DemoC1XCC DemoC1XCC 20240110 icons8-reading-100.png quarterly test Prepare for quarterly test 〆no dictionaries 〆no language notes → complete as h/w (annotate the pdf or attach a docx file with your answers) → send back by e-mail by Friday 20230317 → time allowed: 60min (the url will be available here later) (the file will be available here later) vocab pre teach functional language grammar focus smartphone or tablet device listening Download onto your phone or tablet and listen carefully. ]]> xml sbook_plugins/wordlist_generated_from_xml_clog_sbook_for_sbook_session.inc 20240117 18:10-19:30 2 tbc Political correctness - How languages shape our mind By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 1 Political correctness works for no one - Jonathan Kay 20240110 hw20240117 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Political Correctness Works For No One | Jonathan Kay | TEDxUTSC - 16 Sept 2019 Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers(HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. He tweets daily on the news at @jonkay. Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers (HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPdMG3oFGac → watch the video → answer the questions ]]> 3 A British or Indian accent - iRabbit nr4 active wip move_html5_video british_accent_or_indian_iRabbit_nr4_OwRvUCi2s1U.mp4 3 Micro assaults (common racial micro aggressions 1/2) pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd Does micro racism exist, or is it just another controversial lack of political correctness? Are you com-FOR-TA-ble? What is this ve-GE-TA-ble? iRabbit Indian help desk Sir, did you just head wobble and do the Indian accent? (...) I sense micro racism & nano supremacy in your assertions. video British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 Moontajska Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U Why could this be considered a micro aggression? = remarks and behaviours which might be experienced occasionally and brushed off as ‘rude’ or ‘inconsiderate’ by white people, and are amplified by being a constant part of the affected person’s daily experience → match the micro assaults with the categories → give examples ]]> 30 12 left 1;2;3 4;5 6;7 https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity/students/microaggressions/racial-microaggressions/common-racial-micro-agressions ]]> 4 Micro insults & invalidations (common racial micro aggressions 2/2) pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd Have you ever experienced micro insults, and / or suffered from micro invalidation? = variety of subtle snubs, conveying a hidden insult to the recipient. Perpetrators are usually unaware they are speaking from bias → micro invalidation = communications that negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of colour → match the micro insults & invalidations with the categories → give examples ]]> 40 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6 7;8;9;10;11;12;13;14 https://www.ed.ac.uk/equality-diversity/students/microaggressions/racial-microaggressions/common-racial-micro-agressions ]]> 1 Political correctness works for no one - Jonathan Kay 20240110 hw20240117 active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Do you believe political correctness really makes things better? For whom? Political Correctness Works For No One | Jonathan Kay | TEDxUTSC - 16 Sept 2019 Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers(HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. He tweets daily on the news at @jonkay. Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers (HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPdMG3oFGac → watch the video → answer the questions ]]> political_correctness_works_for_no_one_jonathan_kay_TEDxUTSC_tPdMG3oFGac.mp4 Introduction my name is Jonathan Kaye I'm the Canadian editor for Colette comm a podcaster a book author many people in the Twitter community have described me as a professional shitty story one of the previous speakers she mentioned about her intersectional nature she talked about going to Starbucks and being the one who had the really really complicated latte I just warned you I'm the guy who goes to the gas station and gets the instant coffee in the microwave so my perspective is a little different but I do want to build bridges my subject is political correctness and I think when people look at someone like me they assume that I'm gonna start my presentation by going through a long angry list of recent episodes and controversies people who got shut up or were censored or were mobbed in some way but I don't want to recite that list of controversies because I think most people in this room already know the episodes I'm talking about they're pretty well covered in the news I also want to make sure that when people watch this video on YouTube which I hope they do in coming years they find it relevant in a way that goes past recent headlines because the problem of political correctness that I'm talking about is a problem that is ageless it's a problem that goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics and many of those discussions that were had many of those arguments and controversies essentially followed the same politically correct pattern that now dictates the arguments we have over land and hashtags and everything else that informs our arguments about this subject I also want to acknowledge the fact that political correctness is a bipartisan phenomenon we typically talk about it these days as problem on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum if you go on a right-wing Facebook group and you say something nasty about Donald Trump I can guarantee you you will see a politically correct reaction from your audience even if they don't call it political correctness I'd also like to acknowledge that even though political correctness has a negative connotation it starts out with good intentions we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia the problem isn't with bad intentions behind political correctness the problem is human nature human beings love power they love the power to shut up other people and they will leverage any rule any law any standard to attain that power and that's how political correctness affects our society it's not just that we can't say a limited range of things we can't resonate with other people on any subject we want to take the subject of today's event we become more passive aggressive we become more aggressive we become more passive aggressive because we are encouraged to feel more pain more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with then we become more aggressive because we weaponize that pain that we feel we mob people on social media we attack people now it used to be political correctness in the old days when I was younger when I was at college you had to use an intermediary you had to go through government or you had to go through a human rights tribunal to shut somebody down that's not the case anymore you can go directly to Facebook or to Twitter this is one of the ways that political correctness has changed you know when I was younger the dominant metaphor was big brother from Georgia where Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother but that model doesn't exist anymore the idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down these days people their censorship the telescreen that existed on the wall in the novel 1984 that telescreen is now in our hands that's how we censor people we don't depend on Big Brother we have become Big Brother now some people may say well that's fine you may call it Big Brother you may call it political correctness but it's about calling people out on racism and sexism online and surely that's a good thing the problem is that the people who suffer most are the smallest fish in the ocean they're the people who don't have any power they're the people who get called out the big players on the other hand someone like for instance Jordan Peterson he doesn't get called out or if he does he has the power to overcome it Jordan Peterson of course is a tenured University of Toronto professor at the school where we're having this event he says politically correct things all the time politically incorrect things all the time but he doesn't suffer much for it in fact his last book sold I think 2 million copies because he has the power to fight back political correctness targets people who can't fight back and this plays out institutionally as well I have experience in journalism on the left and on the right I worked for a progressive liberal magazine and I also worked for a conservative newspaper it was at the left-wing liberal magazine that I saw political correctness was the most acute that's because of the crowdsource nature of political correctness these days it's the people within your own networks who hurt you so if you're a conservative it actually doesn't hurt you that much if you're a conservative the people in your networks don't mind if you say politically incorrect things in fact they're cheerleading you when I worked at that conservative newspaper my most popular columns were the ones denouncing political correctness when I went to that left-wing magazine as I said despite the fact that the actual substance of what I was publishing what I was saying was progressive stuff the people I work with were terrified of saying the wrong thing that's because the people in their social networks were the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy this is what's different from the old days in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority these days you run afoul of your friends your colleagues your relatives people who have the same opinions as you and who monitor everything you say closely some of the smartest people I worked with in my career were at that left-wing progressive magazine but they were people who were scared to say what they wanted to say because they thought that they were always one hashtag or one syllable one pronoun one mistake away from a career-ending utterance and so they kept their mouth shut whole weeks would go by when they wouldn't say anything on Twitter or Facebook or if they did they talk about their clothes or what they ate meanwhile my conservative friends are jabbering away they don't care that's why if you remember one thing from this presentation please remember this political correctness despite the fact that it's supposed to be a left-wing doctrine hurts people on the Left more than it hurts people on the right because of the crowdsourced nature of its implementation that's why I don't like to talk about scandals that you see in the news that much because the scandals don't tell the whole story you know do I think it's