Topic 3.6

Essential Knowledge 

• Cultural ideas and practices are socially constructed and change through both small-scale and large-scale processes such as urbanization and globalization. These processes come to bear on culture through media, technological change, politics, economics, and social relationships.  
• Communication technologies, such as the internet and the time-space convergence, are reshaping and accelerating interactions among people; changing cultural practices, as the increasing use of English and the loss of indigenous languages; and creating cultural convergence and divergence. 
• Culture is not static — it is socially constructed and continuously changes. 
• Cultural ideas and practices evolve through both small-scale (local innovations, community norms) and large-scale (globalization, urbanization) processes. 

Processes Driving Cultural Change 

1. Urbanization
   • Movement of people to cities accelerates cultural mixing. 
   • Cities become cultural hearths where new trends, ideas, and innovations emerge. 
2. Globalization
   • Intensifies cultural exchange across the world. 
   • Promotes spread of global cultural traits (e.g., fast food, English, K-pop). 
   • Can create cultural convergence (becoming more alike) OR cultural divergence (resistance to preserve traditions). 
      

Agents of Cultural Change 

• Media: Movies, TV, social media platforms spread culture globally (e.g., Netflix shows shaping global tastes). 
• Technology: Internet and smartphones accelerate diffusion. 
• Politics: Governments may promote national identity or restrict cultural influence. 
• Economics: Global markets spread products and consumer culture. 
• Social Relationships: Migration, intermarriage, and cross-cultural friendships foster exchange. 

Communication Technology & Time–Space Convergence 

• Time–Space Convergence: The idea that improvements in transportation and communication make places feel “closer” together.
  • Example: Zoom meetings connecting people across continents in real time. 
• Impacts:
  1. Spread of English as a global language. 
  2. Decline of many indigenous languages. 
  3. Cultural homogenization (similar traits everywhere). 
  4. Cultural resistance and revival (language revitalization, local traditions preserved). 

Contextualization:  

Video #1: Contemporary Causes of Diffusion 

Mr. Sinn breaks down the different sources of diffusion happening today. 

Video #2: Covid-19 & Diffusion  

This animated silent film simplifies how diffusion impacted the 2020 pandemic. 

Video #3: Diffusion & Culture 

This Khan academy video provides a very quick breakdown of cultural diffusion. 

In Practice

Essential Question: 

How do communication technologies impact current cultural patterns and diffusion? 

Conceptual Analysis: (Text pages189-197) 

1. Explain how communication and transportation technology have affected the distance decay model. 
2. Describe how religion can be a strong force of cultural divergence.  

Vocabulary Review:  

Provide a shorthand working definition for each of the following terms. This means it needs to be in YOUR OWN WORDS. 

• Urbanization – growth of cities and mixing of cultures. 
• Globalization – increasing interconnectedness across the world. 
• Time–Space Convergence – shrinking relative distance due to technology and communication. 
• Cultural Convergence – cultures becoming more alike. 
• Cultural Divergence – cultures maintaining or emphasizing differences. 
• Language Loss – decline of indigenous or minority languages. 

MCQ:

(You only need to write the letter of the answer that you select)

1.The global popularity of K-pop music and American fast food chains is most directly a result of: 

A. Urbanization and cultural divergence 
B. Globalization and cultural convergence 
C. Imperialism and sequent occupancy 
D. Colonization and stimulus diffusion 
E. Migration and cultural divergence 

 
2. Which of the following best illustrates the concept of time–space convergence? 

A. A traditional community refusing to adopt Western technology 
B. The loss of indigenous languages due to migration 
C. The shrinking relative distance between places as communication technology improves 
D. The spread of cultural traits through sequent occupancy 
E. The revival of local cultural practices after periods of suppression 

 
3. The increasing use of English as a global language at the expense of local languages is an example of: 

A. Cultural divergence caused by nationalism 
B. Cultural convergence accelerated by globalization 
C. Syncretism blending English with indigenous traditions 
D. Relocation diffusion of minority languages 
E. Hierarchical diffusion from rural to urban centers