Cultural Globalization Of Hmong In The United States

Globalization is a broad term used in multiple social studies classes. There are three types of globalization: cultural, economical and political. As both positive and negative views exist on globalization; using just the word globalization isn’t specific enough to understand these viewpoints. Knowing the different types of globalization will allow a person to form their own opinion whether or not each individual type of globalization has a positive or negative impact on society.

Cultural globalization involves the “spread of culture beyond the region or state from which it originated.” (Davies 1). To understand what cultural globalization is, one must understand what falls under the category of culture, which includes religion, language,

art, and dress. Throughout history, migration has allowed for cultural globalization to occur, which is how religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam have spread to other regions. Having cultural globalization has allowed for people to be united.
Another definition of cultural globalization is being “influenced by the diffusion of commodities and ideas.”(Encyclopedia Britannica) In today’s society, many people are influenced by magazines, television and social media. In different parts of the world, “young people want American products such as Nike sneakers and the latest CDs”(Gerdes 37), in which some people believe it is “destroying local tradition, knowledge, skills, artisans and values.” (Gerdes 37). In countries or regions where the population is usually homogenous, local traditions are still kept even if there is influence of other cultures, cultural or national holidays are still kept and celebrated.
Language allows for people to be able to communicate and is an important part of cultural globalization.

“By 2050, it is [predicted] that half of the world will be more or less proficient in [English].” (Gerdes 37). Being an Asian-American, specifically Hmong in the United States, there has been a rise in the usage of English rather than our native language Hmong among the new generation; those who were born in the United States. Many are not fluent in Hmong, without keeping the language, elders are unable to pass down their knowledge of the Hmong culture to their children.

This leads to the negative viewpoint of cultural globalization, that “[it] can lead to a utopian world, [and] some believe it will cause less dominant cultures to be obliterated and economically developed cultures to prosper.” (Issit 1). Although the dominance of English allows for people to speak a common language many can understand, a downside would be losing knowledge of other cultures.

Even though the dominance of a language can allow for the loss of a culture, it can also bring awareness. In schools, local community centers and other various places, foreign languages are taught, not only do non-native speakers take on these languages but native speakers do as well to keep their culture. By doing so it “revitalizes cultures and cultural artifacts through foreign influences, technologies, and markets.” (Gerdes

35).
Being born in the United States and having to speak English a majority of the time, the knowledge of my native language Hmong had seem to vanished as I felt more comfortable in speaking in English. It was during school that I took a Hmong language class which brought me back to my roots and had made me realize the importance of knowing my culture and language.
Economic globalization involves “the process in which the markets and production of different countries grow increasingly interconnected and independent” (Davies 1). To understand economic globalization, one must understand what falls under the category of economics, which involves: trade, currency, taxes and economic systems. Trade is often associated with economic globalization, whether it be commodities or services, it allows for jobs to be created and affects the wellbeing of a state, of course there are downsides to this.
While there are jobs being created, some workers aren’t necessarily under the Fair Trade act, which allows “safe and reasonable labor conditions with stable minimum price guarantees.” (Pearson 4). An example of this would be the coffee industry, there are a few exporters of coffee that go with the Fair Trade Act.
Although the companies are expanding and increasing in sales, workers are not benefitting as much as the CEOs, “between 1992 and 2005, a CEO’s salary [had] increased by 186 percent.” (Driscoll 4). This is unsettling and it causes a negative view to be formed on economic globalization, “greed and self interest is the reason why globalization is blamed for its bad effects.”(Rich 2). Although this can cause many people’s opinion to be negative, rather than only viewing the bad, there is also good point to economic globalization.
A closed economy would not benefit from economic globalization, being shut out from the outside world forces a state to rely on its own resources. According to Robert D. Hormats, vice chairman of Goldman Sachs, a global investment banking and securities firm claims, “The more closed the economy, the greater likelihood that large numbers of [the] citizens [will] suffer from poverty and are deprived of access to the flow of communications, commerce, visitors and ideas that enhance human liberty and creativity.” (Gerdes 13).
This can be proven by comparing North and South Korea. North Korea is closed to outside influence, its economy is not as good as South Korea’s economy. As “South Korea has embraced globalization, its people are well educated and their income is twenty times as much in North Korea.” (Pearson 2). Being involved in economic globalization, it can be beneficial to the people and economy.
The World Trade Organization is “an organization of almost 150 nations that promote global trade.” (Gerdes 12).

Economic freedom allows economic globalization to spread throughout the globe. The “government [had] been an important factor of globalization” (Issit 1), but today we live in a free market, it “allows producers and consumers to have economic decision making rather the government.” (Gerdes 50). As consumers want certain products, companies can expand to other countries allowing for the spread of economic globalization.

Political globalization is “carried out by institutions and systems, whether formal or informal, that transcend national or regional interests and address global issues.” (Davies 1). To understand political globalization, one must understand what falls under the category of politics, which involves the government, laws, and bureaucracies. Government allows for there to be stability in a country or region, as well as having agreements with the people.

The European Union is an example of successful political globalization as there is stability in the region. The European Union has united several countries, specifically “twenty seven European countries” (Davies 1) and there has been benefits to this system. There has been a “reduction in crime, a rise in population, life expectancy and income as well as an improving government.” (Rich 3). Through this political system there has been improvement in not only in the government but in the people’s wellbeing.

Another example of political globalization is an organization called the United Nations. According to Worldometers, there are 193 countries that are in the United Nations (Worldometers). The United Nations’ purpose is “to preserve international peace and security.” (Fomerand 3). By having multiple countries in the United nations this can allow for the organization to address rising issues and prevent them from causing large-scale disasters, as peace and security is what the organization is trying to achieve.
Political globalization has allowed for the coming together of countries and although the governments may be different, there is stability among the many nations, as seen through the European Union or the United Nations.
Understanding the three main types of globalization allows one to understand that there are benefits to each one. Through cultural globalization religion, language and dress can be spread far from one’s region, allowing for it to either dominate or obliterate another culture, but with awareness this can be stopped from going too far. Economical globalization has allowed for markets and companies to increase, leading to expansion in other countries allowing consumers to take control rather than the government. Having organized political systems such as the European Union and the United Nations has allowed for peace and stability. There are both positive and negative views on globalization, but by it breaking down into smaller parts one can understand why both point of views exist.