It’s important to note that while globalisation has brought about many positive changes, it has also raised concerns about inequality, cultural erosion, and environmental sustainability. Today we start talking about Globalisation and its influence on our life within our curriculum.
The cultural impact of globalisation has facilitated the exchange of cultural ideas, values, and traditions across borders. This has led to a more interconnected world where people from different cultures can interact and share their experiences.
There is a concern about the loss of cultural diversity as Western values and lifestyles become more prevalent globally. Globalisation has made information more accessible through the internet. This has transformed the way education is delivered, making it easier for individuals around the world to access educational resources and materials.
Educational institutions engage in more international collaborations, exchange programs, and research partnerships, fostering a global perspective among students and academics.
Globalisation has led to a greater variety of foods being available in different parts of the world. People can enjoy cuisines from various cultures, and international food trends often spread rapidly.
Advances in technology, particularly the internet and social media, have revolutionized communication.
Globalisation has reshaped the job market, leading to increased competition and the outsourcing of jobs to different parts of the world. It has also created new opportunities in industries such as technology and services.
Ivan Lyalyushko:
Perhaps the worst consequence of globalisation for Ukraine has been the redefinition of the idea of a multicultural and multiethnic society. Of course, most of our history is bound up with other cultures and nations in various forms: Poles, Russians, Jews, Armenians, Tatars, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, and even Greeks – literally everyone who lives in the region has been here at some point in the past. And this is not something to be ashamed of or worried about. But the issue still lies within our past. Back then, instead of nations, there was a land, people who inhabited it, and their culture. And every traveller, trader, or refugee was obliged to respect this culture, obey its norms, and understand their place in a large community of our ancestors. This community consisted of different ethnic groups with unique cultures, but the “hegemon” among them was universally recognized and respected. Therefore, the number of conflicts was surprisingly low, especially if no “rebellious” ethnic groups lived in the settlement.
Now the situation is entirely different. Decolonization brought upon a new understanding of multiculturalism in the West, which has now reached us. Whether it’s migrants from Central Asia, pilgrims from the Middle East, or tourists from North America, everyone behaves as if they were at home. Occasionally, the problem is limited to the language barrier, but there are times when the cultural and mental differences are too great for a foreigner to blend in. And such a failure can lead to violent conflicts with deadly consequences for both sides. It can even be our people who are tired of the constant presence of strangers near their homes. However, the result is the same – antipathy, fights, deaths, even domestic terrorism.
What should we do about it? The West tells us that we need to fix the situation and shape our society to suit them. The East suggests simply closing the border or expelling all foreigners from the country. Both options are equally harmful to our state and our people. And yet, one of them must be chosen; otherwise tensions will grow, and we will be forced to literally wage silent war within our borders against de jure our own citizens.
Kate Hryhorenko:
In my opinion, globalisation has definitely caused a «brain drain» of talented people in our country. I won’t deny that there are indeed many more great opportunities for development and career building abroad, and people in Ukraine certainly don’t want to miss such an opportunity. In general, there is nothing catastrophic about this phenomenon, but the amount of qualified specialists leaving our country is really terrifying. All of them could work on the development of their industry in Ukraine, which really needs their help. Instead, employees waste their potential in favour of other countries. At the same time, we can’t blame them because everyone deserves good working conditions and career growth, which our country cannot provide. We can only hope that Ukraine will finally realize the level of this problem and start to change something to keep our workers.
Alina Kupriian:
There is no mystery that the wave of globalisation made a considerable contribution to countries’ advancement, namely cultural and religious perceptions. The canonical life of Ukrainians is gradually changing by dint of expanding the boundaries of former traditions. Hence, the majority of people turn into a more conducive society to religious tolerance, going out of their comfort zone and establishing contacts with representatives of distinctive areas.
Furthermore, the religious background becomes part and parcel element, notably when it comes to either cultural transformation or overthinking values. Significant notions can be disseminated from one group to another, embarking on improvements to promote national integration and growth, since it fosters mutual respect and the lack of misunderstanding.
