Facilitating Across Cultures
RCCI Institute
April, 2006
Mary Laeger-Hagemeister
laege001@umn.edu
Barb Radke
radke008@umn.edu
A Development Model
Of Intercultural
Sensitivity
Milton J. Bennett
Ethnocentric Stages
 Denial of Difference
A person is comfortable with the
familiar and not anxious to
complicate life with “cultural
Difference.” You may not notice
much difference around you.
1.
2.
Isolation: Homogenous groups
fail to generate opportunity or
motivation for noticing and
interpreting cultural difference.
Separation: Intentional
separation from cultural
difference protects world view
from having to change.
 Defense Against Difference
A strong commitment to own worldview and
some distrust of cultural behavior or
ideas that are different from own.
Aware of other cultures but relatively
incomplete understanding.
3.
4.
5.
Denigration: - Evaluate other cultures
negatively.
Superiority: - Existing cultural world
view is protected by exaggerating its
positive aspects
Reversal: - Tendency to see another
culture as superior while maligning
one’s own.
 Minimization
Do not view other cultures as a threat.
Your experience is that under the
surface people are all pretty much the
same. You seek to avoid stereotyping
and treat others as you would like to
be treated.
6.
7.
Physical Universalism; Emphasis on
commonality of human beings in terms
of physiological similarity
Transcendent Universalism: Emphasis
on commonality of human beings as
subordinate to a particular
supernatural being, religion, or social
philosophy.
Ethnorelative
Stages
 Acceptance
You acknowledge and accept cultural
differences and are aware that your culture
is just one of many ways of experiencing
the world. Work toward understanding of
other worldviews.
8. Behavioral Relativism: All behavior exists
in cultural context. Ability to analyze
complex interaction in culture-contrast
terms.
9. Value Relativism: Beliefs, values, and other
general patterns of assigning “goodness”
and “badness” to ways of being in the world
all exist in cultural context.
 Integration
You have a strong sense of self-awareness
and constantly see yourself as “in
process” of developing a multicultural
identity. You are most comfortable when
serving as a bridge between and a
connection among cultures.
12.
13.
Contextual evaluation: Ability to use
multiple cultural frames of reference in
evaluation phenomena.
Constructive Marginality: Acceptance of
an identity that is not primarily based in
any one culture. Ability to facilitate
constructive contact between cultures –
for one’s self and others.
 Adaptation
You recognize the value of having more
than one cultural perspective and
are able to “take the perspective”
of others. You are also
intentionally able to change your
culturally based behavior.
10.
11.
Empathy: Ability to consciously
shift perspective into alternative
cultural world view elements and
act in culturally appropriate ways.
Pluralism: Internalization of more
than one complete world view.
Behavior shifts completely into
different frames without much
conscious effort.
Success stories
Educational Access
– Hmong Population
– American Indian
Migrant population in rural community
Health care
Recapping Considerations
 Knowing your audience – understanding
cultural differences.
 Interpreter – allowing extra time and
understanding.
 Use of written recording.
 Developing trust – taking time to get to know
the group(s) with whom you will be working.
 Being open to take a risk – being willing to
make mistakes.
 Working with a co-facilitator.
Thank you!