terrible that some conservative professor was shut down on a university campus or someone pulled a fire alarm or ben shapiro was prevented from speaking at berkeley or something like that yeah that's annoying it's not good but the real scandal isn't those isolated scandals the real scandal is everything you don't hear about because people don't speak their mind because they're scared and so no one notices because no one says anything and as I say that hurts people on the left more than hurts people on the right this very week I said I wasn't going to talk a lot about examples but something happened this very week that I thought was highly illustrative it was it involved the children's and young adult author named Ellen oh and I could not think of a more impeccably diverse multicultural ally and advocate and is known in the world of young adult fiction for her advocacy of diversity and even started an organization called we need more diverse books she went on Twitter earlier this week and started calling out peoples that people of color can be racist to which is true and we need people of color to to be more rigorous about their messaging because a lot of them are tone deaf mistake you can imagine how people responded they say tone deaf that's insulting a few hours later she gets back on Twitter and says I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I offended people by saying the word deaf and then at the end she apologizes she says thank you for pointing out my mistake and making me a better person or words to the effect by the way this is how you can always tell if you're in the midst of a politically correct cult if people end by thanking their tormentors for pointing out how horrible they are you know when when the witches thank the witch hunters that's when you know that during a cult and this is a serious problem and as I say it's limiting the range of opinions people hear and in fact it attacks the very premise of this event we're having the idea of resonance resonance works great when you're on the same wavelength with somebody when someone is on a different wavelength the concept of resonance both in physics and in society it becomes more complicated and you need a robust society a robust commitment to freedom of speech so that people who have different wavelengths can communicate with each other and don't shut each other down so what are the solutions I see three solutions oh I see more but I have a limited amount of time the first is we shouldn't be part of the problem it means if we disagree with somebody you hear something you disagree with try not to medicalize it try not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it without first saying maybe I just disagreed with that it doesn't mean I'm suffering some kind of medical reaction to it now there are some kinds of words and phrases that truly are medically painful in the way they they affect us we all know those those words and phrases I'm not gonna repeat them here in those cases it's fine to say those words hurt me because some words really do hurt I get that but in borderline cases ask yourself is the pain I'm feeling is the discomfort I'm feeling is it authentic or is it a political artifact of the environment in which we live where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions different senses of humor different kinds of communication as authoring as a form of attack on me when it's not sometimes it's just at different wavelengths that happens - so ask yourself that cross examine yourself about your reaction to things the other thing is when somebody does force you to submit to political correctness try to resist but I'm not naive I know that especially for young people it's impossible sometimes sometimes to keep your job or to keep your place in school or to keep yourself you're placing a peer group it's necessary to submit to politically correct regimes but what I would ask is that if you do have to submit destroy the premise of the person who is trying to shut you up say to them look I get it I have to delete the tweet I have to apologize I have to do this I have to go to a diversity class or what not because of what I said fine you have more power than me that's why I'm doing what you want me to do not because I agree with the premise that I caused anybody psychological pain but because you have more power than me I also will tell you that if the roles are reversed in a few years and I have that power over you I will not be using that power in the same way because I want to live in a society where free speech is valued more than the feelings of people who may or may not be offended by what I have to say the third thing I would say my third solution voice your community regardless of whether or not you're offended I happen to be Jewish when I'm online and I see somebody getting called out for saying something that's allegedly anti-semitic bad joke stereotype if I don't think it's anti-semitic I will say so I will jump in and say I'm Jewish I don't find that offensive relax we've all seen Seinfeld we can tell the jokes I tried to use my moral capital as a Jew to say that something isn't anti-semitic if it's not and you can do the same thing with it whether you're gay trans black Jewish not Jewish it doesn't matter voice your community regardless of whether you're offended or not because if we leave the marketplace of ideas to people who are constantly offended and we don't speak up when we're not offending we have no one else to blame but ourselves if the marketplace of ideas is taken over by Big Brother's little minions thank you you What kind of person gets their coffee at a petrol station & warms it up in the microwave? Why does Jonathan introduce himself this way? What bridges does he want to build? [00:30-01:04] He probably does it not to offend a person who works at a petrol station and makes this coffee by saying that the drink is cold. He doesn’t want to make any fuss about it and look like he’s nitpicking < ! - - (Tatiana Bogomolova) - - > ✓ His action of getting coffee at a petrol station and warming it in the microwave may symbolize a practical, no-frills approach to life, which could be perceived as a low-context behavior. It also represents a pragmatic, down-to-earth mindset. His choice of coffee and method of preparation could align with a linear-active mindset, which values efficiency and straightforwardness. It may resonate with cultures that emphasize a focus on indulgence versus restraint, favoring simplicity over extravagance --> ]]> fastidiousness = trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or style Why is the problem of political correctness ageless? [01:31-02:01] ✓ goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words ✓ they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like 〆political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures = arguably synonymous of high uncertainty avoidance = reminiscent of collectivism & restraint rather than more progressive, indulgence oriented individualism ✓ some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics = inclination to control language and expression → reduce potential sources of conflict or confusion → high uncertainty avoidance What does he mean by political correctness being a bipartisan phenomenon? [02:21] ✓ problem is on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum → any political group can demonstrate tendencies to control language → any political group can conform to certain standards in ways that limit open discourse bipartisan /baɪˌpɑ:tɪˈzæn/ = involving two (political) parties Why aren't good intentions just not enough? [02:45] ✓ we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia 〆the problem is human nature → human beings love power → they love the power to shut up other people → they will leverage any rule, any law, any standard to attain that power = restraint rather than indulgence Why are we becoming more passive aggressive? [03:42] ✓ we are encouraged to feel more pain, more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with ✓ we weaponise that pain → individuals avoid direct confrontation → resort instead to passive-aggressive tactics when faced with disagreement or emotional discomfort How was political correctness in the old days, how has it changed now? [04:08-05:16] ✓ the dominant metaphor was Big Brother from George Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother = idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down → high uncertainty avoidance, restraint and power distance ✓ we have become Big Brother → nowadays, we can call people out on racism and sexism online = levels of indulgence and uncertainty avoidance have decreased → majority of people are not afraid to take risks and express their opinions mobbing = bullying of an individual by a group, in any context, such as a family, peer group, school, workplace, neighbourhood, community, or online. When it occurs as physical and emotional abuse in the workplace, such as "ganging up" by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumour, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, non-sexual, non-racial/racial, general harassment What does Jonathan contest about political correctness? [05:20-06:08] ✓ political correctness targets people who can't fight back 〆big wigs can get away with politically incorrect contents = can afford to do so because of their reputation & their power to fight back big wig = important person Why does political correctness as a left-wing doctrine hurt actually people more on the left than on the right end of the spectrum? [06:24-07:10] ✓ politically correct behaviour is supposed to be a left-wing doctrine → care about the minorities 〆hurts people on the left more than it hurts people on the right → should be extremely careful of every single hashtag/syllable/pronoun e.g. firefighter ← fireman house-maker ← house-wife chalkboard ← blackboard Why are some people terrified of saying the wrong thing? What has changed? [07:11] ✓ people in their social networks are the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy = different from the old days → in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority → these days you run afoul of your friends, your colleagues, your relatives = people who have the same opinions as you but who monitor everything you say closely 〆always one hashtag, or one syllable, one pronoun, one mistake away from a career-ending utterance = increased awareness and scrutiny of language → unreported cases where individuals self-censor out of fear ✓ political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures enforcer = one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior to run afoul of sth (AmEn) = to do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule or sth that people in authority disapprove of What is the real scandal about political correctness? [08:53-09:20] ✓ you don't hear everything because people don't speak their mind ✓ refrain from self-expression = fear of facing backlash → opt to remain silent = self-censorship → no one notices → limiting the range of opinions people hear to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective; to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it backlash (~ against | from) = strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to sth that has recently changed in society What solutions does Jonathan recommend? What question(s) should one ask themselves? [11:25] → 3 solutions [12:25] [13:00] [14:14] if we disagree with somebody, or you hear something you disagree with → try not to medicalize it [12:25] i.e. not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it e.g. Is the pain or discomfort I'm feeling authentic or a political artefact of the environment in which we live, where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions? → resist if someone forces you to submit [13:00] → voice your community if you think it's not offending [14:14] artefact = feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation to go against the grain = to be contrary to the natural inclination or feeling of someone or something to medicalise = to identify a condition as a disease so as to get treatment in order to improve your overall quality of life What conclusions are drawn? Do you agree with them? [15:06] ✓ don't stifle free speech . if we allow the marketplace of ideas to be dominated by easily offended individuals . if we fail to defend our own viewpoints when they are not offensive → we are responsible for any consequences that arise to stifle /'staifəl/ = to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed 1 How language shapes the way we think | Lera Boroditsky 20240117 hw20240124 active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png ✓ if that target language features concepts that don't exist in your mother tongue (...)]]> How language shapes the way we think | Lera Boroditsky There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian -- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKK7wGAYP6k → watch the video → answer the questions]]> how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think_lera_boroditsky_TED_RKK7wGAYP6k.mp4 So, I'll be speaking to you using language ... because I can. This is one these magical abilities that we humans have. We can transmit really complicated thoughts to one another. So what I'm doing right now is, I'm making sounds with my mouth as I'm exhaling. I'm making tones and hisses and puffs, and those are creating air vibrations in the air. Those air vibrations are traveling to you, they're hitting your eardrums, and then your brain takes those vibrations from your eardrums and transforms them into thoughts. I hope. (Laughter) I hope that's happening. So because of this ability, we humans are able to transmit our ideas across vast reaches of space and time. We're able to transmit knowledge across minds. I can put a bizarre new idea in your mind right now. I could say, "Imagine a jellyfish waltzing in a library while thinking about quantum mechanics." (Laughter) Now, if everything has gone relatively well in your life so far, you probably haven't had that thought before. (Laughter) But now I've just made you think it, through language. Now of course, there isn't just one language in the world, there are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world. And all the languages differ from one another in all kinds of ways. Some languages have different sounds, they have different vocabularies, and they also have different structures -- very importantly, different structures. That begs the question: Does the language we speak shape the way we think? Now, this is an ancient question. People have been speculating about this question forever. Charlemagne, Holy Roman emperor, said, "To have a second language is to have a second soul" -- strong statement that language crafts reality. But on the other hand, Shakespeare has Juliet say, "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Well, that suggests that maybe language doesn't craft reality. These arguments have gone back and forth for thousands of years. But until recently, there hasn't been any data to help us decide either way. Recently, in my lab and other labs around the world, we've started doing research, and now we have actual scientific data to weigh in on this question. So let me tell you about some of my favorite examples. I'll start with an example from an Aboriginal community in Australia that I had the chance to work with. These are the Kuuk Thaayorre people. They live in Pormpuraaw at the very west edge of Cape York. What's cool about Kuuk Thaayorre is, in Kuuk Thaayorre, they don't use words like "left" and "right," and instead, everything is in cardinal directions: north, south, east and west. And when I say everything, I really mean everything. You would say something like, "Oh, there's an ant on your southwest leg." Or, "Move your cup to the north-northeast a little bit." In fact, the way that you say "hello" in Kuuk Thaayorre is you say, "Which way are you going?" And the answer should be, "North-northeast in the far distance. How about you?" So imagine as you're walking around your day, every person you greet, you have to report your heading direction. (Laughter) But that would actually get you oriented pretty fast, right? Because you literally couldn't get past "hello," if you didn't know which way you were going. In fact, people who speak languages like this stay oriented really well. They stay oriented better than we used to think humans could. We used to think that humans were worse than other creatures because of some biological excuse: "Oh, we don't have magnets in our beaks or in our scales." No; if your language and your culture trains you to do it, actually, you can do it. There are humans around the world who stay oriented really well. And just to get us in agreement about how different this is from the way we do it, I want you all to close your eyes for a second and point southeast. (Laughter) Keep your eyes closed. Point. OK, so you can open your eyes. I see you guys pointing there, there, there, there, there ... I don't know which way it is myself -- (Laughter) You have not been a lot of help. (Laughter) So let's just say the accuracy in this room was not very high. This is a big difference in cognitive ability across languages, right? Where one group -- very distinguished group like you guys -- doesn't know which way is which, but in another group, I could ask a five-year-old and they would know. (Laughter) There are also really big differences in how people think about time. So here I have pictures of my grandfather at different ages. And if I ask an English speaker to organize time, they might lay it out this way, from left to right. This has to do with writing direction. If you were a speaker of Hebrew or Arabic, you might do it going in the opposite direction, from right to left. But how would the Kuuk Thaayorre, this Aboriginal group I just told you about, do it? They don't use words like "left" and "right." Let me give you hint. When we sat people facing south, they organized time from left to right. When we sat them facing north, they organized time from right to left. When we sat them facing east, time came towards the body. What's the pattern? East to west, right? So for them, time doesn't actually get locked on the body at all, it gets locked on the landscape. So for me, if I'm facing this way, then time goes this way, and if I'm facing this way, then time goes this way. I'm facing this way, time goes this way -- very egocentric of me to have the direction of time chase me around every time I turn my body. For the Kuuk Thaayorre, time is locked on the landscape. It's a dramatically different way of thinking about time. Here's another really smart human trick. Suppose I ask you how many penguins are there. Well, I bet I know how you'd solve that problem if you solved it. You went, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." You counted them. You named each one with a number, and the last number you said was the number of penguins. This is a little trick that you're taught to use as kids. You learn the number list and you learn how to apply it. A little linguistic trick. Well, some languages don't do this, because some languages don't have exact number words. They're languages that don't have a word like "seven" or a word like "eight." In fact, people who speak these languages don't count, and they have trouble keeping track of exact quantities. So, for example, if I ask you to match this number of penguins to the same number of ducks, you would be able to do that by counting. But folks who don't have that linguistic trick can't do that. Languages also differ in how they divide up the color spectrum -- the visual world. Some languages have lots of words for colors, some have only a couple words, "light" and "dark." And languages differ in where they put boundaries between colors. So, for example, in English, there's a word for blue that covers all of the colors that you can see on the screen, but in Russian, there isn't a single word. Instead, Russian speakers have to differentiate between light blue, "goluboy," and dark blue, "siniy." So Russians have this lifetime of experience of, in language, distinguishing these two colors. When we test people's ability to perceptually discriminate these colors, what we find is that Russian speakers are faster across this linguistic boundary. They're faster to be able to tell the difference between a light and dark blue. And when you look at people's brains as they're looking at colors -- say you have colors shifting slowly from light to dark blue -- the brains of people who use different words for light and dark blue will give a surprised reaction as the colors shift from light to dark, as if, "Ooh, something has categorically changed," whereas the brains of English speakers, for example, that don't make this categorical distinction, don't give that surprise, because nothing is categorically changing. Languages have all kinds of structural quirks. This is one of my favorites. Lots of languages have grammatical gender; every noun gets assigned a gender, often masculine or feminine. And these genders differ across languages. So, for example, the sun is feminine in German but masculine in Spanish, and the moon, the reverse. Could this actually have any consequence for how people think? Do German speakers think of the sun as somehow more female-like, and the moon somehow more male-like? Actually, it turns out