The most remote locations geographically are the least culturally diverse. To what extent is this true? (70 marks)

Plan:

Intro‐ define culture /cultural diversity, homogeneity, case studies (answer question)

Japan -little cultural diversity in a country which is geographically remote
Mongolia - no cultural diversity in a country which is geographically remote

New Zealand - cultural diversity in a country which is remotely isolated

Amazonian Tribes - remotely isolated and not globally and culturally diverse but locally (within different tribes) quite diverse

American westernization – culturally diverse to an extent

Conclusion – answer question again and summarise case studies

Introduction:

According to Dunn (2009) “Culture is a system of shared values and beliefs in a society which influences lifestyle and tradition”. Cultural diversity refers to a melting pot of many different cultures which are respected and treated equally.

It is collective – it is shared by a group of people and it influences their ‘way of life’. Culture is dynamic as it is passed on from generation to generation and evolves over time. It is open to external influences, for example from another culture.

Culture is made up of (way of life):

Tradition accepted norms
Religion and beliefs
Language
Art and symbols
Values

It is true to an extent that the most remote locations geographically are the least culturally diverse. This statement is valid for countries such as Mongolia. Mongolia is situated in east-central Asia and is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Being landlocked is disadvantageous to Mongolia’s development as it cuts a nation off from such important sea resources such as fishing, which impedes or prevents direct access to seaborne trade, a crucial component of economic and social advance. As such, coastal regions tended to be wealthier and more heavily populated than inland ones.

This leads to a homogenous society (95% Mongols) which is associated with sharing a common language, ethnicity and culture. Within a society, the immigrant population is low, meaning very little outside influence. Migration creates ethnic and cultural mixing however; countries like Mongolia remain untouched by this mixing. This is predominantly due to the lack of trade links and transportation which instantly makes migration very difficult to do so.

However, some remote locations geographically could be culturally diverse. This is shown in countries such as New Zealand. New Zealand has been culturally diverse for a very long time. This is due to the British colonizing the country when Captain James Cook first mapped the entire coastline and eventually settled. Even though it is an island, it has overcome the issues of isolation by allowing the migration of people from all over the world. In addition, the advances in technology (infrastructure and transportation and trade links) have made New Zealand well connected to the rest of the world. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 4.5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration.

This report aims to assess to what extent the most remote locations geographically are the least culturally diverse. These case studies will be ordered in terms of scale from national to global and are detailed in the methodology section of the report. The case studies are Japan, New Zealand which are contrasting in terms of cultural diversity as well as the Amazonian tribes who voluntarily choose to be left in isolation thus leading to a decrease in cultural diversity. Also, Americanisation is taken into consideration as it affects cultural diversity by diversifying an area but then leading to cultural homogeneity as it eventually dominates other cultures.

Methodology:

The case studies have been carefully selected from core textbooks (Warn et al and Digby), websites, magazines, newspapers and journals in order to give a balanced account of to what extent the most remote locations geographically are the least culturally diverse. More detail is provided in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Resources and Methodology

Case Study

Scale

Summary

Source/ reason included

Evaluation

Report Section

Japan

Global

Little cultural diversity in a country which is geographically remote. Thus leading to a homogenous society. However, trade barriers and migration laws are easing slightly which is improving this state of affairs.

Dunn A2 geography textbook included the isolation of Japan which includes a united and stable society. On the other hand, Japan gave in to pressures of global migration due to demographic changes and refusal of Japanese to perform ‘3D’ jobs.

In order for Japan to continue to develop, it must open doors fully for the immigration of people. This is necessary since Japan has a large elderly population due to well balanced diet, exercise and a highly professional healthcare system. In addition, migration will introduce young and fertile people which may bear children thus therefore balancing the age-population pyramid as well as welcoming different cultures to enhance cultural heterogeneity.

3.1

Mongolia

Global

No cultural diversity in a country which is geographically remote. Thus leading to a homogenous society.

Wikipedia explains why Mongolia is a landlocked country both physically and anthropogenically therefore leading to a lack of cultural diversity.

