Rachel Mai

“My So-Called Enemy” link: https://mysocalledenemy.com/

                                How Effectively Different Cultures Get Along

All cultures have their own traditions, expectations and values. Since each culture is unique, cultural misunderstandings may often occur daily. Although cultural misunderstandings may seem inevitable, there are ways to decrease conflict. In chapter 12 of Intercultural Communication in Contexts, knowledge and empathy are emphasized as key components of effective communication between different cultures. Having self-knowledge is also of high importance when communicating with one another. How can you begin to understand someone of another culture if you don’t know your own?   

                                         “My So-Called Enemy”

In “My So-Called Enemy,” young women from Palestine and Israel come together in order to discuss their lives and “build bridges of understanding.” Throughout the program, they were able to have open dialogues and discuss different issues between Israel and Palestine. Through conversations about bombings, the young women were able to grow stronger bonds. Adi, Gal, Hanin, Inas, Rawan and Rezan all met through Building Bridges for Peace, an they were able to use their experiences to grow as people. Even though they were from different cultures, they were able to get along through empathy and understanding.  

In essence, cultures may have different traditions, values and ways of life, but it is possible to get along and coexist. According to an article written by Alison Rhoades, “Globalization has led to an upswing in cross-cultural working collaborations, be it between business clients or work colleagues.” Businesses collaborate with countries of different countries, and for a successful partnership, communication is key. Distinguishing something as simple as the appropriate greeting is a great first step towards success on both ends. Cultural misunderstandings have happened throughout history, but reconciliations are occurring through the respect and empathy from both cultures.

“Chapter 12.” Intercultural Communication in Contexts, by Judith N. Martin and Thomas K. Nakayama, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2018, pg. 478–508.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J4N3iMcgog

Cultural Misunderstandings and “Jogging Alone”

Cultural misunderstandings may occur in your daily life, but there are ways to minimize these occurrences. According to “Psychology Today,” “A cultural misunderstanding occurs when something—a word, gesture, object, social context has different meanings in two cultures.” When people from different cultures communicate, their conversation could result in either a productive conversation or escalate into a dispute. On an even larger level, these cultural misunderstandings could lead to war. According to an article written by Alison Rhoades, “Globalization has led to an upswing in cross-cultural working collaborations, be it between business clients or work colleagues.” Businesses collaborate with countries of different countries, and for a successful partnership, communication is key. Distinguishing something as simple as the appropriate greeting is a great first step towards success on both ends. Along with businesses, different governments have cultural misunderstandings. Overall, cultural misunderstandings have happened throughout history, but reconciliations can and are occurring through the respect and empathy from both cultures. The article “Jogging Alone” properly exemplifies how cultural misunderstandings happen and how to effectively communicate.

Resolving a Cross-Cultural Misunderstanding

In “Jogging Alone,” a Peace Corps volunteer told the story of how they started jogging alone, but soon the village people began to jog with them, offer food and initiated conversations. In this scenario, the American is accustomed to different social norms, so they viewed exercising alone as “normal.” They did not want to offend the Dominican people also. According to Hofstede: Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context, “Indulgence stands for a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun.” The American is used to different activities of indulgence compared to the Dominicans. The cultures have opposing ways of indulgence and customs. 

For the American, exercising alone was the American cultural norm they assumed would be normal in the Dominican Republic. According to Hofstede: Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context, “Culture has been defined in many ways; this author’s shorthand definition is: "Culture is the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from others".” One way the American could show respect would be by accepting their offer of coffee and chatting with them, but they should make it clear that they would prefer to jog alone. To resolve this misunderstanding they must speak in a respectful and clear way. In chapter 11 of Intercultural Communication in Contexts, communication is mentioned to be a component in resolving a conflict between cultures. Even though the American and Dominicans are not in a conflict, their cultural perspectives clash. 

On the other hand, the Dominicans’ wanted to welcome the American, and they viewed the American’s custom as unusual. “Collectivism, as a societal, not an individual characteristic, is the degree to which people in a society are integrated into groups.” (Geert Hofstede, pg.11). The Dominicans seem to have more values much like other collective societies. In the Dominican Republic, it is a custom to exercise with other people and welcome others with coffee or a chat. Their social norms lead them to believe the American was acting in an unusual manner. To resolve this misunderstanding, the Dominicans could continue offering coffee and chats, but they could do it in a respectful way by asking if the American if they are comfortable or not. 

To sum up, respect and knowledge of one’s culture can lead to productive conversations and prevent cultural misunderstandings in the future. According to Peace Corps, “Finding a balance between your own cultural norms and those of the culture you are trying to adapt to is very important when it comes to integrating into a new community and feeling comfortable when things are different than what you are accustomed to.“ Resolutions in cross-cultural misunderstandings can occur, but both sides must be willing to communicate.

“Chapter 11.” Intercultural Communication in Contexts, by Judith N. Martin and Thomas K. Nakayama, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2018, pg. 440–474.

https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1014&context=orpc

https://medium.com/waat-ltd/how-to-avoid-the-cultural-misunderstandings-that-can-impact-your-business-c4a70941c65a 

https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/running-across-cultures/

British Brass Brand video: https://youtu.be/dJAqKpCJ8vk

“How does identity play a role in how people are treated and discriminated against?”

According to Intercultural Communications in Contexts, “Identity serves as a bridge between culture and communication.” Through communication, people express their own identity. Intercultural Communications in Contexts recognizes the variety of identities people possess, such as familial, racial, and age identity. Everyone has an identity, and they may find themselves possessing many identities and roles. When ignorance and biases come into play, issues arise between people of different identities. Identity is plays a major role in someone’s social, political and economic stance in the world. People may be discriminated against and treated poorly based solely on their identity. The Global Fund for Women exemplifies this in an article stating, “In Bangladesh, 85% of the 3.5 million people employed in the garment industry are women, many of whom face sexual violence and harassment at work.” Women in Bangladesh are treated poorly because of their gender and social norms in their society. According to the article, Maheen Sultan of Naripokkho, a Global Fund for Women grantee partner stated, “We felt that women should have a platform where they can be heard as women and not just workers.” True equality is not present in any country at this time, but the discrimination and sexual violence women in developing countries face is much higher and harsher than in the United States. The Global Fund for Women is giving women them a platform, so they are finally heard instead of just seen. 

https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/building-a-coalition-of-advocates-in-bangladesh/

Rachel Mai Identity Map 3 Topics

1. My Mother

My mother is my best friend and role model. Her strength and independence inspires me daily.

2. Self-Care

Self-care is important for my mental and physical health. Every day, I am making an effort towards taking care and loving myself, imperfections and all. 

3. Buddhism