that's the case. So if you ask German and Spanish speakers to, say, describe a bridge, like the one here -- "bridge" happens to be grammatically feminine in German, grammatically masculine in Spanish -- German speakers are more likely to say bridges are "beautiful," "elegant" and stereotypically feminine words. Whereas Spanish speakers will be more likely to say they're "strong" or "long," these masculine words. (Laughter) Languages also differ in how they describe events, right? You take an event like this, an accident. In English, it's fine to say, "He broke the vase." In a language like Spanish, you might be more likely to say, "The vase broke," or, "The vase broke itself." If it's an accident, you wouldn't say that someone did it. In English, quite weirdly, we can even say things like, "I broke my arm." Now, in lots of languages, you couldn't use that construction unless you are a lunatic and you went out looking to break your arm -- (Laughter) and you succeeded. If it was an accident, you would use a different construction. Now, this has consequences. So, people who speak different languages will pay attention to different things, depending on what their language usually requires them to do. So we show the same accident to English speakers and Spanish speakers, English speakers will remember who did it, because English requires you to say, "He did it; he broke the vase." Whereas Spanish speakers might be less likely to remember who did it if it's an accident, but they're more likely to remember that it was an accident. They're more likely to remember the intention. So, two people watch the same event, witness the same crime, but end up remembering different things about that event. This has implications, of course, for eyewitness testimony. It also has implications for blame and punishment. So if you take English speakers and I just show you someone breaking a vase, and I say, "He broke the vase," as opposed to "The vase broke," even though you can witness it yourself, you can watch the video, you can watch the crime against the vase, you will punish someone more, you will blame someone more if I just said, "He broke it," as opposed to, "It broke." The language guides our reasoning about events. Now, I've given you a few examples of how language can profoundly shape the way we think, and it does so in a variety of ways. So language can have big effects, like we saw with space and time, where people can lay out space and time in completely different coordinate frames from each other. Language can also have really deep effects -- that's what we saw with the case of number. Having count words in your language, having number words, opens up the whole world of mathematics. Of course, if you don't count, you can't do algebra, you can't do any of the things that would be required to build a room like this or make this broadcast, right? This little trick of number words gives you a stepping stone into a whole cognitive realm. Language can also have really early effects, what we saw in the case of color. These are really simple, basic, perceptual decisions. We make thousands of them all the time, and yet, language is getting in there and fussing even with these tiny little perceptual decisions that we make. Language can have really broad effects. So the case of grammatical gender may be a little silly, but at the same time, grammatical gender applies to all nouns. That means language can shape how you're thinking about anything that can be named by a noun. That's a lot of stuff. And finally, I gave you an example of how language can shape things that have personal weight to us -- ideas like blame and punishment or eyewitness memory. These are important things in our daily lives. Now, the beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is. Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000 -- there are 7,000 languages spoken around the world. And we can create many more -- languages, of course, are living things, things that we can hone and change to suit our needs. The tragic thing is that we're losing so much of this linguistic diversity all the time. We're losing about one language a week, and by some estimates, half of the world's languages will be gone in the next hundred years. And the even worse news is that right now, almost everything we know about the human mind and human brain is based on studies of usually American English-speaking undergraduates at universities. That excludes almost all humans. Right? So what we know about the human mind is actually incredibly narrow and biased, and our science has to do better. I want to leave you with this final thought. I've told you about how speakers of different languages think differently, but of course, that's not about how people elsewhere think. It's about how you think. It's how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think. And that gives you the opportunity to ask, "Why do I think the way that I do?" "How could I think differently?" And also, "What thoughts do I wish to create?" Thank you very much. (Applause) "Imagine a jellyfish waltzing in a library while thinking about quantum mechanics." [01:05-01:24] ]]> ✓ share new thoughts through language which you had perhaps even never envisaged → the more vocabulary you have the better equipped you are to communicate effectively to envisage = to imagine what will happen in the future "To have a second language is to have a second soul" [01:50-02:00] ]]> ✓ language crafts reality → you are another person when you speak a different language → the more vocabulary you have the more perspectives you may take advantage of to look at things "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." [02:00-02:20] ]]> ✓ perhaps language doesn't craft reality → objective reality should be the same for every person but it is subjective = ageless contradiction What is unusual about the language used by an Aboriginal community in Australia, called Kuuk Thaayorre? [02:45-03:30] "Which way are you going?" answer: North - north east in the far distance ]]> What two conclusions can you draw from the cultural example of language spoken by Kuuk Thaayorre people [03:30-05:51]? (staying oriented [03:48]) (thinking about time [05:10]) ✓ if your language and your culture trains you to do it, you can do it e.g. stay oriented although we have no magnets in our beaks or in our scales ✓ they organize time from east to west = it gets locked on the landscape → no egocentric view (traditionally from left to right or vice versa) ✓ use a more organic approach to time management = less linear & target-oriented? → open to sharing more opportunities than just your own goals ✓ assess your position (as well as perhaps skills) in your environment in real time → anticipate possible obstacles better? What does the quantity of alternative words for different colours & shades suggest? [06:48-07:59] ✓ in English, there's a word for blue that covers all of the colours that you can see ✓ in Russian, there isn't a single word → Russian speakers have to differentiate between light blue, "goluboy," and dark blue, "siniy." → make a categorical distinction = ability to perceptually discriminate colours faster How can gender of nouns differ across cultures? How does this affect the way people think? [08:01-08:58] examples: ✓ the sun is feminine in German but masculine in Spanish ✓ the moon is masculine in German but feminine in Spanish → for German speakers bridges are "beautiful," "elegant" = stereotypically feminine words → for Spanish speakers bridges are "strong" or "long" = more masculine words What examples are given to suggest how differently languages can describe events? [09:02-09:40] ✓ in English: "He broke the vase" ✓ in Spanish: "The vase broke" in English: "I broke my arm." → in many languages = you did it intentionally How will different speakers interpret a same event in different ways? What conclusion can be drawn? [09:42-10:55] ✓ people remember different things about the same event → even eye-witnessing an event may be interpreted differently e.g. English speakers will remember who did it [09:56] → English requires you to say, "He did it; he broke the vase." e.g. Spanish speakers might be less likely to remember who did it if it's an accident → more likely to remember that it was an accident Conclusion [10:44] ✓ you will punish someone more, you will blame someone more if you just said "He broke it" (as opposed to "It broke.") ✓ language guides our reasoning about events What are the risks of losing linguistic diversity? [12:28-12:56] 〆about one language is lost every week 〆half of the world's languages will be gone in the next hundred years according to some estimates 〆almost everything we know about the human mind and human brain is based on studies of usually American English-speaking undergraduates at universities → what we know about the human mind is actually incredibly narrow and biased hobby horse = (sometimes disapproving) subject that sb feels strongly about and likes to talk about fourth wall (the ~) = performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th century onward, the rise of illusionism in staging practices, which culminated in the realism and naturalism of the theatre of the 19th century, led to the development of the fourth wall concept. innuendo = indirect remark about sb/sth, usually suggesting sth bad or rude non sequitur = statement that does not seem to follow what has just been said in any natural or logical way vox pops (vox populi) = belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written kindred spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable damn = swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed, disappointed, etc bloody = swear word that many people find offensive that is used to emphasize a comment or an angry statement stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak RP (received pronunciation) = approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting to converse = to have a conversation with sb supremacy = position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else to brush off = to bar from attention or consideration, to disregard slur = unfair remark about sb/sth that may damage other people's opinion of them supremacy = position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else Negro = (old-fashioned, often offensive) member of a race of people with dark skin who originally came from Africa swastika /ˈswɔstɪkə/ = ancient symbol in the form of a cross with its ends bent at an angle of 90 degrees, used in the 20th century as the symbol of the German Nazi party subjugation = forced submission to control by others; oppression micro insult = variety of subtle snubs, conveying a hidden insult to the recipient. Perpetrators are usually unaware they are speaking from bias micro invalidation = communications that negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of colour snub = action or a comment that is deliberately rude in order to show sb that you do not like or respect them 20240110 18:10-19:30 2 active Political correctness in comedies It's all Greek to me By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 8 It's all Greek to me 20231220 hw20240110 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png It's All Greek To Me | A Bit Of Fry &Laurie | BBC Comedy Greats A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series with 26 episodes, including a 36-minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert to their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. The show was punctuated with non sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements and wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and other instruments and singing comical numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZZKwCPCj8 → watch the video → answer the questions.]]> 8 It's all Greek to me 20231220 hw20240110 active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png 'I don't know'?
