We Don’t Live in Igloos

Identity and Cross-cultural Communication

BBELT 2017Mexico City

Laura Sagertlaura.sagert@cide.edu

Ubuntu ngumuntu ngabantu“a person is only a person through

other people”

UNESCO (2013). Intercultural Competences

Who do you think you are?

De Ktrinko (own work) World Map. CC0 (Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Pair work: Task 1

I am… ?

Take turns completing this sentence. Try to say as much as you can about yourself in the time limit without using any other verbs. (Use nouns, adjectives, or prepositional phrases instead.)

Individual reflection

•What did you start with?

•What, if anything, did you choose NOT to mention?

Individual reflectionWould you have answered in the same way if • you were at work (relationship/situational context)

• there were less noise (environmental context)

• you felt better/worse (physical / psychological state)

• your partner were from a different background (culture)

Individual reflection

Did you really listen to your partner?

Reminder: Listening involves attention to far more than what is actually said.

Pair work: Task 2

Complete the sentences using logical words or expressions.

UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD. Farmer Scouting and Inspecting Weeds. CC BY 2.0 . Via FLICKR

This is

He is from

He is a

He can

He likes

Nationalmuseet. Photo taken between 1921-1924. Iglulik, Canada. via FLICKR CC BY-SA 2.0

This is

He is from

He is a

He can

He likes

Lobo, Daniel (2006) Muñecas y coche. CC BY 2.0. Via Flickr.

This is

She is from

She is a

She can

She likes

Reflection

Complexity?

What is wrong with this picture?

Martínez, Carlos (2010). Objects – Paper Stereotypes. CC BY 2.0, Via Flickr

Oversimplification + Lack of Reflection→ Stereotyping

Mitchell, Andrew (2005). Stereotype. CC BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

Matousek, Jirka (2011) ISC Mexico, Cosat Rica, Venezuela Presentation + Party. CC BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

Matousek, Jirka (2011) ISC Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela Presentation + Party. CC BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

Lobo, Daniel (2006) Muñecas y coche. CC BY 2.0. Via Flickr.

Single view

Roberge, Steve (2008). Igloo. CC-BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

…quite possibly misleading

Multiple views

US Embassy in Canada (2015). Matuto in Iqualuit. CC BY 2.0. Via Flickr. Vellut, Guilhem (2012). Downtown Vancouver. CC BY 2.0. Via Flickr

Multiple ≠ Complete

Szekely, Pedro. (2013) Montreal, Canada. CC BY-SA 2.0. Via Flickr. Owwe (2009). Bear and Cub: Canada. CC-BY-SA 2.0 Via Flickr

Yes, but….

De Ktrinko (own work) World Map. CC0 (Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Fun facts + other tidbits (not Timbits)

Does piecemeal information help or hinder cultural awareness?

Nessie, eh?

Question taken from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/games/how/ for educational purposes only.

Meaningful? How and why?

Question taken from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/games/how/ for educational purposes only.

Unintended lessons?

Questions taken from http://www.commisceo-global.com/quizzes/cultural-awareness-quizzes?view=qcategory&cat_id=41 as examples only. These are included without permission of the site owner and are cited for educational purposes only. The objective in doing so is to help language instructors to question their teaching practice and not to criticize this particular site.

Where would you fit in?

Hofstede Center: https://geert-hofstede.com/tools.html

Dangers, or Lessons from 4th

GradeTimmis, Reginald Symonds (1913) Horse-drawn Sleigh. Public Domain. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library Via Flickr

Reality check

St. Clements Church, Lynn Valley. Photo taken from diocese websiteLower Seymour Conservation Authority (2012). Rice Lake Road. Via Flickr

Reflection

Teaching about cultures vs. fostering openness and respect towards diverse individuals?

What makes us who we are?

personality

culture

human nature

Hofstede, 1994:6

LEARNED

Culture as an individual construct

“Individual differences in culture can be observed among people in the degree to which they adopt and engage in the attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviors that, by consensus, constitute their culture.”

—Matusmoto, 1996 as cited in Spencer-Oakley (2011)

Identity as dependent on others

Individual

Group member ascribed (others’ assumptions)

avowed (our own feelings)

reference group (feel part of)

The Looking Glass Self Social categories and the importance of how others see us

Armas, Javier. (2012). La #MarchaYoSoy132. CC BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

Polanco, Agustín (2013). #angel#retrovisor#mexicocity#mirror #rearview #proyectodf CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Gómez. Veva (2009). Girls. Yelapa, Mexico. CC-BY 2.0 Vía Flickr

Jones, Adam. (2015). Young boy with dump truck –Cerritos--near Todos los Santos, Baja California Sur. CC-BY-SA 2.0. Via Flickr

Identity performance (group identity/culture)

•Scope: number of aspects participate in

•Intensity: degree of importance given to

•Salience: extent to which these are evident to others

World Bank, (2010)

OTHERING

US THEM

IntersectionalityOrigins: critical race theory (K. Williams Crenshaw, 1989)

Focus: intersecting identities and systems of oppression

“Individuals are shaped by the multiple categories to which they are perceived to belong and the social structures that undergird systems of categorization. Systems of social categorization are virtually always associated with differential, unequal resources. Intersectionality is a concept fundamental to understanding these societal inequalities; the key assertion of intersectionality is that the various systems of societal oppression do not act independently of each other. “ (Howard, 2014)

OTHERING

US THEM They all look the same…

Teaching and learning objectives

or ideas?

