the issue of culture understanding

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The issue of cultural understanding 

With the increasing globalization, the world becomes really small nowadays.  As a member of this globe, we get more chances to contact foreign cultures. Then if we want to understand a foreign culture very well, what should we do? Just like learning a language, developing cultural understanding occurs step by step over time. Development of cultural consciousness is a process that starts at the stage of no understanding and moves, in best case, to the stage of true empathy and cultural respect. So, in order to make a clearer explanation about the process, the five stages of cultural understanding are presented here.

Stage one: No understanding.

This level involves no awareness of the new culture. The point is quite easy to see. For a person who has few chances to get contact with other cultures. The person does not know anyone from the culture and has encountered few, if any, basic facts about the culture. So, naturally, the person certainly has no way to understand that culture at all.

Stage two: Superficial understanding.

This level involves awareness of very superficial aspects of the foreign culture —frequently negative aspects. At this stage of cultural awareness, the person knows a few basic facts of the new culture. These facts stand out and often serve as the basis of stereotypes. However, stereotypes are offensive because they imply that all people from a certain culture have the same characteristics. At this stage of cultural awareness, when stereotypes are keenly felt, the person is highly ethnocentric, that means the person just focuses on his or her own culture as the norm of what is “right” and comparing the new culture with the “better” culture back home. 

Stage three: Growing understanding and possible conflict.

In this stage the learner begins to be aware of more subtle,  sometimes less visible, traits in the foreign culture. A student learns that a given culture focuses on the family far more than on getting things accomplished. As a result, he or she begins to appreciate the huge importance of family value in this culture. So, we can see this understanding helps the person to see why things operate the way they do, but such an awareness does not always bring acceptance. In this stage, the person is still ethnocentric, home culture-oriented, comparing the culture that is “new” to his or her “old” home culture —and usually feeling that his or her own culture is much better. 

Stage four: Greater intellectual understanding.

At this stage, the learner begins to comprehend intellectually the people in the foreign culture, yet there is still little emotional empathy; the person cannot “feel what it is like” to be a member of that culture.  The learner thus starts to see things intellectually through the eyes of the “cultural bearers” at least part of the time. But they just cannot really feel the same way the members of other cultures feel. The learner begins to shed ethnocentrism a little bit and starts to understand the new culture more deeply. The person knows why things are done in the way they are done and accepts these things with less irritation. The comfort level is higher, and the person does not complain extensively about cultural differences. That makes a big sense in the process of cultural understanding.

Stage five: True empathy and cultural respect.

This level is the highest one of cultural awareness.

To attain this level, the learner must actually live in the foreign culture for some time. the amount of time is variable, greatly depending on the individual.

At the fifth stage, unlike the previous stages, the learner does not just see things intellectually from the viewpoint of the culture some or most of the time. Instead, he or she actually feels part of the culture, respects the culture fully, and empathizes emotionally with those who have lived all their lives in that culture.

By doing so, the person, in a real sense, achieves a true cultural understanding.

In summary, today’s lecture is centered on the stages in the growth of cultural consciousness.

Altogether there are five.

1. No understanding — means one does not know anyone from the culture, knows few, if any, facts.

2. Superficial understanding — means one knows some superficial facts and stereotypes.

3. Growing understanding and possible conflict —means one is aware of more subtle traits but may experience cultural conflicts;probably believes one’s own culture is superior.

4. Greater intellectual understanding —means one understands the culture intellectually but not emotionally.

5. True empathy and respect —means one understands the culture both intellectually and emotionally;can feel what the people in the culture feel.

Hope the lecture will be helpful in your nurturing of cultural awareness.

Thanks for your patience.