Globalization is the phenomenon where interactions between people across the world become more frequent and easier. People living around the globe are now in better contact with one another than ever before. It is the process of interconnection.
It gives rise to global culture. It leads to the death of ideology. It is not a new phenomenon. It is an ongoing process. Only the intensity and pace keep changing over time.
Globalization and Anthropology
Globalization is defined as cross-cultural interaction due to the rapid movement of people within the nation and across different nations. For example Fast food. It is now spread to almost every nation. This affects the health of the people.
Globalization and Anthropology are strongly interconnected with each other. As we know that anthropology involves the studies of people and globalization have a huge impact on people so indirectly anthropology also studies the effects of globalization on people. In anthropology, when we study different cultures, we come to learn about the changes that occur in cultures under the impact of globalization.
Globalization is posing a major threat to marginalized communities. Anthropologists study these marginalized people for their culture.
We got evolved from the telegraph to the internet. Today we all have access to the internet. Through the internet, we connect more by using social media. Now we have better chances to know about the culture of people. This evolution is also a result of globalization. The connection we establish through social media helps us to understand each other’s cultures. Anthropologists around the globe connect more through the internet. This helps anthropologist to save travel time and funds. It makes communication easier.
Role of Anthropologists
Anthropologists face a major issue which is globalization. They have to face rapid changes that globalization is bringing within the local and global cultures and anthropologists must focus on such minor cultures for their study to preserve their value.
The study proves that the culture of minority groups is getting smaller and lost because of cross-cultural interaction from globalization. People who once belonged to minor cultures are now become part of homogeneous culture due to the effects of globalization.
Globalization seems to persuade smaller minority cultures to adopt the way of life of the majority culture. Anthropologists should work to bridge the gap between minority and majority cultures by not assimilating them but by preserving both cultures.
It is important to preserve the language of smaller cultures but at the same time, it is also important to communicate with the world and for which we need to learn another language also. One should learn new things but not at the cost of their traditions and culture.
Globalization of English is causing issues in some places. English nowadays became an important language for communication which is not a healthy way of communication as many people still don’t know English and sometimes they feel like outcasts.
Conclusion
Globalization is not evil here but for anthropologists, it becomes difficult to study minor cultures as such culture is changing day by day due to the impact of globalization. Because of globalization, different cultures are merging. This makes the marginalized culture diminishes.
Read more-
- Acclimatization: The Subtle Dance Between Humans and Their Environment
- The Anthropology of Sleep
- Lamarck’s Theory of Evolution
- Bipedalism and Structural Changes
- Natufian Culture
