Youth Perceptions and Patterns of Cultural Imperialism in Bangladesh
Keywords:
Cultural Change; Cultural Domination; Youth Culture; Social Media; Behavioral Change; Globalization
Abstract
Cultural transformation induced and mediated by cultural imperialism has been pervasive in recent years, especially in Bangladesh. The cultural patterns of developed countries are disseminated through social media have largely reshaped the lifestyles and perceptions of the youth of Bangladesh. The widespread use of social media has apparently made it difficult to distinguish between cultures—one's own culture and others. Consequently, the traditional cultural patterns are being transformed, which poses a threat to local cultural identity, influencing perceptions and lifestyles. Therefore, the study focuses on the recent patterns of cultural imperialism and perceptions of youth in this regard. The study employed qualitative methodology using several case studies in Dhaka. In-depth interview method along with thematic analysis was used to collect and interpret primary data. It was found that the youth were influenced in almost all aspects of life due to cultural imperialism diminishing the values of their own culture.
References
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Rahman M H (2011) ‘Cultural Imperialism’ and Its Possible Effects on Global Communication. Centre for Practical Multimedia Studies (CPMS).
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https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/jr00e3gltg
Sakib S N (2023) Comparing the sociology of culture in Bangladesh and India: Similarities and differences in Bangladeshi and Indian cultures. Simulacra 6(1): 33-44. https://doi.org/10.21107/sml.v6i1.18773
Sen S (2015) Benoy Kumar Sarkar: Restoring the nation to the world. Routledge https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315684949
Shahen A, Hossain B, Hossain M B and Jahan M N (2019) Globalization and Bangladesh: An analysis from cultural perspective. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science 25(1): 32-41. https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2501043241
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Shuvo T A, Hossain K, Dey D R and Hosna A U (2025) Prevalence of Premarital Sex in Bangladesh: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Public Health Challenges 4(2): e70046.
https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70046?urlappend=%3Futm_source%3Dresearchgate
Shesheir M, Shawon M and Ahmed F (2025) Rising Divorce Rate: A path to empowerment and support, Daily New Age, 3 April. https://www.newagebd.net/post/opinion/261351/rising-divorce-rate-a-path-to-empowerment-and-support
Sonia A A (2014) Changing urban culture: A study of the old city in Dhaka (Master’s thesis). Dhaka University Institutional Repository. http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1527/Ashma%20Akhter%20Sonia.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Staff Correspondent (2015). Cultural Imperialism in Bangladesh, The Daily Sun,14 May.
https://www.daily-sun.com/magazine/details/45377
Tanvir S, Shovo T A and Mohsin K F (2014) Cultural Globalization and Shifting the Cultural Identity of Youth: Satelite TV Perspective. Bangladesh Research Publication Journal 10(1): 01-24. https://www.scribd.com/document/723838744/CULTURAL-GLOBALIZATION-AND-SHIFTING-THE-CULTURAL-IDENTITY-OF-YOUTH-SATELITE-TV-PERSPECTIVE
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Tomlinson J (2012) Cultural Imperialism. In The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization, G. Ritzer (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470670590.wbeog129
Tunna N T (2023) Cultural impacts of Indian satellite channels’ broadcasted programs: A study on Bangladesh. Journal of Arts & Humanities 12(3): 14-21. https://doi.org/10.18533/jah.v12i03.2323
Wolff K (2007) Cultural Imperialism. In The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, G. Ritzer (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeosc175
Willnat L, He Z, Takeshita T and Escobar E L (2002) Perceptions of foreign media influence in Asia and Europe: The third‐person effect and media imperialism. International Journal of Public Opinion Research 14(2): 175-192. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/14.2.175
Adger W N, Webber M, Brown K, Marshall N, & O’Brien K F (2013) Cultural dimensions of climate change impacts and adaptation. Nature Climate Change 3(2): 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1666
Ahmed R (2024) Extramarital relationships are main reason for divorce. The daily Prothom Alo, 9 February. https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/bi48k3yakr
Anwar M N, Saeed M, Hayder W & Kanwal L (2023) Impact of Indian Drama’s on Pakistani Culture: A Study on Women's Perspectives. Journal of Asian Development Studies 12(4): 575-594. https://doi.org/10.62345/jads.2023.12.4.44
Ayna A (2011) The Impact of globalization on architecture-environment relations: Housing projects and design approaches. In Mácha P and Drobík T (Edts.) The Scale of Globalization: Think globally, act locally, change individually in the 21st century. Ostrava, Czech Republic: University of Ostrava.http://conference.osu.eu/globalization/publ2011/6-10_Macha-Drobik.pdf
Bahrani S, Soroush M, and Hosseini M (2011) A Study of Gender Differences in Media Use, Identity and Lifestyle Relationship among Youth in Shiraz. National Studies Journal 12(47): 103-120. 20.1001.1.1735059.1390.12.47.5.3
Banik R, Naher S, Pervez S, & Hossain M M (2020) Fast food consumption and obesity among urban college going adolescents in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study. Obesity Medicine 17: 100161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obmed.2019.100161
Bhoje G (2015) Indian culture and globalization. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Social Sciences 5(5): 50–64. https://www.indusedu.org/pdfs/IJRESS/IJRESS_705_90234.pdf
Bryman A (2004) Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press.
Bryman A (2016) Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press.
