cross cultural communication studies in various approacheds to cultural studies

1. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION

2. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
• IMPORTANCE
• RELEVANCE TO YOUR JOB
• HISTORICAL EXAMPLES
– BEST: BRITISH IN INDIA
– WORST: GERMANS IN RUSSIA

3. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
TERMINAL OBJECTIVE
• ANALYZE FOREIGN CULTURE
• BREAK DOWN INTO COMPONENTS
• BEGIN A PROCESS OF
UNDERSTANDING

4. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENTUSAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
THE CHALLENGE
RECEIVER
LANGUAGE
MIXER
SENDER PERSONAL
BAGGAGE
PERSONAL
BAGGAGE
CULTURAL
BAGGAGE
CULTURAL
BAGGAGE

5. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENTUSAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CHARACTERISTICS OF
CULTURE
CULTURE IS
– LEARNED
– ACQUIRED
– SOCIAL
– IDEATIONAL
– GRATIFYING
– ADAPTIVE
– INTEGRATIVE
CULTURE IS A COMPLEX, WHOLE WAY OF LIFE WITH CONSISTENCIES
AMONG ITS COMPONENTS

6. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
FORIEGNER
SEES REAL CULTURE
THROUGH PRISM OF
HIS IDEAL CULTURE
ETHNOCENTRISM
BELIEFS FEELINGS
PERCEIVED CULTURE
CULTURE
SHOCK
GAP IN
UNDERSTANDING
REAL
CULTURE
IDEAL
CULTURE
CULTURAL
FILTER

7. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
“OUR” CULTURE
AS WE SEE IT
• ACTION NOT WORDS
• WE CONTROL OUR ENVIRONMENT
• PROGRESS IS EVER UPWARD
• MATERIAL OVER SPIRITUAL
• WE MAKE OUR SUCCESS
• THE INDIVIDUAL IS THE KEY
• THE INDIVIDUAL IS A MORAL CREATURE
• TIME IS MONEY
• THE WORLD IS RATIONAL
• GOODWILL BEGETS GOODWILL
• EQUALITY IS FOR ALL

8. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
OUR CULTURE
AS OTHERS SEE US
• NARCISSISTIC/HEDONISTIC/SELFISH
• SHALLOW
• VAIN-NEED ADMIRATION
• UNEDUCATED/PROVINCIAL
• HEGEMONIC
• VIOLENT
• GLORIFICATION OF MACHINE OVER MAN
• SPIRITUALLY EMPTY/IMMORAL
• WORSHIP MONEY
• RACIST

9. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
PROSTITUTION, AIDS AMONG U.S. TROOPS
JN2908103790 (CLANDESTINE) HOLY MECCA RADIO
IN ARABIC 0840 GMT 29 AUG 90
THE AMERICAN SOLDIER HAS COME WITH ALL OF HIS MANIFESTATIONS
OF DECADENCE DOMINATING U.S. SOCIETY, DRUGS, PROSTITUTION,
AND AIDS, WHICH IS RAMPANT AMONG THEIR MEN AND WOMEN. YOU
KNOW THIS DISEASE AND HOW IT SPREADS QUICKLY. THIS MEANS
THAT THE INVASION IS NOT ONLY MILITARY-REPRESENTED BY THE
OCCUPATION OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY-BUT ALSO AN
EPEDEMIC SPREADING ALL THE DISEASES OF U.S. SOCIETY, INCLUDING
DRUGS, ALCOHOL, PROSTITUTION, AND AIDS. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR
NOT, WE WILL BE THE VICTIMS OF ALL THESE SINS IN OUR GREATER
SOCIETY, AND AMONG OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
FBIS-NES-90-169
30 AUG 1990

10. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
C3: TALKING POINTS
U.S. TO DO
ACHIEVED
SELF-RELIANT
INDEPENDENT
FUTURE
OTHER TO BE
ASCRIBED
FAMILY
DEPEND
HERITAGE
“IN AMERICA YOU ARE WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED”
“IN OTHER CULTURES YOU ARE WHAT YOUR FAMILY IS”

11. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURE
DEFINITION
SET OF RULES OR STANDARDS SHARED BY MEMBERS
OF A SOCIETY THAT, WHEN ACTED UPON BY THE MEMBERS,
PRODUCES BEHAVIOR THAT OTHER MEMBERS FIND ACCEPTABLE
OR……”A WAY OF LIFE”

12. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
WE ARE WHAT WE ARE DUE TO:

13. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
IDENTIFYING CULTURES
WITHIN CULTURES
SUBCULTURES
FOLLOW MANY NORMS OF THE MASS CULTURE, BUT
ALSO HAVE MANY NORMS OF THEIR OWN.
COUNTERSUBCULTURES
RESIST MANY NORMS OF THE MASS CULTURE
WE SHOULD AVOID STEREOTYPING A CULTURE: THERE ARE MANY
SUBCULTURES WITHIN CULTURES.

14. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
COMPONENTS OF
CULTURE
CULTURE
LANGUAGE
ATTITUDES
AND VALUES
RELIGION
SOCIAL
ORGANIZATION
LAW
POLITICS
TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION

15. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
DEFINITIONS
CULTURE IS WHAT PEOPLE THINK!
LANGUAGE IS HOW PEOPLE THINK!

16. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
LAYERS OF CULTURE
WHAT WE DO
WHAT IS GOOD OR BEST
WHAT IS TRUE
WHAT IS
REAL
WORLD
VIEW
BELIEFS
VALUES
BEHAVIOR
MAN’S BASIC NEEDS
(ENVIRONMENT/TECHNOLOGY)

17. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT I:
LANGUAGE
VERBAL
ESKIMOS
OVER 25 WORDS TO DESCRIBE SNOW/ NONE FOR WAR
ARABS
OVER 6,000 WORDS TO DESCRIBE CAMEL, ITS PARTS AND EQUIPMENT
ENGLISH
OVER 300,000 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL WORDS.
NON-VERBAL
COLORS, DISTANCE, CLOTHING, SMELLS, TASTES, AND BEHAVIOR
LANGUAGE IS A CULTURAL MIRROR

18. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURE AND LANGUAGE
COMMUNICATION
LANGUAGE NOISES GESTURES EXPRESSION
VERBAL NON-VERBAL
•ANIMALS COMMUNICATE
•ONLY HUMANS USE LANGUAGE

19. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
INFORM
CONVINCE
CREATE

20. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT
II: RELIGION
•MAJOR RELIGIONS
ANIMISM
HINDUISM
BUDDHISM
ISLAM (MUSLIM)
CHRISTIANITY
JUDAISM
•RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
ATTITUDES
LAWS
POLITICS
EDUCATION
TECHNOLOGY
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
LANGUAGE
RELIGION GIVES CULTURES A REASON FOR EXISTENCE

21. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT III:
ATTITUDES AND VALUES
MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS
TIME
WEALTH
MATERIAL GAIN
WORK
ACHIEVEMENT
CHANGE
TERRITORY
ATTITUDES AND VALUES DIFFER FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE

22. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
VALUES
•IN PLACE AT AN EARLY AGE (10-12)
•IMPRINTED BY FAMILY, SCHOOL, CHURCH, PEERS, MEDIA
•THEY ARE THE “GUTS” OF A CULTURE

23. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT IV:
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
INCLUDES
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
FRIENDSHIPS
CLASS STRUCTURE
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS
LABOR UNIONS
REFERENCE GROUPS
MALE/FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS
POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS
PEOPLE ORGANIZE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER CULTURAL VALUES

24. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT
V: LAW
LEGAL SYSTEMS
CIVIL LAW
COMMON LAW
COMMUNIST LAW
INDIGENOUS LAW
MUSLIM LAW
LEGAL
CONSIDERATIONS
FINANCES
TAXES
TRANSPORTATION
MONEY
IMPORT EXPORT
INVESTMENTS
LAWS ARE THE RULES ESTABLISHED BY A CULTURE’S SOCIETY, AUTHORITIES
OR CUSTOMS.

25. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT
VI: POLITICS
IS THE NATION-STATE….
CAPITALISTIC?
COMMUNISTIC?
NATIONALISTIC?
COLONIAL?
AT WAR?
IN A COLD WAR?
AN ALLY?
POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS MUST PERMEATE EVERY INTERCULTURALTRANSACTION

26. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURAL COMPONENT
VII: TECHNOLOGY
ILLUSTRATED THROUGH
LANGUAGE
ARTIFACTS/MATERIAL SYMBOLS
ENERGY SOURCES
PRODUCTION
OCCUPATION
ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION
TECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED INTERCULTURAL DEPENDENCE

27. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
ACCEPTING FOREIGN
CULTURE
FOUR COMPONENTS
•ASSESS NATIONAL/CULTURAL PERSONALITIES
•KNOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL CHARACTER
AND STEREOTYPING
•KNOW YOUR OWN CULTURE
•KNOW YOURSELF

28. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURE AND
STEREOTYPING
STEREOTYPING
•ESTONIANS: DULL AND APATHETIC
•LATVIANS: SUSPICIOUS, CUNNING, AND OPPORTUNISTIC
•LITHUANIANS: TIMID, INSECURE, SUBSERVIENT
•ARMENIANS: PARASITES
•UKRANIANS/BELORUSSIANS: UNTERMENSCHEN
FROM STUDY PREPARED BY
WEHRMACHT GHQ
PRIOR TO INVASION OF USSR (1941)

29. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CHARACTERIZING
LEGITIMATE CHARACTERIZATIONS
(SPEAKING OF AMERICANS) “ UNDER THE LONG-TERM
INFLUENCE OF AFFLUENCE AND COMMERCIALIZED
PRESSURES TO CONSUME, THE IDEAL OF SELF-DENIAL HAS
COME TO BE LESS AND LESS ACCEPTED.”
(R.H. WILLIAMS JR.)

30. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
STEREOTYPING
“THE DOLLAR IS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IMPORTANT SYMBOL OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, SECOND THE AUTOMOBILE.”
(V. NIKOLAIEV)

31. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
NATIONAL
STEREOTYPING
THE GROSS SIMPLISTIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PEOPLE
DISTORTING THE TRUTH-
•RUSSIANS- MOODY
•GERMANS- INDUSTRIOUS
•ENGLISH- RESERVED
•FRENCH- EXCITABLE

32. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
U.S./WESTERN CULTURE
ORIGINS OF ANTI-AMERICANISM
•PRIMITIVE
•COMMUNIST
•IDEALOGICAL
•CULTURE (BEHAVIOR/VALUES)
•ELITIST

33. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
SUGGESTIONS
BETTER HUMAN RELATIONS
CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS
•SPEAK TO PEOPLE
•CALL PEOPLE BY NAME
•ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS A PERSON
•BE FRIENDLY AND OPEN
•BE CORDIAL

34. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
SUGGESTIONS
(CONT’D)
•FIND A LOCAL CONTACT
•ESTABLISH CONTACTS
•RETURN APPROPRIATE FAVORS
•STRESS FORMALITY
•SHOW RESPECT FOR STATUS & AGE
•BE PATIENT
•MODIFY ATTITUDE ON INDIVIDUALISM
•EXPECT PROBLEMS & MISTAKES
•AVOID VIOLATING FUNDAMENTAL TABOOS
•REMEMBER “NORMAL VS. DEVIANT” BEHAVIOR

35. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
SUGGESTIONS
(CONT’D)
•BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN PEOPLE
•BE GENEROUS WITH PRAISE AND CAUTIOUS WITH CRITICISM
•STOP COMPARING EVERYTHING TO THE AMERICAN CULTURE
•BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER’S FEELINGS
•BE ALERT TO HELP/ GIVE SERVICES
•DON’T TRY TO GO NATIVE
•CULTIVATE SENSE OF HUMOR
•LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

36. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
ADOPTING A CULTURAL
PERSPECTIVE
ASK:
•WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MY CULTURE AND YOUR
CULTURE?
•HOW DO THESE DIFFERENCES AFFECT THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PEOPLE?
•HOW WILL PEOPLE REACT TO MY MESSAGE?
•HAVE I CHECKED ALL OF THE POSSIBLE SOURCES?
WATCH FOR CUES FROM THE ENVIRONMENT AND FINDINGS
FROM THE RESEARCH.

37. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL
COMMUNICATIONS PROCESS
CULTURE SHOCK
•WHAT? PSYCHOLOGICAL ORIENTATION
•WHO? EVERYBODY WHO GOES OCONUS
•WHEN? AS SOON AS YOU ENTER THE COUNTRY
•LENGTH? IN STAGES

38. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
TWO PATHS TO FAILURE
•LIVING IN AN AMERICAN EMBRYO
•GOING “NATIVE”

39. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
CULTURE & MILITARY
OPERATIONS
SPEAKING ON U.S. MILITARY
ROLE IN OPERATION “PROVIDE COMFORT”
“AID PROFESSIONALS WELCOMED THEIR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT… BUT NOTED
GAPS IN THEIR FAMILIARITY WITH HUMANITARIAN LAW & STANDARD AID
PRACTICES. SINCE THE MOST DIFFICULT AID CHALLENGES OFTEN ARE NOT
LOGISTICS BUT INTERACTION WITH LOCAL PEOPLE & INSTITUTIONS, PENTAGON
HELP MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE BEHIND THE SCENES THAN ON THE FRONT
LINES.”
L. MINEAR
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
(CSM 29 JUL 91)

40. USAJFKSWC REGIONAL STUDIES DETACHMENT
QUESTIONS?