The protagonist of cultural imperialism theory was
(A) D. R. Mankekar
(B) William Hachten
(C) Dennis Morris
(D) Everett Dennis
Correct Ans: (A)
Explanation:
D. R. Mankekar stood as a key figure in the development of cultural imperialism theory, which critiques the global flow of media. This theory argues that Western countries, especially the United States, dominate global media systems and impose their cultural values on developing nations.
Importantly, Mankekar emphasized how this dominance creates cultural dependence. Local traditions and identities often erode under the overwhelming influence of foreign content. Moreover, media becomes a tool for ideological control, not just entertainment.
Now let’s look at why the other options are incorrect:
- (B) William Hachten focused on global communication but did not pioneer cultural imperialism.
- (C) Dennis Morris and (D) Everett Dennis contributed to media studies but didn’t originate this theory.
To sum up, D. R. Mankekar pioneered the idea that unequal media flow results in cultural domination, making him the central voice of cultural imperialism theory.
