Third Culture Kids: growing
up in different cultures
Dr. Elisabeth Stern
emPower 2012
Who are Third-Culture Kids
• The term originated about 40 years ago with Dr. Ruth
Useem, a sociologist at Michigan State University/USA.
• She and her husband were doing work with US families on
overseas assignments.
• While working with the adults, she also had an
opportunity to observe the kids. She said: «There is
something different about these kids. They function at a
whole different level. They think differently. They have a
different base, and a different point of reference.»
• She coined the term Third-Culture Kid.
….alternative terms
• Other terms that have been used for these children are
Global Nomads, Transnationals, Transculturals,
internationally mobile children and missionary kids.
Who are Third Culture Kids?
• A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person
– who has spent a significant part of his or her
developmental years outside the parents’
culture(s), or
– whose parents have each a different cultural
background and/or the child grows up in a
country different from any of his/her parent’s
homecountry.
4
What is unique about TCKs?
• They integrate elements of those cultures where they live
with their own birth culture into a third, different and
distinct culture (Useem, 1999).
Third Culture Kids
Culture A
Culture B
Bi -Culturality
Internal culture shock
Encapsulated
Cultural Marginality
Constructive
Marginality
Marginality
6
Cultural Marginality
(1)
• Cultural Marginality describes an experience in which people
do not tend to fit perfectly into any one of the cultures to
which they have been exposed to or with which they have
interacted,
• but they may fit comfortably on the edge, in the margins, of
two or more societies,
• with an identity that moves beyond any single culture.
• Source: Janet Bennett, 1993)
7
Cultural Marginality
(2)
• Encapsulated marginality results when an individual (TCK)
feels overwhelmed by identity conflict, unable to control
personal boundaries, and alienated from all reference groups.
Such a person never feels at home.
• Constructive marginality results when an individual (TKC)
can construct his or her own identity, control personal
boundaries, and achieve authentic relationships. This person is
never not at home.
8
Common Personal Characteristics
of TCKs
•
•
•
•
•
Bi- oder multi-lingual
Large world view
Cross-cultural lifestyle
«Home» is everywhere and nowhere
Although elements from each culture are assimilated into
the TCK’s life experience, the sense of belonging is often in
relationship to others of similar background rather than
shared race or ethnicity. (David C Pollock, developer of the
TCK Profile)
Characteristics and skills of TCKs
• Can shift codes in nonverbal patterns: can adapt body
language, eye contact, touching behaviour
• Can shift codes in communication style, from circular to
linear, indirect to direct, emotionally expressive to
emotionally restraint or vice versa.
• Can anticipate value clashes among the various cultural
frames with which he or she is familiar.
• Uses culturally appropriate conversation rituals and
problem solving strategies.
• Is able to verbalize cultural contrasts in terms of strengths
and limits of each cultural pattern.
• Is a bridge builder!
Multicultural Identity
• In 2000, for the first time ever, the US Census allows
individuals to identify as multiracial
• Before, being born biracial or multiracial was considered
«pathological».
• It is possible to have a multiracial and multicultural
identity and feel whole and complete (=constructive
marginality)
• See earlier model by Larke Huang, presented by
Véronique Schoeffel.
Contact
elisabeth.stern@bluewin.ch