Second Opinion (2009, 4th edition): Online Case Studies by John Germov & Maria Freij
Beware of Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism involves judging other ethnic groups in relation to one’s own cultural
background and contains an inherent element of viewing one’s own culture as
superior to another. Ethnocentrism is learned; it is a culturally produced practice. It
differs from racism (overt discrimination), as it does not involve a negative vision of
other ethnic groups; rather, it entails a difficulty in understanding other cultures, as
the ethnocentrist applies his or her own perspective to the world, thereby inherently
ignoring the validity of other perspectives (Hooghe 2008).
As it can initially be difficult for a person to adopt the viewpoint of someone
from another culture, one way to deconstruct ethnocentrism is to examine where our
views and ideas come from, how we see the world, and why we see it in a certain
way. Ethnocentrism may not be able to be eradicated—we are culturally primed for a
set of values and beliefs—but an awareness of it can influence the way we view
others.
Ethnocentrism involves making assumptions about people who are different
to us. Because we cannot understand the Other, we attempt to make sense of it from
our own perspective. Since our perspective is informed by a different set of values,
which we find natural and ‘right’, we can often fail to understand other cultures.
Anthropologist Franz Boas developed the principle of cultural relativism to
avoid the ethnocentric perspective of researchers conducting fieldwork in cultures
other than their own. Marc Hooge (2008, p. 4) points out that there are two main
strains to ethnocentrism:
Cultural ethnocentrism finds its origin in the belief that one’s own
cultural norms and attitudes are superior to the cultures of other
societies or groups. Furthermore, cultural ethnocentrists believe that
this cultural order is threatened by the arrival of new groups (with
their own cultural norms) to the territory that is claimed as their own.
Cultural ethnocentrism often expresses itself in a symbolic manner,
for instance, in disagreements about the public presence of cultural
markers of identity such as clothing, religious symbols, or other
visible elements of minority cultures. Economic ethnocentrism is tied
more closely to the perception that other groups can be seen as
economic competitors and therefore should be limited in their
capacity as economic actors. Economic ethnocentrism can express
itself in discriminatory measures on the labor market, and in
boycotts or other consumer actions expressing a clear preference
for goods and services associated with one’s own culture.
Developing an awareness of the filter through which we see the world is
essential to opening the door to understandings of others and other cultures, and, to
good professional practice. A better understanding of others has the potential not
only to improve personal relationships, but also to reduce conflict in the world, as we
learn about other cultures and other ways of practice, expression, and thought.
Sociological reflection
What examples of cultural and economic ethnocentrism can you think of?
How might ethnocentrism affect health professionals’ interaction with their
patients?
References
Hooghe, M. 2008, ‘Ethnocentrism’, International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences,
MacMillan Reference, Philadelphia
www.kuleuven.be/citizenship/_data/etho_iess.pdf
‘Ethnocentrism—Definition, Universalizing Ethnocentrism, Conclusion, Bibliography’
http://science.jrank.org/pages/7675/Ethnocentrism.html