Walt Disney Conglomerate

Earlier in the week, we discussed and disagreed with Featherstone?s theory of an emerging global culture. Many countries and cultures around the world are rejecting ideas and products from other regions, and particularly from Western cultures. However, that doesn?t seem to be stopping large, western corporations from forming global markets.

            Pieces of the Walt Disney Company can be found in almost every region of the world. Besides the many television, film, internet and cellular phone entities that Disney owns and controls, they?ve also built their Magic Kingdoms in numerous countries around the globe. It is not at all unusual to see children in Hong Kong, Mexico, or India wearing a T-shirt featuring any number of Disney characters ranging from Mickey Mouse to Pocahontas. ?American influence is growing, it's so easy to get access to US culture; there are no barriers. Disney is known worldwide now ( Rice-Oxley, 2004).?  No other cartoon character in the world is as recognizable as the seventy-nine year old mouse in little red shorts and big yellow shoes. Disney has even received awards from various nations around the globe. ?There are dozens of medals, citations, and plaques from appreciative governments attesting the international amity created by Disney?s make-believe characters? (De Roos, p. 48)?

            Disney has linked itself to countless cultures around the globe, and linking those cultures to each other, at least in that one respect, to form a global Disney culture. Even countries who cannot currently lay claim to their own Disneyland theme park, such as various African nations, are featured in the signature musical ride ?It?s a Small World After All.? However, Disney can also lay a meager claim to bringing world cultures to Americans. The Disney World theme park in Orlando, Florida features an attraction known as the World Showcase. Countries from Mexico to Morocco are represented, and tourists can sample the cultures? cuisine, watch informational videos, buy their imported products, learn their folklore, and interact with citizens of those countries. Every employee in the World Showcase is a citizen of the country they are representing at Disney World.

            By Hardt and Negri?s definition, Disney may not quite have formed a global Empire through their entertainment media conglomerate. Instead, they are more likely to create the type of imperial empire reminiscent of modern European nations. Their theme parks are their colonies. They ship their products to and from their colonies to various part of the globe, and few people in the developed word have not heard of Walt Disney.

References

Featherstone, M. (1990). Global culture: an introduction. In M. Featherstone (Ed.), Global culture: Nationalism, globalization, and modernity. London; Newbury Park

De Roos, R. (1963). The magic worlds of Walt Disney. In E. Smoodin, Disney Discourse: Producing the Magic Kingdom. New York; Routledge

Hardt, Michael, and Negri, Antonio (2000). ?Preface? (pp.xi-xvii) and Part I (pp. 1-66), Empire. Cambridge, MA, and London, England: Harvard University Press.

Rice-Oxley, M. (2004). In 2000 years, will the world remember Disney or Plato? Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved June 6, 2007 from http://www.globalpolicy.org/empire/analysis/2004/0115plato.htm

Posted at 12:00PM Jun 08, 2007 by COX, KATIE in General  |  Comments[4]