Hakim A (2014) Can the grammatical proficiency of American students of Bangla as a foreign language can have a positive effect on their performance in the speech act of greeting in Bangla: A study. Journal of Education and Practice 5(13): 81-85. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Can-the-grammatical-proficiency-of-American-of-as-a-Hakim/bb33043e520fcb0de9d6072e9f43b3a3b2640756
Helal M A (2013) Extra Marital Affair and Family Discord: Way-out in Islam. International Journal of Islamic Thought 2(2): 35-44. https://ijits.net/ojs3/index.php/ijits/article/view/23
Hossain A M (2022) Cultural Imperialism: A Cold War between Developed and Developing Country, The Daily Asian Age, 22 June.https://dailyasianage.com/news/287264/cultural-imperialism-a-cold-war-between-developed-and-developing-country
Hossin M Z, and Mohiuddin M (2015) Urban youth culture in Bangladesh under the sway of cultural globalization: A descriptive analysis. Sociology Mind 5(3): 213-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/sm.2015.53019
Hossen M A and Quddus A H G (2021) Prevalence and determinants of premarital sex among university students of Bangladesh. Sexuality & Culture 25(1): 255-274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09768-8
Islam A (2013) Hindigenization of Bangladeshi culture through the penetration of satellite TV: Paradigm of modernization vs. dependency theory. New Media and Mass Communication 18: 15. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Hindigenization-of-Bangladeshi-Culture-through-the-Islam/a02164efa82fcb286a35d8a0f58388af3d01ff4d
Latif, M., Naseer, M., & Ahmed, M. (2021). Cultural imperialism through social media influence of western dressing through Facebook in urban areas of Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of International Affairs 4(4). https://doi.org/10.52337/pjia.v4i4.312
MacKenzie J M, Dalziel N, Doumanis N and Charney M W eds (2016) The encyclopedia of empire. John Wiley & Sons.
Nahar K (2024) Double Burden of Working Mothers in Balancing Family and Workplace: A Qualitative Analysis. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 7(11), 8561. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i11-36
Patoari M M H (2020) Socio-economic and cultural causes and effects of increasing divorce rate by women in Bangladesh: a critical analysis. Asian Journal of Social Science Studies 5(1): 21-31. https://doi.org/10.20849/ajsss.v5i1.713
Population & Housing Census (2022). Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. https://sid.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/sid.portal.gov.bd/publications/01ad1ffe_cfef_4811_af97_594b6c64d7c3/PHC_Preliminary_Report_(English)_August_2022.pdf
Rahman K A (2014) Globalization and cultural transformation: The case of Bangladesh. Asian Culture and History 6(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/ach.v6n2p1
Rahman M H (2011) ‘Cultural Imperialism’ and Its Possible Effects on Global Communication. Centre for Practical Multimedia Studies (CPMS).
Rahman.S (2023) One divorce in every 40 minutes in Dhaka. The Daily Prothom Alo, 14 June.
https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/jr00e3gltg
Sakib S N (2023) Comparing the sociology of culture in Bangladesh and India: Similarities and differences in Bangladeshi and Indian cultures. Simulacra 6(1): 33-44. https://doi.org/10.21107/sml.v6i1.18773
Sen S (2015) Benoy Kumar Sarkar: Restoring the nation to the world. Routledge https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315684949
Shahen A, Hossain B, Hossain M B and Jahan M N (2019) Globalization and Bangladesh: An analysis from cultural perspective. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science 25(1): 32-41. https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-2501043241
Siddiqui K, (2022) British Imperialism, Religion, and the Politics of ‘Divide and Rule’ in the Indian-Subcontinent. World Financial Review. Pp 95-114. https://worldfinancialreview.com/british-imperialism-religion-and-the-politics-of-divide-and-rule-in-the-indian-subcontinent/
Shuvo T A, Hossain K, Dey D R and Hosna A U (2025) Prevalence of Premarital Sex in Bangladesh: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Public Health Challenges 4(2): e70046.
https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70046?urlappend=%3Futm_source%3Dresearchgate
Shesheir M, Shawon M and Ahmed F (2025) Rising Divorce Rate: A path to empowerment and support, Daily New Age, 3 April. https://www.newagebd.net/post/opinion/261351/rising-divorce-rate-a-path-to-empowerment-and-support
Sonia A A (2014) Changing urban culture: A study of the old city in Dhaka (Master’s thesis). Dhaka University Institutional Repository. http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1527/Ashma%20Akhter%20Sonia.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Staff Correspondent (2015). Cultural Imperialism in Bangladesh, The Daily Sun,14 May.
https://www.daily-sun.com/magazine/details/45377
Tanvir S, Shovo T A and Mohsin K F (2014) Cultural Globalization and Shifting the Cultural Identity of Youth: Satelite TV Perspective. Bangladesh Research Publication Journal 10(1): 01-24. https://www.scribd.com/document/723838744/CULTURAL-GLOBALIZATION-AND-SHIFTING-THE-CULTURAL-IDENTITY-OF-YOUTH-SATELITE-TV-PERSPECTIVE
Tomlinson J (1999) Globalization and culture. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1177/0196859902026004007
Tomlinson J (2012) Cultural Imperialism. In The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization, G. Ritzer (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470670590.wbeog129
Tunna N T (2023) Cultural impacts of Indian satellite channels’ broadcasted programs: A study on Bangladesh. Journal of Arts & Humanities 12(3): 14-21. https://doi.org/10.18533/jah.v12i03.2323
Wolff K (2007) Cultural Imperialism. In The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, G. Ritzer (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeosc175
Willnat L, He Z, Takeshita T and Escobar E L (2002) Perceptions of foreign media influence in Asia and Europe: The third‐person effect and media imperialism. International Journal of Public Opinion Research 14(2): 175-192. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/14.2.175
Published
2026-01-21
How to Cite
Nahar, K., Akter, M. R., Sultana, S., & Fairooz Shorna, D. (2026). Youth Perceptions and Patterns of Cultural Imperialism in Bangladesh. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 9(2), 255-268. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v9i2.3224
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