Globalized Arts: The Entertainment Economy and Cultural Identity

Abstract

Globalization, and debates surrounding its impact, have gone through a variety of forms, phases, and iterations throughout history. Whether it is through impulse, initiative, or patronage, global interactions and transactions for trade, commerce, and cultural forays can be traced to the European Renaissance and voyages leading up to the charting of naval routes leading to the discovery of the New World and other explorations. During more modern historical times, globalization took other routes as well. Among others, these spanned the process of colonization and its vehicles such as the East India Company, the spread of capitalism to rival that of communism and vice versa, outsourcing for cheap labor, and the struggle to uphold fair labor standards and sociopolitical and cultural identities. Alongside, globalization and its effects have ushered in much debate in international relations (Stiglitz, 2003). A notable feature of the recent phase of the spread of globalization is its impact on cultural artifacts and expressions, and the cultural politics that surrounds them. J.P. Singh's Globalized Arts tackles this timely and important phenomenon through a nuanced analysis.