Global Goes Local

Has the global spread of predominantly North American popular culture forced Asian nations and communities to produce nothing but pale imitations of a shallow, hedonistic alien culture? Far from it!

Global Goes Local examines popular culture from pop music in contemporary Korea and pre-war Shanghai to television dramas in China and TV commercials in Malaysia. International scholars with varying disciplinary perspectives show how imported cultural forms can be invested with fresh meaning and transformed by local artists to assert identity and express resistance. This collection tackles significant questions about popular culture and offers case studies of how culture suffers, survives, or prospers in Asian communities in an age of global communication.

Timothy J. Craig is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business, University of Victoria, and editor of Japan Pop! Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. Richard King is Associate Professor in the Department of Pacific and Asian Studies, University of Victoria.

“Whether imported, locally inspired, or a hybrid, popular culture forms play a significant role in modern Asia. This important collection brings together recent scholarship on popular culture in a variety of countries. Written in a most accessible style, these high-quality essays will be valuable both to academic specialists and to the general reader.” —Craig Lockard, author of Dance of Life: Popular Music and Politics in Southeast Asia

“Global Goes Local is an important pathfinder in international popular culture studies. Superbly organized and written for the mutual enjoyment of academic devotees and fans of Asian popular culture.” —John Lent, editor of The International Journal of Comic Art and Asian Cinema