Information about Westernization

This article is about the influence of western culture. For the eye surgery, see Epicanthoplasty.

Westernization is a process whereby non-western societies come under the influence of "Western culture" in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, language, alphabet, religion or values. Westernization has been a pervasive and accelerating influence across the world in the last few centuries. It is usually a two-sided process, in which western influences and interests themselves are joined by a wish of at least parts of the affected society to change towards a more westernized society, in the hope of attaining western life or some aspects of it.

Westernization can also be related to the process of acculturation. Acculturation refers to the changes that occur within a society or culture when two different groups come into direct continuous contact. After the contact, changes in cultural patterns within either or both cultures are evident. In popular speech, Westernization can also refer to the effects of Western expansion and colonialism on native societies.

For example, natives who have adopted European languages and characteristic Western customs are called acculturated or Westernized. Westernization may be forced or voluntary depending on the situation of the contact.

Different degrees of domination, destruction, resistance, survival, adaptation, and modification of the native culture may follow interethnic contact. In a situation where the native culture experiences destruction as a result of a more powerful outsider, a “shock phase” often is a result from the encounter. This shock phase is especially characteristic during interactions involving expansionist or colonialist eras. During the shock phase, civil repression using military force may lead to a cultural collapse, or ethnocide, which is a culture’s physical extinction. According to Conrad Phillip, the westerners "will attempt to remake the native culture within their own image, ignoring the fact that the models of culture that they have created are inappropriate for settings outside of western civilization" (Phillip, Conrad. (2005). Window on Humanity. New York: McGraw-Hill).

Definition of the West

Main article: Western civilization

Territorial

The West was originally defined as Western Europe. Ancient Romans distinguished between Oriental (Eastern) cultures that inhabited present day Egypt and Turkey and Occidental Cultures that lived in the West. A thousand years later, the East-West Schism separated the Catholic Church from the Eastern Orthodox Church. The definition of Western changed as the West was influenced by and spread to other nations. Islamic and Byzantine scholars added to the Western canon when their stores of Greek and Roman literature jump started the Renaissance. The West expanded to include Russia when Peter the Great brought back ideas from France. Today, most modern uses of the term refer to the societies of Western and Central Europe and their close genealogical, linguistic, and philosophical descendants, typically included are those countries whose ethnic identity and dominant culture are derived from European culture.

The Western civilization can be defined as at least North America, West and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand. North America includes the U.S.A., Canada and Greenland (as part of Denmark). Widening this definition however invites controversy. This widened definition can include these countries, or a combination of these countries:

• Israel. Some people add Israel to the Western civilization, as about 1/2 of all Jews worldwide live in the West, as the Western culture is rooted in a Jewish-Christian tradition, because the Jewish community has historical and cultural ties with Europe, and because of Israeli membership of European organizations (like UEFA and the Eurovision song contest). However, about half of Israel’s Jews come from Judeo-Islamic traditions, making classification difficult.
• South Africa. South Africa is most of the time considered Western because of its languages (English, Afrikaans) and because of its religion (Christianity). It also has a similar economic system. Furthermore, about 12% of the South African population are of European origin (White).
• Former Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Some people add these countries to the definition of the West, as they have in many ways the same roots as Western Europe. This view has increasingly gained support, especially since the disintegration of communism (through money) and the current European integration process that is a direct result of that disintegration. Others, however, like the American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington, consider the majority-Orthodox Christian part of Europe as different from the West.
• The Philippines. The Philippines are sometimes considered Western because of their Spanish-influenced languages and due to the fact that most of the people are Roman Catholic. The Filipinos' culture has been influenced by Spain and the United States. Furthermore, about 3.6% of the Filipino population are of European origin.
• Japan (and the original East Asian Tigers). Japan is sometimes considered Western, as this country supported the West during the Cold War, has a similar economic system and welfare, is a stable democracy, protects human rights, is member of typical Western organizations (like the OECD), etc. Furthermore South Korea, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore can be regarded as Western for the same reasons.
• Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand). With American statehood of Hawaii, French control of French Polynesia, the colonial influence of Britain, and the current political influence of both Australia and New Zealand, Oceania is gradually, but inevitably, becoming more and more "westernized".

Personal

A different view on the Western world is not defining it by its territory, but by its people, as these tend to differ in an increasingly globalized world. This view highlights the non-Western population in countries with a Western majority, or vice versa. The Boers for instance can be regarded as Western inhabitants of South Africa.

Differences

It would be incorrect to regard the Western world as a monolithic bloc, as there exist many cultural, linguistic, religious, political, and economical differences between Western countries and populations. The western world itself is changing over time as it has in the past.

Process of Westernization

Colonization (1492-1960s)

Main article: Colonialism

Europeanisation

From 1492 onward, Europeanisation and colonialism spread gradually over much of the world, colonising major portions of the globe. During this period a strong influence was exercised on the indigenous cultures, which resulted in many colonies' indigenous populations assimilating certain elements of European culture willingly or by force, such as the language of the European motherland or the Christian religion. In many cases the indigenous population was supplanted or marginalised by European and African immigrants.

