Transcript Cross Cultural Communication

Beyond Equality:
Equity, Social Justice, &
Cultural Competency
What is Culture?

Shared set of customs, beliefs, and experiences

Learned

Can be passed on/transmitted

Can be “unlearned”

Everyone has a culture
“Who Are You?” Activity

Find a partner.

Choose who is Partner A and Partner B.
 Partner A
repeatedly ask your Partner B the following question:
WHO ARE YOU?
 Respond

in one word or short phrase.
Then switch.
Processing

Share One Answer: I am____.

Which identities do you think play a role in how people perceive
you?

Which identities play a role in how people interact with you?

Which identities impact how people communicate with you?

Please explain your answers.
“Cultured You”
Cultural Identity Development Model
Dominant U.S.A Discourses of Visible & Invisible Identities
(Robinson, 1999)
Sexual
Orientation
Physical
Ability
Social
Class
Man;
Cisgender
Heterosexual
“AbleBodied”
Middle
Class +
Woman;
Transgender;
Gender NonConforming;
etc.
Lesbian;
Gay;
Bisexual;
etc.
Person with
Disability
Working
Class;
Poor
Race
Gender
White
Person of
Color
Cultural Identity Development Model
Stages of Minority
Development Model
Attitude toward self
Attitude toward Others of
the same minority
Attitude toward others of
different minority
Attitude toward dominant
group
Stage 1- Conformity
Self-deprecating or neutral
due to low group salience
Group-depreciating or
neutral due to low race
salience
Discriminatory or neutral
Group appreciating
Stage 2- Dissonance and
Appreciating
Conflict between selfdeprecating and groupappreciating
Conflict between groupdepreciating views of
minority hierarchy and
feelings of shared
experience
Conflict between dominantheld and group depreciating
Conflict between groupappreciating
Stage 3- Resistance and
immersion
Self-appreciating
Group-appreciating
experiences and feelings of
culturocentrism
Conflict between feelings
of empathy for other
minority
Group depreciating
Stage 4: Introspection
Concern with basis of self
appreciation
Concern with nature of
unequivocal appreciation
Concern with ethnocentric
basis for judging others
Concern with the basis of
group-depreciation
Stage 5: Integrative
Awareness
Self-appreciating
Group-appreciating
Group-appreciating
Selective Appreciation
Multiple Identities
Everyone is made of multiple identities.
 Sexual Orientation, Gender, Sex, Ethnicity, Age, Ability,
Religion, Creed, Socio-Economic Status, Nation of Origin,
Immigration Status, etc.
 One’s identities can come into conflict with each other or
create a unique cultural group within other groups.
 No one identity is more or less important than another,
they all make us who we are.
 Intercultural vs. Intracultural

What is Cultural Competency?

A developmental process occurring at individual and system
levels that evolves over an extended time period. Cultural
competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with
people of different cultures. It is defined as a set of congruent
behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a
system, agency, or those professionals [and students] to work
effectively in cross cultural situations. (Cross, et al. 1989;
Isaacs & Benjamin, 1991).

Operationally defined, cultural competence is the integration
and knowledge about individuals and groups of people into
specific standards, policies, practices and attitudes used in
appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of service
thereby producing better outcomes (Davis, 1997)

It is an ongoing process that requires consistent awareness of
self and others, self-reflection, education, and practice.
Why is Cultural Competence Important?

Exposes you to new experiences, perspectives, and people

Helps you:

Navigate a multicultural society and pluralistic world

Build healthy relationships

Avoid and manage conflicts

Creates more inclusive and welcoming communities
 Be
 Be
a better communicator
successful in your leadership roles, education,
professional life, and personal life
Levels of Cultural Competency
Cultural competence happens at several stages:

Personal – knowledge of one’s own cultural identities and how
they impact our attitudes, behaviors, and values

Interpersonal - our ability as individuals to successfully and
effectively interact with people from a variety of cultures and
navigate cultural differences

Societal/Systemic - deals with the systemic structures within
society (government, organizations, etc.) and how they deal
with and address culture difference
Stages of Cultural Competency
Cultural Competency Continuum

Cultural Destructiveness –Conscious, active and intentional
disregard for cultural difference

Cultural Incapacity- Unconscious or conscious disregard for
cultural differences characterized by negative attitudes
towards cultural differences, holding and perpetuating
stereotypes, and unwillingness to interact with people with
different cultural values, beliefs, and practices.

Cultural Blindness- ignorance of or inattention to cultural
differences and their significance in communication and
personal interactions.
Cultural Competency Continuum

Cultural Pre-Competence- Possessing a basic level of knowledge about
cultural differences and demonstrating the ability to effectively
interact with people from different cultural values, beliefs, and
practices. In this stage, one is just beginning to recognize the
significance of culture and is in the process of gaining more
knowledge, training and resources in these areas.

Cultural Competence/Advanced Cultural Competence- When
Individuals hold culture in high esteem and actively seek to add to
their cultural competence by:
adding to their awareness and knowledge of other cultures,
 proactively addressing cultural insensitivity and changing
discriminatory practices
 creating inclusive and welcoming environments where everyone is
treated equitably and with respect.

