COMM357

Globalization and the Indian Cultural Industry will engage students in exploring the ramifications of globalization on the production and consumption of Indian cinema globally, with a focus on the emergence of Bollywood as a transnational phenomenon in the past decade. The Indian cultural industry will serve as a case study for understanding the relationship between the branding of a culture and a nation, and its impact on the construction of national and cultural identities.

Through readings, screenings, class and online discussions this course will discuss a range of topics including but not limited to the following: (1) defining the Indian cultural industry with focus on the exponential growth of Indian film distribution and exhibition globally; (2) the impact of international audience responses to Indian cinema and filmmakers; (3) Bollywood: a misnomer for Indian cinema; (4) Bollywood as a course for "global flows" of culture; (5) the evolution of Bollywood into a global phenomenon--its strategic marketing and its visual aesthetic appeal; (6) diaspora's consumption of Indian cinema; (7) the pervasiveness of the cultural industry across fashion, music and lifestyle; and (8) the framing of "Brand India" and its relationship to globalization.