Summary
This chapter, while titled Intercultural Encounters, really looks at various forms of unintended cultural conflict, and concludes with ways to prevent said conflicts.
The differences between cultures are made up of identity, values, and institutions. These differences are often the cause of culture shock, and while identity can be “learnt” by people who are suddenly thrust into a new culture, values are invisible, difficult to adapt to, and the major problem with unintended cultural conflict.
There are 2 different reactions to host environments – ethnocentrism (where the person compares everything to the former culture in a negative way), or xenophilia (same thing, but obsession with new host culture)
Simply throwing together a bunch of different cultures does not make for mutual understanding, but often leads to stereotypes. The best way is to interact in an equal environment.
While Pidgin English is the standard world trade language, it is not necessarily beneficial to be a native speaker of it. There are advantages, many slightly less educated people will favor English speakers to others, but it is fact that many people who speak English refuse the opportunity to learn new languages, and it is difficult for them to pick up new ones if they were not forced to be multilingual at an early age. Obviously, not learning a new language in a new culture restricts the person from doing most things – it is not possible to be bicultural without being bilingual.
Technology – an important issue finally addressed – does not make the world multicultural. Similar to the group interactions mentioned earlier, simply because people can now interact among those across the world does not mean they will become culturally knowledgeable or tolerant. In fact, since the cultural interaction on the internet is so uneven, it is more necessary to be used as a source of intercultural learning, rather than replace the actual learning.
Tourism is not a good example of intercultural encounters due to the minimal interaction with the real cultures. However, it can act as a starting point for stirring possible curiosity in the new culture.
Teaching in a different culture can be frustrating due to the many problems encountered in the process. Different style institutions, irrelevant teaching materials, different cognitive abilities, and the fact that ideas and knowledge can rarely be translated accurately across languages – all pose significant problems.
Migrants tend to stick to communities formed of compatriots from the same country of migration. First generation migrants have standard difficulties, while second generation migrants have much less trouble getting used to growing up in the new environment. Whether these migrants end up as permanent minorities depends on the migrants will to interact with the host culture and integrate themselves, as well as the host environment allowing said interaction. Assimilation has proven in the past to be less successful than integration, and rightly so. Without careful attention, minorities stemmed from migrants and refugees can face stress and turn to religious fundamentalism.
National cultures often affect negotiation in the usual ways (eg. Power distance, etc.), but often it is not the negotiator who is at fault, but the person in charge. For instance, most large negotiations have a politician with a specific agenda controlling the actual negotiator, so while the negotiator knows how to do his job, the negotiation can be a failure if the politician plays too big of a role.
Multinational business organizations have difficulty working because one dominant culture (especially American) often forces its culture upon the other. It is, however, necessary for a dominant culture to be present so as to have a standard as a frame of reference. In order to function, it is crucial to have a country business manager who reports to an international head office, and a diplomat who has a double-trust relationship.
International expansions can be tricky, and are rarely successful.
Intercultural Encounters
-
j0hn Ayanami
- Gastown Tramp
- Posts: 1528
- Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2004 5:51 am
- Location: Vancouver BC/Baltimore MD
- Contact:
