Reflective Essay

Eight weeks does not seem to be a long period of time, but in reality it flies by fast. When this class started, the writer of this paper was not sure what to expect and quite honestly there was some nervousness. As a person who has never traveled outside of the country, there were questions about how well the author would relate to the subject of Intercultural/International Communications. Over the last couple of months it became quite apparent that there was a lot to learn, but there was also a good amount that was already known about the subject. The class opened eyes, minds and souls and asked questions and made people think about how they operate in life. Over the next few pages, this essay will look at what was learned during the class and how this writer will try to become more savvy in Intercultural/International Communications. Discrimination Merriam-Webster define discrimination as “the practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people differently from other people or groups of people” (n.d.). It is the dirty little word that has been at forefront for some of the most compelling, gut wrenching and earth shattering problems that has been seen in this country and the world. Whether it is the treatment of African-Americans in the United States or Hitler’s disdain for the Jewish people and culture, discrimination has been seen since the dawn of time. There are so many ways one can discriminate and we will look at a couple of examples in the next few paragraphs. Interpersonal Discrimination In the paragraph above there were two examples of Interpersonal Discrimination given. The examples of African-Americans in the United States and Hitler’s attempt at genocide with the Jewish people in Germany and the rest of Europe. Those examples are Interpersonal Discrimination because they involve one group feeling superior over another. It can happen in subtle ways with one group receiving advantages over another group. This type of discrimination can occur in any environment, even the health field. In a study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that: interpersonal discrimination in the health literature often focus on the perception of discrimination. By contrast, definitions used in other fields do not require awareness (or perception) on the part of the victim, nor discriminatory intent on the part of the perpetrator. Indeed, discrimination may occur in the absence of prejudice (implicit bias), and, even if not perceived by the victim, it may have detrimental effects (2013). Interpersonal discrimination is just one of many types of discrimination. Another type is collective and/or institutional discrimination. Collective and/or Institutional Discrimination Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), describes institutionalized or collective discrimination as discrimination “whereby individuals are systematically denied equal participation or rights in informal and formal ways” (pp. 62). Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), follow up their definition with the example of the Novartis pharmaceutical company. They write “Novartis was found guilty of discriminating against female employees, paying them less than their male counterparts and denying them promotions” (pp. 62). Even though this is a blatant example, collective and/or institutional discrimination can be subtle. No matter if it is blatant or subtle, collective and/or Institutional Discrimination can lead to problems that have far reaching effects. Pietsch, and Clark, (2014), looked at this type of discrimination in Malaysia and found that “Such experiences can lead to low levels of confidence in Malaysia's national institutions and have the capacity to undermine the kind of political support that is necessary for good governance and national stability”. Pop Culture and Identity For better or for worse, the choices that are made about Popular Culture can lead people to think some stereotypes are true. Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), presented several characteristics pop culture displays. “It is produced by culture industries, it is different from folk culture, it is everywhere, and it fills a social function”. They also explain that “popular culture is not consumption, it is culture—the active process of generating and circulating meanings and pleasures within a social system” (p. 206). These choices made with pop culture can lead to stereotypes, it can lead to a false idea of a culture or country, but it can also give one a look at cultures and countries without being there in person. By our choices in pop culture, we can affirm our beliefs, our faith and our culture (Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), pp. 217). Work and Intercultural Conflicts Different cultures view work in different ways. For that reason, it is important to know the culture one is doing business with or working for. Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), explain that work related values are split between school’s of thought. There is individualism which covers the United States and a good portion of the western world and asks workers to perform defined functions and responsibilities with boundaries between each person’s job (pp. 317). There is also Collectivism. This set of values are found in Asia, Central and South America and is the complete opposite of individualism. Collectivist cultures do not define job responsibilities, but have workers come together as a unit to accomplish the goal or task (Martin, and Nakayama, (2014), pp. 317). By not learning the different values of the countries or regions one might be working with, there is a risk that the culture in question can be offended. Which then can ruin a working relationship and could possibly hurt an organization on a grander scale. Cultures can also view work differently. While Americans think that working hard is the only way to get any where in life, there are other countries that see work as a necessity, but not always a priority. This too can raise a conflict between cultures. If one does not recognize the differences in beliefs about work between cultures, they run the risk of alienating or offending the opposite point of view. Becoming Savvy The past eight weeks has been an enjoyable excursion through the world of Intercultural/International Communications. The author of this paper found himself lacking in the world of this subject. This is the first time the writer learned anything about this subject because he has never been outside of the United States or worked with other cultures on a regular basis. The only way, right now, the author can continue on the path of becoming savvy is to continue to read, study and learn as much as possible about Intercultural/International Communications once this class is complete. He also hopes to work in a more diverse environment once his Communications degree is finished. Continuing to learn about this subject on a daily basis and then using the knowledge will go a long way in becoming savvy in Intercultural/International Communications. Effective Communication with Language Barriers Language is a barrier that can be tough to overcome. Even if two people speak the same language, different accents can cause people to lose the meaning of words or not even understand what is being said. One though can communicate through non-verbal cues or using translators. It may not be the ideal way to communicate and it could be more of a struggle than what it is worth, but it can be done. Conclusion At the beginning of the course the writer did not know what he was in for and may have been a bit defensive about some of the language being used in the text. The funny thing is, that over the time of this course, the author came to enjoy the opportunity of learning this course provided. The feelings of inadequacy because of the lack of life experiences in this field began to melt away and an excitement about different cultures and how to communicate effectively with them took over. There is an excitement to learn about different cultures and a lot of that has to do with the lack of experience around them. This author hopes to take what has been learned in this class and build upon it and use it as he works toward a new future once his diploma has been earned. References Future Directions in Research on Institutional and Interpersonal Discrimination and Children's Health. (2013). American Journal of Public Health, 103(10), 1754-1763. doi:10.2105/AJH.2012.300986 Martin, J., & Nakayama, T. (2014). Experiencing intercultural communication: an introduction. (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Pietsch, J., & Clark, M. (2014). Citizenship rights in Malaysia: the experience of social and institutional discrimination among ethnic minorities. Citizenship Studies, 18(3/4), 303-314. doi:10.1080/13621025.2014.905270 Yi, X., Ribbens, B., Fu, L., & Cheng, W. (2015). Variation in career and workplace attitudes by generation, gender, and culture differences in career perceptions in the United States and China. Employee Relations, 37(1), 66-82. doi:10.1108/ER-01-2014-0005

A Cultural Collage From Me to You