GLOBAL FLOWS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: ANALYSING SHIVYA NATH’S THE SHOOTING STAR: A GIRL, HER BACKPACK AND THE WORLDTHROUGH APPADURAI’S LENS

Abstract

In the current research paper, the travel memoir The Shooting Star: A Girl, Her Backpack and the World by Shivya Nath (2018) is analysed through the prism of the theory of globalization by Arjun Appadurai. It examines how multinational capitalism has affected cultural and individual identities. Appadurai's concept of scapes consists of five scapes- ethnoscapes, mediascapes, technoscapes, financescapes, and ideoscapes. This framework aids us in examining cultural flows of the world that affect the story of Nath. In her account of travelling in Guatemala, Jordan, Costa Rica, Turkey, and South Africa, Nath stresses the relations between local traditions and influences from the world. The forces these influences normally involve multinational companies and global capital. In her memoir, Nath interacts with mediascapes through digital storytelling. She connects her experiences to a broader audience and contributes to the global understanding of various cultures. The effects of financescapesand technoscapes are evident in her ability to travel and share her journey, aided by the global movement of money and technology. Her interactions with different ideas during her trips show how ideoscapes affect her personal growth and perspective. By using Appadurai’s globalization theory, this paper argues that The Shooting Star: A Girl, Her Backpack and the World (2018) illustrates the negotiation of cultural identity within the framework of multinational capitalism. It provides insights into the complex relationships between globalization, media, and identity in modern travel literature.