Legitimizing Foreign Cultural Products: The Case of Asian Films in the United States

Abstract

In this dissertation I explore the ways in which foreign cultural products have been legitimized as acceptable products in a country. I examine the history of Asian films theatrically released in the United States as a case which can show some influences on the acceptance of foreign cultural products. In my analysis, there are two main factors in the legitimization of Asian films in the United States: 1) the changing opportunity space, which includes social, economic, and cultural context of American society; 2) and the roles of gatekeepers, which are engaged to increase the accessibility, familiarity, and popularity of Asian films. The case of Asian films highlights the changing acceptance of foreign cultural products in a country and the mechanism involved in the legitimization of foreign cultural products. The history of Asian films may show common features in legitimizing foreign cultural products in a country.