Social:
Author: Amanda Fiegel
School/Organization:
Northeast High School
Year: 2019
Seminar: Learning about America and the World from McDonald’s
Grade Level: 9-12
Keywords: capitalism, cultural convergence, fast food, globalization, imperialism, McDonalds
School Subject(s): English
This unit provides an introduction to globalization and its impacts. It could be used in an IB Social and Cultural Anthropology class, Humanities or Language Arts class for 10th12th graders. The first portion of the unit focuses on terminology, theory and examples and the effects of globalization. It requires students to develop a sustainability plan for global companies that revolves around corporate social responsibility and globalization issues (i.e. FairTrade, reducing waste, etc). The goal is for students to gain an understanding of how companies should be held accountable for globalization issues and for them to develop their own plans of action to improve sustainability and workers’ rights. The second part of the curriculum requires students to use their acquired knowledge of globalization to critically analyze how and why American fast food companies have been introduced to different countries and what effect their presence has had on the culture and society of these communities. Additionally, it requires students to develop ad campaigns for companies that showcase a hybridization of two cultures and delineate the effects of cultural diffusionism.
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This unit aims covers the effects of globalization in not only the fast food industry, but also in multi-national companies. Pountney and Maric (2015) define globalization as “the worldwide process of increasing economic, technological, political and cultural interactions, integration and interdependence of nations.” This unit aims to explore how globalization has affected consumers’ lifestyles and cultures around the world. Initially, students will define, explain and identify how and why globalization occurs and will support their findings with theories and examples (i.e. imperialism, cultural diffusionism, cultural convergence, etc.). According to New Internationalist, “international trade has grown 12-fold in the post-War period and is expected to grow 6% annually for the next 10 years.” This means that globalization will have a huge impact on cultural hybridization, diffusion and convergence/divergence. Additionally, New Internationalist reports that in 1947 the average trade tariff on manufactured imports was 47%; by 1980 it was only 6%; and it is set to fall to just 3%. This emphasizes that over the last 50 years, globalization has had a huge effect on not only American culture, but also global communities far and wide. It has significantly changed our habits, desires and needs and has contributed to our obsession with materials and instant communication (as supported by the cultural materialism theory and the concept of object permanence). These investigations will force students to think about the consequences of globalization and who is majorly affected. Students will investigate how, in addition to trade, technology, media, economics and politics are key features in this rapid change and how globalization is seen in a variety of forms (i.e. outsourcing, migration, food, clothing, tourism, etc). For an example, technology has greatly increased global telecommunications and decreased the cost of interactions: “Between 1940 and 1970 the cost of an international telephone call fell by more than 80% between 1970 and 1990 by 90% (www.newint.org). This means that stronger economies have been able to outsource telecommunications, but additionally, trade and company expansion have become more viable and sustainable. As a result, students will need to consider which groups in society are actually benefiting and if there is a way to create more equity. Through an investigation into globalization, students will develop an understanding of the ethical issues global companies face and how companies are currently pressured to develop sustainability and corporate social responsibility plans (CSR plans) to ensure that they are being ethically responsible towards the stakeholders in their local and global communities. Coombs and Holladay (2008) define CSR as “the voluntary actions that corporation implements as it pursues its mission and fulfills its perceived obligations to stakeholders, including employees, communities, the environment, and society as a whole” (p.8). Although CSR has been practiced for many years, it has recently become a major initiative for companies and has been a main factor in marketing campaigns and mission statements. Therefore, because this is a concept they will see and use in the future, students will be responsible for creating their own sustainability plans for global companies. This will allow them to think about the strategies that companies need to have but also for them to realize that there are people behind the brand and being directly impacted by the brand. Furthermore, they will then investigate how and why franchises are able to be established in other countries and what reactions have occurred. These investigations will offer insight into ideas such as capitalism and imperialism as well as what drives people to want fast food. Additionally, these investigations will expose how marketing, size options, sustainability issues, food choice and standards vary across different countries and how these variations reflect cultural values and/or cultural convergence. For instance, why is it that Japan’s large soda size is the U.S.’s small? What does that say about our culture and desires? Or why is that the menus in India contain vegetarian options, yet the U.S. has primarily beef and chicken? Is this culturally or politically driven and if so, can it be changed? These investigations aim to have students question whether or not corporations truly influence culture and society’s desires or whether a society’s desires directly impacts the fast food industry’s product choice. Some questions students will consider are:Rationale
