4. U.S. HISTORY WITH RUSSIA
Russia sells Alaska to United States (1867)
U.S. allies with Soviet Union and other in WWII (1941)
The Cold War begins (1946)
President Truman vows to use arms to stop communist exp. (1950)
The arms race begins
Race to Space (1957-1969)
Bay of Pigs/Cuban Missile Crises (1961)
Soviet Union falls, Cold War end (1991)
Russia pursues Republic government (1992-today)
5. RUSSIA-UNITED STATES TODAY
•
Today, Russian and the United States are on (for the most part)
friendly terms. They work together economically and socially.
Many assumptions of Russia are based on past events. The two
countries still continue to disagree on many topics, but as long
as we can agree to disagree, and let those disagreements
spark new ideas, then we can work together and learn to
understand one another.
6. SO, WHO ARE THE RUSSIANS?
Strong Natured
Smaller Families, Family Oriented
Well Educated
Still Adjusting to Social Responsibility
Patrons of the Arts
8. WHERE WE BEGIN
ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES OF DMIS
DENIAL
•
“They were born here, so they
should know hot to do it the
American way.”
•
Dehumanizes outsiders
•
Ignore the reality of diversity
•
Separatists
•
The classroom can be brought out
of the stage by exploring other
cultures through research &
observation
DEFENSE
•
Negative evaluation of cultural
differences
•
Us-them mindset
•
“My way is the best way”
•
The class needs to move past this
stage. Stressing the commonalities
of people (ie. both Russia and U.S.
had to adjust to republic
governments) helps students
move forward
9. WHERE WE WILL BE
MINIMIZATION
•
Discovery of commonality
•
•
Everyone should be treated
the same
Classroom activities to raise
cultural awareness…
•
Presentations on
culture/history
•
Everyone shares the same
reality
•
The main key for movement
out of this stage is cultural
awareness
•
•
•
ie. Present a PowerPoint on
Russia’s cultural history
Research difficulties surrounding
Russian adjustment to
democratic culture
Explore with classmates the
cultural norms of Russia,
compare with American
10. WHERE WE CAN BE
ETHNORELATIVE STAGES OF DMIS
ACCEPTANCE
HOW CAN WE LEARN TO ACCEPT THE CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES/IDEAS RUSSIA HAS TO OFFER?
ADAPTION
HOW CAN WE SHIFT FRAMES OF REFERENCE TO INTERACT
BEHAVIORALLY WITH OUR RUSSIAN CLASSMATES?
•
Recognize/Appreciate cultural
difference
•
Become more competent in ability
to communicate across cultures
•
“The more cultures you know
about, the more comparisons you
can make”
•
Shift frames of reference
•
Cultural and behavioral adaption
•
“Movement into this stage is driven
by need for action”
•
The classroom can practice
adaption technique by interaction
•
Pen pals, web based class, etc.
11. THE MAIN GOAL: INTEGRATION
•
Move freely within culture groups
•
Internalization of bicultural or multicultural frames of reference
•
Acceptance of identity not based on any one culture
This stage may not be something every student can achieve in the
classroom, but can only be achieved through consistent personal work
on cultural attitude. Practices in the classroom should prepare students to
work on themselves so one day they will achieve this stage. This should be
the goal of all students graduating from a school with a focus in
multicultural education.
12. SOURCES
•
"Cold War." The History Channel. A&E Television Networks. Web.
27 Oct 2013. <http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war>.
•
Cushner, Kenneth, Averil McClelland, and Philip L.
Safford. Human diversity in education : an intercultural
approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.
•
"The Russian Mindset." Expat. The Moscow Expat Site. Web. 27
Oct 2013. <http://expat.ru/s_russian_mind.php>.
•
United States. Department of State. 200 Years of U.S.-Russia
Relations. Bureau of Public Affairs, Web.
<http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ci/rs/200years/>.
