Imperial culture and cultural imperialism

Abstract

During the period of colonialism the imperial powers had to create a situation in which the inevitability and necessity of subjugation was felt. Colonised peoples were presented as children. Indigenous knowledge was considered inferior to the knowledge of Europeans. European academic diplomas were considered as more useful than vocational training. Still it is a common occurrence in many countries throughout the world to use external exams of the old colonial power. The number of persons with diplomas exceeds the places vacant. Stereotypes of the colonial past still carry weight. UK history teaching is still primarily Anglo-centric. In the media, developing countries only ever figure in the news when disaster strikes. The new form of cultural imperialism: the sheer volume of television programmes produced in the USA, with all of its assumptions and values, may be more dangerous than any which existed in colonial times.