“Culture is not like an iceberg”

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Anna.Collier

Today’s post is by Dr. Milton Bennett and has been repostedfrom the IDRInstitute blog with his permission. Visit www.idrinstitute.org for more information on Dr. Milton Bennett’s current projects.

With all due respect to theoreticians who continue to use the iceberg metaphor to describe culture, I think it’s time to retire the image altogether. Here’s why.

Most people with any background in intercultural communication theory agree that culture is not a “thing”; it is the process whereby groups of people coordinate meaning and action, yielding both institutional artifacts and patterns of behavior. We feel it is unfair when anthropologists and critical theorists accuse us of essentializing culture. But many interculturalists actually do essentialize culture by using the objective metaphor of an iceberg.

Comparing culture to an iceberg floating in the sea implies that culture is an actual thing. The 10% above the water is really visible to everyone who looks in that direction, and the 90% below the water is both real and dangerous, since it can sink the unwary sojourner.

The metaphor does not in any way imply that culture is a process of coordinating meaning and action – rather, it implies that culture is an entity with mysterious unknown qualities. So, while we ourselves may not romanticize or exotify foreign cultures, we inadvertently support those who do by teaching this metaphor.

This situation is a great example of paradigmatic confusion. We want our students or clients to engage culture in a dynamic way, enabling them to understand complex cultural identity formation and generate mindful intercultural communication.

These are laudable goals drawn from a constructivist paradigm. But then we introduce the topic with a distinctly positivist metaphor – the iceberg. The client is left with a simplistic understanding of culture that cannot support the complex operations vis a vis culture that we subsequently advocate.

In other words, we are shooting ourselves in the foot with this metaphor. Let’s find a more appropriate one.

For many years I described culture metaphorically as a river that both carved and was constrained by its banks. While this gets at the “co-ontological” construction of boundary conditions, it doesn’t really capture the coordination of meaning idea.

The seemingly related idea of a river (e.g. the Amazon) with tributaries flowing into it strikes me as being another paradigmatically confused metaphor, since it implies that cultural diversity (relativism) disappears into a transcendent unity (positivism). Other ideas?

Intercultural Link News Magazine v4 i1 – Global Edition

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Anna.Collier

The newest edition of the Intercultural Link News Magazine has just been launched. Read it on-line or download it here. Enjoy!

AFS Intercultural Programs is pleased to announce the January/February/March/April 2013 issue of AFS Intercultural Link Newsletter volume 4, issue 1 – Global Edition, which can be shared with everyone interested in learning more about intercultural education.

The AFS Intercultural Link News Magazine is the quarterly magazine on intercultural learning in the AFS Network. The magazine features content shared by the Intercultural Learning Work Group as well as other AFS Partners and guest writers, including information on trends in intercultural education, interviews with experts in the field and overviews of upcoming and previous conferences.

Winter Academy on Intercultural Competence – Register Now!

Posted on November 2, 2012 by laura.schaack

The end of 2012 doesn’t mean the end of intercultural learning opportunities! Students in many places around the world may have a break from classes, but experiential learning outside the classroom is at the heart of the AFS experience! To this end, the first Winter Academy on Intercultural Competence organized by InterCultur gGmbH (the non-profit subsidiary of AFS Germany which was founded in the beginning of this year) and Jacobs University will take place in January 2013, and hopes to encourage and develop intercultural competence, knowledge and skills! The Winter Academy will take place 14-25 January on the campus of Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany.

The Winter Academy on Intercultural Competence will not only present theoretical frameworks regarding intercultural learning, but also practical competencies and knowledge, to enable participants to work as intercultural trainers themselves in the future.

All courses will include workshop sessions with both theoretical and practical content offered by academic professors and AFS trainers. This collaboration will bridge the gap between theory and practice!

The Winter Academy addresses people who are interested in teaching intercultural competence themselves. Such as:

Students with an intercultural area of studies or/and their own international experiences, who would like to pass their theoretical knowledge through practical trainings.
Trainers, who have already gathered experience and would like to start working in an intercultural context.
Young professionals and/or multipliers, who are committed or devoted to intercultural learning, e.g. teachers or practitioners in the field of international youth work.