In this unit, students will investigate why and how globalization has occurred and how global companies have responsibility on the impacts of globalization. They will practice how to use apply theory to support their claims and will use journal articles, book extracts and videos to provide evidence and make comparisons. Additionally, they will use their knowledge of globalization and prior knowledge of marketing and persuasion to develop sustainability plans and globalization campaigns. Teaching strategies will include PowerPoint presentations (attached) and videos to guide students through the visualization process. Collaborative learning activities, such as the Placemat Agreement, will allow students to analyze material and come to a consensus with their peers. The Power Paragraph format will give students a detailed plan on how to write an analytical paragraph with quotations and analysis. This will also be useful for any English Language Learners. Furthermore, brainstorming activities, such as the ABC brainstorming chart, will push students to relate the topic to as many themes and ideas that represent the letters in the alphabet. For the CSR sustainability plan, students will work in groups and participate in a public speaking pitch. They will take on the role of a company executive and communication manager, so that they can really understand the questions CEOs and communication managers have to face. For the Globalization Menu project, students will take their knowledge of globalization in conjunction with their knowledge of a specific culture and create a hybridization menu. Furthermore, extra enrichment and homework activities are below which include questions on globalization, an essay and a ¨Celebrate With McDonald´s¨project.
Below is Lesson 1 and 2 of the unit plan with a summarization of the other lessons. Below the lesson plan, are resources that can be used with the lesson plan as well other activities that can be used for enrichment. Click on the blue links to have open access to Powerpoints and articles. Objectives: Outcomes Unit Learning Plan Overview Lessons 1-2: Students will define globalization and give examples of globalization (videos and links to articles provided below) Lessons 3:Students will investigate why globalization occurs and what impact it has on the communities (videos and links to articles provided below) Lesson 4: Students will investigate why globalization occurs and what impact it has on the communities (videos and links to articles provided below) Lesson 5: Students will define outsourcing and investigate its impact on our local and global communities (videos and links to articles provided below) Lesson 6: Students will investigate different companies and how they are influenced by globalization and issues such as sustainability, outsourcing, etc. Students will display their knowledge of globalization through the ABC Brainstorming Map and questions Lessons 7-9: Students will create a Corporate Social Responsibility Plan for a global company (Powerpoint provided) Lessons 10-12: Students will research how the fast food industry is a by product of globalization and how it has influenced global communities and cultures. Video links provided. Students will also investigate other cultures. Video links provided. Students will create a globalization menu and a global marketing campaign (Resource below) Globalization Article Handout Article 1 “McDonald’s in Beijing” “Globalization and the Poor” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIldvz0jygE “How Globalization Affects Our Cultural Identity” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zma3WPzSAIc “Globalization’s Impact on Society” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pYlTGTMKfcs “How Fast Fashion Adds to Global Waste Problem” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=elU32XNj8PM SWBAT… ● Define globalization ● Demonstrate and understanding of how and why globalization occurs ● Identify examples of globalization in their own communities By… ● Explaining what globalization is and why happens in the form of a Placemat Agreement ● Writing a Power Paragraph That includes… ● Power Paragraph with key terminology and format Pros of Globalization: technological innovation, foreign direct investment, cultural awareness and understanding, economies of scale and seemingly lower prices, positive competition, sharing funds of knowledge, access to new products, interconnectedness Cons of Globalization: “Brain Drain”, “Care Drain”, deregulation, labor exploitation, interdependence, inequitable