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The Study of the Effect of Citizens’ Attitudes towards the Dimensions of Global Culture on the

Awareness of Citizenship Rights (Tehran: 2011)

Moslemi pour Lalami Pari 1

Keramati Mahin 2

Edrisi Afsaneh 3

Citizenship is a social phenomenon which is very important in modern society. It has extensive

consequences for human society which can be referred to as some transformation from

traditional to industrial sociology based on knowledge and information. Globalization refers to

the world compression and the consciousness intensification of the world as a whole.

Globalization, through the development of communication processes and multiculturalism due

to modernity including tourism, media, Internet and so on, has spread awareness about human

rights among nations. This paper mainly seeks to answer the question how Tehran citizens’

attitudes toward the dimensions of global culture affectstheir awareness of their citizenship

rights? This article is of descriptive–causal type which seeks to identify the impact of citizens’

attitudes toward the dimensions of global culture on awareness of their citizenship rights. In

terms of methodology, it is considered a survey. The analysis unit is 20-50 year-old citizens of

Tehran. After the reliability and validity of the research questionnaire were examined, it was

conducted among 580 households through cluster sampling in three districts of Tehran.

Findings suggest that those who have a more positive attitude toward the world culture are

more aware of their citizenship rights and vice versa; moreover, the dimension of global value

and identity in global culture has affected awareness of citizenship rights.

Keywords: Citizenship Rights, World Culture, World Culture Dimensions and Tehran Citizens.

1 PhD student in sociology at Azad University - Central Tehran Branch. moslemi_p@yahoo.com 2 Educational Research MSc, Roudehen Islamic Azad University, teacher of Farhangian university .

Keramate-m@yahoo.com 3 Full-time Assistant Professor of Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch. a_edrisi@iau-tnb.ac.ir

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Introduction

Cultural globalization is the formation and development of aspecial culture in the world. This

process creates the wave of cultural assimilation in the world and challenges cultural aspects

(Gol-Mohammadi, 2007:98). Generally speaking, three aspects can be identified in this regard.

These aspects include the spread of Western modernity, expansion and globalization of

capitalist consumer culture and globalization of American culture.

The most striking aspect of globalization of culture can be considered the globalized central

features of modernity such as industrialism, capitalism, existence of monitoring and

surveillance institutions and formation of nation-states (ibid, 2007:99-100). In addition, other

features linked with capitalism and modern government can also be identified for

modernization. The modern government is committed to democracy, citizenship and

nationalism and strives to promote these values in society. Along with these features, it should

be referred to expansion and spread of European languages, especially English, dress patterns,

food and architecture, urban and industrial life and a range of cultural values and approaches of

individual liberty, sexual relationships, human rights and secularism (Tomlinson, 2002: 23)

After implementing several periods of development plan, and with the increased social

classesrift and unintended negative consequences of unfair distribution of sources, the

citizenship rights issueswere addressed in Iran society. Today, because of developing some

changes such as globalization and subsequently the global culture, awareness of citizenship

rights has changed. Globalization, along with other sources of information, brings a new source

of knowledge to human mind, since it challenges the values of society. Today, a more general

and new concept of citizenship has emerged based on the individual’s global concern than

national belonging. Such perceptions can cause problems of citizenship individualism, the

intersubjective context of transnational communications, reproduction and changing the

concept of citizenship rights in the political micro-relations context, not in the political macro-

relations context, radicalization in the regional context of and global citizenship etc. Thus, the

study of citizens’ attitudes toward the dimensions of global culture and its impact on awareness

of citizenship rights is scientifically important as well as necessary. This article seeks to answer

the question of what the impact of citizens’ attitudes toward the dimensions of global culture is

on the awareness of citizenship rights among Tehranicitizens.

Research literature

Citizenship membership is standing for an individual related to the government that is also

respected in International Law. His/her rights and duties versus government is called citizenship

relation that is determined by the constitution and civil laws (Ashouri, 1373: 222).

In this study, the concept of citizenship rights is considered in two dimensions: the rights and

obligations which have civil, political, social and participation sub-domains, where some

indicators are considered for each dimension.

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Global culture is the manifestation of a single culture that encompasses all the people on earth

and is the successor to the diversity of cultural systems. (Tomlinson, 2002: 103)

In this study, global culture has been examined by 5 dimensions: consumption, value, identity,

virtual and religious - based on Haynes theory.