Enrolled students have the opportunity to obtain 5 European Credit Points (ECTS) for participating in the first seven course days. This is a standardization of higher education within the European Union that accumulates points which lead to the completion of a degree. One year of coursework usually counts for 60 points.

As well, after participating in the entire duration of the Winter Academy (10 course days), participants will be awarded the certificate “Intercultural Trainer” issued by Jacobs University and InterCultur gGmbH.

The Winter Academy offers a great opportunity for people who are involved in (intercultural) training activities. Through the Winter Academy, AFS will not only give students the opportunity for a diverse intercultural education experience, but will also demonstrate our competence at a university level and confirm our identity as an educational organization.

The registration deadline is 15 November 2012. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Barbara Langholf (Barbara.Langholf@intercultur.de).

Deep Culture Learning | Webinar with Young SIETAR

Posted on August 20, 2012 by charlotte.steinke@afs.org

Young Sietar is an international organization of young professionals in the field of Intercultural Learning that regularly provides its members webinars on numerous intercultural topics. One of these, an online webinar on “Deep Culture Learning: The Cognitive Unconscious and the International Brain” will take place on September 15, 2012 at 12:00 – 1:00 pm BST (British Summer Time). To check availability and to register for this webinar, click here.

This webinar addresses the fundamentals of neurology, cognition, and perception and by presenting the concept of “Deep Culture Learning” Joseph Shaules, author of the book Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living, invites participants to discover ways to get in touch deeply with a new culture - beyond the tip of the iceberg. Shaules argues that if we learn a culture, we will more deeply impact our brain’s unconscious “Auto-Pilot”, also known as our “Cognitive Unconscious”.

Joseph Shaules is an intercultural educator who has worked and lived in Japan, Mexico, and Europe for more than 20 years. He is now an associate professor at the Rikkyo University Graduate School of Intercultural Communication, Tokyo. He is the author of many books, including “Beneath the Surface: A Beginner’s Guide to the Deep Culture Experience” (Intercultural Press); “Identity” (Oxford University Press), and “Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living” (Multilingual Matters). Shaules works, thinks, and writes in English, Japanese, French and Spanish.

As an educational organization, AFS offers young people the opportunity to spend time abroad and to engage in intercultural learning. With support from volunteers and staff who have knowledge of intercultural concepts and skillful ways of applying that knowledge, the experience of each participant is shaped. Shaules’ webinar can be an opportunity to get deeply involved with intercultural learning, and to reflect on its importance for the contemporary world.

To learn more about Young Sietar, sign up for the 13th Annual Congress 2012, taking place from 6-9 September 2012 in Belfast, Northern Ireland!

UNESCO Guidelines on Intercultural Education

Posted on August 13, 2012 by charlotte.steinke@afs.org

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) offers online Guidelines on Intercultural Education. These guidelines provide an overview and fundamental understanding of an intercultural approach to education.

The document defines culture, education, language, religion, and diversity (among other concepts) and explains how their interrelation can help clarify what Intercultural Learning means and how best to approach it. UNESCO addresses the question: What is the role of Intercultural Education? and indicates four main objectives:

1) Learning to know. This objective highlights the value of a obtaining a general education, which brings learners into contact with other areas of knowledge and encourages communication.

2) Learning to do. This involves helping learners find their place within society and cultivates specific skills as well as an ability to develop and apply a broad range of new skills in diverse environments.

3) Learning to live together. Acquiring knowledge, skills and values that contribute to a collective spirit of collaboration allow learners to co-exist in societies rich with diversity.

4) Learning to be. Solidifying one’s sense of personality in order to act with autonomy, judgement and personal responsibility. Regard of a person’s potential and right to cultural difference strengthens identity and builds cognitive capacity.

The document proposes three main principles for Intercultural Education:

I: Intercultural Education respects the cultural identity of the learner through the provision of culturally appropriate and responsive quality education for all. This means that the learning content should relate to, and build on the learner’s background and the resources they have access to; also, the knowledge transmission should be culturally appropriate, incorporating local pedagogy and traditional ways of learning and teaching. This way, learners can become deeply involved in the learning process.

II: Intercultural Education provides every learner with the cultural knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to achieve active and full participation in society. This should happen by providing equal access to all forms of education, eliminating discrimination in the education system, facilitating the integration of migrant workers into the education system and respecting their special needs. It should also happen by eliminating prejudice about culturally distinct population groups within a country and by promoting an inclusive learning environment.