distribution, hegemony, white paternalism, sustainability and environmental issues, resources depletion, employment issues 2. Students will take notes and identify how and why globalization occurs 3. Students will state the pros and cons of globalization 4. Students will show their understanding of globalization by giving examples of globalization (i.e. fast fashion, outsourcing, fast food franchises, immigration, education, etc.) ● Look in your bag, at your clothes, at your supplies, etc. ● Pick at least 3 items and state where they are from. ● Now, look at a blank map. Can you label where the country is located? Label it. If you can’t label it, what does that make you think about? (Appendix 1) ● Why does this show globalization? What does this say about our world and society? How do you think these objects got here? Why were they not made locally? Who is making these items? Explain to students that in the United States, prior to the 1960s, the majority of our clothes and supplies were produced in the United States. Anything in from Cambodia or India would have been very exotic; many people didn’t even know where places like Cambodia and Vietnam were. However, now, many of our products come from other countries. So, why is this? This is called globalization and although it is not a new idea, in recent years it has developed more and more, causing major changes in our cultural views, values and practices. ● Have students feedback and then provide own definitions of globalization and explain theories of globalization 1. Students get into groups and divide a poster paper into three sections with a box in the middle. They each have their own section on the poster and they each have their own colored marker/pen. See Resources 2. Students read an article (Globalization Article Handout 3. Article 1 “McDonald’s in Beijing”) on the effects of globalization. Each student reads article independently and in their own box, with their own colored marker, they write down the main points of the article. 4. After, students share their points with their group members. They then come to a consensus or agreement about what are the MOST important points from the article. 5. The students then hang up the poster on the wall and participate in a gallery walk where they (10 minutes) For homework, students will write a Power Paragraph (See Resources) based on the article. They will then find another article about globalization in the fast food industry and state how the fast food industry contributes to the effects of globalization. They will support their findings with theory. World Map Energizer Lesson 1 Placemat Agreement Lesson 2 Homework Lesson 1 The Power Paragraph: PCEEA Point: Answer the question and state a main point you want to prove. Context: Give background details to give your reader information about the character, topic, scene or chapter. Start with “During this scene…” or “Throughout this article…” Evidence: Find a quote that specifically proves the point and can be analyzed. “In the text it states…” or “In the passage, Miss Havisham says…” Explain: Explain/translate what the quote means. “In other words…” or “This shows” Analyze: Dig deep and state what this does for the reader. Analyze what the quote implies or says about your point. Start with “This implies” or “This suggests” or “This delineates” Smarties! Add additional or alternative analysis to show you think outside of the box. Think MEAT! Use sentence starters like “Additionally” or “On the other hand” Globalization Power Paragraph Prompts Answer ONE of the questions in Power Paragraph format (PCEEA). Look at the sentence stems to help you. How has the fast food industry become a byproduct of globalization and what are the positive and negative effects of its presence around the world? OR To what extent has globalization made a negative or positive impact on society? OR According to the article, what factors have caused globalization to increase and as a result, what are the benefits and consequences? P:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ C:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ E:In the text____________________________________________”______ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________”( , ). E:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A: _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Extra/Alternative:_______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Globalization Menu Project You will be creating a new food item menu for McDonald’s that will reflect the diversity of one of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. You will need to think about how you can create a hybridization of a food item on the menu with a food from another culture. You will also need to give information about the culture and be responsible for the creation and/or marketing of the product. Follow the steps below: Step 1: Pick a culture and a neighborhood. Find out statistics (i.e. % population, employment, language, restaurants in the neighborhood, etc.) Additionally, find out about their habitus and rituals, etc. Step 2: Research foods and cuisines from the culture. Check out Mark Wiens’ food and travel channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyEd6QBSgat5kkC6svyjudA for some inspiration. What fruits, spices, animals, insects, etc. are used