According to Friedman et al, attitude is a durable system that includes a cognitive component,

an affective component and a-willingness-to-act component. In this definition, the cognitive

element implies information, facts, and knowledge; the affective element is the pleasant or the

unpleasant excitement that is felt about those attitudes; and the behavioral elementis the

tendency and preparedness to practice in that attitude. Three types of attitudes toward global

culture has emerged which include: positive attitude (pure surrender), opposite attitude and

active attitude. (Tomlinson 1999, Gol-Mohammadi 1381, Giddens 1994, Hall 1996, Quoted from

Edrisi 1386).

There are many researchesabout the impact of globalization on various areas of humans.

MikkoKuisma (2008)concluded that globalization for citizenscan be the key of demanding all

rights in the global community and return some citizenship values in neoliberalism age while

creating civil partnership, such as the trade union movement.

Liberand Weisberg (2002) believe that culture serves as a major carrier of globalization and

modern values, and of course there are reactions against globalization and supremacy

ofAmerican culture in the world on behalf of mass and local culture.

Patrick M. Jenlink (2007) argues that globalization goes beyond the nation-governments; the

space forces generated by economic, cultural and political discourse and further open the way

for the development of a democratic civil society.

Sarrafi and Abdollahi (2008) believe that, there is good context and potential in Iran's

Constitution to create citizenship. However, "the citizenship rights" is ignored in the laws and

regulations for civil engineering and the Iranian juridical system of urban management lacks the

citizenship viewpoint.

Shiani (2002) believes the main obstacles to citizenship research might be considered partly

related to the lack of social resources and opportunities in the social structure. Moreover, lack

of awareness and good welfare conditions, non-participation in volunteering activities, as well

as individuals' personality.

Piran (2001) believes that in Iran, people have hardly had the citizen rights (for centuries) and

the public has been regarded as subordinates. Therefore, when the discourse of modernity,

restricting the authorities of the monarchy, creating a parliament, and the involvement of

people in their society's destiny and ultimately citizenship was discussed following the

Constitutional Revolution, only the citizen rights were underlined. So, there has been little

discussion on citizen obligations.

Nedjati Hosseini (2004) believes the current status of "welfare of social citizen" is far from being

desirable. Civil citizenship is at its "most fragile and vulnerable" condition. This situation could

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be considered as "a crisis". Meanwhile, it continues to be in a dialectical status between "crisis

and relative improvement". Citizenship in Iranian society is more "Top-down" than "Bottom-up

". The social domain of citizenship in Iran has more tendencies towards the "private sector"

than "public sector".

According to Ameli (2001), there is a kind of challenge among globalization, religion and

citizenship in contemporary society.

Serajzadeh and Babaei (2010) believe that students have high tendency to those dimensions of

global culture which corresponds to the market economy and citizenship rights and have low

tendency to dimensions including theWestern world life style.

Theoretical framework

Gol-Mohammadi quotes Robertson as saying "globalization refers to the compression of the

world and the consciousness intensification of the world as a whole."In Robertson's point of

view, globalization theory is not just about the structures, institutions and networks, but about

how we understand social life and our status in that life as well (Gol-Mohammadi, 2007, 21).

Robertsondefines the globalization as awareness about world issues as a single place and refers

that people in all around the world will involve in this issue and globalization enters their lives

(Robertson, 2006: 81-275).Communications in globalization conditions has led to the change of

space and time sense and time and place differences between communities and cultures have

been taken. Therefore, the world goes toward a variety of consistency and uniformity at the

same time, variety and diversity. Robertson provokes the idea of a world–localization that

separates the consumers of locally produced goods of a multinational company in terms of

civilization, region, community, and ethnicity, gender, etc. (Robertson, 2004: 217).

Sadeghi believes that Anthony Giddens through a structuration theory argues that citizenship

involves rights and responsibilities of social life, an idea that recognizes the individual credit and

returns to the social conditions in which a person behaves. Thus, a citizen is a wonderful

example of what Anthony Giddens has called "duality of structure". And according to Giddens,

social policy must strengthen private citizenship through providinga network of rights and

responsibility amongst family members. In fact, Giddens relates the public life and personal

relations in the framework of rights and responsibilities. According to him, people who have a

good understanding of their feelings structure and communicate well with others, probably are

more prepared for citizenship tasks. Sadeghi finally concludes that, according to Giddens,

democratization of the various institutions is related to the democratization of the whole

society and the world (Sadeghi, 2006: 87).

