Cultural Imperialism and Resistance in Media Theory and Literary Theory - Colleen Roach

1) Subjects:

2) Review:

3) Summary:

This is a survey of theories of resistance to cultural imperialism. Questions are raised about the term resistance.

Cultural Imperialism became a relevant topic in the 1960's with writers Armand Mattelart, Herbert Schiller and Dallas Smythe. Generally they approach their subject with structuralist communications analysis. This was also a time of expansion for the transnational corporation particularly in South East Asia and the Southern Americas. This work resulted in the New World Information and Communications Order which even involved UNESCO.

The work on cultural imperialism prepared an environment for some interesting ideas:

• 'the relay' a group or national identity that transmits global culture at a local level. (Mattelart, 1979).
• different ethnic origins lead to different readings of the same work (Katz and Liebes, 1984; 1986).
• Warning: methodology criticism can lead to conclusions of political motivation (even mercenary motives) (Rogers and Schement, 1984).
• Polysemy: a postmodern idea of the absence of a 'meta narrative' in media texts (Lyotard, 1984).
• Active Audience: is a notion that audiences are free to construct their own meaning from media messages or texts independent of the author or transmitting organization (Fiske, 1986, 1987; Grossberg 1984).
• Sex-object or bitch portrayal of soap operas and MTV has a 'resistance reading' of empowerment to females (Brown 1984).

Active Audience and resistance theories point out that individuals or individuals as members of a group construct their own meaning of media texts. This refutes the basis of culture imperialism yet many of the theorists point out the existence of a dominant ideology.

The concept of the 'total cultural package' is nothing new and is a throwback to the pluralist concept of power. (Schiller, 1993). Also a very interesting thought 'If there is a shadowy zone in critical knowledge, it is definitely that of the procedures of consumption and reception of the media' (Mattelart and Mattelart, 1992). The recent work has also pointed out that 1) the individual, 2) the subject, 3) the plurality of subjects, 4) pleasure and 5) public policy are all significant factors. The measurement of data (or even information traffic) in flow analysis has validated the existence of cultural or media imperialism (Boyd-Barnett and Thussu, 1992). Creolization of a culture is when a indigenous population creates their own media collateral in imitation of the global-styles (Oliveira, 1993). The term resistance has come under the scrutiny of the politically correct movement.

Cultural imperialism and resistance in literary theory supports the notion of the previous media critics from a much larger sample over a broader history. The concept of empire plays an important role in the evolution of globalism or universalism. This is similar to the dominant ideology previously mentioned (Thiong'o, 1993; and Said, 1993).

4) Comments:

To satirically reconstruct or to analyze a media encounter was a sure way to neutralize some of the negativity. I guess this was resistance.

I'm sure that there are flow analysis studies centered on Canada with data showing Canada to be comparable to any cultural colony of the USA. Unfortunately, the reaction of most would be 'so what'. This is why I think that it is more important to make a Canadian show (message or text) than a successful global show. The catch is that the average Canadian would likely reject it out of habit.

The concept of Polysemy intrigues me. Does consciousness play a part of this? The warning about methodology is well taken since I anticipate this approach. Turning a negative to a positive or even a positive to a negative is a post-modern principle I've taught for years in my design seminars.

The active audience ideas still seem most relevant to me although the effects of dominant ideology and public policy intrigue me.

Finally the 'total cultural package' work seems to support my hypothesis that multimedia should empower the authors to engage and even exploit resistance.

5) References:

• Boyd-Barrett, O. and K.K. Thussu (1992) Contra-Flow in Global News: International and Regional News Exchange Ml News: International and Regional News Exchange Mechanisms. London: John Libbey.
• Brown, M.E. (1994) Soap Opera and Women's Talk: The Pleasures of Resistance. Thousand Oaks. CA: Sage.
• Fiske, J. (1986) 'Television: Polysemy and on: Polysemy and Popularity', Critical Studies in Mass Communication 3(4): 391-408.
• Fiske, J. (1987) Television Culture. New York: Methuen.
• Grossberg, L. (1984) 'Strategies of Marxist Cultural Interpretation', Critical Studies in Mass Communication 1:392-421.
• Katz, E. and T. Liebes (1984) 'Once Upon a Time, in Dallas', Intermedia 3(12): 28-32.
• Katz, E. and T. Liebes (1986) 'Mutual Aid in the Reading of Dallas: Preliminary Notes from a Cross-Cultural Study', pp. 187-98 in P. Drummond and R. Patterson (eds) Television in Transition. Longon: British Film Institute.
• Lyotard, J.F. (1984) The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
• Mattelart, A. (1979) 'Introduction', pp 23-70 in A. Mattelart and S. Siegelaub (eds) Communication and Class Struggle. Vol I: Capitalism, Imperialism, New York: International General: Bagnolet, France: I.M.M.R.C.
• Mattelart, A. and M. and M. Mattelart (1992) Rethinking Media Theory. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
• Oliveira, O.S. (1993) 'Brazilian Soaps Outshine Hollywood: Is Cultural Imperialism Fading Out?', pp.116-31 in Hut?', pp.116-31 in H. Schiller and K. Nordenstreng (eds) Beyond National Sovereignty: International Communication in the 1990's. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
• Rogers, E. and J. Schement (1984) 'Introduction: Media Flows in Latin America', Communication Research 11(4): 305-20.
• Said. E.W. (1993) Culture and Imperialism. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
• Schiller, H.I. (1993) 'Not Yet the Post-Imperialist Era', pp. 97-116 in C. Roach (ed.) Communication and Culture in War and Peace. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
• Thiong'o, N.W. (1993) Moving the Centre: The Struggle for Cultural Freedoms. Postsmouth, NH:Heinemann.

Page Created January 28, 1998

Page Last Updated February 8, 1998