Cultural Change and Diffusion: Geographic Patterns, Social Processes, and Contact Zones

Cultural Change and Diffusion: Geographic Patterns, Social Processes, and Contact Zones

Cultures develop and change both through spontaneous, local invention and the adoption of ideas, customs, and objects from other cultural groups. As early as the 1930s, scholars suggested that “no more than 10% of all of the cultural items found in any culture—including our own—originated in that culture” (Ferraro, 2006, p. 395). The diffusion or spread of culture from a point of origin to other places and people can occur through personal contact, migration, trade, war, or mass communications. Diffusion is important to studying history, but it is also part of the trajectory of the future. The spread of some ideas, such as Christianity, began long ago while other innovations have spread much more recently, such as the social networking utility Facebook. Diffusion is one of the major drivers of cultural change and, in turn, geographic change. It shapes (and reshapes) the form, function, and meaning of regions and landscapes; people's sense of place and identity within their local community and the larger world; and the spatial distribution of cultural traits and practices. Differing opinions about cultural diffusion and whether it is good or bad fuel some of our most intense debates about globalization. Understanding the important and controversial role that the spread of culture plays in daily life is an essential skill for the 21st century.

Developing a critical understanding of diffusion requires that we adopt an explicitly geographic perspective. Cultural diffusion is not a monolithic process but rather takes on a variety of manifestations, patterns, and consequences that vary from place to place. Consider these three examples of the global spread of culture from the United States.

Elvis American Diner is a truck stop off the Jerusalem–Tel Aviv Highway (Figure 12.1). Opened in 1974, the diner hosts more than a thousand photos and souvenirs related to Elvis Presley, five large statues of the legendary entertainer, and frequent performances by impersonators. The diner has become famous as a clubhouse and shrine for Middle East fans of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, including prominent businessmen. The global popularity of Elvis Presley is ironic since he never performed outside of North America. Yet the Elvis American Diner points to how ideas originating from one society can resonate strongly with another, connecting different places and people along the same line of cultural identity. There are more than 500 international Elvis fan clubs, and some scholars suggest that this intense devotion to the music icon has developed into a “popular culture religion” (Alderman, 2008).

In 2004, the discount retail giant Wal-Mart encountered intense opposition when it began construction of a mega-store north of Mexico City near the Aztec Pyramid of the Sun, a famous archeological site. Proponents argued that Wal-Mart's expansion would benefit Mexico by providing jobs and products. Opponents countered by characterizing it as a form of American imperialism that would hurt the local heritage and economy. The store was eventually built. This controversy points to the fact that the spread of [Page 124]culture is not always embraced. Some people feel that the global expansion of corporations will improve and empower their lives. Others see these cultural changes as a threat to tradition and as grounds for social protest. Opponents in Mexico City argued that Wal-Mart represented a form of “cultural pollution.”

...