The Space in Between
“Between even the
closest human beings
infinite distances exist yet
a wonderful living side by
side can grow, if they
succeed in loving the
distance between them
which makes it possible
for each to see the other
whole against the sky.”
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)
The Space in Between
Intercultural Communication (ICC) for
Individuals Working with Immigrants
Kathryn Brillinger
Dr. Yuri Kagolovsky
Conestoga College
Kitchener, Ontario
kbrillinger@conestogac.on.ca
ykagolovsky@conestogac.on.ca
TESL Ontario, 2008
Inter-Cultural
Communication Success
• Everyone can experience
• Everyone can contribute
• Everyone can learn
We need to demonstrate best practices.
We will need ICC training
in order to do so.
Today is a great first step!
Goal of this Workshop
• to increase awareness of
Intercultural Communication Competence
(ICC) and its impact on interactions
Striving for a Balance:
Continuums NOT Stereotypes
O’ Canada!
Riddle: What
stays in one
corner yet can
travel all over the
world?
O Canada, Drew Brook-Cormack, 1000-pc jigsaw puzzle
The “Saris and Samosas”
Approach
• Assumption that English-speaking Canadians have
no ‘culture’ (and no accent!)
• Visible cultural differences are doable -try out clothes,
foods, dances, arts etc.
• Norms and values tend to be prescribed rather than
described. We get upset about the wrong time
orientation, distance, handshake, greeting, etc.
• Core beliefs are left unexamined. We don’t ask:
“What is a husband/wife/child? Who taught me to
think this? What is the race/power situation? Who
holds the cultural imperative? Am I privileged
because I am white/female/straight/tall etc?”
Why does this matter?
Stories, stories, stories and
… a sad story of a woman who went to
teach on a reservation.
Intercultural Communication
Training Needs
• personnel with intercultural skills
• intercultural experts
• research and knowledge in cultural
practices
• workplace and material internationalization
(Huisman & van der Wende, 2005)
A Practical Model
for ICC Development
Yuri Kagolovsky,
internationally-trained
MD, MSc (Health
informatics) and 2-time
immigrant
Kathryn Brillinger, MEd
(TESL), 20 plus years
experience in settlement
language teaching and
10 plus years in teacher
training
Tameera
Alysha
Zahra
Nadia
Defining “Culture”
• There are many different definitions of
“culture”
• We needed a definition that could be
operationalized within the principles we
identified for successful intercultural
communication
• Our definition is:
Culture = Shared Meaning
“Shared” Meaning
• Cognitive (concepts, ideas)
• Affective (emotions)
• Behavioral (procedures, rules, rituals)
Dimensions of Cultural Difference
In addition to the categories of ethnicity, race,
religion, and nationality, we need to consider
• Gender
• Age
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education
Profession
Socio-economic status
Sexual orientation
Wellness/illness
Abilities/disabilities, etc.
Cultural Boundary Lines
Cultural boundaries
and the groups we
belong to are fluid.
Context: Factors Influencing
Shared Meaning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
History
Politics
Power
Personality
Geography
Economy
Religion
Social stratification
Philosophy
Moral and ethical
•
•
•
•
Folklore
Literature
Entertainment
Communication
Technology
• Fads
These factors create
the context in which
meaning is shared.
They also impact on
and are impacted by
ICC.
Historical and Geographical
Perspective
• ICC is not just about Canada’s work in
integrating newcomers.
• These factors and their interaction with
ICC have impacted and are impacting on
people's lives in both beautiful and tragic
ways.
• Let’s do Task One to explore this.
Continuum of Perspectives
Global
Personal
Seven Principles of
Successful ICC
Principle #1
We are cultural beings in our
verbal, non-verbal, and preverbal behaviors, in which the
pre- and non-verbal are often
underestimated in their impact
on ICC.
The non-verbal
trumps
the verbal
Haptics
(the study of touching behaviour)
Seven types of touch:
*positive affect (support,
appreciation, inclusion)
*playfulness
*control (compliance,
attention wanted,
response needed)
*ritual (greeting/leavetaking)
*hybrid (mix some of
above as in a hug goodbye)
*task-related
*accidental
Jones and Yarbrough (1985)
Oculesics
(the study of eye contact)
•
•
•
•
•
•
attentive focus/challenging stare
shifty-eyed/respectful looking away
flirtatious up-look/“adultery of the eyes”
lustful glance/complimentary notice
attempt to control fear/bad presentation skills
attempt to access vocabulary/lack of attentiveness or ability
Principle #2
We are unaware of how our
cultures inform our perceptions,
cognitions, emotions and actions.
e.g. Kathryn going to a workshop in Mexico City.
