Arjun Appadurai

Definition

Arjun Appadurai is an influential Indian-American anthropologist known for his work on globalization and its cultural dimensions, particularly in the context of diasporas and migration. His ideas about the 'ethnoscape' and 'mediascape' provide critical frameworks to understand how cultures evolve and adapt in the globalized world, linking directly to issues of cultural retention, skilled migration, and the blending of cultures in host societies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Appadurai's concept of 'scapes'—including ethnoscape, mediascape, technoscape, financescape, and ideoscape—helps analyze the complex interactions between culture and globalization.
2. He argues that globalization does not lead to a homogenization of cultures but rather encourages new forms of cultural expressions and identities.
3. Appadurai emphasizes the role of media in shaping perceptions of identity among diasporic communities, affecting how they engage with their home and host societies.
4. His work highlights the importance of local contexts in understanding global processes, suggesting that local cultures actively shape their responses to global influences.
5. Appadurai’s theories have been particularly influential in understanding the experiences of post-1965 Indian skilled migrants to the United States, illustrating how they maintain connections with their cultural roots while adapting to new environments.

Review Questions

• How do Appadurai's concepts of 'ethnoscape' and 'mediascape' help us understand the dynamics of diaspora communities?
  • Appadurai's concepts of 'ethnoscape' and 'mediascape' illustrate how diaspora communities are constantly influenced by both their movement and the media that shapes their identities. 'Ethnoscape' acknowledges the mobility of various groups—such as immigrants and refugees—while 'mediascape' highlights how media images affect perceptions of culture and identity. Together, these concepts show that diaspora communities are not static; instead, they navigate complex identities influenced by both their origins and their interactions with the media in their host societies.
• Discuss the implications of Appadurai's views on cultural retention among Indian migrants in the context of globalization.
  • Appadurai suggests that globalization does not erase cultural identity but rather creates opportunities for cultural retention among migrants. For Indian migrants post-1965, this means they can maintain their cultural practices while also integrating into American society. This dynamic allows them to form transnational identities where they can engage with their heritage through community organizations, religious practices, and cultural festivals while also adapting to their new environment. The interplay between retaining cultural elements and adopting new ones is crucial in understanding how these communities thrive.
• Evaluate how Appadurai's framework can be applied to analyze the cultural impact of Indian professionals migrating to the United States since 1965.
  • Appadurai's framework provides a comprehensive lens to analyze the cultural impact of Indian professionals migrating to the U.S. since 1965 by emphasizing the active role these migrants play in shaping both their identities and those of the host society. Through his concepts of 'scapes,' we can see how these professionals bring unique skills and cultural practices that influence workplace dynamics and contribute to multiculturalism in America. Furthermore, their use of media—like social networks and news outlets—helps maintain connections with India while also navigating their American experience. This ongoing interaction results in a fusion of cultures that enriches both communities, illustrating Appadurai’s assertion that globalization fosters new forms of cultural expression rather than mere uniformity.

Related terms

Globalization: The process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale, impacting cultural exchanges and interactions.

Ethnoscape: A term coined by Appadurai that refers to the landscape of persons who constitute the shifting world in which we live, including tourists, immigrants, refugees, exiles, and other moving groups.

Cultural hybridity: The blending of different cultural influences to create new forms of culture, often resulting from migration and globalization.