Americanization essay

Essay Assignment #2 – Argument and Counterargument

Length: four-to-five pages (essay must be over four full pages)

As a country with supreme power, the U.S. has exported American culture to the world inexorably with the help of its multinational corporations and advanced communication technology. As a result, some writers, such as Vicente Verdu, argue that American culture, from food and entertainment to fashion, language, and values, has penetrated so far and so deeply that world culture has been Americanized to a great extent. Because of this sweeping force of American culture, many of these writers express their concern that the culture of the whole world is or will be homogenized by American culture, with local cultures losing their identities.

On the other hand, according to writers, such as Andrew Lam, the world culture has not been and will not be Americanized. They concede that American culture is still forceful, but they argue that it is merely one influence in a multicultural world, a result of globalization, that other cultures have also spread outward, and that local cultures are not and will not be destroyed.

Which idea seems more convincing to you? Do you think that the cultures of the world are likely to be Americanized?

Write an essay in which you argue for or against the claim that world culture is or will become more or less American. The topics must be different from the ones you chose for Essay #1. Consider focusing on politics, economics, terrorism, war, healthcare, human rights, etc. To construct a strong and comprehensive argument, you need to consult course readings and conduct library research to learn more about the topics and to find support for your argument. You should cite 2-3 quotes per body paragraph from at least SIX TOTAL ACADEMIC SOURCES, including four from the textbook (use Verdu, Lam, Giddens, and Zakaria) and two from outside sources (one outside source may be a newspaper, but the other outside source must be an academic journal or book).

A key requirement of this assignment is to acknowledge opposing views (supported by a source) in your discussion and then to argue against them by constructing an effective refutation. Without this element, your essay will not be qualified to pass.