Is there a McWorld Generation?

1. Is there a McWorld Generation? Convergence, stability or divergence of cultural diversity Henk Vinken www.henkvinken.nl December 10, 2008 – Konstanz University, Germany

2. Vinken, H. (2007). Religion and traditional values in East Asia. Exploring five comparative values surveys in East Asia. Working paper for School of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. Vinken, H. (2006). East Asian Values Surveys. Making a case for East Asian-origin values survey concepts. Mannheim: ZUMA (ZUMA Arbeitsbericht 2006/05; ISSN 1610-4110). Four chapters in P. Ester, M. Braun & P. Mohler (Eds.) (2006), Globalization, value change, and generations. A cross-national and intergenerational perspective. Leiden & Boston: Brill (ISBN-13 978-90-04-15217-7; ISBN-10 90-04-15217-3) (Series: European Values Studies, Vol 10.; ISSN 1568-5926). Vinken, H. (2005). Western bias in the sociology of religion. Universalist discourses in sociology and particularist indicators in four key surveys. Working paper for School of Sociology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan (Download is a revised version submitted to an international social science journal October 2006). Vinken, H., J. Soeters & P. Ester (Eds.) (2004). Comparing cultures. Dimensions of culture in a comparative perspective. Leiden & Boston: Brill (ISBN 90-04-13115-9) (Series: International Studies in Sociology and Social Anthropology, Vol. 93; ISSN 0074-8684).

3. Many globalizations One emerging global culture ? Different ‘emitters’: • USA, Europe, Japan ? Different responses: • acceptance, rejection, coexistence, synthesis Diffused through elite and popular channels Elite: • ‘Davos’ culture (in business, governance) Popular: • ‘McWorld’ culture (in pop culture, consumption) The rise of a ‘McWorld’ generation ? • Engagement in pop culture signals participation in global modernity • Similarities in terms of choices, but also • In terms of values (what is desired)? Evidence in value surveys in Western and Asian countries ?

4. Culture Core element: • Values (change slowest) Also includes: • Heroes, symbols, rituals (change fastest) Values: • Fundamental tendency to prefer a certain state of affairs over another • The desired (vs. the desirable-ideals-should want) • That what is regarded good, beautiful, true

5. Comparative values surveys Key Western-origin surveys: • European Values Survey (EVS) • World Values Survey (WVS) • International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) • Schwartz Values Survey (SVS) • European Social Survey (ESS) Also: • Asian Barometers (AnB) • East Asian Values Survey (EAVS) Here: • EVS/WVS 1990/1999-2000 • AnB 2001-2003 • EAVS 2002-2004 Basic assumption:Young generations of different cultures more similar in terms of values than similar to older generations in their respective cultures Young: born after 1960 resp. 1970 Older: born 1969 and before

6. First glimpse with EVS/WVS items whole population young people (born 1970-1987)

7. Dimensions in EVS/WVS Modernization: • From traditional tosecular-rational authority (im/unimportant God; obedience/independence; national pride; strict/lacks rules; respect/critical attitude towards authority) Postmodernization: • From survival toself-expression (materialism/postmateria-lism; security/quality of life; not/would sign petitions; homosexuality un/justifiable; low/high trust)

8. EVS/WVS dimensions: 1990 netherlands sweden ireland netherlands finland usa usa finland sweden ireland italy germany austria belgium france belgium austria japan france italy japan germany turkey india india czech turkey czech poland russia poland russia

9. EVS/WVS dimensions: 1999 sweden netherlands denmark usa sweden usa ireland netherlands japan finland austria denmark belgium ireland austria italy france germany finland japan france belgium czech italy south korea india germany czech poland india poland south korea turkey russia turkey russia

10. EVS/WVS postmaterialism: 1990-1999 italy austria usa sweden austria sweden usa netherlands italy belgium denmark netherlands japan france turkey germany turkey belgium ireland japan czech czech ireland france finland finland poland germany china poland south korea south korea russia china india india russia

11. Asian values No adoption western values, but a turn away from Asian values? Check with recently emerging Asian values surveys • AnB: Taiwan-based AsianBarometer: countries • EAVS: Tokyo-based East Asian Values Survey: countries/cities/city-states See working paper series building on ZUMA Arbeitsbericht • See slide 2 for details

12. AnB Asian values: 2001-2003 japan china taiwan south korea japan china hong kong taiwan south korea hong kong

13. EAVS Asian values: 2002-2004 hong kong taiwan hong kong shanghai taiwan shanghai hangzhou hangzhou kunming beijing beijing singapore kunming singapore japan south korea south korea japan

14. Conclusions More similar younger generations • Little evidence as concerns Inglehart values • Some evidence as concerns gender-related values? Nation/city-origin based cultural diversity overrides generational cultural diversity Unlikely that • Cultures develop in one convergent direction (e.g., towards postmaterialism) • Young generations serve change in similar ways (i.e., generational membership is not only factor) McValues among higher educated young generations?