Living cultural diversity

Using empathy to promote dialogue and understanding between cultures

An empathic approach of culture

There are many ways to talk about culture and cross-cultural communication. Some guides will focus on practical tips and important differences with a culture of reference. They can surely be very handy at times. Some writers have conceptualized cultural differences, notably Geert Hofstede who has identified various fundamental axis / dimensions on which cultures define themselves.  (see: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/)

What we propose here is to develop of a certain cultural empathy, by understanding what culture means for oneself and for individuals in general. Most of us are attached intellectually and emotionally to cultural elements (at least some). One need to understand why it is so, and take distance from our own references if one wants to adopt truly respectful behaviors and show understanding for cultural references of other people.  

What is culture?

One can argue for hours about what is cultural and what is not. To do short, I consider that culture is a way to perceive the world. Attributing importance to some values, meaning to history, opposing oneself to other cultures and creating symbols, one can feel oneself exist within a defined environment and/or as a member of a group.

Because culture is about what one values, it has a very large emotional dimension, whether this is expressed directly (violence, racism, exaltation) or through more refined channels (values, art, religion, science).

The story of culture: a quest of essence through existence

Human beings feel the need to position themselves in their environment. Culture is about valuing what one recognizes as good for oneself and for the group one belongs to. In the history of civilizations cultures have continuously evolved, but they express a quest of essence through existence – or one could also say – a quest of meaning in the world and in their lives.

This is why culture is closely linked to both material and spiritual practices (habits, art, language,…), and why it has a strong historical component (to define myself, I need to know where I come from).

Individuals and culture

            Culture is an important constitutive feature of individuals personality. The latin orgin, cultura refers primarily to “growing crops”. As such one can consider that culture is the social ground on which individuals are growing. Each individual does not integrate or adopt the same cultural elements, positioning her/himself differently on this social ground. This has created a distinction between collective culture (made of elements common to a group), and individual culture (a unique combination).

In a globalized world the boundaries of group cultures are not well defined anymore. Individuals travel and exchange information throughout the world - therefore it becomes more and more relevant to study how individuals relate to culture and create their own individual vision of the world.

Values and culture

Culture is the very expression of what is valued by a group or individual.

Definition: a value is something that matters for people, something they give importance to, and that guides their lives (consciously or not).

Values are expressed either directly or into habits (for example showing some concerns of hygiene, efficiency, or some focus on family, community,…), into “beliefs” (whether logical/scientific or not), or into artistic expressions (music, painting, clothing,…). Those “values” may be well hidden or indirect. Sport may indeed reflect values of effort, team play, fighting spirit, focus on local and/or national community (when supporting the village team or national team). Such values will also be expressed in religion (though morality, religious community organization) or science (labor organization, choices of research direction, choice of theoretical current) - both organize social life and determine what I value and what I believe in.  

Cultural empathy

When observing culture with empathy, one should first recognize what is important in the considered culture. Before judging, try to feel how important those values could be for the members of that culture, refering to your own values and what they mean to you.

If the considered values are really far from yours (such as totally different religious beliefs) just try to consider something that has value for you – just to get an emotional feel of the importance of that value. However, try to find points of comparison or adaptation based on: experience, knowledge, emotional sensitivity, sensibility, education and intellectual capacities. All those dimensions may impact how we consider values.

Keeping that in mind, and knowing that culture is for most people essential in how they define themselves, you will be able to have an appropriate cultural sensitivity and possibly open dialogue. Knowing or guess what is important for the person you interact with, you will be able to show appropriate respect and behaviors and communicate efficiently.

In case your culture is in opposition with another culture, try to see if you will offend more yourself or the other person by complying to one or the other cultural rule. Often, an intermediate way is possible.  

A summary

Culture is about how one sees the world, what one values (consciously or not), and define oneself. Understanding and respecting a culture therefore implies the identification of what matters to the considered group or individual. It implies recognizing not only intellectually but also through one’s sensibility, emotional sensitivity and experience that culture is an important constitutive element of individuals psychology (both yours and others’). An empathic approach is the most appropriate to help us success in this task, by helping us take distance from culture itself and see how it intimately affects oneself and others.   

Additional resources 

The relationship of culture and empathy in cross cultural counseling (practice and theory). 

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1554104/The-relationship-of-culture-and.html#abstract

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