The process of change on political, economic, and cultural levels through interaction and increased interconnectedness sums up the concept of globalization. Globalization arose as a result of numerous factors including technological advancement. The onset of the globalization phenomenon marked the start of various challenges as well as opportunities. The exchange of ideas and increased interaction among cultures, nations and economic blocs has been instrumental in defining various aspects of society. The focus of this paper is on the role of the globalization in shaping the both the contemporary and historic media and the culture of the world. The basis of the argument is on the “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud.
“Persepolis” is an animated film that tells the story of contemporary Iran through the life of a girl that lives in one of the cities. It tells the story of a girl who comes of age during the Iranian Revolution. The girl grows up to a clash of civilizations and the numerous challenges of adulthood and conformity. Persepolis is a movie that directs the audience into thinking about the living conditions in Tehran and the fate of the people living in such areas. However, more crucially, it reflects the impact of globalization not only in Iran but also around the world (Rowntree 101).
In the very first scene, the audience is introduced to Marjane’s ancestor being convinced to shift the ruling of the country into one that is more authoritarian (Persepolis). Shah’s father is persuaded by an English leader into choosing a totalitarian political system so as to make the running of the county easier. Shah decides to employ strict regulations and imposes Islamic Fundamentalism among his people.
This drastically changes the relations among the people, with women being the most affected. They are forced to dress moderately and not to consume western products such as cosmetics. As the film continues, the audience is introduced to the changes that occur after the Iran and Iraq wars (Persepolis). Freedom is still highly minimized, which was contrary to people’s expectations regarding the end of the war. Women are on the receiving end of the curtailment of freedom, with their mode of dressing being determined without their opinion.
Kraidy’s hybridity is a crucial tenet of the film that highlights the globalization of culture. The lure to live the Western life and consume Western products plays a huge role in defining the people’s way of life as depicted by Kraidy. Marji’s character is shown wearing Micheal Jackson pin and listening to punk rock. Marji cannot seemingly overcome the allure that the popular culture of the west is painted to have. Kraidy, on the other hand, introduces the idea of cultural hybridity as a way of bringing out the western culture as a powerful and dominating force in the Middle East (Persepolis).
The onset of the Islamic fundamentalist rule is the very first instance of globalization in Iran. The changes in society that follow depict the depth of cultural impact that globalization brings about. The impact that globalization brings about in Iran’s culture is one that is highly oppressive. Gender inequality is highly prevalent while freedom remains elusive. The people have been left to the mercies of the authoritarian government that uses the sharia law. While men are allowed to dress as they wish, women are expected to conform to a religious dressing code.
The aspect of popular media impact is brought about out in the film by elements such as the punk music being popular among the children in Iran. This helps one discern the content that is being watched by the people in Iran. The popularity of music such as punk is an indication of the determination of popular media (Rowntree 67). The western culture and philosophy are reinforced through the media content. The beauty of the western culture, its music, art, food and way of life is brought out through the use of popular media.
Conclusively, the film does symbolize and depict a number of aspects of the impact of globalization as discussed in the paper. The storyline allows the audience to begin to understand the role that globalization has played in shaping popular media and the world culture. A huge deal of the film focusses on the negative aspects of globalization on culture and media content. There is a clear erosion of the original culture of the Iranian people which is replaced by ideologies and elements of Western culture. Globalization does consist of innumerable opportunities for the global community; however, it also results in a number of challenges and problems. These are issues that have to be addressed for people to positively benefit from the globalization phenomenon.
Works Cited
"Persepolis 2007 - Cały Film Lektor PL." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzwZ_sFFl-8>.
Rowntree, Lester. Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2014. Print.