III: Intercultural Education provides all learners with cultural knowledge, attitudes and skills that enable them to contribute to respect, understanding and solidarity among individuals, ethnic, social, cultural and religious groups and nations. This should happen by encouraging learners to struggle against racism and discrimination. It can also occur through the development of curricula that promote knowledge about cultural backgrounds and their impact. This means that learners should be aware of how our way of thinking, feeling, and evaluating is shaped by our own cultural background and experience.

By understanding how our background has shaped our values, assumptions, and judgments, we build a base for effective, reflective communication and cooperation across cultures and social boundaries – thereby developing the knowledge, skills, and understanding to create a more just and peaceful world.

The Guidelines on Intercultural Education are a part of the UNESCO online library, where you can also find other materials to learn more about ICL, Human Rights, Education, Culture, and more.

SALTO Youth – Online Resources for ICL Activities and Beyond

Posted on May 25, 2012 by charlotte.steinke@afs.org

SALTO Youth is a network of eight European resource centers that support youth and youth workers in their effort to unify Europe and to sustain peace in the European states. The SALTO Youth network is supported by the European Union, and a part of the European Youth Program.

This online resource is available to everyone! (not just Europeans) and offers many resources like the Toolbox for Youth Work. In the Toolbox, you can find a lot of methods and ideas for how to organize and conduct learning activities – as well as a more general insight into youth work and ICL (Intercultural Learning).

The Salto Youth Cultural Diversity Resource Center (one of the eight contributing resource centers) offers materials and training that may be especially interesting for all those who are excited about ICL. On its website, you can find documents on methods for Intercultural dialogue, such as a Leaflet on Intercultural Dialogue, or the Resource Pack for Intercultural Communication. You can use both to learn about culture and communication theories, and to get to know methods for intercultural training and other ICL activities.

If you register at MySALTO, you can have access to even more materials, like online applications, your own dashboard, and newsletters. Overall, this website can be very helpful if you want to conduct an ICL activity or simply learn more about intercultural topics.

Relevant to the AFS context, these training and informative resources can be used to help build the attitudes and knowledge needed to develop intercultural competence, openness and tolerance for a more just and peaceful world.

A Training Kit For Intercultural Learning – For Free!

Posted on May 15, 2012 by charlotte.steinke@afs.org

The European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe (CoE) have been partners since July 2010, and together fund the EU-CoE Youth partnership. On this Program’s website you can find a training kit for intercultural learning that you can download for free!

The training kit presents a view on intercultural training that is focused on developing Intercultural Learning (ICL) in the context of the European Union. This tool, however can also be applied outside of the EU. In the kit, you will find definitions of culture, of learning, and of ICL. You will also find a lot of exercises and training methods that can be used for intercultural training! As with all methods and materials, adaption may be necessary so it is relevant to your audience and becomes a great resource you can use to promote ICL in your community and learn how you can help others to cope with cultural differences.

The main definitions of culture that the kit builds on are the Iceberg model of culture, Geert Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions, Edward T. and Mildred Reed Hall’s behavioral components of culture, and Jaques Demorgon and Markus Holz’s discussion of culture.

Also, the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) by Milton J. Bennett is presented. In the section of “Methods”, very useful and applicable information is given about training activities for ICL.

Use this to promote intercultural learning and help us, both from within and outside of AFS, to promote peace and the intercultural competence that is needed to sustain peace. The training kit can provide you with a lot of ideas and tips that you will most certainly be able to use. We welcome your engagement and hope that you will get involved in ICL at AFS – contact us at icl@afs.org to learn more!

ICL and IR: Why Study Culture?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by paul.edinger@afs.org

Yet another example of how intercultural learning is very different from international relations: the goals sought by studying culture can vary significantly.

ICL improves the way we connect to other people.

Learning about other cultures through the concepts and theories of intercultural learning allows people to understand the meaning and context of culture, and then use that knowledge to interact with people from different cultures in a more understanding, cooperative and respectful way. Enthusiasts of theoretical intercultural learning find that particular achievement as an end unto itself and the field’s raison d’être. However, this is not always the goal in mind for people working with the concepts and theories of international relations. Intercultural learning focuses on the interpersonal and individual level, while international relations focuses on the state and organizational level, particularly with emphasis on the concept of cultural soft power.

