European inventory of
societal values of culture

Hamm & Smandych - Cultural Imperialism

Hamm, B., & Smandych, R. (Eds.) (2005). Cultural Imperialism: Essays on the Political Economy of Cultural Domination. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN: 978-1551117072

This edited collection, consisting of 19 chapters written by authors coming from different disciplines and geographical backgrounds, outlines a connection between the global power structure and what it sees as its cultural expression. It attempts to document how cultural imperialism is related to neo-liberalism and globalisation by analysing specific cultural institutions and geopolitical developments. The cultural influence of Western cultural and media industries is emphasised, but the effects of trade liberalisation and models of governance imposed on developing countries are also discussed. While the collection is primarily a well-researched multidisciplinary contribution to political economy literature, it can also be seen as reviving the pre-globalisation discussions of cultural imperialism.