Globalization as a concept refers to the process that the world is becoming

interdependent and the intensification of consciousness of the world. The processes

of cultural, social and economic interaction among different countries have been

proceeding because of the quite developed phenomenon of globalization in recent

decades. In spite of the perspectives of global culture, this may contribute to spread

the spirit of individualism and freedom all around the world. However, the issues of

cultural erosion and homogenization resulted from globalization have accelerated

dramatically. This review examines a body of research that is devoted to the

problems of culture identity and cultural hybridization. Specifically, this review

evaluates the relationship between media and culture related to cultural identities.

With the mass media development, traditional cultures change substantially and

become more complicated and mixed various elements with the shift of cultural

identities.

An increasingly number of studies (the UN 2003; Arnett 2002; Morris 2002) has

recognised the adverse effects of globalization on culture and the threat of imported

media. The global media has played an increasingly significant role in people’s

cultural identities construction. The imported media may erode people’s traditional

lifestyles and identities, at the same time, create new and complex identities which

exist with cultural hybridization. However, it is more difficult for some people to adapt

to the rapid movement of culture, more acutely, they even do not feel belong to

neither local culture nor global culture. This phenomenon of identities confusion

becomes common among young people who are in non-western cultures and the

period of identity formation. Nonetheless, there is no real pure culture existing in

history and the process of cultural reconfiguration could not be ignored.

Based on the global development of culture, an important recent contribution to the

study of the relationship between globalization and youth and the impacts on culture

is the analysis by the UN (2003). In the UN (2003) text, they examine the ambiguous

impact of globalization on young people. This article shows the dominate position of

western media which may lead to the reinforcement of inequalities and social

divisions According to UN (2003), global culture represents a struggle for power as

young people try to form their new identities, moreover, the effects on young people

of global culture are stronger than the effects of traditional local culture and have

been resulted in some social issues. In addition, the UN (2003) highlights the values

of young people depart from their traditional values and become more Americanized

with the spread of global culture, which adversely influences cultural diversity. And

this political and cultural phenomenon creates the problem of homogenization.

Therefore, the UN (2003) contends that global culture cannot be combined with local

culture in a harmonious way but rather in a conflict power.

Nevertheless, what seems to have been largely neglected in the UN (2003)’s

analysis is the resilience of cultural identities and the ability of local culture to resist

the dilution. Although there is a reference to globalization, which seems to be seen

as a threat for cultural identities and can magnify not only soaring economic growth

but also social divisions, and also lead to the cultural homogenization, it does not

explore in detail the strong absorbent and forbidden ability of local culture and the

diversity of identities for individuals may grow because of the increasingly

complicated bicultural, multicultural and hybrid identities. Morris (2002) has been

explored to a much greater extent in homogenisation. Morris (2002) argues that the
changes of surface structure of identities taking place in globalization are not equal

to lose the traditional spiritual values, which called deep structure. Furthermore,

cultures could not improve and develop without cultural mixing.

On the other hand, both Arnett (2002) and Morris (2002) agree with the idea that

cultural diversity will still exist continuously depend on the analysis of historical

cultural development. This is a significant study of the influences of hybrid culture on

both global and local culture is examined by Morris (2002). She concedes that

traditional culture changes a lot because of the access of western culture. However,

she argues that the dominant cultures can also be affected by less powerful ones,

such as music development. But Morris (2002) does not address the important

aspect of how powerful the western cultures are, she underestimates the powerful

influences of mass media. Furthermore, Morris (2002) does not consider deeply the

comparison between past and present in terms of cultural exchange. She ignores the

impact of accelerate pace of technology and communications change on cultural

interaction.

Although all of the authors consider the rapid changes of cultures taking place in

recent decades, neither of them analyse in specific and deep consideration, but only

generally.