Global Politics and Cultural Hegemony

Abstract

The following paper will analyze the ways that the structure of global politics operates: first through cultural flows, and then through both the economic and political effects of this cultural influence. Through this examination, we can glean a more complete understanding of the dynamics of the global political scene. The first section will attempt to tackle some of the key terms used in establishing the concept of a global cultural hegemony. The three terms most important to the understanding of this system are globalization, culture, and hegemony. It is with particular caution that we will approach these terms, as they are broad terms that encompass many different meanings within social science literature. In creating a working definition for these terms, however, we will be able to more clearly demonstrate t.he processes at work in the current international climate. The following section will be a concrete look at these processes in order to create a larger picture of the dynamics of cultural hegemony and the so-called "West's" role in propagating it. We will also examine the ways in which this· establishment of directional cultural flows affects the world economically, delving further into the rise of market-based societies and locating wealth and its sources in the globe. Finally, we will look int~ the ways that political structures and interactions are shaped by this cycle of dominance. The conclusion will focus on the current state of Western cultural hegemony, and attempt to make predictions about its future. We will examine the literature on the shifting of global power, particularly after the economic crisis of 2008, and reflect on its role in the perception of cultural hegemony. Though the power dynamics of the global have regularly shifted throughout history, it is doubtful that we will see immediate fruition of the claims of the end of Western political dominance.