The Modern-Day Impacts of Cultural Imperialism: Different Ways in Which the Global Spread of Western

History has always been a game of possessions. Whether looking at the Spanish in the Philippines or the British in India, it is undeniable that modern-day culture is massively influenced by globalisation and imperialism. Bahrain, specifically, has faced its fair share of occupation, especially from the West. Nowadays, through both blatant embeddings of Western culture in our lives, like the media, and subtle and normalised aspects, like our environment and behaviour, it is clear to see how prominently Westernised we have been. Thus, in line with our April theme of 'The Aftermath Of Global Development', I set out to understand the modern-day impacts of colonisation and imperialism on Bahrain. This article attempts to answer the question; to what extent has western culture been embedded into our everyday lives?

Throughout its past, Bahrain, being a small island, has been at an unfair advantage when facing larger and stronger powers, such as the West. Since being colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, it is undeniable that much of Bahrain’s history and architecture has been massively influenced by their rule. Regardless of the fact that this rule resulted in some of Bahrain’s most recognizable architecture, like Qalaat al Bahrain, we are left questioning the ways in which Portuguese culture has determined the foundations of Bahraini heritage. Bahrain was also a British protectorate following 1861. Although the relationship between the two countries was positive and supportive, the effect of Western influence was still able to make its way into Bahraini life. It is inevitable that a direct result of this was a drastic diffusion of Bahraini culture.

Although today, Bahrain is officially independent of the British, the ways in which the two cultures are intertwined seem never ending.

This is because as a generation, we are spoon-fed aspects of Western culture. This is done through familiarities such as American TV channels, like Disney and Nickelodeon, or through Western pop music, which can be heard both on the radio and within public restaurants and shops.

Furthermore, depictions of the Middle East in popular Western movies make it hard for Arabs to identify with their culture. This is normalized and shown in movies like ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ‘, which showed an oil-wealthy corrupt Arab man who aimed to kill non-muslims, or through ‘comedies’ like ‘The Dictator’, which portrays a power-hungry North African who carries out his rules using oppression and mass- murder.

Through these harmful portrayals, young Arabs with access to these movies are made to feel divided from the reality of their heritage and the way it is perceived by the West.

This feeling of separation is only amplified through social media algorithms, which amplify the media presence of Western creators, such as Charli D’Amelio, and allow them to gain popularity whilst local Arab creators are left with their content only reaching a limited number of viewers. Westernism is made to look desirable. This encourages Middle- Easterners to aspire to copy certain Western behaviours, traditions and mannerisms. This can be seen through the small and simple aspects of our life, from popularity around commercial chains, like Starbucks and McDonalds, to the high demand for clothing stores such as Topshop or Forever21.

This leads us to the phenomenon of the modern-day ‘chicken nugget’. A chicken nugget is someone ‘brown on the outside’, but ‘white on the inside’, meaning their behaviour reflects that of a Westerner. Although superficially, this term may seem humorous, it is symbolic of a rising problem within Bahrain. Despite the fact that both the Ministry of Education and the BSB take measures in order to support Arabic students in being fluent in their mother tongue through mandatory lessons such as Arabic, Islam and Citizenship, it is clear to see that there is a rising quantity of students who feel somewhat lost within their culture. They are unable to find their identities within the images they are given of their culture and, consequently, have no real understanding of their own language, history or motherland. Western culture, on the other hand, is glorified and celebrated. Songs like ‘Party in the USA’ and ‘Born in the USA’ are played internationally and embed the American dream mentality into the minds of impressionable children and teenagers. Hence, they feel the need to resort to identifying with a culture that is not their own.

Even those with a solid and educated understanding of their roots have been conditioned around Western norms. For example, Western etiquette is now a daily standard throughout the island. Although traditionally, Bahraini’s use their hands to eat, it is guaranteed that if one were to do this in a public setting nowadays, it would be considered rude and therefore frowned upon. Another example of prominent Westernism in Bahrain is the fact that most commercial signs and advertisements are translated into English. Despite being an Arab country, the West is slowly integrating its ways into the Bahraini world, Thus, so many modern-day aspects of our lifestyle have been not only derived from the West, but also completely overlooked and normalised.

By educating ourselves on the true foundations of our past, we will be able to work towards appreciating the various amalgamations of the cultures within our own without the lingering overshadow of cultural imperialism. Regardless of the positive relationships that are maintained and cherished between Bahrain and its previous occupiers, it is important to understand the aspects of our lives that are not derived from cultures of our own. Through acknowledging what is ours and what is not, we will be able to understand and appreciate our own heritage and roots. This will allow us to strive for a future in which the flames of our history stay lit.

By Tamara Almoayed 12F