Imperialism, Cultural

Abstract

Cultural imperialism is a process of disproportionate influence over social practices and ideologies by one sociopolitical group over a politically weaker and (frequently) less-wealthy group. This influence is usually regarded as a negative force because it refers to a process through which cultural identities and practices of a dominant authority (such as a particularly powerful state, city authority, or ethnic group) are reinforced by undermining the existence of other, less-powerful identities. Representation and the use of language have been key components in the creation and reproduction of culturally imperialist identities and practices. Cultural imperialism has been an important contributor to the production of imaginary geographies that frame understandings of place and identity. Historically, the territorial or material products of cultural imperialism and colonialism have included the establishment of empires and colonies, the creation of built environments, and the use of physical violence. More recently these spatial manifestations have been extended to include a broad range of places, such as foreign-run free trade zones, sites of military conflict and state oppression (e.g., state boundaries, prisons, schools, refugee camps), and sites of anti-imperialism resistance (e.g., street protests, documentary films, community centers, online political networks).