From Dress Shoes to Flip-Flops: A Study on the Shifting of Imperialism and Cultural Identity in Malaysia
Open Access
Author:
Alauddin, Nursabrina Binti
Graduate Program:
Humanities
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
March 24, 2017
Committee Members:
Nakho Kim, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
Media imperialism cultural identity Hybridity Hyperreality Participatory Culture
Abstract:
This paper explores the differences in imperialism and its impact on cultural identity formation. Taking Malaysians as model, Malaysia is a country founded by the colonization of the British Empire. In present days, a new form of colonization through media imperialism, specifically American media, is circulating as the aftermath of globalization. Two questions explored throughout this research are does the Malaysian case demonstrate that media imperialism is more significantly impactful than traditional imperialism on cultural identity formation and did the impact of media imperialism create a new cultural identity among Malaysians? A survey (n=365) is collected and analyzed to answer these questions. Additionally, theoretical frameworks were used to gain further understanding of the topic.