From Monochronic to Polychronic
(Chronemics)
Monochronic Concepts
• one thing at a time is best - concentrate on the
task at hand
• time commitments/deadlines/schedules are
serious
• adhere religiously to plans
Polychronic Concepts
• Do many things at once
• Distractions are
acceptable/interruptions
are acceptable
• Commit to people and
relationships not time
• Change plans often and
easily
Principle #3
Culture provides unstated sets
of rules by which we operate,
and we unconsciously reward
and punish others for
following or not following
these rules
The Persian concept of “ta’arof”
involves language, discourse, culture etc.
• Central concept = warm welcoming, praising, politeness and
good manners
• Origins in the Arabic term for “mutual recognition”
• Essential ability for negotiating relationships
• Involves offers, compliments, exchange of pleasantries, food,
gifts, and invitations
• Expression of selflessness and humility - necessary for
keeping face - “shaxsiiyaet” and showing sincerity and respect
- “ehteram”
• Can be interpreted as empty formality or ritual courtesy by NA
but runs much deeper - has no equivalent in NA culture
• Iranians can be dismayed by a lack of ‘ta’arof’ in our
classroom cultures
(Cultural info from Eslami, 2005)
Principle #4
We are unaware of our own
level of inter-cultural sensitivity
and skills
Let’s look at Bennett’s Model.
Changes must occur in three areas.
Principle #5
Building inter-cultural
communication skills is an
ongoing, recursive process
requiring cognitive, affective
and procedural changes
Proxemics
(the study of distance in interaction)
• Public (teacher to
class)
• Social (classmates
chatting)
• Personal (student
asking teacher after
class)
• Intimate (friends in
class whispering)
Traditional
Forms of
Greeting
Principle #6
Inter-cultural communication is
the responsibility of each person
involved.
e.g. The ‘soft skills’ debate for newcomers.
Principle 7
Inter-cultural communication
necessitates a re-distribution of
power.
e.g. Some examples from Canadian history
Task Two: Your Stories
• Take 2 minutes and write down a few of
your own stories from your life and work.
• Share one with a neighbor.
• Let’s all share a story.
Intercultural communication is
occurring and …
Something has disturbed me
Something has disturbed someone
Something has disturbed the environment
What Can Be Done
To Improve ICC?
A Balanced Approach
Creating A Space In Between
Creating a Space in Between
Non-negotiable
Negotiable
Task Three
Cultural Perspective
Examining other
cultures provides
mirrors in which we can
see ourselves – what
the anthropologist
Margaret Mead (1934)
called
“the looking-glass self”
Development of
ICC Competencies
• Cognitive
– e.g., knowledge of how different cultures tend to
operate
• Affective
– e.g., awareness of how easily we can punish
individuals and subvert our own goals when our
cultural expectations are being violated
• Psycho-motor
– e.g., the ability to diagnose intercultural issues, to
develop and implement strategies to improve
ICC, and to assess the success of such
strategies
Seven questions to ask ourselves when
intercultural communication goes wrong:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is it language?
Is it discourse?
Is it culture?
Is it the situation or context?
Is it a systemic barrier?
Is it someone’s personality?
Is it me?
Developing ICC Repair Strategies
• Asking someone why they do something
culturally can cause a defensive reaction
– e.g., asking a Muslim why he does not shake hands
with women or asking a Mennonite why they marry so
early
• “Why” questions can be seen as promoting
potentially unfavorable comparisons and
“otherness”
• Therefore, we recommend an invitational
approach that can create a dialogue and allow
for shared meaning
Repair Strategies (cont.)
• What does <this> mean to you personally?
• What does <this> mean to you personally as a
member of your group?
• What does <this> mean to your group?
• What does <this> mean to the community where
you live?
• What does <this> mean to the society of the
nation/country?
• Do you know the history of this phenomenon?
• If <this> does not happen, what would it mean to
you (your group, your community, society)?
Summary
• We have looked at examples of
intercultural communication and some
strategies and principles that can be
learned.
• We need to increase our ICC skills.
• We need to determine and exemplify best
practices in ICC in our programs.
Inter-Cultural
Communication Success
• Everyone can experience
• Everyone can contribute
• Everyone can learn
We need to demonstrate best practices.
We will need ICC training
in order to do so.
Today is a great first step!
The Space in Between
“Between even the
closest human beings
infinite distances exist yet
a wonderful living side by
side can grow, if they
succeed in loving the
distance between them
which makes it possible
for each to see the other
whole against the sky.”
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)