The Reincarnated Cultural Shock: Uncovering an Unexpected Authoritarian Cultural Origin in the United States

• In Event: Countermovements and Extremism

Abstract

How does the consumption of foreign cultural products affect political predispositions? The recent surge in populist authoritarianism across democracies has prompted extensive research. Economic insecurity and a counter-reaction against progressive cultural shifts are identified as its driving forces. While economic insecurity due to imports of goods in manufacturing industries from East Asia has received significant attention, East Asian cultural products that may foster cultural concerns and bolster support for authoritarian movements remain understudied.
This study introduces the concept of the “reincarnated cultural shock” to depict how values prized by authoritarian regimes can be reincarnated into cultural products originating from East Asian democracies like Japan, which subsequently shape the authoritarian values of citizens in other democracies, notably the U.S. Drawing upon established theories of preadult socialization and cultural backlash, we examine the intricate interplay between a “reincarnated cultural product,” the age at which individuals consume it, and the encouragement or discouragement of emulating characters within that product, which may influence the adoption of authoritarian values.
To empirically test our hypothesis, we employ a survey experiment and semi-structured interviews conducted among U.S. citizens. Our research endeavors to provide evidence regarding the role of “reincarnated cultural shocks” in shaping political attitudes and shed new light on an intriguing aspect of contemporary political dynamics.

Authors

• Shuli Zhang, University of Pittsburgh

• Xin Han, Montana State University