Globalization as a Contested Cultural Terrain: Identity, Media, and Hybridization in Morocco

Abstract

This paper critically examines the dialectics between globalization and culture, focusing on how globalization catalyzes disruption and transformation of Moroccan local culture and national heritage, particularly through media technology and tourism. While extensive literature exists on globalization's cultural impacts globally, studies specific to Moroccan society remain scarce. Departing from Moroccan culture as both starting point and analytical anchor, this study traces observable transformations in identity, consumption patterns, social structures, gender dynamics, and heritage commodification. Employing a qualitative methodology combining theoretical analysis, cultural observation, and discourse analysis of globalization literature, the paper reveals tensions between homogenization pressures and local agency. Key findings demonstrate how Western consumer culture penetrates urban Morocco while simultaneously prompting selective adaptation and glocalization. Rather than a unidirectional cultural imperialism, globalization emerges as a contested terrain where Moroccan youth negotiate global flows through hybrid practices. The analysis contributes to under-researched North African cultural studies by documenting specific mechanisms of change while highlighting resilience factors in conservative Muslim societies. Theoretical frameworks from Giddens, Steger, and Huntington frame the discussion, enriched by contemporary theorists addressing hybridity (Bhabha) and non-Western modernity (Roy).