Is it all right to lose face in your culture, or will you pretend you know something at any cost rather than admit you don't?]]> It's All Greek To Me | A Bit Of Fry &Laurie | BBC Comedy Greats A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series with 26 episodes, including a 36-minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert to their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. The show was punctuated with non sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements and wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and other instruments and singing comical numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZZKwCPCj8 → watch the video → answer the questions.]]> This Octopus, what was it called? The Greek waiter: Where was it caught? What a question! In the sea. Hugh Laurie: Yeah... so, that should be OK, Gordon...]]> it_s_all_greek_to_me_a_bit_of_fry_and_laurie_BBC_comedy_greats_PqZZKwCPCj8.mp4 Why does the scene take place in a Greek restaurant (and not Indian for instance)? ✓ pun on words It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written but Hugh Laurie pretends to understand Greek well... That's a typical Londoner's reaction (...) You don't understand the Greek does things at his own tempo. You know, natural rhythms & cycles deep within them. The Yorkshireman in me respects that [00:06-00:13] Why does Hugh Laurie pretend he understands Greek culture? ]]> ✓ wants to show off how well-educated he is ✓ cultural awareness is well-thought of (= long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance...) It's a bit forward, isn't? All that 'My lovely friends' don't (you think)? Hugh Laurie Ah well, you see, Gordon, he (the Greek waiter) spotted a kindred spirit (in me). [01:22-01:27] Why does Hugh Laurie carry on pretending he & the waiter share some same cultural values?]]> treated with respect - not the average walk-in, quick turn-over merchants [01:34] ]]> kindred spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc Ah, I've had enough, Gordon. I'm gonna have an honest British kebab! [03:58] Why is this last reply amusing?]]> ✓ a kebab is by no means more British than a Greek meal = contradictory behaviour to long-term orientation & uncertainty avoidance observed earlier Can you think of any reasons why this comedy could be considered as not politically correct by today's standards? Why has it - or hasn't it - crossed the border? 〆stereotypical portrait of Greek waiters 〆British condescending approach ✓ collective tolerance towards witty, established comedians? ✓ British laughing at themselves = self-deprecating sense of humour (...) self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable 7 Politically correct language 2/2 pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png active wip edit_ol_qa_writing prep_ol_qa_writing edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. man → people He who cannot obey cannot command. He → A person A man's home is his castle. A person's home is their castle. Every man has his hobby horse. Everyone has their hobby horse. hobby horse = (sometimes disapproving) subject that sb feels strongly about and likes to talk about He is happy that thinks himself so. They are happy that think themselves so. 1 Native speakers' dialect active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Can a language be taught without being occasionally politically incorrect? ✓ if native speakers are considered politically neutral in their environment... = reminiscent of a dialect → make sure your register matches the cultural context video British 🇬🇧or Indian 🇮🇳accent? | iRabbit #4 Moontajska Productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U → watch the video → imagine what viewers may write in the comments → read sample comments → answer the questions]]> british_accent_or_indian_iRabbit_nr4_OwRvUCi2s1U.mp4 What is the Englishman accused of? [01:42] The damn thing doesn't seem to work I'm speaking the Queen's English Don't need your damn course Don't you bloody hell... It's a bloody umbrella 〆wrong behaviour Indian accent nano-supremacy micro-racism The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool... Did you Shakespeare me? ]]> damn = swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed, disappointed, etc bloody = swear word that many people find offensive that is used to emphasize a comment or an angry statement Why do you think Maria has a Soviet Union like accent? [02:15] ✓ caricature of threatening, totalitarian regime "I beg your pardon?" Why does the Englishman ask if Maria is from another planet? [02:23] ]]> ✓ he is not sure he has understood her well & pretends to be very surprised by what she is suggesting ✓ she explains they don't tolerate any racist, sexist, homophobic, white supremacist, neocolonial insinuations on their platform → he thinks this is excessive because he probably doesn't consider himself using such language = fish can't see water Do you think British English will become a dialect one day? Why / why not? ✓ it may have already... ✓ more non native people speak English than natives → approximately 7.8 billion inhabitants ✓ 1.35 billion speak English ~ 360 million people speak English as a first language ! most common first language is Chinese, then Spanish (English = 3rd) ✓ English is by far the most commonly studied Should RP (received pronunciation, aka BBC English) still be the kind of language taught? The truth is this is now reality. I was teaching in a class in a British University (can't name it here, or I will get sued!). It was a post-graduate class, and almost all the students were international, including Chinese, Indians, many East Europeans, Italians, French, German etc. There were just a couple of English students in the class. Every class had a case or exercise, so there was lots of group discussion in the class. Most of the time, students spoke with their respective accents in the class, but everybody understood each other all the time. And then one day, one of the few English students (who were mostly silent) spoke and made his point. Suddenly there was a stunned silence in the class! And I quickly realized this was because not one of the students understood a word of what he spoke (except for the couple of other English students!). This student was from Liverpool. Then one of the international students politely requested him to repeat what he said. Again, none of the students understood him. Then he repeated himself a third time. And then out of sheer frustration, he just said 'oh well, forget it', and gave up! But by then I had picked up what he said, and interpreted what he said for the rest of the class. That scene was remarkable for me. This was a British University sitting in the heart of London, offering a British PG degree. And yet, all the international students could converse and understand each other perfectly in English, except when the actual native English student spoke! That to me suggested English had now truly become an international language, and was no more owned by England! (although England will always get full credit for having created the language). @stephenmani8495 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRvUCi2s1U ]]> RP (received pronunciation) = approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting to converse = to have a conversation with sb stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak 1 Political correctness works for no one - Jonathan Kay 20240110 hw20240117 active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Do you believe political correctness really makes things better? For whom? Political Correctness Works For No One | Jonathan Kay | TEDxUTSC - 16 Sept 2019 Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers(HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. He tweets daily on the news at @jonkay. Jonathan Kay is the Canadian editor for Quillette.com, a host of the Quillette and Wrongspeak podcasts, a book author and a columnist. His work has appeared recently in the National Post, Washington Post, The Atlantic, CBC.ca, Foreign Affairs and Maclean’s. His books include Among The Truthers (HarperCollins, 2011) and Legacy: How French Canadians Shaped North America (Signal, 2016). He is currently working on two book projects scheduled for publication in 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPdMG3oFGac → watch the video → answer the questions ]]> political_correctness_works_for_no_one_jonathan_kay_TEDxUTSC_tPdMG3oFGac.mp4 Introduction my name is Jonathan Kaye I'm the Canadian editor for Colette comm a podcaster a book author many people in the Twitter community have described me as a professional shitty story one of the previous speakers she mentioned about her intersectional nature she talked about going to Starbucks and being the one who had the really really complicated latte I just warned you I'm the guy who goes to the gas station and gets the instant coffee in the microwave so my perspective is a little different but I do want to build bridges my subject is political correctness and I think when people look at someone like me they assume that I'm gonna start my presentation by going through a long angry list of recent episodes and controversies people who got shut up or were censored or were mobbed in some way but I don't want to recite that list of controversies because I think most people in this room already know the episodes I'm talking about they're pretty well covered in the news I also want to make sure that when people watch this video on YouTube which I hope they do in coming years they find it relevant in a way