Formation of a global culture is one of the globalization consequences. According toHaynes

(1999), global culture can be considered in 5 perspectives: the global value, consumption,

identity, virtual and religious. In global value view, he considers the dissemination of some

ideas and values globalizing the Enlightenment age such as human rights, freedom, democracy

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and secularism. In consumption view, a variety of common consumption patterns derived from

the Western Capitalist system developsin global level. In identity view, floating sense and

politicization of identity areconsidered;in virtual view, similar behavioral patterns have been

expanded in global level. In religious dimension, global culture means that religious thoughts,

patterns and groups could be able in the light of globalization process to represent and

reinforce their place in the globalized world through utilizing the most important forces of this

process such as communication system (Haynes, 1999: 82-83).

According to Manuel Castells, globalization and informationality performed through wealth,

technology and power networks, will transform our world. These two processes enforce our

cultural creativity and communication (Castells, 1996: 101-97). i

According to the theory proposed, three approaches have been formed towards global culture:

The cosmopolitanism idea: Being a global citizen is not limited to the immediate locality

interests, butrecognizes belonging, involvement and global responsibilities and can integrate

these broader interests in the today’s routine life styles (Tomlinson, 2002: 252 -251).

The ideology of cosmopolitans’ superiority on locals: The important point is that these two

components of cosmopolitan disposition should not be considered as conflicting and

contradictory to each other, but should be considered as components that mutually encourage

each other.

The cosmopolitanism as "ethical globalizing-localizing": It means that a cosmopolite should

accept legal pluralism of cultures, be tolerant in dealing with other cultures. This awareness

must be thoughtful (Tomlinson, 2002: 256-251).

Research hypotheses

Hypothesis 1: It seems that there is a significant difference between awareness of the

citizenship rights in various kinds of attitudes towards global culture (negative, positive and

active).

Hypothesis 2: It seems that there is a significant correlation between dimensions of attitude

towards global culture andcitizenship rights.

Research Method

The present study isof a causal type; In terms of methodology, it is a survey with the analysis

unit being Tehran’s 20-50 year-old citizens. It is a cross-sectional study which was reviewed in

2011and wascategorized as applied research.

The population includes people aged 20 to 50 living in Tehran in 2011. The data gathering

instrument is questionnaire. Cochran formula was used to calculate sample size. 580 people

were selected through cluster sampling and inappropriate classification.

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Validityand Reliability

In this study, content validity was used to measure the validity, and referees’ consensus was

used to providecontent reliability of citizenshiprights. Chronbach's Alphwas used to assess the

reliability level. Based on Alpha Cronbach, "citizenship rights" variable was 0.74 and "attitude

toward global culture" was 0.74.

Research findings

Descriptive statistics:

Table 1: Statistical indicators of dependent variable (awareness of citizenship rights)

Descriptive statistics of

dependent variable Average Median exponent Standard deviation Variance

Citizenship Rights 97.71 98 97 10.32 106.53

Commentary: The average awareness of citizenship rights is 97.71 and the median is 98.

Exponent equals 97; i.e. most respondents view hasscores equivalent to 97. Dispersion

indicessuch as variance is equal to 106.53 and standard deviationis 10.32.

Table 2: Frequency Distribution of citizens’ awareness of citizenship rights and commitments

Citizenship Rights and Commitments of Frequency Valid Percentage

Average 6 1

High 166 28.6

Very high 408 70.3

Total 580 100

Commentary: Only one percent of citizens are moderately aware of the rights of citizenship,

28.6 percent are in high-level and 70.3 percent have a very high awareness of their citizenship

rights.

Table 3: Frequency distribution and respondents' percentage according their attitudes toward

global culture and its dimensions

Attitude towardglobal

culture

Global value

dimension

Consumption

dimension

Identity

dimension Virtual dimension

Religious

dimension

Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent Frequency Percent

Negativ

e 22 3.8 32 5.5 383 66 0 0 186 32.1 246 42.4

Active 282 48.6 164 28.3 172 30 73 12.6 200 34.5 299 51.6

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Positive 276 47.6 384 66.2 25 4 507 87.4 194 33.4 35 6

Total 580 100 580 100 580 100 580 100 580 100 580 100

According to the results of the descriptive statistics, 5.5% of respondents had a negative

attitude toward the value dimension of global cultures, while 28.3% had an active attitude and

