Nexus between Globalization, Cultural Identity and Livelihood Pattern: An Assessment of Gender Difference in Chitral

Abstract

Preserving cultural identity is a crucial question in the age of globalization. Globalization has transformed the societies influenced by global cultural exposure through media, education and technological advancement. These global exposures influence local cultural identities and livelihood pattern. The primary aim of the study was to examine the nexus between globalization, cultural identity and livelihood pattern with respect to gender difference. The objectives of the study were to examine global cultural exposure, local cultural identity, and livelihood patterns in Chitral, with particular emphasis on their interrelationships and gender differences. A quantitative research design was employed and structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were collected from 100 educated respondents through multistage sampling, in which Union councils were selected purposively and respondents were selected from villages through simple random sampling technique. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for data analyze. The findings indicate that respondents experienced moderate to high levels of global cultural exposure while maintaining a strong local cultural identity. Gender-wise analysis between global cultural exposure and local cultural identity among female respondents (r = .319, p = .040), whereas the relationship among male respondents was positive but statistically non-significant (r = .115, p = .390). The study concludes that globalization has influenced cultural experiences without substantially diminishing local cultural identity in Chitral.

Keywords: Globalization, Global Culture, Cultural Identity, Livelihood, Chitral