The crisis of modernity in the West has problematized the notion of culture.
Sweeping changes in mass communications, emergence of new social
movements, intensification of cultural experiences, and strident voices of
minority groups have contributed to altered perceptions of self and
collective identities. Furthermore, the failure of the West to maintain
structural dominance in the economic sphere has opened the way for
increased debates about the power of culture. These emerging issues in the
West may have a significant impact on Asian societies that are experiencing
economic growth, since they are struggling to acquire a modern identity
without losing their traditional referents. A growing recognition of
multiculturalism and cultural resources in the West may in the long run
influence the formation of an Asian modernity in which cultural assertiveness
dictates the terms of socio-economic development. The aims of this
article are to delineate some reasons for the rediscovery of culture, its
ideological and practical consequences, and their implications for the future
of Asian and Western development.