that goes past recent headlines because the problem of political correctness that I'm talking about is a problem that is ageless it's a problem that goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics and many of those discussions that were had many of those arguments and controversies essentially followed the same politically correct pattern that now dictates the arguments we have over land and hashtags and everything else that informs our arguments about this subject I also want to acknowledge the fact that political correctness is a bipartisan phenomenon we typically talk about it these days as problem on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum if you go on a right-wing Facebook group and you say something nasty about Donald Trump I can guarantee you you will see a politically correct reaction from your audience even if they don't call it political correctness I'd also like to acknowledge that even though political correctness has a negative connotation it starts out with good intentions we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia the problem isn't with bad intentions behind political correctness the problem is human nature human beings love power they love the power to shut up other people and they will leverage any rule any law any standard to attain that power and that's how political correctness affects our society it's not just that we can't say a limited range of things we can't resonate with other people on any subject we want to take the subject of today's event we become more passive aggressive we become more aggressive we become more passive aggressive because we are encouraged to feel more pain more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with then we become more aggressive because we weaponize that pain that we feel we mob people on social media we attack people now it used to be political correctness in the old days when I was younger when I was at college you had to use an intermediary you had to go through government or you had to go through a human rights tribunal to shut somebody down that's not the case anymore you can go directly to Facebook or to Twitter this is one of the ways that political correctness has changed you know when I was younger the dominant metaphor was big brother from Georgia where Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother but that model doesn't exist anymore the idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down these days people their censorship the telescreen that existed on the wall in the novel 1984 that telescreen is now in our hands that's how we censor people we don't depend on Big Brother we have become Big Brother now some people may say well that's fine you may call it Big Brother you may call it political correctness but it's about calling people out on racism and sexism online and surely that's a good thing the problem is that the people who suffer most are the smallest fish in the ocean they're the people who don't have any power they're the people who get called out the big players on the other hand someone like for instance Jordan Peterson he doesn't get called out or if he does he has the power to overcome it Jordan Peterson of course is a tenured University of Toronto professor at the school where we're having this event he says politically correct things all the time politically incorrect things all the time but he doesn't suffer much for it in fact his last book sold I think 2 million copies because he has the power to fight back political correctness targets people who can't fight back and this plays out institutionally as well I have experience in journalism on the left and on the right I worked for a progressive liberal magazine and I also worked for a conservative newspaper it was at the left-wing liberal magazine that I saw political correctness was the most acute that's because of the crowdsource nature of political correctness these days it's the people within your own networks who hurt you so if you're a conservative it actually doesn't hurt you that much if you're a conservative the people in your networks don't mind if you say politically incorrect things in fact they're cheerleading you when I worked at that conservative newspaper my most popular columns were the ones denouncing political correctness when I went to that left-wing magazine as I said despite the fact that the actual substance of what I was publishing what I was saying was progressive stuff the people I work with were terrified of saying the wrong thing that's because the people in their social networks were the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy this is what's different from the old days in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority these days you run afoul of your friends your colleagues your relatives people who have the same opinions as you and who monitor everything you say closely some of the smartest people I worked with in my career were at that left-wing progressive magazine but they were people who were scared to say what they wanted to say because they thought that they were always one hashtag or one syllable one pronoun one mistake away from a career-ending utterance and so they kept their mouth shut whole weeks would go by when they wouldn't say anything on Twitter or Facebook or if they did they talk about their clothes or what they ate meanwhile my conservative friends are jabbering away they don't care that's why if you remember one thing from this presentation please remember this political correctness despite the fact that it's supposed to be a left-wing doctrine hurts people on the Left more than it hurts people on the right because of the crowdsourced nature of its implementation that's why I don't like to talk about scandals that you see in the news that much because the scandals don't tell the whole story you know do I think it's terrible that some conservative professor was shut down on a university campus or someone pulled a fire alarm or ben shapiro was prevented from speaking at berkeley or something like that yeah that's annoying it's not good but the real scandal isn't those isolated scandals the real scandal is everything you don't hear about because people don't speak their mind because they're scared and so no one notices because no one says anything and as I say that hurts people on the left more than hurts people on the right this very week I said I wasn't going to talk a lot about examples but something happened this very week that I thought was highly illustrative it was it involved the children's and young adult author named Ellen oh and I could not think of a more impeccably diverse multicultural ally and advocate and is known in the world of young adult fiction for her advocacy of diversity and even started an organization called we need more diverse books she went on Twitter earlier this week and started calling out peoples that people of color can be racist to which is true and we need people of color to to be more rigorous about their messaging because a lot of them are tone deaf mistake you can imagine how people responded they say tone deaf that's insulting a few hours later she gets back on Twitter and says I'm so sorry I'm so sorry I offended people by saying the word deaf and then at the end she apologizes she says thank you for pointing out my mistake and making me a better person or words to the effect by the way this is how you can always tell if you're in the midst of a politically correct cult if people end by thanking their tormentors for pointing out how horrible they are you know when when the witches thank the witch hunters that's when you know that during a cult and this is a serious problem and as I say it's limiting the range of opinions people hear and in fact it attacks the very premise of this event we're having the idea of resonance resonance works great when you're on the same wavelength with somebody when someone is on a different wavelength the concept of resonance both in physics and in society it becomes more complicated and you need a robust society a robust commitment to freedom of speech so that people who have different wavelengths can communicate with each other and don't shut each other down so what are the solutions I see three solutions oh I see more but I have a limited amount of time the first is we shouldn't be part of the problem it means if we disagree with somebody you hear something you disagree with try not to medicalize it try not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it without first saying maybe I just disagreed with that it doesn't mean I'm suffering some kind of medical reaction to it now there are some kinds of words and phrases that truly are medically painful in the way they they affect us we all know those those words and phrases I'm not gonna repeat them here in those cases it's fine to say those words hurt me because some words really do hurt I get that but in borderline cases ask yourself is the pain I'm feeling is the discomfort I'm feeling is it authentic or is it a political artifact of the environment in which we live where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions different senses of humor different kinds of communication as authoring as a form of attack on me when it's not sometimes it's just at different wavelengths that happens - so ask yourself that cross examine yourself about your reaction to things the other thing is when somebody does force you to submit to political correctness try to resist but I'm not naive I know that especially for young people it's impossible sometimes sometimes to keep your job or to keep your place in school or to keep yourself you're placing a peer group it's necessary to submit to politically correct regimes but what I would ask is that if you do have to submit destroy the premise of the person who is trying to shut you up say to them look I get it I have to delete the tweet I have to apologize I have to do this I have to go to a diversity class or what not because of what I said fine you have more power than me that's why I'm doing what you want me to do not because I agree with the premise that I caused anybody psychological pain but because you have more power than me I also will tell you that if the roles are reversed in a few years and I have that power over you I will not be using that power in the same way because I want to live in a society where free speech is valued more than the feelings of people who may or may not be offended by what I have to say the third thing I would say my third solution voice your community regardless of whether or not you're offended I happen to be Jewish when I'm online and I see somebody getting called out for saying something that's allegedly anti-semitic bad joke stereotype if I don't think it's