Cultural Competency Skill Areas

Awareness (Personal and Interpersonal)

Knowledge of one’s own “cultural lens” (i.e. cultural background, beliefs, values,
practices, etc.)
 The ability to recognize one’s own potential and real prejudices and biases based on
cultural differences
 Awareness of when my “cultural lens” is inhibiting and/or interfering with my
interactions with or sensitivity with people who are from cultural backgrounds other
than my own.
 Exposure to and knowledge of a variety of cultures (i.e. cultural perspectives, values,
practices, etc.) other than one’s own

Types of Activities & Experiences that Build Awareness
 personal reflection
 identity exploration and development exercises
 personality/strengths assessments
 educational cultural programming
 social cultural programming
Cultural Competency Skill Areas

Cultural Knowledge



Understanding and comprehension of culture’s different from one’s own
Knowledge of the dynamics and issues surrounding culture and cultural
competency (i.e. privilege, systems of oppression, social justice theory,
etc.)
Activities & Experiences that Build Cultural Knowledge
 educational cultural programming
 social cultural programming
 multicultural communities
 involvement and/or membership in multicultural/community activism
organizations
 social justice curriculum
Cultural Competency Skill Areas


Sensitivity (Empathy)
•
Openness to learning about other cultures
•
The ability to listen to and consider the perspectives of other people
without allowing one’s own values, perspectives and biases to interfere
•
The ability to override our prejudices and biases and respond to cultural
differences in a culturally sensitive and effective way
Activities & Experiences that Build Sensitivity
•
personal reflection
•
educational workshops and trainings on diversity, multiculturalism, and/or
social justice
•
involvement and/or membership in multicultural/social justice organizations
•
educational cultural programming
Cultural Competency Skill Areas


Communication and Dialogue
•
The ability to interact effectively with people from cultural backgrounds other
than one’s own.
•
The ability to navigate and resolve the conflicts that arise due to differences in
cultural beliefs, values and perspectives.
•
Actively encouraging open communication and dialogue between various
cultures
•
Ability to facilitate dialogue with and between various cultural groups.
Activities & Experiences that Build Communication and Dialogue
•
intergroup dialogues
•
conflict management training
•
involvement and/or membership in multicultural/social justice organizations
Cultural Competency Skill Areas

Adaptability
Commitment to the continuous leaning necessary to deal with issues
caused by cultural difference.
• Ability to integrate cultural knowledge into attitudes behavior, practices,
and policies either as an individual or an organization
• The ability to recognize cultural cues
• Ability to navigate the dynamics of difference
•

Activities & Experiences that Build Adaptability
• cultural immersion programs
• involvement, membership and/or leadership in multicultural organizations
• prolonged exposure to cultures other than one’s own
Cultural Competency Skill Areas


Engagement & Immersion
•
Actively seeking opportunities to interact with cultures other than one’s own
•
Actively creating welcoming and inclusive spaces where people from all cultural
backgrounds have their perspectives, practices, values and beliefs respected and
considered
Activities & Experiences that Build Engagement & Immersion
•
cultural immersion programs (study abroad, etc.)
•
active study of another culture through personal experience or course work (taking
a language; majors that deal with the exploration of various cultures
•
involvement, membership and/or leadership in multicultural organizations
•
prolonged exposure to cultures other than one’s own
Cultural Competency Skill Areas


Advocacy
•
Ability to recognize and confront social inequities and injustices
•
Ability and willingness to advocate for positive social change
•
Utilizing resources to serve underrepresented and marginalized
populations
Activities & Experiences that Build Advocacy
•
community service/service learning programs
•
anti –oppression training
•
advocacy/ally trainings
Equality vs. Equity vs. Social Justice

Equality


Equity


Providing the same resources, policies, and practices,
regardless of difference; limited; individually the same
Providing resources, policies, and practices based on varying
needs; limited; individual differences
Social Justice

A process of providing resources, policies, and practices
based on varying needs and working towards eliminating the
causes of the disparities; unlimited; structural differences
Equality vs. Equity vs. Social Justice
REALITY
EQUALITY
EQUITY
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Class is a “Fence”

Social Stratification; Reinforces Itself

Socially Constructed

Culturally Specific

Hierarchical

Changes Over Time

Intersectional and Interconnected with Other Identities
 Economic
Status, Nation of Origin, Religion, Language, Jobs,
Family History, Education Level, Race, Ethnicity, Appearance,
etc.
 Any

of the Above Can Also Be Indicators of Class
Structural Oppression
Class is a “Fence”

The Oblongs
 What
are the “fences” in this clip?
Impact Areas of Structural Oppression
Economics
 Health/Wellness/Healthcare
 Safety
 Education
 Type of Work
 Geographic Location
 Leisure Time
 Quality of Housing
 Access to Technology
 Environment
 Increased Risk Factors

Can You See the “Fence”?

Implicit-Association Tests (IAT’s)

Absorbed cultural messages that influence our world view

Impossible to see if you do not know they exist

Are possible to change with work/time

Note: IAT’s Can be used to assess bias, but not for HR/staffing
purposes
Where are the “fences” or potential for
structural oppression and individual bias appear
in the work?

Economics

Health/Wellness/Healthcare

Safety

Education

Type of Work

Geographic Location

Leisure Time

Quality of Housing

Access to Technology

Environment

Increased Risk Factors
Sexual
Orientation
Physical
Ability
Social
Class
Man;
Cisgender
Heterosexual
“AbleBodied”
Middle
Class +
Woman;
Transgender;
Gender NonConforming
Lesbian;
Gay;
Bisexual;
etc.
Person with
Disability
Working
Class
Poor
Race
Gender
White
Person of
Color
Communicating with Diverse People

We all have biases

We all can be the offender/offended

Learning effective self & community advocacy is critical

Helping vs. Serving

Discomfort vs. Unsafe
Causes of Conflict

Different values and beliefs systems

Overwhelming stressors

Unknown or known elements in environment

Communication Breakdown (most common cause)

Investment of both parties

Hidden agendas
Helping vs. Fixing vs. Serving

“In the service of life”
Helping vs. Fixing vs. Serving

“In the service of life”