Against Cultural Essentialism: Media Reception among South African Youth

Abstract

Drawing on interviews with students on the Grahamstown campus of Rhodes University, South Africa, this article argues against a number of claims central to the media imperialism thesis. It argues that centuries of cultural mixing that have taken place historically between locals from different continents and cultural traditions undermine the claims for an internally pure and authentic indigenous culture which has recently become corrupted by foreign influence. Furthermore, given the deep social divisions in South Africa, it is difficult to identify the national culture and identity supposedly being undermined by global culture. Given this, the article supports Massey’s claim that places should be seen as ‘spaces of interaction’ in which local identities are constructed out of material and symbolic resources that may not be local in their origins, but should still be considered authentic.