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Technology plays a pivotal role in shaping cultural identities and practices across the globe. This paper explores the complex relationship between technology and cultural transformation, recognizing both its opportunities and challenges in diverse cultural contexts. We employ key theoretical frameworks, including cultural diffusion, technological determinism and the digital divide, to examine how technological advancements contribute to cultural development. Our findings reveal that technology acts as a catalyst for cultural exchange, innovation and adaptation, enabling unprecedented global communication and the exchange of ideas. For example, the rapid spread of the internet and mobile technologies has facilitated cross-cultural interactions, leading to the blending of cultural values and practices on a global scale. However, the research also highlights the challenges posed by technology, such as the digital divide, which exacerbates inequalities in access to digital resources, and the risk of cultural homogenization, where dominant global cultures overshadow local identities. This study underscores the dual nature of technological influence: while it fosters cultural enrichment and connectivity, it also poses risks to cultural diversity and equity. By analyzing empirical case studies, we show how these dynamics unfold in real-world contexts. Ultimately, this paper advocates for inclusive, mindful approaches to technological integration that respect and preserve cultural diversity. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educators and technologists, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive strategies to ensure that technological progress enhances, rather than erodes, cultural heritage in the digital age.

This study investigates how Black Myth: Wukong negotiates cultural hybridity within global digital game flows, drawing on Bhabha’s theory of “third space”. Through a dual-method approach—Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of in-game and paratextual content, and Computer-Assisted Content Analysis (CACA) of player discourses on Weibo, Reddit, and Steam—we reveal asymmetric audience reception. Chinese players emphasize cultural authenticity, symbolism, and narrative depth, reinforcing national identity and pride, while international audiences prioritize gameplay, technical innovation, and accessibility, often misinterpreting or overlooking Chinese cultural nuances. This divergence highlights both the possibilities and limitations of cultural translation in the global circulation of games, embodying the dynamic negotiations central to Bhabha’s hybridity. The research advances glocalization theory by demonstrating how games act as both instruments of soft power and sites for emerging intercultural identities. Methodologically, it exemplifies the value of integrating CDA and computational analysis to capture multi-layered audience responses. The findings underscore that while hybridized game narratives can foster cross-cultural engagement, enduring asymmetries persist—suggesting that genuine intercultural understanding in digital games will require ongoing negotiation, localization, and dialogic participation.

The Director of the Ministry of Physical Education and Sports contended that the integration of Western football players could enhance the overall quality of competition in the Chinese Football Association Super League. This initiative reflects the ongoing globalisation of Western football culture in China. The Director emphasised the necessity of providing social and cultural support for Western football players and fostering their engagement in a culturally inclusive environment within China. A document analysis methodology was employed to examine the evolving policies regarding the introduction of Western football players in China. Additionally, participant observation was utilised to investigate challenges arising from cultural hybridisation between Chinese and Western football players within Chinese football clubs. These challenges include issues related to intercultural communication, the alienation of expatriate players within local Chinese society, limited understanding among Chinese players regarding secondary attacks, and difficulties in collaborative play with Western strikers. The findings underscore the need for further research into strategies to enhance the cross-cultural competence of Chinese football players and address the challenges associated with cultural hybridisation in Chinese football clubs.

Spanish-Moroccan mixed couples exemplify a case of cultural hybridization that reflects the colonial past between these two countries. In this context, social media is a space of opportunity and risk to face discrimination and othering. In this article, we draw upon postcolonial theory and Internet studies to consider TikTok affordances as tools that are relevant to understand how cultural, national, and religious identities are shaped and presented in digital spaces. In this sense, this study constitutes the first exploratory analysis of Moroccan-Spanish mixed couples’ (self)representations and identity construction as reflected by their TikTok content. The memetic and intersectional aspects of the mixed-couple identity emerge as central in the convergent nature of the platform and their lived experiences. Through an initial analysis of 8,653 TikTok videos, we identified 6 creator accounts with more than 10K followers to conduct a deeper multimodal content and discourse analysis of 146 videos. This enabled us to explore how these creators portray their hybrid identity through short, vertical videos harnessing TikTok’s vernaculars and affordances. The results enable us to propose the concept of performative hybridization, which involves discursive markers within these couples’ TikTok content that reflect a fluid integration of two cultures, while the pervading visual and narrative components reflect the dominance of one set of identity traits over the other. In this case, Moroccan culture is more prevalent.