66.2% had a positive attitude towards the value dimension of global culture. 94.5% of citizens

had moderate attitudes toward value dimension of global culture. In consumption dimension,

66% of respondents had a negative attitude, 30% had an active attitude and 4%had apositive

attitude towards the consumption dimension of global culture. 66% of Tehran’s citizens had a

negative attitude toward this dimension. In identity dimension, 12.6% were active and 87.4%

were positive. So 100% of Tehran’s citizens had moderate to high attitude toward this

dimension. In virtual dimension, 32.1% of respondents were negative, 34.5% were active and

33.4% were positive. 67.9% of Tehran’s citizens had a moderate to high attitude toward this

dimension.In religious dimension, 42.4% of respondents had a negative attitude, 51.6% had

active and 6% had positive attitude towardreligious dimension of global culture. 57.7% of

Tehran’s citizens had a moderate to high attitude toward this dimension. According to the

results of descriptive statistics for attitude toward global culture, 3.8% had negative, 48.6% had

active and 47.6% had a positive attitude toward global culture. A total of 76.2% of Tehran’s

citizens had a moderate to high attitude toward global culture.

Hypothesis 1: It seems that there is a significant difference between awareness of the

citizenship rights in various kinds of attitudes towards global culture (negative, positive and

active).

Table 4: One-way Variance analysis Test for Hypothesis 1

Changes

Source Sum of Square df

Mean

square F sig

Confirmation or rejection of

hypothesis

Intergroup 11282.56 2 5641.28 64.579 0.000

Research hypothesis is confirmed. Intragroup 5040.282 577 87.351

Total 61683.338 579

According the above test, people who have a positive attitude toward global culture, have more

awareness of citizenship rights.

Hypothesis 2: It seems that there is a significant correlation between dimensions of attitude

towards global culture and citizenship rights.

Table 5: Interpretation of Pearson Test for Hypothesis 2

First Step Second Step Third Step Fourth Step Fifth Step Sixth Step

Correlation

between two

variables

significance

level of

Pearson Test

Commentary Relationship

Intensity Commentary

Relationship

Direction Commentary

Awareness of Sig = 0.00 , Significant r = 0.16 Average Direct Same-direction

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citizenship rights

and consumption

dimension

99%

confidence

interval

correlation change of

variables

Awareness of

citizenship rights

and global value

dimension

Sig = 0.00 ,

99%

confidence

interval

Significant

correlation r = 0.49

Relatively

strong Direct

Same-direction

change of

variables

Awareness of

citizenship rights

and identity

dimension

Sig = 0.00 ,

99%

confidence

interval

Significant

correlation r = 0.34 Average Direct

Same-direction

change of

variables

Awareness of

citizenship rights

and virtal

dimension

Sig = 0.00, 99%

confidence

interval

Significant

correlation r = 0.26 Average Direct

Same-direction

change of

variables

Awareness of

citizenship rights

and religious

dimension

Sig = 0.00, 99%

confidence

interval

Significant

correlation r = 0.17 Average Direct

Same-direction

change of

variables

According to Table 5, there is a significant correlation between all dimensions of attitude

toward global culture and awareness of citizenship rights.

Multivariate regression

The prerequisite of multivariate regression is the presence of correlation between variables

that Pearson correlation coefficient must be significant between the independent and

dependent variables. According to Table 5, there is a significant relationship between

awareness of citizenship rights and all independent variables.

Table 6: Regression models and interpretations prior Yeni B. Meyer

R

Determination

Coefficient

( R 2 )

Modified

coefficient Result

0.528 0.278 0.272

It means that 5 dimensions of global culture as independent

variable have the ability of 0.27 to explain dependent

variable and in humanities field this is desirable for R2, in

other words 73% of the dependent variable’s explain is done

by other variables.

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Table 7: ANOVA Test results And its Commentary

Sum of

Squares df

Mean

square F Sig. ANONA test result

Regression

Coefficient 978.17177 5 598.3435 310.44 .000 Sig <0.05; i.e. regression line has more ability to

explain variance of dependent variable than of

residual variance. In other words, independent

variables effect the dependent variable.

Residual

Coefficient 350.44505 574 535.77

Total 338.61683 579

Table 8: Regression coefficient for predictedmodels

Unstandardized regression

coefficients

Standardized

regression

coefficients t Sig.

