Kamla Nehru College


46. Simi Natho Kamla Nehru College


47. Harshita Guha Kamla Nehru College


48. Mimansa SenGupta Kamla Nehru College


49. Priyanka Bhardwaj Kamla Nehru College


50. Ananya Pandit Kamla Nehru 20 [email protected]

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Documents

Has Global media Changed our Identity