Zhan Zhang

This project critically examines the impact of American cultural influence on the cultural identity of young people in China. There are three parts to my design.

The first section explores the impact of American soft power on social media and the influence of communication, and I present the phenomenon of shaping the American culture of contemporary young people through the design of a visual discourse that aims to reflect how American culture influences the culture of young people.

The second section delves into how the spread of American culture has influenced the décor and style of restaurants as well as the way they dine, and I select restaurants in China with American-influenced styles in the social media, highlighting their signature design styles. Designed to demonstrate the clash of cultures.

In the final section, I focus on exploring how the American Dream serves as an attraction for immigrants. The American dream is a term with strong ideological coloring, and its origin can be traced back to the colonial period of North America. With the development and change of American history, its connotation has been enriched and developed. In the eyes of some people, the American dream is the dream of immigrants, but in the eyes of the U.S. government, it has become a tool for the U.S. to export the American economy, politics, culture and ideology all over the world (Cai,2023).In the context of changing global dynamics, cultures are spreading more easily and quickly, and this spreading brings with it the blurring of cultural boundaries in the context of globalisation. My involvement in this project was sparked by observing individuals resorting to illegal immigration as a means of reaching the United States. The prevalent notion that America is a land of opportunity and wealth entices these individuals to embark on dangerous journeys seeking to realise their perceived American Dream. Witnessing their struggles during their clandestine journeys, as a graphic designer with cultural studies interests I felt compelled to imagine their experiences and translate them into a visual narrative. The hardships these people endured in pursuit of the elusive and illusory American Dream were undeniably real. This project seeks to illuminate the realities of immigrant aspirations, particularly the contrast between perceived and actual outcomes, and aims to document the journeys of those who risk everything for the promise of a better life in the U.S.In terms of audience and dissemination I would like this project to reach a wider audience of young Chinese people, especially those who are surrounded by multiple cultures, My intention is to remind people to be aware of recognizing propaganda and to improve their ability to think independently.