Contemporary Issues in American Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Contemporary Issues in American Society - Essay Example If Americanization really is a feature of the new global community, what are the ramifications of the Americanization of the world? From a historical standpoint, what explains the Americanization of the world and is this beneficial to the global community? Accordingly, what are the benefits to the United States of a globalized world in which US cultural hegemony reigns supreme? Aiming to address these questions and many more as they relate to the globalization phenomenon in the 21st century, the following will explore how globalization affects the United States of America. According to scholars Kelly and Prokhovnik, globalization is a complex phenomenon which is difficult to understand. Accordingly, â€Å"although the globalization of culture seems in some ways obvious in our daily lives, it is not an entirely straightforward matter. Culture is a complicated and pervasive phenomenon, taking many forms.† (48) Seeking to address the issues surrounding the Americanization of the world and the role of the United States has played in creating a mass market â€Å"world culture†, the following aims to provide a concise overview the charges leveled against the United States as an cultural, economic and political hegemon. This exploration will seek to explore American culture on a global scale while looking at such issues as the spread of American youth culture, globalization as an American-inspired economic force and the global spread of American democratic governance. In the post-World War Two period, the globalization of American values began in earnest following the near total physical, economic and social devastation of the European continent. Post WW-II, a social revolution paved the way for the international export of American values and ideas throughout the globe. For the United States, the social revolution of the nineteen-sixties was importantly also a cultural revolution. In fact, the â€Å"rise of a specific, and extraordinarily