B Std. Error Beta

Constant value 67.529 2.514

26.858 0.000

Consumption Dimension -0.115 0.100 -0.048 -1.155 0.249

Global Value Dimension 0.581 0.059 0.433 9.920 0.000

Identity Dimension 0.378 0.081 0.180 4.697 0.000

Virtual Dimension 0.241 0.139 0.075 1.727 0.085

Religious Dimension -.0103 0.087 -0.048 -1.174 0.241

Using unstandardized regression coefficients, linear equations of prediction regression can be

written as follows:

y = a + b1. x1 + b2. x2 + B3. x3 ...

y = 67.529 + 0.581 (Global Value Dimension) + 0.378 (Identity Dimension)

Constant value with width from origin is equal to 67.529. Due to the effect coefficients of above

variable for the global value variables0.581and the identity variable of 0.37, awareness of

citizenship rights variable increases a standard deviation. The standardized regression equation

was used in order to answer the question of which independent variable has the most effect.

Standardized regression coefficient formula is as follows:

Zy = B1.X1 + B2.X2 + B3.X3

Zy = 0.433 (Global Value Dimension) +0.180 (Identity Dimension)

According to the above equation, the most influence of independent variables on awareness of

citizenship rights includes global value dimension and identity dimension.

Path Analysis

Due to Beta-coefficients obtained from the regression tables, direct and indirect effects of each

independent variable on the dependent variable were computed and are given below.

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Table 9: Direct and indirect path Coefficients of independent variables on dependent variables

Independent

variable

IndirectPaths Coefficients of indirect

paths

Sum of

Indirect

Coefficients

Direct

Coefficients

Sum ofdirect and

indirectCoefficients

Global Value

Dimension

X1 X2 y 0.36*0.180=0.064 0.064 0.433 0.497

Identity Dimension X2 X1 y 0.36*0.433=0.155 0.155 0.180 0.335

Discussion & Conclusion

The research results indicate that people who have positive attitudes toward global culture,

hashad greater awareness of citizenship rights. The awareness of citizenship rights has a direct

positive relationship with all aspects of global culture. Findings of this research have confirmed

the results of Mansur-nedjad (2008) theories that communication globalization has expanded

human interaction with each other and thus, the world is going towards a cultural unity.

The results of Liber and Weisberg (2002) research were not confirmed in this research. And

unlike MikkoKuisma (2008) results who believes that globalization challenges citizenship values,

this study indicates that appositive attitude toward global culture leads to the increased

citizenship rights awareness.

According to Serajzadeh and Babaei (2010), students have a high tendency to those dimensions

of global culture which corresponds to the market economy and citizenship rights and have a

low tendency to dimensions which include Western World life style. However, the research

results indicate that there is a direct positive relationship among all dimensions of global

culture and awareness of citizenship rights.

0.36

0.433

0.180 Identity Dimension

(X2)

Awareness of Rights

Global Value

Dimension( X1)

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The results of current study are consistent with Robertson (2006) theories about globalization

as “awareness of global issues as a single location”. It is also coordinated with Castells theories

which consider globalization and informationalityas the factor of the world transformation.

One of this research results is the effect of identity and global value dimensions on awareness

of citizenship rights that is consistent with Giddens theories who believes that globalization

changes the life, identity and interaction with other people and make a new shape for it

(Giddens, 2008). Positive attitude toward identity and Global value dimensions createsa kind of

common identity for Tehran citizenswhichcausesmore awareness in global level. Empirical

studies in Iran confirm that formation of national identities in Iran is more populist (Lotf-abadi,

2001; Mohammadi, 2000).

1. The policymakers and planners must accept the reality of global culture and pay

attention to all dimensions of global culture becauseits dimensions can lead to

widespread citizens’ awareness about citizenship rights. Given this increased

awareness of citizens through global cultural attitudes, it is suggested that thelaws

and regulations should be reviewed in relevant organizations, in accordance

toglobal standards.

2. The Interior Ministry should pay attention to citizens' awareness about global

indices of citizenship rights,while informing the citizens about the citizenship rights

regulations in Iran through educational centers, I.R.I.B, etc.

3. Training workshops at different levels to be held, aimed at familiarizing the citizens

with their legal rights.

4. I.R.I.B. should provide more effective programs about citizenship rights and the

contexts to realize the citizenship.

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