Similar to Japan, Mongolia should attempt to make this part of the world more connected by improving transport links, infrastructure and trade. Therefore, international airports to global hubs like London and New York should be constructed to ensure that transport is available and easily accessible. To add to that migration should be encouraged so that Mongolia develops economically as there is a larger workforce available. The government could promote Mongolia as a place for tourists to seek out (ecotourism) due to Mongolia’s scenic views and climate as well as distinct culture. This would increase cultural diversity.

3.2

Papua New Guinea

Local

Cultural diversity in terms of between different tribes in a country, which is remotely isolated and leads to a heterogeneous society.

Wikipedia states that Papua New Guinea is a highly diverse region in terms of culture and ethnicity as many tribes are located there. The tribes live off the land since they live in rainforests. However, due to human intervention from ‘outsiders’, this is forcing the tribes to become more modernized, globalised and integrated into the society.

Papua New Guinea should maintain its cultural diversity by allowing the tribes of the Guinean Rainforest to instigate treaties with the outside world to perhaps allow their home to become a nature reserve or national park. This way both the tribes and people benefit. The government of Papua New Guinea can make profit by allocating specific areas of the reserve for ecotourism and other areas are allocated for the tribes.

3.3

New Zealand

Global

Cultural diversity in a country which is remotely isolated leading to a heterogeneous society.

Wikipedia shows that the colonization of New Zealand in the 1700s as well as the recent increase in immigration due to advances in technology leads to cultural diversity.

New Zealand already shows cultural diversity from people migrating from regions such as Australia which are close by as well as the historical ties with Britain. However, cultural diversity could be even more boosted if the government advertised New Zealand to places like the Middle East, USA and South America. In addition, more trade agreements could be carried out between different nations so that there are more international trade flows between New Zealand and the rest of the world. This could also increase cultural diversity and the connectivity of the region.

3.4

Amazonian Tribes

Local

Remotely isolated and not globally and culturally diverse. On the other hand, within the Amazon Rainforest, cultural diversity is deemed quite significant in terms of different tribes having a variation in language, tradition etc. However, human contact from the outside world is affecting their ways of life (such as logging, mining etc) thus forming a homogenous society.

Wikipedia shows that before human interference, cultural diversity was apparent. However, due to conflicts between the tribes and the government to integrate them into the society, the local diversity of tribes started to diminish.

Amazonian Tribes could form a treaty with the ‘outsiders’ in relation to destroying their homes (deforestation, cattle ranching etc). This could decrease the conflict between different stakeholders.

3.5

Globalisation (Americanisation)

Global

Most regions are becoming culturally diverse to an extent. However, the introduction of American brands and TNCs all over the world is eroding cultural diversity such as the use of increasingly common vocabulary, eating McDonalds and wearing Nike.

Dunn A2 geography textbook shows that Americanisation is making the world a more homogeneous place due to brands and TNCs like McDonalds and Nike being located in most areas around the world.

Being fully globalised could be perceived as a negative to nations with cultural diversity. Therefore, the governments of countries could monitor the number of American TNCs that locate in their country. However, if this is unable to occur due to the sheer power of TNCs, there is another method in which to sustain the culture of a specific region and this is by a process called ‘glocalisation’. For example, a McDonalds in the Gulf region could advertise a McArabia made with Arabic ingredients. This means that the assimilation of a culture with another has occurred. This then maintains the unique culture of a region but by being slightly influenced by another. Therefore, a balanced equilibrium is maintained.

3.6

Analysis

Geographical isolation leading to a lack of cultural diversity (First Case Study)

Japan

Japan is an island nation, separated by Asia on the east by the Sea of Japan and from the Americas, on the west, by the Pacific Ocean. Unlike many other island nations, Japan did not suffer military invasions from other countries, so for almost fifteen centuries, Japan has been, with the exception of influence from China, virtually isolated from its neighbors. As a result of this isolation, Japan developed a strong sense of cultural identity based on a homogeneous society who spoke a common language and shared strong political, social, religious, and artistic traditions.

