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“IT’S IN THEIR CULTURE”: ENGAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN THE CONTEXT OFA GLOBAL WORLD

Sujata Warrier, PhD

Phone: 212-417-5944

e-mail: sujata-warrier@att.net

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Goals Of This Session

As a result of this presentation, you will be better able to: Define the terms culture and cultural competency and enhance respect

for the dynamics of difference. Identify ways in which culture is relevant in the every encounter. Recognize cultural misinformation and avoid assumptions about a

person or the facts of a situation based on misinformation. Assess blinding preferences that are brought to various encounters

that might influence demeanor or the interpretation of facts, or

developing diverse messages and shaping outcomes. Apply framework to cases

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

TASK

During the next few minutes, fill in each box presented with stereotypes that exist “out there in the world”

May be positive or negative Each group divided into men and women Awareness of a stereotype DOES NOT mean

that you believe it

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

First Nations

Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

Asian Canadians

Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

Jewish

Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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PoorMen 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Caucasian/White

Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Immigrants Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Gays/Lesbians Gays 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Lesbians 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Disabled Men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Women 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

Research indicates that stereotyping is part of the normal psychological process of categorization that under pertinent conditions, can lead to inaccurate generalizations about individuals...

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Categorization The process by which we classify items,

objects, or concepts, placing them together in groupings on the basis of their similarities with each other.

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Stereotypes A set of attributes ascribed to a group and

imputed to its individual members simply because they belong to that group.

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Stereotypes Descriptive

tell how most people in the group supposedly behave, what they allegedly prefer, and where their competence supposedly lies.

Prescriptive tell how certain groups

should think, feel, and behave.

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Stereotype matching advantage indicates that information that fits one’s

stereotypes is automatically processed; it is easy to take in, making stereotypes seem to fit automatically.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

SUMMARY

The brain, through such processes as categorization and stereotype-matching advantage, processes information through various short-cuts that tend to reinforce our expectations, especially under stressful circumstances.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

SUMMARY (cont...)

The elimination of stereotypes requires more than good will. It requires: awareness of stereotypes, motivation to avoid reliance upon them, and an intentional thought process.

©Sujata Warrier, 2009

SUMMARY

We are all products of our culture and experience

As such, we hold or are aware of many assumptions about our own and other groups

Sources of stereotypes are many Effects may be positive or negative

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Dynamics of Difference “…encourage us to tolerate and interpret ambivalence,

ambiguity, and multiplicity as well as expose the roots of our need for imposing order and structure no matter how arbitrary and oppressive these needs may be. If we do our work well, reality will appear more unstable, complex and disorderly than it does now.” J.Flax, 1990. Thinking Fragments:Psychoanalysis, Feminism and

Postmodernism in the Contemporary West. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp.56-7

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Cultural Competency Begins With: Being aware of one’s

biases, prejudices and knowledge about a victim. For example, Challenge your

assumptions. Take into consider implicit

bias Use appropriate language. Be aware of assumptions of

family.

Recognizing professional power and avoiding the imposition of those values. For example, Use non-judgmental

questions

Listen to the person. For example, Let them narrate their story. Do not assume people have

resources.

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY BEGINS WITH:

Gathering information about the person’s interpretation of their culture. For example in assessment: “what is it like for you

to talk about this problem in your community?”

Validating the person’s strengths. For example in intervention: thank them for sharing and

acknowledge existing support systems and efforts to keep safe.

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CULTURAL COMPETENCY BEGINS WITH: Insuring safety and self-

determination. For example, Take into account culturally

specific needs.

Developing linkages with the community. For example, Give culturally appropriate

referrals. Work with community

based agencies.

Negotiating the acceptance of a different set of values. For example, Remember, it takes time for

people to accept new systems and ideas.

Patience is the key.

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“World Travelling1” method of Cultural Competency Culturally challenging practices require a vision

of independence and connectedness: understanding oneself in one’s own historical context with an

emphasis on the overlaps, influences, and conditions one observes in the other.

Understand one’s historical relationship to the other - see the self as the other sees you

must see the other in their own context.

Arrogant perception creates distance between oneself and “the Other”.

1Gunning, Isabella. 1992. “Female Genital Surgeries,” Columbia Human Rights Law Review 23(2):189-248.

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Value Diversity Diversity is stability Diversity is strength Diversity is a challenge

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Reminder “Our struggle is for a fundamental change in social

relationships rather than for a per community quota of representations in the parliament of “race” and “ethnicities.” We are engaged in politics, linking theories with practices, examining ideologies through our lives, and our lives through revolutionary ideas. We are not shopping in the market of cultural differences”. Bannerji, Himani. 1993. “Returning the Gaze:An Introduction,” in Returning the Gaze.

Toronto: Sister Vision, p.xxix

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In conclusion……

“It seems utopian, but the world must recover its capacity for dreaming and in order to start, a new paradigm is required…..”

Cecilia Lopez