The two World Wars weakened the European powers to such extent that many colonies strove for independence, often inspired by nationalistic movements. A period of decolonisation started. At the end of the 1960s, most colonies were autonomous. Those new states often adopted some aspects of Western politics such as the adoption of a constitution, while frequently reacting against western culture.

Reactions

Asia

A reaction to Westernization can include fundamentalism and protectionism. Countries such as Korea, Japan, and China tried to adopt isolationism, but they have been unable to resist the adoption of many aspects of Western culture.

Globalization (1960s-now)

Westernization is often regarded as a part of the ongoing process of globalization. This theory proposes that western thought has led to globalization, and that globalization propagates western culture, leading to a cycle of westernization.

The main characteristics are economic liberalization (free trade) and democratization, combined with the spread of an individualised culture. Often it was also regarded of the opposite of the worldwide influence of communism. After the break up of the USSR in 1991, many of its component states and allies nevertheless underwent westernization, including privatization of hitherto state-controlled industry.

Westernization as globalization is seen by many as progress, as democracy and free trade spread gradually throughout the world. Others view westernization as a disadvantage. Some have protested that Asian cultures who have traditionally existed on a primarily plant-based diet might lose this healthy lifestyle as more people in Asia switch to a Western-style diet that is rich in animal-based foods. (Cornell Times, 2001[1])

Consequences

Due to the colonization of the Americas and Oceania by Europeans, the cultural, ethnic and linguistic makeup of the Americas and Oceania has been irreversibly changed. This is most visible in settler colonies such as the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand and Uruguay, where the traditional indigenous population has been overtaken demographically by non-indigenous settlers. This demographic takeover in settler countries has often resulted in the linguistic, social, and cultural marginalization of indigenous peoples. However, even in countries where large populations of indigenous peoples remain or the indigenous peoples have mixed considerably with European settlers, such as Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Ecuador, marginalization still exists. Due to colonization, the prevalent languages in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand are now: Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (the rest of Latin America), French (Quebec in Canada, French Guiana), and English (USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand). Many indigenous languages are on the verge of becoming extinct. However, some settler countries have gone to great lengths to preserve and expand indigenous languages, for example, in New Zealand the Maori language is official.

Further reading

• Ankerl, Guy: Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. Geneva: INUPRESS, 2000. ISBN 1881550045

See also

The West

• American culture
• European culture
• Western culture
• Western civilization
• OECD

Cultural influence

Europe and USA

Americanization is the term used for the influence the United States of America has on other cultures. Anglicisation is the process of making something English. Europeanisation can either mean the process of transforming a society into a more European society or the process of growth towards an European identity in Europe. Francisation is the process of giving a French character to something or someone. Germanisation is defined as either the spread of the German language and culture, or the adaptation of a word to the German language. Hellenisation, the spread of Greek culture and language. Latinisation is a system for representing a word or language with the Latin alphabet, or the traditions of the Latin Rite into Eastern Catholic Church Liturgies and practices. Romanisation, the spread of Roman culture and language.

Korenisation or Korenizatsiya was the early Soviet ethnicity policy. Magyarisation or Magyarisation refers to spreading the Hungarian language and culture in general. Polonisation is the assumption or assimilation of the Polish language or another Polish attribute. Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute by non-Russian communities. de-Russification is a process in the post-Soviet countries to overcome the consequences of the Russification. Slovakisation refers to the policies of Czechoslovakia then Slovakia against the ethnic Hungarians there. Turkification is a term used to describe a cultural change in which something or someone who is not a Turk becomes one, voluntarily or by force. Ukrainisation was the policy conducted by the Bolshevik party and the Government of the Ukrainian SSR during 1920s and 1930s to increase the presence of Ukraine.

Other

Colonisation Globalization Anti-globalization Mundialisation

Africanisation refers to the modification of names to better reflect an African identity. Islamisation describes the process of a society's conversion to Islam. Arabisation transforms an area into one that speaks Arabic and is part of the Arab culture. Sinicisation is the process in which Chinese culture dominates or influences other cultures.

Other

• Anti-Americanism represents a hostility towards the government, culture, or people of the U.S.A.
• Democratic peace theory is a theory which holds that democracies (almost) never go to war with one another.
• Diseases of affluence are diseases thought to be a result of increasing wealth.
• North-South divide is the socio-economic division which exists between the wealthy developed "North" and the poorer developing "South".

References

• The Idea of the West (2004), written by Alastair Bonnett (Palgrave)
• The Decline of the West (1918), written by Oswald Spengler.
• The End of History and the Last Man (1992), written by Francis Fukuyama.
• The Clash of Civilizations (1996), written by Samuel P. Huntington.
• The Triumph of the West (1985) written by Oxford University historian J.M. Roberts.

External links

• Global Culture Essays on globalization and its impact on global culture