However, much of Japan’s culture has developed through centuries of feudal rule and has benefited from the country’s geographic isolation. Japan had a policy of national seclusion for hundreds of years until the 1850s, but it became an imperialist power by the end of the 19th century. Japan’s culture was spread internationally through occupation in military campaigns before World War II. Japan reinvented itself after the war and began to flourish economically. In the latter half of the 20th century, Japanese influence spread not by militarist might, but through economic integration with much of the international community. Japan democratized, demilitarized, and reformed its economy under 7 years of occupation by the United States. By the 1980s the country had developed one of the world’s leading economies driven by its automobile and consumer electronics industries.

Despite waves of migration from the Asian mainland many centuries ago, ethnic Japanese comprise 98.5% of the population. The remainder is primarily Korean (0.5%) and Chinese (0.4%), thus showing that the Japanese are still the most predominant ethnicity.

All in all, Japan had a policy of seclusion for hundreds of years due to strict policies in terms of trade and migration. This means that cultural diversity was non-existent at that time. Although the oceans surrounding Japan have acted as a geographic hurdle to protect the country from invading armies, the waters have been a source of food and a gateway to international trade. This is because the pressures of trade and migration have been slightly lifted due to worries about the demography of the country as well as the need for a large workforce to work in the manufacturing sector. Furthermore, boosting their economy as a whole and allowing Japan to become the 3rd largest economy in the world.

Geographical isolation leading to a lack of cultural diversity (Second Case Study)

Mongolia

A landlocked country is a country entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. Being landlocked may or may not make a country an enclave. As a rule, being landlocked creates political and economic handicaps that access to the high seas averts. As such, policies large and small across history have striven to gain access to open waters, even at great expense in wealth, bloodshed, and political capital.

Depending on degree of development, language barriers, and other considerations, being landlocked may or may not pose economic disadvantages. Some historically landlocked countries are quite affluent, such as Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, which frequently employ neutrality to their political advantage. The majority, however, are classified as Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). Nine of the twelve countries with the lowest HDI scores are landlocked.

Historically, being landlocked has been disadvantageous to a country's development. It cuts a nation off from such important sea resources such as fishing, and impedes or prevents direct access to seaborne trade, a crucial component of economic and social advance. As such, coastal regions tended to be wealthier and more heavily populated than inland ones.

Mongolia is a landlocked country in east-central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Mongolia is the 19th largest and one of the most sparsely populated independent countries in the world, with a population of around 3 million people. It is also the world's second-largest landlocked country. The country contains very little arable land, as much of its area is covered by steppe, with mountains to the north and west and the Gobi Desert to the south.

Ethnic Mongols account for about 95% of the population and consist of Khalkha and other groups, all distinguished primarily by dialects of the Mongol language. The Khalkha make up 86% of the ethnic Mongol population. The remaining 14% include Oirats, Buryats and others. Turkic peoples (Kazakhs and Tuvans) constitute 4.5% of Mongolia's population, and the rest are Russian, Chinese, Korean and American nationalities.

The official language of Mongolia is Mongolian, and is spoken by 95% of the population. Russian is the most frequently spoken foreign language in Mongolia, followed by English, although English has been gradually replacing Russian as the second language. Korean has gained popularity as tens of thousands of Mongolians work in South Korea.

To conclude, economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture, although development of extensive mineral deposits has emerged as a driver of industrial production too. In addition, there are a few domestic airports but a lack of international airports thus leading to a lack of migration and trade which enhances the fact that Mongolia has a lack of connectivity with the rest of the world. Therefore, cultural diversity is further reduced as a result. In addition, Mongolia is perceived as a country with a harsh climate meaning that migration to that region is further limited.

3.3 Cultural diversity in a geographically remote region leading to a heterogeneous society. (First Case Study)

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an Oceanian country that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia. Its capital, located along its southeastern coast, is Port Moresby.

