Using one or more examples, analyse the impact of diasporas on local cultures.

“Globalization is unstoppable.” Discuss this statement.

“Diaspora” describes a scattered community of common ancestry. Diaspora can be a product of migration or of territorial disintegration leaving a cultural group straddling different national borders. Likely examples for analysis will include: Polish, Chinese, Jewish, Indian, Irish, Scottish, English, Caribbean, Nigerian diasporas – but there are of course many other possibilities. Credit should be given to answers that provide clear details of the global diaspora pattern(s).

The preservation of migrant culture is a common diaspora trait, albeit in hybridized or fossilized forms, both of which may be explored, depending on the view taken of what “local culture” means. The adoption of minority diaspora traits by a host country culture (for example, US “melting pot” ideas) is another approach. 

The answer could discuss how the local culture of the origin country (for example, Ireland, Poland) may have been affected, for example, “fossilization” of the tourist industry. Another approach might be to address the great variability in local cultural forms for different parts of a diaspora (for example, comparing Jewish culture in the UK with that of the USA).

The approach taken will depend on the example(s) used and each answer should be credited in terms of its merits and should not be negatively marked if many of the themes suggested by this markscheme are not present but other valid content is provided. 

At the band C/D border, the focus on diaspora may still be insecure (for example, the concept of scattered population not fully understood), or the answer is more concerned with the impacts of a simple migration flow, but the focus on cultural impacts should be secure (alternatively, may have a good grasp of what diaspora is but fails to focus on culture).

At the band D/E border, expect some range of impacts to be addressed for a named and understood diaspora. At band E, the diaspora concept ought to be handled well (may consider cultural impacts for source and various hosts, or compare the cultural traits of different regional communities within the global diaspora).

Credit all content in line with the markbands. Credit unexpected approaches wherever relevant.

Globalization can be analysed as a purely economic set of processes or as a broader concept that embraces ideas of cultural and political change also. Either approach is acceptable. Globalization has accelerated over time as different indexes of globalization (Kearney, KOF) show [Guide 1.1] although the credit crunch/global slowdown may have shaken the faith of hyper-globalizers since 2008. Technology continues to develop, furthering possibilities for economic and social integration at different scales [Guide 2.1 and 2.2]. Companies are quick to exploit technical innovations and network growth seems certain to continue [Guide 3.3].

There are many other themes that can be explored which can be linked with the idea of globalization as a continuing trend, for example, lax labour/safety/environmental laws will continue to attract TNC operations to some places, further globalizing economic activity [Guide 4.2]. The economic clout of TNCs also means further growth of successful firms through mergers and acquisitions. The trend for MGOs is also likely for a variety of reasons [Guide 6.1].

The other side of the debate looks at possible reasons why globalization might be challenged/slow down (albeit temporarily) and there are internal and external pressures that could possibly be considered. The former includes the global credit crunch/sub-prime crisis and consequent collapse of key financial TNCs, a problem which subsequently escalated into a threat to sovereign states within the global core (Iceland, Ireland, Greece, and Spain). External threats include resistance movements (anti-globalization movements) as well as the fact that the strong Indo-Chinese dimensions to 21st century global economic growth could be seen as a threat to globalization as a project that is synonymous with Americanization.

Resistance could also be mounted against further losses to sovereignty and independence posed by the growth of MGOs [Guide 6.2, 7.3 and 7.4]. 

Responses must address both sides of the argument at band D. For band E expect balance and a proper, evidence-based evaluation of the statement.

A superficial understanding of diaspora allowed many to access band D. Candidates scoring 7 or 8 marks sometimes provided, essentially, an account of a single migration but with a focus that was appropriately centred on cultural and not economic impacts for source and host regions. Such candidates were usually able to preface their answers with an approximation of what diaspora means but segued immediately into a lengthy analysis of a single migratory destination, which was a pity. The inclusion of diaspora in the syllabus gives geographers an opportunity to explore how, say, Irish communities in New York and London differ from one another culturally – and from the ancestral culture of Ireland itself. There is also an opportunity to analyse a global population distribution – yet no candidates attempted to sketch a map or provide a table showing this population information as part of their introductory paragraph. Popular case studies included the Chinese and Jewish diasporas, albeit with little grasp of the global pattern. One or two looked at the Welsh community in Patagonia, which was an interesting choice.

Many candidates accessed band D by providing a basic, balanced analysis that synthetically employed some range of ideas from the syllabus, such as the power of TNCs and the growth of MGOs (used in favour of the statement) and China and North Korea’s decision to remain “switched-off” to varying degrees (used to argue against the statement). The best answers defined the concept – globalization – with enough flair to prepare the groundwork to deliver a superior, nuanced conclusion. For instance, by showing globalization to primarily be an economic process, but accompanied by political and cultural interactions too, an interesting conclusion can eventually be arrived at. One candidate argued that China’s leaders, while rejecting democracy and open-access internet (proxies for political and cultural globalization), have felt compelled to “opt in” to economic globalization in the hope of new wealth creation and poverty alleviation. This is exactly the kind of nuanced conclusion to the discussion that examiners were hoping to see.