and do they represent anything? Step 3: Pick one food or cuisine and describe its taste, texture, ingredients, etc. Additionally, discuss when and how it is eaten and if it represents any larger ideas. Step 4: Pick a food from McDonald’s menu and create a hybrid food item with the food from the local culture. It could be a dessert, a sandwich, a side item, etc. BE CREATIVE. Step 5: Get imaginative and think about the marketing of the product. What will the name be? What will the packaging be like? What languages will be used? How will you be inclusive, instead of exclusive? What will it look like? Step 6: Create a business plan for the product. How did you get inspiration for this product? How does this product reflect the community? How much will it cost? When will it be piloted? Why will it be a success? Is this sustainable? Does it reflect fair trade? It socially responsible (i.e. Will profits go back to the community or fund other cultural projects/initiatives?) Step 7: Create an advertisement for the product. Include specific color, images, language, placement, and other persuasive devices while also making sure it is McDonald’s. Step 8: Create the product and present the business plan to class (Powerpoint presentation). This will be your opportunity to show the product, have your classmates taste the product and also explain to your classmates how this is a positive example of hybridization and globalization. Extra Enrichment Celebrate With McDonald’s Project Task: Many companies use holidays, health awareness issues and other global issues to make money. For instance, during LGBTQ Pride Month, Dunkin Donuts uses rainbow colors in their donuts and drinks to bring attention to the LGBTQ community. Some companies, then donate the money to LGBTQ organizations.This is an example of commodification as well as corporate social responsibility. You will be creating an ad and product campaign for McDonald’s that focuses on celebrating a holiday, rite of passage or ritual of a specific culture. You will be responsible for showing how McDonald’s can commodify a celebration or custom by using specific persuasive techniques and food productions. In conjunction with the campaign, you will also be giving information about the custom or celebration and the meaning and importance behind the custom or celebration. Suggestions for Celebrations and Cultural Customs/Traditions Links to Use: https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/holidays-around-the-world/ https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/ Success Criteria: Extra Enrichment Globalization Paper DUE : _________________________________________ Requirements: FULLY ANSWER THE QUESTION AND MAKE COMPARISONS. CHOOSE ONE: A – “Golden Arches East: McDonalds in East Asia,” James L. Watson, Stanford University Press 1997 McDonald’s restaurants are found in over 100 countries, serving tens of millions of people each day. What are the cultural implications of this phenomenal success? Does the introduction of American fast food undermine local cuisines, many of them celebrated for centuries? Does it, as some critics fear, overrun a homogeneous, global culture? B – “Tales from Two Deltas: Catfish Fillets, High Value Foods, and Globalization,” Dominique M. Duval-Diop, Economic Geography, April 2005. How does this case study illustrate the heterogeneous outcomes of globalization as these deltas are brought into a competition that, in some ways, is closer than their absolute distance may indicate, and how is this competition mediated? C – “How Sushi Went Global,” Theodore C. Bestor, Foreign Policy, November 2000. How does this case study illustrate the importance of Blue Fin Tuna in the global Market economy? Discuss Supply and Demand and how that fuels the tuna market. Bestor makes the argument that as Americans we like to think of ideas spreading from West to East, identify and discuss his idea about the East to West diffusion. ABC Brainstorming Topic:_______________________________ Article:______________________________ Think: For each letter, come up with a word that relates to the given topic on globalization. It could be a theme, an example, a key term, a place, a theorist/anthropologist, etc. Pair: Borrow from one another and compare your answers Share: Share out to the class Globalization Review Questions Any of the following questions MAY be on the test. The test will only be 7 questions. Answers are meant to be anywhere from 3-4 sentences and will be 5 points each. IB Social Cultural Anthropology Research
Unit Plan
Resources:
Lessons 1 and 2 Plan Background
Teacher: Amanda Fiegel
Date: 6/26/19
Course: IB Social and Cultural Anthropology
Unit Title: The Globalization of Tastebuds and Capitalism
Objective
Skills/Content: By the end of today’s lesson, what will students know and be able to do?
Assessment: How will students demonstrate mastery of the objective?
Criteria for Success: What are the features of an ideal product?
Key Conceptual Understandings
Globalization is a result of cultural diffusionism and capitalism. The rate of globalization has been greatly influenced by travel, technology, trade, colonialism, imperialism, media, politics and other cross-cultural interactions. Globalization can occur among any country; however, countries who have more power tend to dominate in their influences.