Before colonization, an individual's identity was grounded in his or her kin group and rarely extended beyond the kin groups of close relatives and in-laws. While an individual may have shared a language and culture with tens of thousands of persons, only leaders and other unusual individuals spent time outside the villages nearest to his or her "place." After colonization, Papua New Guineans experienced political, social, and economic integration. Missionaries and administrators suppressed "tribal" warfare to allow freedom of movement and integrated villagers into the colonial economy as plantation workers and mission helpers.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. 848 languages are listed for the country, of which 12 have no known living speakers. Most of the populations of over 7 million people live in customary communities, which are as diverse as the languages. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18 per cent of its people live in urban centres. The country is one of the worlds’ least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior. The culture of Papua New Guinea is many-sided and complex. It is estimated that more than 7000 different cultural groups exist in Papua New Guinea, and most groups have their own language. Because of this diversity, in which they take pride, many different styles of cultural expression have emerged; each group has created its own expressive forms in art, dance, weaponry, costumes, singing, music, architecture and much more. To unify the nation, the language Tok Pisin, once called Neo-Melanesian (or Pidgin English) has evolved as the lingua franca — the medium through which diverse language groups are able to communicate with one another in Parliament, in the news media, and elsewhere.

Strong growth in Papua New Guinea's mining and resource sector has led to the country becoming the sixth fastest-growing economy in the world as of 2011. Many people in the country live in extreme poverty when measured in terms of money, with about one-third of the population living on less than US$1.25 per day.

At the local level, the majority of the population still live in strong customary societies and - while social life is overlaid with traditional religious cosmologies and modern practices, including conventional primary education - customary subsistence-based agriculture remains fundamental. These societies and clans are explicitly acknowledged within the nation's constitutional framework. The Papua New Guinea Constitution expresses the wish for "traditional villages and communities to remain as viable units of Papua New Guinean society" and for active steps to be taken in their continuing importance to local and national community life.

Papua New Guinea’s internationally renowned cultural diversity is under tremendous stress, as village-based life styles are being replaced by cash economy and urban life styles. Papua New Guinea ratified the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention in 2008, making it the first Pacific Island State to become a party to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. Since then, Papua New Guinea authorities have strengthened their efforts in safeguarding cultural heritage through new projects such as the cultural mapping programme and support to cultural festivals.

To conclude, Papua New Guinea proves the above statement wrong. It is a highly isolated region due to the large body of water that surrounds it and it consists of many different cultures with different tribes that all interlink with one another but are still separate groups. Therefore, cultural diversity in this region is local and is being affected by ‘outsiders’ who interfere with their habitat an way of life in attempt to integrate them into the modern society.

3.4 Cultural diversity in a geographically remote region leading to a heterogeneous society. (Second Case Study)

New Zealand

New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation: it is situated about 2000 km southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and its closest neighbors to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, a number of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and the mammals they introduced.

The population of New Zealand is mostly of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority. Asians and non-Māori Polynesians are also significant minority groups, especially in urban areas. The most commonly spoken language is English.

East Polynesians were the first people to reach New Zealand about 1280, followed by the early European explorers, notably James Cook in 1769 who explored New Zealand three times and mapped the coastline. Following the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 when the country became a British colony, immigrants were predominantly from Britain, Ireland and Australia. Due to restrictive policies similar to the white Australian policies limitations were placed on non-European immigrants. During the gold rush period (1858-1880s) large number of young men came from California and Victoria to New Zealand goldfields. Apart from British, there were Irish, North Germans, Scandinavians, Italian and many Chinese.

While most New Zealanders live in New Zealand, there is also a significant diaspora abroad, over three-quarters of the New Zealand-born population residing outside of New Zealand, live in Australia. Other communities of New Zealanders abroad are concentrated in other English-speaking countries, specifically the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.

To conclude, New Zealand represents a country which is culturally diverse but is remote in terms of a body of water surrounding the island. This, therefore, disproves the statement above condemning that isolated regions are the least culturally diverse.

Remotely isolated and not globally and culturally diverse, but in terms of locally diverse, different tribes show variation in culture.

Amazonian Tribes

Uncontacted peoples are communities who live, or have lived, either by choice (peoples living in voluntary isolation) or by circumstance, without significant contact with globalized civilization. Few peoples have remained totally uncontacted by global civilization. Most uncontacted communities are located in densely forested areas in South America, New Guinea and India. Knowledge of the existence of these groups comes mostly from infrequent and sometimes violent encounters with neighboring tribes, and from aerial footage. Isolated tribes may lack immunity to common diseases, which can kill a large percentage of their people after contact.