One of the most studied areas within the field of international relations revolves around how states (not necessarily cultures, see last week’s post) should measure and invest political and economic power. Scholars have an ongoing discussion about different types of influence, such as soft power. Soft power is the political influence one state can have on other states via perceived attractive qualities. Culture plays a key role in this theory, but can have a very different perspective from the distinct field of intercultural learning.

Culture plays a role in this international relations concept because many

International Relations is more focused on State to State interactions

who study the subject believe that a state’s popular culture, society, history and general way of life can lead to international admiration. It is the hope that increased interest in a national culture will also increase willingness of other states to cooperate with the government of that culture. In terms of international relations, this is one clear goal in mind when some engage in cultural exchange. As you can see, this type of goal greatly contrasts with the goal of a cultural exchange from an intercultural learning perspective.

Cultural exchange in an intercultural learning context has more of a two-way focus. In intercultural learning, the overall goal of exchanging cultural qualities is not to attract a higher level of cooperation with a state or organization. In contrast, the goal of studying culture in an intercultural learning context is to leverage difference and to increase mutual understanding and tolerance to improve interpersonal cooperation.

However, sometimes the two subjects overlap. International political scientist Milton C. Cummings has described the term cultural diplomacy as “the exchange of ideas, information, values, systems, traditions, beliefs and other aspects of culture, with the intention of fostering mutual understanding.” This interpretation of soft power has more of an orientation towards intercultural learning.

While soft power in an international relations context can include such aspects of cultural diplomacy, a clear goal has been to use it as a way to increase the influence of the state internationally. In contrast, by increasing intercultural understanding, enthusiasts of intercultural learning have a very different focus, one that is far removed from the use of cultural soft power in international relations. Cultural diplomacy, like most aspects of intercultural learning, is about people-to-people interaction with mutual understanding as the end result. Studying culture in an international relations context does not always have only this goal in mind.

In many ways participants in AFS exchanges regularly engage in this sort of citizen diplomacy. While living abroad, AFSers, whether consciously or not, learn the ideals, practices, and beliefs of their home and host cultures. At the end of the program, the AFSer should have a greater understanding of culture. This is the goal that makes intercultural learning distinct as a field of study and differentiates it from others. It is consequently essential that AFS everywhere employ the unique intercultural learning theories and techniques to ensure that culture learning and adjustment are facilitated properly and with the greatest chance of success.

Paul Edinger is a strategic operations intern for the Intercultural Learning department at AFS International, where he works to facilitate the implementation of ICL strategy throughout the AFS Network. His time at AFS began in April of 2011 with the Development and Branding department and he continues in 2012 as an intern for ICL. Prior to joining AFS he taught English, Spanish and computer literacy courses to Guatemalan and Salvadoran immigrants to the United States while obtaining his B.A. in International Studies with a concentration in Latin America. He completed minors in Anthropology, Political Science, Latino Studies, and Spanish Language Studies.

Fons Trompenaars on Dilemma Reconciliation – free video

Posted on April 16, 2012 by charlotte.steinke@afs.org

In February this year, Fons Trompenaars held a keynote speech at the Social Conference 2012 about social media and its connection to dilemma reconciliation. Watch it here.

In his speech, Trompenaars explains dilemmas and how they may be reconciled. His speech aims to help understand cultural differences in dealing with a number of dilemmas. What would you do if you were confronted with the following situation? You witnessed your boss or teacher make a mistake – would you tell him or her? Under which circumstances? Are you honest or polite? Is hierarchy more important to you or the quality of your work/studies? Could you have it both ways? And there are many more dilemmas! Trompenaars introduces some of them in his speech.

Some cultures propose specific solutions to these problems, and these solutions are closely connected to their value preferences. In one group or society, honesty might be more important than politeness, and in another, the reverse may be true.

The same goes with respect for hierarchy. How do we deal with situations where someone who expects a high level of politeness and hierarchy meets someone with the opposite expectations? There are many situations like this that we have to deal with every day – especially in intercultural environments.

In our work with international AFSers – colleagues, volunteers and sojourners – and when you come to another country, many of us know what it means to try to reconcile the differences and to find a way to deal with each other that builds on recognition, respect, and understanding. This speech will help you to understand how.