The investigation of cultural hybridization at a kelenteng (ancestral temple) in Lasem, Central Java, Indonesia, during the Reformation Era is a crucial and underexplored phenomenon. This study addresses the question of how the elevation of a small artifact, namely the statue of a local Javanese figure, to the status of kongco (patron ancestor) has triggered cultural hybridization in this small town. Data for this study was collected through meticulous observation and interviews conducted with key figures, community members, and cultural practitioners who possess extensive knowledge and experience in the realm of cultural hybridity in Kelenteng Lasem. The study's findings illuminate that cultural hybridity does not solely result from comprehensive processes of socio-cultural interaction, but also from the collective memory of the community, emphasizing the significance of cooperation in fostering harmonious socio-cultural life. These processes are further facilitated by the active involvement of social authorities in cultivating more inclusive patterns of cultural interaction and communication. The study's outcomes provide valuable insights for social authorities to shape policies and effectively manage religious diversity in pluralistic societies.

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore the transformation of Balkan music and dance through the processes of globalization, modernization, and digitalization, focusing on their aesthetic, social, and economic dimensions. The research seeks to understand how Balkan culture is shaped within these dynamic processes and to develop strategies for ensuring the sustainability of cultural heritage. The primary objective is to analyze the position of Balkan music and dance on the global stage, evaluate the impacts of these processes on authenticity, commercialization, and cultural hybridization, and support the reinterpretation of these art forms in the modern world. In terms of contribution to the literature, the study employs theoretical frameworks such as Homi K. Bhabha’s theory of ‘cultural hybridization’, Arjun Appadurai’s ‘global cultural flows’ approach, and Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of ‘cultural capital’ to examine Balkan music and dance. By analyzing specific cases such as Goran Bregović’s musical career, the Guča Trumpet Festival, and the modernization of folk dances, the research provides a new perspective on understanding the transformation of Balkan music and dance. The study offers valuable insights for academic circles, cultural policymakers, and artists, making a significant contribution to this field by addressing both theoretical and practical dimensions.

The book “Cultural Hybridization in the Contemporary Novel” attempts a bold feat: to present, out of a diversity of works in contemporary English language literature, some books that are truly valuable for the reader. It invites us to ponder on some of the hottest topics the world is currently facing, including the mixture of cultures, migration and its consequences on today’s culture and literature, the longing for home and its spiritual meaning.

How does the constant presence of music in modern life - on iPods, in shops and elevators, on television - affect the way we listen? In this title, the author investigates many sounds that surround us and argues that this ubiquity has led to different kinds of listening.

Purpose>This paper aims to intend to contextualize touristification with a focus on Asia. It argues that touristification in Asia extends beyond physical transformation and is used as a socio-political mechanism by the state and communities alike. This study aims to broaden the discussions on touristification by noting how the issue of authenticity and state intervention is approached in Asia.Design/methodology/approach>This paper is based on literature review, sourced from academic material discussing touristification and the influence of tourism.Findings>Aside from undertaking physical changes, states in Asia adopt a socio-political angle in the commercialization of culture for tourism so that the culture that is presented to tourists is aligned to its national image. The construction of culture and narration of history for tourism branding predominate touristification in Asia. Conversely, minority culture had also used cultural touristification in asserting their identity, as can be seen in South Thailand and Bali, Indonesia Also, hybridization and recreation of cultural activities in Asia contribute to the evolving debate on authenticity in tourism within Asia.Practical implications>The paper suggests the implication of state intervention in branding and commodification of tourism among minority communities in Asia.Originality/value>The paper contributes to an extended discussion on touristification by contextualizing the issue within Asia.

Purpose – Studying the cultural dynamics of expatriate amateur theater in Brussels, the purpose of this paper is to investigate multicultural marketplace development in global cities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper performs an interpretive analysis of the expatriate amateur scene from an ethnographic perspective, combining observations of rehearsals and performances, in-depth interviews with actors, directors and audience, and secondary data. Findings – The fluidity of global cities allows their inhabitants to engage in creative processes of cultural experimentation, performing a continuous back-and-forth movement between hybridization and pluralization. The former creates enough homogeneity for the expatriates to feel targeted; the latter ensures a level of cultural diversity necessary to satisfy their cosmopolitan aspirations. Practical implications – The paper points to the important role of global cities for cultural experimentation. Such cities are not only an interesting market for culturally diverse products, but also experimental hubs. Managers willing to address multicultural marketplaces might target these markets with dynamic cultural offers that ensure a balance between rendering a product globally appreciated and recognizable, and maintaining a cosmopolitan appeal for consumers in search of diversity. Originality/value – Drawing on global cities as markets in continuous reconstruction and subject to cultural experimentation, the paper turns the attention of the research community to the collective, reflexive, and experimental aspects of symbolic consumption. It shows how arts and cultural products represent valuable contexts for international marketing research, providing original insights into market dynamics and cultural experimentation.