Globalization Social Club : Westernization as a Status raising tool in Brazilian Society

Abstract: In the past two decades, globalization has become a popular term to explain the spirit of our time, society and future. Therefore many studies about globalization in different areas have been developed, as in economy, politics and culture. However some relevant agents and aspects of this transformation process have been somewhat overlooked by academia. Thus is important to note that media both plays an essential role in acculturation processes and has singular effects in distinct societies. Moreover inegalitarian and rather culturally closed societies, as the Brazilian one, may see developed nations’ cultural goods and values, transmitted by foreign media production, as sign of high status. Thus, when the elite have the means to get in touch and absorb western signs prior to the masses – among other ways, through paid media-, what we may have is a scenario where western music, movies, TV series, cultural values, language, subcultures, etc., become fashionable products, as status raising tools in class conflicting societies.