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Some researchers have argued that as culture is the foundation upon which people build their identities, such cultural exportation may jeopardize the national identity of citizens of ‘importing’ countries.

If I am not mistaken, under "exportation" the author means "spreading" but what does he mean by saying "importing"?

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  • Anything that is exported from one country is imported by another. Equally, anything imported by one country is exported by another. Apr 14, 2021 at 12:10

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Some researchers have argued that as culture is the foundation upon which people build their identities, such cultural exportation may jeopardize the national identity of citizens of ‘importing’ countries.

The term importing countries refers to countries that take in such foreign culture. This could be through immigration or other means.

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  • Largely through "or other means", I'd have thought. For example, a "culturally importing" country might not have many of their own "home-grown" businesses engaged in movies, TV, radio, newspapers, literature,... Such a country could quite rapidly lose its sense of "national identity" if they allow those "cultural gaps" to be filled by foreign companies. Apr 14, 2021 at 16:11
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An importing country would be a county that imports (= buys) products from other countries.

exportation refers to the act of exporting/sending/spreading. An exporting country, in a way, promotes its culture by selling its products.

Imagine your country stopped producing goods locally, and began importing everything you consume on a daily basis from other countries. Over time, you would get accustomed to other countries' products (and, partly, to their culture) and start forgetting your own. This would put your national identity in danger, as the author suggests.

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  • OP's context more metaphorically refers to "exporting" culture, rather than actual products. Apr 14, 2021 at 16:05
  • @FumbleFingers I see it as "literal" export of goods, and, as a consequence, "metaphorical" export of cultural values Apr 14, 2021 at 16:14
  • But the text actually says "cultural exportation" (not "product exportation"). Apr 14, 2021 at 16:16

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