Abstract
This chapter reviews how globalization can promote exclusionary reactions to imported products and foreign brands. Exclusionary reactions are emotional, reflexive responses evoked by perceived threats to the integrity of one’s heritage cultural identity. These reactions sometimes lead to xenophobic behaviors. Consumers on the receiving end of the global culture may be concerned that globalization will ultimately lead to homogenization of cultures via global hegemony. Fear of global culture’s hegemonic influence on the local culture often takes the form of contamination anxiety—the worry that imported technology will contaminate the local culture. Such contamination fear is responsible for some of the hostile reactions to global businesses, which are often perceived to be agents of global hegemony. The chapter concludes by discussing how these exclusionary reactions may be ameliorated.