What this lesson teaches
I can explain why individuals and countries accept or reject foreign culture to different degrees.
Syllabus K336, Issue 3, Guiding Question 3, Responses to cultural impacts of globalisation. Varying degrees of acceptance and rejection
Make a guess
Since 1996, French radio stations must play at least 40% French-language songs at peak times. Do you think France rejects all foreign culture?
- No, it limits some foreign content while protecting its own French music.
- Yes, the quota bans English-language songs from French radio.
- No, because the quota is about jobs for French singers, not culture.
Show the answer
No, it limits some foreign content while protecting its own French music.
Countries can welcome foreign culture and protect local culture at the same time. A quota is one targeted tool.
Countries can welcome foreign culture, support local culture and restrict some content, all at the same time.
Picture a country that hosts an international arts festival and also funds performances in local languages. A government can welcome exchange and support local culture at the same time.
Governments may welcome foreign culture to widen choices, encourage creativity and learning, and grow cultural industries and international links. They also promote local culture. They give grants, money for a purpose such as a local-language programme. They support education, archives (collections of records kept for the future) and apprenticeships, where learners practise alongside experienced artists. Singapore's hawker culture was added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2020 after a national campaign.
Acceptance can come with conditions. A government might set age limits, require changes to content, or restrict a particular import or performance. It may do this because of concerns about values, social harmony or local industries. Singapore classifies films by age rating, and some content may be cut or restricted to protect racial and religious harmony. Limiting some content is different from rejecting all foreign culture.
Each choice has costs. Support uses public money, and restrictions reduce audiences' choices and artists' freedom. Countries' situations and priorities differ, and people within a country may disagree. A policy's aim does not prove it works. Culture survives only if people keep practising and passing it on.
- Support local culture
- Funding, education, heritage protection.
- Hawker culture
- Added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2020.
- Conditions
- Age ratings and restrictions on some content.
Real examples to use
France's radio quota
Under a 1994 law that took effect in 1996, French radio stations must play at least 40% French-language songs at peak times. The aim is to protect French music from English-language pop.
China's internet controls
China blocks sites such as Google, Facebook and YouTube and promotes its own platforms, limiting foreign content.
Singapore's hawker culture
Singapore nominated hawker culture for the UNESCO list, and NEA's Hawkers' Development Programme trains new hawkers to carry on the trade.
Worked example: Making room for local programmes
A public broadcaster sets aside time for local-language programmes while still showing imported shows. An arts agency funds training so young local writers can learn from experienced ones.
- The broadcaster accepts foreign content.
- It also protects space for local culture.
- Funding helps pass skills on to the next generation.
- There are costs: fewer slots for other shows, and training needs money. To judge success, check whether local programmes find audiences and trainees keep creating work.
Watch out for this
Restricting one foreign film means a country rejects all foreign culture.
Countries can welcome most foreign culture while setting limits on some content.
Check your understanding
Why might Singapore give films age ratings instead of banning foreign films?
- Because foreign films are more likely to be harmful than films made in Singapore.
- To allow foreign films in while protecting children from content unsuitable for their age.
- To make foreign films less popular so that more people watch local ones.
Show the answer
To allow foreign films in while protecting children from content unsuitable for their age.
Yes. It accepts foreign films with conditions.
Check your understanding
How does NEA's Hawkers' Development Programme respond to cultural globalisation?
- It blends hawker dishes with foreign fast food to attract young diners.
- It limits foreign food chains near hawker centres so hawkers face less competition.
- It trains new hawkers so that local food culture keeps being practised.
Show the answer
It trains new hawkers so that local food culture keeps being practised.
Right. Culture survives when people keep practising it and passing it on, which the programme supports.