Key Tasks
1. Students will identify how they are a “walking example” of globalization
(60 min)
Close Reading Bacon’s Manifesto, Nathaniel Bacon, 1676 & A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn
Energizer (15 minutes)
Energizer Task:
Teacher Led Instruction and Guided Discourse (15 minutes)
● Watch video clips on definition of globalization and globalization theory and have students come up with definitions in their own words (video clips provided above)
Independent Practice (20 minutes)
Placemat Agreement Activity:
Assessment
● Eid Al-Fitr
● Qingming Festival—Honoring the Past and Celebrating the Future
● Festa Junina in Brazil
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Bibliography for Teachers “Global fast-food growth affects worldwide baking.” Milling & Baking News, 3 Sept. 1996, p. 7. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18682301/IT ?u=temple_main&sid=ITOF&xid=03c5295a. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019. Cox, Tracy. “Going global: Fast-food retailers move into international markets.” NPN International, Mar.-Apr. 1999, p. 26. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com.libproxy.temple.edu/apps/doc/A55466220/ITOF?u=temple_main&sid=ITOF&xid=665ad16f. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019. Chase, Holly “The Meyhane of McDonald’s? Changes in Eating Habits and the Evolution of Fast Food in Istanbul.” Culinary Cultures of the Middle East, p. 63-73. Kottak, Conrad Phillip. Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity. McGraw-Hill Education, 2019. Matejowsky, Ty. “Jolly Dogs and McSpaghetti: Anthropological Reflections on Global/Local Fast-Food Competition in the Philippines.” Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, vol. 9, no. 4, 2008, pp. 313–328., doi:10.1080/10599230802453588. Pountney, Laura, and Tomislav Marić. Introducing Anthropology. Polity Press, 2015. Schlosser, Eric, and Jennifer Christiansen. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Moline Public Library, 2007. Reading List for Student “Tales from Two Deltas: Catfish Fillets, High Value Foods, and Globalization,” Dominique M. Duval-Diop, Economic Geography, April 2005. “How Sushi Went Global,” Theodore C. Bestor, Foreign Policy, November 2000. “Golden Arches East: McDonalds in East Asia,” James L. Watson, Stanford University Press 1997 Pountney, Laura, and Tomislav Marić. Introducing Anthropology. Polity Press, 2015. Videolinks Fast Food and Globalization Video Links American Fast Food Took Over Kuwait And Made Its People Obese https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyMTSvVAtWM History of Food and Globalization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUGjE6Cp0vQ Globalization of Food https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/globalization-food-plants The Globalization of McDonalds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHHxM1OLOwE McDonaldization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJgGqeXHh6E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMR1QmWavDg Resisting McDonaldization http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xxtRvc8ixA Globalization Video Links Globalization and the Poor https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIldvz0jygE How Globalization Affects Our Cultural Identity https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zma3WPzSAIc Globalization’s Impact on Society https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pYlTGTMKfcs How Fast Fashion Adds to Global Waste Problem https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=elU32XNj8PM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4H1N_yXBiA (Globalization and Climate Change) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcdU2PT__0U (Globalization and Environmental Issues) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3V4_70EcM (Sustainability Issues in Companies) Cultural Anthropology Customs and Traditions Video and Article Links Amazon Tribe and Initiation with Ants https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/00000144-0a41-d3cb-a96c-7b4d82a80000 Coming of Age Rituals https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/13-amazing-coming-of-age-traditions-from-around-th/ Diwali of Lights Festival https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/00000144-0a35-d3cb-a96c-7b3d59ac0000 Holi Festival Eid Al-Fitr https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/07/eid-al-fitr-160701164352978.html Carnival in Rio de Janiero https://www.travelchannel.com/destinations/brazil/rio-de-janeiro/articles/carnival-in-rio-de-janeiroFast Food Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ6rDw2E4LA
20 Different McDonald’s Meals Around the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpGe-6VvyzA
How drastically food portions have changed in the past 20 years
Celebrating The Brazilian Harvest With Festa Junina https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/articles/festa-junina-celebrating-the-brazilian-harvest/
Qingming Festival—Honoring the Past and Celebrating the Future https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/qingming.htm