Furthermore, cultural diversity amongst various tribes in the Amazonian Rainforest is common. From a cultural perspective the Amazonian rainforest is one of the most diverse linguistic regions of the planet. In the Amazon Basin 300 languages were spoken at the end of the 20th century. The indigenous villages that speak these languages belong to separate language families.

Yanomami Tribe

They are an indigenous tribe made up of four subdivisions of Indians which live in the tropical rain forest of Southern Venezuela and Northern Brazil. The Yanomami do not recognize themselves as a united group, rather individuals associated with their politically autonomous village. Yanomami communities are grouped together because they have a similar cultural and linguistic background. Marriage, kinship, and militaristic coalitions interweave communities together.

The Yanomami depend on the rain forest; they use "slash-and-burn" horticulture. They frequently move to avoid areas that become overused, a practice known as shifting cultivation when the soil becomes exhausted. Since most outsiders have invaded the Amazon via the large rivers, the Yanomami have been able to live in isolation until very recently. Because of this they have been able to retain their culture and their identity which many Indians of the Amazon have lost.

The Yanomami had very little contact with the outside world until the 1980's when the Brazilian government sent teams to delimit the frontier with Venezuela. Soon the government’s Indian Protection Service and religious missionary groups established themselves there. This influx of people led to the first epidemics of measles and flu in which many Yanomami died. Also, during the 1980s, the Yanomami suffered immensely when up to 40,000 Brazilian gold-miners invaded their land. The miners shot them, destroyed many villages, and exposed them to diseases to which they had no immunity. 20% of the Yanomami died in just seven years.

In conclusion, the remoteness of the Amazon in the past meant that there was a lack of human influence from the outside; this meant that tribes could hold their traditions and lifestyles. In addition, a heterogeneous society was established because of the variations of traditions and languages amongst tribes. However, due to advances in technology and an increase in population, the deforestation of some parts of the Amazon (logging, cattle ranching, development etc) as well as mining for minerals has meant that machinery and people from the outside have had to venture into the Amazon and therefore interfere with the tribes’ ways of life. This has led to a decrease in tribe numbers due to the introduction of new diseases, the loss of their homes as well as a decrease in biodiversity due to monoculture as well as cattle ranching.

Culturally diverse to an extent until Americanisation eventually takes over to form a global homogenization of culture.

Globalisation (Americanisation)

The developed west, consisting of Europe and North America, tends to view its own capitalist culture as modern and progressive due to its high levels of technology, money, consumerism and democracy. This has led some to argue that it has led to cultural superiority and cultural imperialism as the west, particularly America, try to impose their culture on others. This can be done directly through the media such as Disney films and Hollywood films that perpetuate the ‘American Dream’ idea and bring it to a global audience. The spread of western culture is creating a global consumer culture which erodes cultural diversity worldwide by homogenizing music, food tastes, clothing, language and the arts. As more people in more cultures take on the American model it spreads globally. There is no single player in this but western TNCs, media, governments and even tourists play a role in its spread. For example Saudi Arabia now boasts huge shopping malls packed with US designer brands.

However, there is also an argument that globalisation, although it can lead to the spread of western consumer culture, it can also help protect cultural identity. Increased migration and communication allows people from different cultures to spread around the world, yet maintain contact with the traditional ways of life and languages in the home country or region. This increased cultural mixing might help preserve traditional cultures but can also lead to new hybrid cultures through cultural mixing – which might be said to actually increase diversity.

Cultures are ever-evolving; change and development of cultures is a natural progression. In contrast, homogenisation and Westernisation are terms that describe negative cultural change through loss of diversity. The concepts are interconnected; however Westernisation is more effective in illustrating the inevitable social and economic consequences of globalisation. Homogenisation is a clear consequence of globalisation. It describes the tendency of cultures to trend towards a uniformed way of life.

In conclusion, the spread of western consumer culture aided by globalisation has a negative impact on cultural diversity as it is seen as superior. Although there might be some elements of preservation and new hybrid cultures the overall impact is negative.

Conclusion:

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