Reading and Writing One's World in the Context of Globalization
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Global Literacies: Reading and Writing One's World in the Context of Globalization A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education by Heather Leigh Caban 2012 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERATION Global Literacies: Reading and Writing One's World in the Context of Globalization by Heather Leigh Caban Doctor of Philosophy in Education University of California, Los Angeles, 2012 Professor Douglas M. Kellner, Chair Freire wrote that reading one's world is a necessary precursor to writing it, or conscienzation. The present dissertation, expanding on Kellner's concept of multiple literacies (1998; 2002a; 2005b; 2006a; 2008), explores what it means to read and write one's world in the context of globalization. Given the arrival of a new imaginary, with its impact on people’s imaginations, it insists that a new set of literacies, global literacies, is central to claiming agency and constructing a democratic public sphere. Employing a multidisciplinary, Critical Theory framework, the dissertation begins with an analytic overview of the main processes presently associated with globalization. Next, engaging insights from the philosophies of John Dewey, Herbert Marcuse and Paulo Freire, and drawing upon the already established field of critical media literacy, it attempts to offer a normative initial framework for what I am calling global literacies. Finally, striving for praxis, ii it pursues action research as a means of applying, critiquing and revising theory. Research takes place in an English conversation course in a South Korean university, with inquiry focused upon the course content and material. Special discussion is given to the use of social media, namely Facebook, as a platform for addressing new literacies. The dissertation concludes by offering fellow educational researchers the border as a location for continued dialogic inquiry when addressing needs for the global city. Key words: action research, Critical Theory, digital literacy, English Language Teaching, globalization, media literacy, New literacies, social media, South Korea iii The dissertation of Heather Leigh Caban is approved. Rhonda Hammer John N. Hawkins Leah A. Lievrouw Val D. Rust Douglas M. Kellner, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2012 iv DEDICATION Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan Success for us is the death of the intellect and of the imagination. - James Joyce For Alannah v Table of Contents Curriculum Vitae .................................................................................................................... xiii Section One: Global Imaginings ................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2 A. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 B. The Global Imaginary & The Imagination ................................................................... 3 C. The Imagination .............................................................................................................. 8 D. The Research Proposal ................................................................................................. 13 E. Background and Motivation ........................................................................................ 14 F. Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Globalizations ..................................................................................................... 17 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 17 B. Economic Globalization ................................................................................................ 18 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 18 Establishing US hegemony ............................................................................................. 19 Neoliberalism .................................................................................................................. 21 Rise of the multinational corporation & hyper-consumerism ...................................... 23 Transformation of work .................................................................................................. 28 C. Cultural Globalization .................................................................................................. 29 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 29 Utopian dreams ............................................................................................................... 30 Dystopias.......................................................................................................................... 31 Skepticism ........................................................................................................................ 36 Deterritorialization .......................................................................................................... 37 D. Conclusion...................................................................................................................... 42 vi Chapter 3: New Media & Change in the Social Imaginary ............................................... 43 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 43 B. New Media & Change in the Social Imaginary .......................................................... 44 C. New Media and the Public Sphere ............................................................................... 47 D. Potentials ........................................................................................................................ 50 E. Obstacles ........................................................................................................................ 54 F. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 64 Section Two: Theorizing Global Literacies ............................................................................. 65 Chapter 4: Dewey, Marcuse & Freire on Globalization & Education .............................. 66 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 66 B. John Dewey .................................................................................................................... 66 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 66 Overview of Educational Philosophy ............................................................................. 67 Building the Great Community ...................................................................................... 73 C. Hebert Marcuse ............................................................................................................. 81 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 81 One Dimensional Society and the Great Refusal .......................................................... 83 Educating for a New Sensibility ..................................................................................... 88 D. Paulo Freire ................................................................................................................... 93 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 93 Anti-Dialogics.................................................................................................................. 95 Transformational pedagogy: Reading the world ........................................................ 99 E. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 105 Chapter 5: New and Multiple Literacies ........................................................................... 109 A. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 109 B. New and Multiple Literacies ...................................................................................... 112 C. In Defense of the Pluralization of Literacies ............................................................ 114 D. Digital Epistemologies................................................................................................. 115 Foundations: Critical media literacy ........................................................................... 116 Theoretical underpinnings ......................................................................................... 116 Pedagogical justifications and implications. ............................................................. 122 vii A suggested framework. ............................................................................................