Intercultural competences OUTCOMES

-INTERNAL

-EXTERNAL

KNOWLEDGE

-SELF + OWN CULTURE

-CULTURE SPECIFIC

-SOCIOLINGUISTIC

-GLOBAL ISSUES

AND TRENDS

ATTITUDES

-OPENNESS

-CURIOSITY

-DICOVERY

-RESPECT

SKILLS

-LISTENING

-OBSERVING

INTERPRETING, RELATING

-THINKING CRITICALLY

KILLS-

Pyramid Model Associated With Deardorff, D. (2006)

• UNESCO• World Bank• EU• Leading

universities

21st Century SkillsTHINK CRITICALLY + COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY (across cultures)

• Knowledge + understanding: interdisciplinary themes• Global awareness• Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy• Civic literacy• Health literacy• Environmental literacy

http://www.p21.org/

UNESCO: Minimal requirements for intercultural competences )

• Respect (“valuing of others”);

• Self-awareness/identity (“understanding the lens through which we each view the world”);

• Seeing from other perspectives/world views (“both how these perspectives are similar and different”);

• Listening (“engaging in authentic intercultural dialogue”);

• Adaptation (“being able to shift temporarily into another perspective”);

• Relationship building (“forging lasting cross-cultural personal bonds”);

• Cultural humility (“combines respect with self-awareness”).

Taken verbatim from UNESCO (2013) Intercultural Competences: Conceptual and Operational Framework which cites, in turn, D. Deardorff (2006)

Areas to address

•Cognitive (knowledge)

•Affective (attitudes, motivation/willingness)

•Behavioral (skills, actions)

•Values

How well can we evaluate intercultural competence?Challenges: •Communication is context-dependent.•A speaker (our theoretical student) is only one part

if the communicative context.• There is often a difference between what people

say and do and what they really think and feelDervin, Fred (2010)

OECD (2016)

Help!

“Many who encourage intercultural competences are coming to understand that people either are competent jointly, or are incompetent, but there is no such thing as one person being interculturally competent alone. Only through joint construction of a relationship in which people listen to one another can individuals demonstrate their intercultural competence.”

UNESCO (2013). Intercultural Competences: Conceptual and Operational Framework

Start local

“Charity begins at home, is the voice of the world: yet is every man his greatest enemy.”

Sir Thomas Browne, 1642

Be careful

Questioning assumptions (values, beliefs, norms, behaviours) is stressful.

Do not assume language can somehow be neutral… “…language, even used as a lingua franca can never be neutral. Language used for communication always involves people, places, and purposes, none of which exist in a cultural vacuum.”(Baker, 2011: 64)

Address common misconceptions Culture is…

• Custom (“tradition”, surface-level etiquette)• Timeless (changeless)• Independent of human actions (“a thing”)• Invariable across a group (homogeneous)• Singular (i.e., individuals do not have a single culture)• Synonymous with identify• Interchangeable with nationality, race, ethnicity, or subculture

Adapted from Avrich (1998), Hofstede (2001) and Lustig &Koestler (1999), as cited in Spencer-Oatley (2011)

Keep it simple

Key concepts:

•How we see ourselves (identity)

•How we perceive others (othering)

•How we interpret interactions (risk of overgeneralization/stereotyping)

TEACHING IDEAS • Explore the cultural complexity and diversity within our own

classrooms.

• Encourage critical evaluation of the way in which cultures, and individuals, are presented in textbooks.

• Explore a range of English literatures through different media.

• Communicate with others in different contexts.

• Ask others about their experiences. (Not one person?)

Adapted from: Council of Europe, et al. (2014) Handbook of Methodology for Intercultural Competence. (draft)

TEACHING IDEAS continued

• Work with descriptions of the same picture or event, from different points of view.

• Tell stories from the perspective of different characters.

• Take on a new identify through role play and drama.

• Conduct observations + interviews.

• Watch, and discuss, films.

Adapted from: Council of Europe, et al. (2014) Handbook of Methodology for Intercultural Competence. (draft)

Even more TEACHING IDEAS

• Photos or collages (still images): analyzing messages

• Have students present on an aspect of their community or culture other may be unfamiliar with.

Note: Include guided reflection to avoid reinforcing misconceptions and stereotypes

Adapted from: Council of Europe, et al. (2014) Handbook of Methodology for Intercultural Competence. (draft)

Key points to ponder• Notice the difference between assumptions and beliefs and

what we know (“truth”) and “reality”

• Accept differences (backgrounds, situations)

• Show respect

• Avoid offence

• Recognize the role of power

• Ask good questions (Right Question Institute)

• Expect uncertainty and discomfort

Remember Task 1?

I am… ?

Identify is multi-faceted and ever shifting.

Who do you think you are?

