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The Empire of Culture: The Study of Global Americanization in 20th Century

Author: Wang Xiaode

Translated by Fu Yili, Wu Yisheng

ISBN: 978-1-84464-524-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-84464-525-1

Hardback-488 Pages

February 2019

English

£80 €100 $130

 

Description:

This book is the first research work to discuss global Americanization from a historical view in China. Since the 20th century America has been in the leadership of world culture development because of its power and it keeps attempting to change subordinate cultures so as to Americanize them in the world. However, it’s proved that Non-American culture grows stronger and stronger during the process of American and Non-American culture conflicts and the combinations based on the facts; furthermore, it caters to the need of world development instead of being replaced by American culture. In historical perspective, the author traces the source of global Americanization, presents the challenges that American culture spread other cultures since the 20th century and provides the historical references and information to study China Americanizing issues. The book not only discloses the essence of hegemonism of American culture, but also deeply displays the diverse trend of world culture.

 

Content:

Introduction

I. The Studies of the Global Americanization by European Academics

II. Main Viewpoints of European Academics on Global Americanization

III. The Studies of Global Americanization by Non-European and –American Academics

IV. This Book’s Main Ideas and Viewpoints

Chapter 1 Historical and Cultural Origins of Global Americanization

I. Americanization and Assimilation of New Immigrants

II. Ideological Roots of Global Americanization

III. Global Americanization and the Expansion of American Culture

IV. Modern Roots of Global Americanization

Chapter 2 Europe: The Earliest Experimental Field of Americanization

I. The “Desert” of Culture: the Early View of Europeans on America

II. The Fall of the Old World: the Early European Image in the Eyes of Americans

III. American Entertainment Culture and Europe in the 19th Century

IV. Europe: the Earliest Experimental Field of American Mass Culture

Chapter 3 Americanization: the Challenges to Europe between the Two World Wars

I. The Rise of Modern Mass Consumerism in the United States and Its Impact

II. Hollywood: the Rise of the U.S. Movie Industry and Its Impact on Europe

III. The Impact of American Mass Culture on European Countries

IV. Resistance of European Countries to the Spread of American Mass Culture

Chapter 4 Postwar American Cultural Diplomacy and Global Americanization

I. Origin of American Cultural Diplomacy

II. “Institutionalization” of Cultural Diplomacy of the United States

III. The Expansion of American Cultural Diplomacy

IV. Cultural Diplomacy and Global Americanization

Chapter 5 The Issue of Americanization of the Western European Allies

I. Discussions about Luce’s “American Century”

II. American Occupation and West Germany’s Americanization

III. Americanization and the Formation of Modern Consumer Society in France

IV. Coca-Colonization: A Case Study of Americanization

Chapter 6 Americanization in Other Western Countries

I. The Southern Neighboring Power: Canada Wanted to Get Rid of the “Shadow”

II. The Secular “Holy Land”: Israel’s Americanization

III. Americanization and the Development of Australia

IV. Americanization and Japan’s Cultural Borrowing

Chapter 7 Americanization of the Developing Countries

I. The Proposition of “Cultural imperialism”

II. American “Cultural Imperialism” and the Developing Countries

III. Modern Consumerism and the Developing Countries

IV. How to Evaluate the Americanization of Developing Countries

Chapter 8 Globalization and Global Americanization

I. Basic Trend of Globalization and Its Development

II. Globalization and Global Expansion of American Mass Culture

III. Globalization and Global Culture

IV. Globalization Is Not Equal to Americanization

Conclusion: Americanization and the Trend of Diversified Development of World Culture

References

Postscript

 

About Author:

Wang Xiaode, graduated from NanKai University with a Doctoral Degree in history, he now works as professor of History Institute of NanKai University, director of Research Center of Modern History of World and Latin America Research Center in the Ministry of Education. His research focuses on the history of foreign relations of the US and Latin American.

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