Corporate Transculturalism

M. Marwan Kraidy

Presentation by Marjorie Roque 

M. Marwan Kraidy

Hybridity 

The intermingling of people and media from different cultures. A communication based phenomenon. 

According to Kraidy, hybridity is a euphemism towards cultural mutation and ultimately fails to address problems of class exploitation, racist oppression and a tool to minimize global differences in a manner that benefits those in postions of power. 

Kraidy exemplifies his case through examining a variety of texts

• American Culture Abroad  - Washington Post

• Creative Destruction - Tyler Cowen 

• The Global Me – Zachary 

Washington post

Released a series of articles that perpetuate certain ideas about hybridity.

• The USA is irresistible, but not dominant 
• Cultural counterflow exists from Non-West to West.
• Thus  USA is valuable but does not pose a threat.
• From this, we can be pro-free-trade etc,. 

Creative destruction

By Tyler Cowen

Approaches global cultural exchange with  a 'gains of trade' model. 

• Globalization does not cause homogenization
• Global-induced cultural change is positive because it enhances the menu of choice. 
• Anti-protectionist ideas were examined 
• The globally dominant ethos, surrounds an ideology of individualistic self-fufillment, bred through democracy, and free markets (85).
• A vision of triumph of cultural hybridity, an emergence of synthesis, and greater cultural complexity

The Global me

By Pascual Zachary

Focuses on the individual and examines how 'mongrelization' is suited to current world trends

• Mixing is now the new norm.
• Societies will function better when they hybridize 
• Bi-cultural people are more mentally flexible and process information in multiple ways
• Hybridity is thus constructed as a powerful engine of economic growth
• A meta-characteristic of capitalism
• Hybridity + Social Cohesion = National Power 

corporate transculturalism

A discourse in which fluid identities and porous cultural borders are depicted as growth engines in service of a cosmopolitan capitalism

multiculturalism / transculturalism

re-cap

• Reviewed and analyzed a variety of texts surrounding discourse of hybridity .
• These texts include the articles released by the Washington Post and books written by Cowen and Zachary
• These texts provided insight on the notions of hybridity within dissemination of cultural ideas by texts such as film, cultural flows and dominance as well as political, social, and economic factors. 

We can conclude from these analyses that hybridity is  a key feature of many local and national cultures, as well as global culture. It needs to be articulated with difference, oppression, hierarchy, struggle and hegemony.