Image credit: De Ktrinko (own work) World Map. CC0 (Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons

How do you relate to those around you?

Who do you think “they” are?

Image credit: De Ktrinko (own work) World Map. CC0 (Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons

How do you relate to those around you?

Ubuntu ngumuntu ngabantu“a person is only a person through

other people”

UNESCO (2013). Intercultural Competences

OTHERING

US THEM

They to We to I

CHANGE THE PRONOUN

Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (2015). Bahamas: Migrantes. CC BY 2.0. Via Flickr

Mexicanos sin fronteras (2011). Mujer mexicana ayuda a los migrantes. CC BY 2.0 Via Flickr.

Adam Jones, Ph.D. (2011). Women Stroll through Taksim Square - Istanbul – Turkey. Global Photo Archive CC BY-SA 2.0 Via Flickr

Adam Jones, Ph.D. (2012). Photographs of Genocide Victims - Genocide Memorial Center -Kigali – Rwanda. Global Photo Archive CC BY-SA 2.0 Via Flickr.

Adam Jones, Ph.D. (2008). Photographs of Genocide Victims - Genocide Memorial Center -Kigali – Rwanda. Global Photo Archive CC BY-SA 2.0 Via Flickr.

Bibliography and recommended resources

• Baker, W. (2012) “From cultural awareness to intercultural awareness: culture in ELT”. ELT Journal Vol 66:1. Oxford University Press. DOI:10.1093/elt/ccr017

• Baker, W. (2011) Intercultural Awareness: Modelling and Understanding of Cultures in Intercultural Communication Through English as a Lingua Franca. Language and Intercultural Communication 11:3, 197-214. DOI: 10.1080/14708477.2011.577779

• Council of Europe Lifelong Learning Program, IncomVet, Lietuvos Educologijps Universitetas. (2014) Handbook of Methodology for Development of Intercultural Competence. Accessed via: http://incom-vet.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/HANDBOOK-OF-METHODOLOGY-FOR-DEVELOPMENT-OF-INTERCULTURAL-COMPETENCE-2nd-draft_2014-08-25.pdf

• Cohen, R. (1997) Negotiating Across Cultures: International Communication in an Interdependent World, revised ed., Washington DC: USIP Press.

• Deardorff, D. K . (2011) “Assessing Intercultural Competence”. New Directions for International Research. 2011: 149, 65-79. DOI 0.1002/ir.381

• Deardorff, D. K. (2006) “The Identification and Assessment of Intercultural Competence as a Student Outcome of Internationalization at Institutions of Higher Education in the United States”, Journal of Studies in International Education 10:241-2. DOI: 10.1177/1028315306287002

• Dervin, F. (2010) “Assessing intercultural competence in Language Learning and Teaching: a critical review of current efforts”. In: Dervin, F. & E. Suomela-Salmi (eds.). New Approaches to Assessment in Higher Education. (157-173). Bern: Peter Lang.

• DiPLO Foundation (https://www.diplomacy.edu

• Dzenowagis, Anastasia (2009). Who am I? Analyze and understand your own culture first. Project Management Institute (PMI) https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/analyze-understand-culture-intercultural-communication-6864

• Jones, A. (2009-present) Global Photo Archive (FLICKR) https://www.flickr.com/people/adam_jones/?rb=1

• MacKinnon, S. “What is intercultural competence?” Global Perspectives Project. Accessed via http://www.gcu.ac.uk/media/gcalwebv2/theuniversity/centresprojects/globalperspectives/Definition_of_Intercultural_competence.pdf

Bibliography and recommended resources cont.

• OECD (2016) PISA: Global Competency for an Inclusive World. Paris, France. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/pisa/aboutpisa/Global-competency-for-an-inclusive-world.pdf

• Spencer-Oatey, H. (2012) “What is Culture? A compilation of quotations”. GLOBAL PAD Core Concepts, available through Global PAD Open House (Warwick) http://go.warwick.ac.uk/globalpadintercultural

• Hofstede, G. (1991/1994) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London: HarperCollinsBusiness.• Lustig, M. W., & Koester, J. (1999) Intercultural Competence. Interpersonal Communication across Cultures. 3rd ed.

New York: Longman.• Matsumoto, D. (1996) Culture and Psychology. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole

• University of Washington: Bothell. Global Initiatives Intercultural Competence Tool Kit. https://www.uwb.edu/globalinitiatives/resources/intercultural-competence-tool-kit

• World Bank. 2010. Intercultural communication. Communication for Governance and Accountability Program (CommGAP). Washington, DC: World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/153031468336685593/Intercultural-communication

• UNESCO (2013) Intercultural Competences: Conceptual and Operational Framework. Paris, France: UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002197/219768e.pdf

• UNESCO (2009) World Report: Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue. Paris, France: UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001847/184755e.pdf

• Zevallos, Z. (2011) ‘What is Otherness?,’ The Other Sociologist, 14 Oct, httpsothersociologist.com/otherness-resources/ ://

THANK YOU

laura.sagert@cide.eduNicolas Marchiildon (2008) Igloo terminé. CC BY-SA 2.0 Via Flickr