Ultimately, the high level of cultural globalisation is a splendid opportunity to engage both the mind and the eye in the study of large areas of creativity. Art will serve as a platform for revealing contradictory and at the same time quite obvious thoughts, which will encourage humanity to think further. For instance, Ukrainian publishing houses draw attention to fiction materials and basic literature, where authors come to light on the benefits and drawbacks of the mentioned query.
Nastya Tkachenko:
Probably the main problem of globalisation for me is the loss of individual culture in each country. Also in those topics was mentioned the Americanization. I believe we will suffer from this less than, for example, Mexico, because we’re far more distant from America. We experienced a similar kind of thing with Russia, not because of globalisation but because of colonization
I’d like to say that globalisation tends to increase the level of tolerance between people of different races, cultures, and genders, but I also can’t ignore the fact that numerous nations, that suffer from globalisation. Protecting their themselves, they are choosing right-wing politics, such as nationalism or conservatism, which are incompatible with liberal values.
Valeria Oliynyk:
We have turned into a multi-ethnic society. If we talk about Ukraine, then its population ratio in percentages is 80% Ukrainians, 1.6% Poles, 5.4% Jews, 1.4% Germans and a small percentage of other ethnic groups. Next to the Ukrainian language, on the streets of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, you can often hear English, Polish, or Indian. Since the beginning of the war, especially in European and American countries, you can hear Ukrainian almost everywhere. A similar situation applies to universities. in particular, representatives of Africa study at the Bogomolets Medical University. In the same way, in European and American universities, Ukrainian students come for internships, mobility, or choose foreign institutions for education instead of their native ones, or study in 2 countries at the same time.
Vlada Korablyova:
I cannot express a definite position on globalization. Whatever it may be, it won’t affect the process. Although, I lean more towards being in favour rather than against. There are just many aspects that I strongly dislike. One of them is the takeover of niches by corporations. Stores like Zara or H&M offer clothing that is not exactly cheap and not particularly high-quality, but due to advertising and the lack of alternatives, people simply rush to these stores. In my opinion, choice is crucial here. Having the option to go to Zara or buy from a local brand. Fortunately, the choice in Ukraine is increasing every year.
Nastya Osadchuk:
We have plenty of immigrants and emigrants because of globalization. Although this might not be seen as an advantage, this actually may provide help to plenty of people. Especially for those who weren’t treated fairly by life. For example, due to globalization, countless Ukrainians were able to escape the death penalty in the Soviet Union. Now, people also could be evacuated from dangerous places all over the world.
Sophia Osadchuk:
I think that this statement is true and it upsets me. I know many people who would choose McDonald’s or KFC over small local restaurants or cafés. And It decreases the possibility to develop for small and medium businesses in Ukraine. It’s also true, that even though Ukrainian modern art, for example cinema or music, exists and continues to improve, numerous Ukrainians would still select products from abroad. It’s challenging to create something original, but it’s harder to compete with foreign creators, who have more power, more possibilities and way bigger budgets. I understand that this phenomenon is inevitable, but it still makes me quite mad.
Zlata Ivanenko:
As a result of globalization, our country has become very Americanised. The most spectacular example of this is the high popularity of the American currency, the dollar. Although we have a national currency, the hryvna, we often sell property or services in dollars. Moreover, Ukraine is located in Europe, so it would be very convenient to use euros, but most people still prefer dollars. Another consequence of Americanization is its considerable influence on beauty standards. Ukrainians, especially women, change their hair colour, noses, shapes of faces, and bodies to look like Americans. This also includes the impact on our fashion, sports trends, cosmetology, plastic surgery, etc.
People in Ukraine use too many English words nowadays. American slang is contagious, especially for young people who watch social media all the time. People in our country are so consumed with American culture that they start trying to get closer to “the American dream.” While we’re watching TV or surfing the internet, we see how Americans look, what they eat, how they spend their spare time, and what their houses look like. Their reality easily becomes our main goal in life, and we tend to forget or simply refuse our traditions. This phenomenon might be caused by the idealised picture of America as the most wealthy country in the world. As a result, Americans are the happiest people on Earth. So, Americanization, of course, has a positive effect as well, even though we need to pay more attention to our culture and control external influences.