anti-semitic I will say so I will jump in and say I'm Jewish I don't find that offensive relax we've all seen Seinfeld we can tell the jokes I tried to use my moral capital as a Jew to say that something isn't anti-semitic if it's not and you can do the same thing with it whether you're gay trans black Jewish not Jewish it doesn't matter voice your community regardless of whether you're offended or not because if we leave the marketplace of ideas to people who are constantly offended and we don't speak up when we're not offending we have no one else to blame but ourselves if the marketplace of ideas is taken over by Big Brother's little minions thank you you What kind of person gets their coffee at a petrol station & warms it up in the microwave? Why does Jonathan introduce himself this way? What bridges does he want to build? [00:30-01:04] He probably does it not to offend a person who works at a petrol station and makes this coffee by saying that the drink is cold. He doesn’t want to make any fuss about it and look like he’s nitpicking < ! - - (Tatiana Bogomolova) - - > ✓ His action of getting coffee at a petrol station and warming it in the microwave may symbolize a practical, no-frills approach to life, which could be perceived as a low-context behavior. It also represents a pragmatic, down-to-earth mindset. His choice of coffee and method of preparation could align with a linear-active mindset, which values efficiency and straightforwardness. It may resonate with cultures that emphasize a focus on indulgence versus restraint, favoring simplicity over extravagance --> ]]> fastidiousness = trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or style Why is the problem of political correctness ageless? [01:31-02:01] ✓ goes back in fact to ancient times since people have been using words ✓ they have been using those words to shut down people who are using words that they don't like 〆political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures = arguably synonymous of high uncertainty avoidance = reminiscent of collectivism & restraint rather than more progressive, indulgence oriented individualism ✓ some of the foundational and most violent disputes in Islam and Judaism and Christianity involve people trying to dictate what language other people use what languages they use for God or for prayer or for believers or for heretics = inclination to control language and expression → reduce potential sources of conflict or confusion → high uncertainty avoidance What does he mean by political correctness being a bipartisan phenomenon? [02:21] ✓ problem is on the left but you also see it on the right side of the political spectrum → any political group can demonstrate tendencies to control language → any political group can conform to certain standards in ways that limit open discourse bipartisan /baɪˌpɑ:tɪˈzæn/ = involving two (political) parties Why aren't good intentions just not enough? [02:45] ✓ we all want to live in a society that has less racism and less sexism and less homophobia and transphobia 〆the problem is human nature → human beings love power → they love the power to shut up other people → they will leverage any rule, any law, any standard to attain that power = restraint rather than indulgence Why are we becoming more passive aggressive? [03:42] ✓ we are encouraged to feel more pain, more emotional discomfort when other people say things that we disagree with ✓ we weaponise that pain → individuals avoid direct confrontation → resort instead to passive-aggressive tactics when faced with disagreement or emotional discomfort How was political correctness in the old days, how has it changed now? [04:08-05:16] ✓ the dominant metaphor was Big Brother from George Orwell's novel 1984 Big Brother = idea of a single authoritarian power shutting people down → high uncertainty avoidance, restraint and power distance ✓ we have become Big Brother → nowadays, we can call people out on racism and sexism online = levels of indulgence and uncertainty avoidance have decreased → majority of people are not afraid to take risks and express their opinions mobbing = bullying of an individual by a group, in any context, such as a family, peer group, school, workplace, neighbourhood, community, or online. When it occurs as physical and emotional abuse in the workplace, such as "ganging up" by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumour, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, non-sexual, non-racial/racial, general harassment What does Jonathan contest about political correctness? [05:20-06:08] ✓ political correctness targets people who can't fight back 〆big wigs can get away with politically incorrect contents = can afford to do so because of their reputation & their power to fight back big wig = important person Why does political correctness as a left-wing doctrine hurt actually people more on the left than on the right end of the spectrum? [06:24-07:10] ✓ politically correct behaviour is supposed to be a left-wing doctrine → care about the minorities 〆hurts people on the left more than it hurts people on the right → should be extremely careful of every single hashtag/syllable/pronoun e.g. firefighter ← fireman house-maker ← house-wife chalkboard ← blackboard Why are some people terrified of saying the wrong thing? What has changed? [07:11] ✓ people in their social networks are the enforcers of politically correct orthodoxy = different from the old days → in the old days you ran afoul of a central authority → these days you run afoul of your friends, your colleagues, your relatives = people who have the same opinions as you but who monitor everything you say closely 〆always one hashtag, or one syllable, one pronoun, one mistake away from a career-ending utterance = increased awareness and scrutiny of language → unreported cases where individuals self-censor out of fear ✓ political correctness is leveraged to silence opposing viewpoints → maintain existing power structures enforcer = one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior to run afoul of sth (AmEn) = to do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule or sth that people in authority disapprove of What is the real scandal about political correctness? [08:53-09:20] ✓ you don't hear everything because people don't speak their mind ✓ refrain from self-expression = fear of facing backlash → opt to remain silent = self-censorship → no one notices → limiting the range of opinions people hear to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective; to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it backlash (~ against | from) = strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to sth that has recently changed in society What solutions does Jonathan recommend? What question(s) should one ask themselves? [11:25] → 3 solutions [12:25] [13:00] [14:14] if we disagree with somebody, or you hear something you disagree with → try not to medicalize it [12:25] i.e. not to assign psychic pain or emotional discomfort to it e.g. Is the pain or discomfort I'm feeling authentic or a political artefact of the environment in which we live, where I am encouraged to experience different kinds of opinions? → resist if someone forces you to submit [13:00] → voice your community if you think it's not offending [14:14] artefact = feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation to go against the grain = to be contrary to the natural inclination or feeling of someone or something to medicalise = to identify a condition as a disease so as to get treatment in order to improve your overall quality of life What conclusions are drawn? Do you agree with them? [15:06] ✓ don't stifle free speech . if we allow the marketplace of ideas to be dominated by easily offended individuals . if we fail to defend our own viewpoints when they are not offensive → we are responsible for any consequences that arise to stifle /'staifəl/ = to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed hobby horse = (sometimes disapproving) subject that sb feels strongly about and likes to talk about fourth wall (the ~) = performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th century onward, the rise of illusionism in staging practices, which culminated in the realism and naturalism of the theatre of the 19th century, led to the development of the fourth wall concept. innuendo = indirect remark about sb/sth, usually suggesting sth bad or rude non sequitur = statement that does not seem to follow what has just been said in any natural or logical way vox pops (vox populi) = belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written kindred spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable damn = swear word that people use to show that they are annoyed, disappointed, etc bloody = swear word that many people find offensive that is used to emphasize a comment or an angry statement stunned silence = silence resulting from such surprise or shock that nobody can think clearly or speak RP (received pronunciation) = approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting to converse = to have a conversation with sb supremacy = position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else perpetuation = act of prolonging something to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective to reprimand = to tell sb officially that you do not approve of them or their actions construct = idea or a belief that is based on various pieces of evidence which are not always true; contrast between lived reality and the construct held in the mind attuned = familiar with sb/sth so that you can understand or recognize them or it and act in an appropriate way hangover = feeling, custom, habit, etc. that remains from the past, although it is no longer practical or suitable agreeable = pleasant and easy to like to brush off = to bar from attention or consideration, to disregard slur = unfair remark about sb/sth that may damage other people's opinion of them supremacy = position in which you have more power, authority or status than anyone else Negro = (old-fashioned, often offensive) member of a race of people with dark skin who originally came from Africa swastika /ˈswɔstɪkə/ = ancient symbol in the form of a cross with its ends bent at an angle of 90 degrees, used in the 20th century as the symbol of the German Nazi party subjugation = forced submission to control by others; oppression micro insult = variety of subtle snubs, conveying a hidden insult to the recipient. Perpetrators are usually unaware they are speaking from bias micro invalidation = communications that negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of colour snub = action or a comment that is deliberately rude in order to show sb that you do not like or respect them fastidiousness = trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or style mobbing = bullying of an individual by a group, in any context, such as a family, peer group, school, workplace, neighbourhood, community, or online. When it occurs as physical and emotional abuse in the workplace, such as "ganging up" by co-workers, subordinates or superiors, to force someone out of the workplace through rumour, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation, it is also referred to as malicious, non-sexual, non-racial/racial, general harassment enforcer = one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior to run afoul of sth (AmEn) = to do sth that is not allowed by a law or rule or sth that people in authority disapprove of to undermine = to make sth, especially sb's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective; to make sth weaker at the base, for example by digging under it backlash (~ against | from) = strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to sth that has recently changed in society to go against the grain = to be contrary to the natural inclination or feeling of someone or something to medicalise = to identify a condition as a disease so as to get treatment in order to improve your overall quality of life artefact = feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation to stifle /'staifəl/ = to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed 20231220 18:10-19:30 2 active Political correctness across cultures Political correctness in comedies By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 5 Politically correct language 1/2 pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png 20231213 hw20231220 5 Politically correct language 1/2 pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png 20231213 hw20231220 active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd In the European heaven... ✓ policemen are English Why is this politically incorrect? → should be 'police officers are British' Some expressions introduced for political correctness have become part of standard English now. Which do you think is the more politically correct expression? → match the expressions with the categories → look at the key: which expressions do you think sound unnatural or far-fetched? ]]> 40 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 10;11;12;13;14;15;16;17;18 unmarried mother blacklisted housewife Third World countries bald fireman Black American blackboard deaf single parent banned home-maker developing countries follically challenged firefighter African-American chalkboard hearing-impaired https://purlandtraining.com/2020/08/01/politically-correct-euphemisms/
able-bodied > non-disabled actress > actor Australian Aborigine > Native Australian bald > follically challenged barman > bar attendant bin man > cleanliness technician black bag > bin bag black person > Person of Colour black sheep > pariah blackboard > chalk board blacklisted > banned blind > sight impaired blind drunk > very drunk boring > differently interesting broken home > dysfunctional family brother / sister > sibling chairman > chair Christian name > first name Christmas > Winter Festival / Winterval cleaner > facility manager clumsy > uniquely coordinated confined to a wheelchair > wheelchair user dead > passed away / terminally unavailable deaf > hearing impaired deforestation > forest management diabetic > person with diabetes dinner lady > mealtime supervisor disease > disorder drug addict > person with a chemical dependency drug habit > substance use disorder English > British / UK citizen Eskimo > Inuit fat > overweight / big-boned fireman > firefighter forefathers > ancestors / forebears Frenchman > French person get the sack > be part of a restructuring guys > folks hairdresser > stylist headmaster / headmistress > director homeless > residentially flexible homosexual > same-sex housewife > homemaker / stay-at-home mum husband / wife > spouse / significant other idiot / class clown > behaviourally challenged illegal alien / illegal > undocumented worker Indians > Native Americans job losses > restructuring junkie > person with a drug dependency
juvenile delinquents > children at risk ladies and gentlemen > everybody lost > geographically disorientated male nurse > nurse man in the street > average person man up > be brave manhole > maintenance hole mankind > humankind man-made > synthetic manpower > workforce men / women > people Merry Christmas > Happy Holidays midget / dwarf > little person minority group > numerically challenged group Miss / Mrs > Ms nut > person with a mental health condition Oriental > Asian plastic surgery > cosmetic surgery policeman > police officer poor > marginalised postman / mailman > postal worker / mail carrier prison cell > custody suite problem > opportunity / challenge promiscuous > sexually liberated prostitute > sex worker salesman > salesperson secretary > administrative assistant sex change > sex reassignment surgery (SRS) short > vertically challenged single > flying solo skinny / thin > (very) slim slum > economically deprived area spokesman > spokesperson sportsmanship > fairness steward / stewardess > flight attendant suffers from / victim of… > has… [condition] tax man > tax officer the disabled > disabled people the elderly / old people > senior citizens Third World > Developing Nations to lie > to misspeak / be economical with the truth to man sth > to operate / crew / run sth ugly > unconventional-looking unemployed > involuntarily leisured used (goods) > pre-owned / pre-loved waiter / waitress > server / waiting staff warehouse worker > warehouse operative white European > Caucasian woman priest > priest workman > worker wrong > differently logical
]]> 6 Comedy as a cultural gauge active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png To what extent can comedy be representative of a culture?
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Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Their work included live shows, films, albums, books, and musicals; their influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Their sketch show has been called "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". Monty Python's Flying Circus was loosely structured as a sketch show, but its innovative stream-of-consciousness approach and Gilliam's animation skills pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. Monty Python received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 1988. In 1998, they were awarded the AFI Star Award by the American Film Institute. Holy Grail and Life of Brian are frequently ranked on lists of the greatest comedy films. video Monty Python - International Hairdressers Expedition on Everest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F2SJS6B1wQ → watch the video → answer the questions]]> monty_python_hairdressers_expedition_on_everest_0F2SJS6B1wQ.mp4 What minorities are mocked? ✓ homosexual communities to mock = to laugh at sb/sth in an unkind way, especially by copying what they say or do What kind of people might feel ridiculed by such stereotypical description? ✓ women ✓ active, and yet dandy, men ✓ (Italian) hairdressers ← Mario's salon ✓ Alpinists ✓ sports people to ridicule = to make sb/sth look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way dandy = man who cares a lot about his clothes and appearance What cultural dimensions can be elicited from this video? ✓ joy > restraint ✓ neuroticism ✓ short term orientation ✓ femininity > masculinity ✓ little power distance ✓ individualism > collectivism ✓ low uncertainty avoidance to elicit = to draw forth, make evident (what is latent) Could this video be considered offensive by today's standards? Why / why not? ✓ perhaps questioned by LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer) Why is the term 'hairdresser' offensive? ✓ not politically correct... → use 'stylist' instead political correctness = (sometimes disapproving) the principle of avoiding language and behaviour that may offend particular groups of people 8 It's all Greek to me 20231220 hw20240110 active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png 'I don't know'?
Is it all right to lose face in your culture, or will you pretend you know something at any cost rather than admit you don't?]]> It's All Greek To Me | A Bit Of Fry &Laurie | BBC Comedy Greats A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between 1989 and 1995. It ran for four series with 26 episodes, including a 36-minute pilot episode in 1987. As in The Two Ronnies, elaborate wordplay and innuendo were staples. It frequently broke the fourth wall; characters would revert to their real-life actors mid-sketch, or the camera would often pan off set into the studio. The show was punctuated with non sequitur vox pops in a similar style to those of Monty Python's Flying Circus, often making irrelevant statements and wordplay. Laurie was also seen playing piano and other instruments and singing comical numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZZKwCPCj8 → watch the video → answer the questions.]]> This Octopus, what was it called? The Greek waiter: Where was it caught? What a question! In the sea. Hugh Laurie: Yeah... so, that should be OK, Gordon...]]> it_s_all_greek_to_me_a_bit_of_fry_and_laurie_BBC_comedy_greats_PqZZKwCPCj8.mp4 Why does the scene take place in a Greek restaurant (and not Indian for instance)? ✓ pun on words It's all Greek to me = way of saying that you do not understand something that is said or written but Hugh Laurie pretends to understand Greek well... That's a typical Londoner's reaction (...) You don't understand the Greek does things at his own tempo. You know, natural rhythms & cycles deep within them. The Yorkshireman in me respects that [00:06-00:13] Why does Hugh Laurie pretend he understands Greek culture? ]]> ✓ wants to show off how well-educated he is ✓ cultural awareness is well-thought of (= long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance...) It's a bit forward, isn't? All that 'My lovely friends' don't (you think)? Hugh Laurie Ah well, you see, Gordon, he (the Greek waiter) spotted a kindred spirit (in me). [01:22-01:27] Why does Hugh Laurie carry on pretending he & the waiter share some same cultural values?]]> treated with respect - not the average walk-in, quick turn-over merchants [01:34] ]]> kindred spirit = person with similar ideas, opinions, etc Ah, I've had enough, Gordon. I'm gonna have an honest British kebab! [03:58] Why is this last reply amusing?]]> ✓ a kebab is by no means more British than a Greek meal = contradictory behaviour to long-term orientation & uncertainty avoidance observed earlier Can you think of any reasons why this comedy could be considered as not politically correct by today's standards? Why has it - or hasn't it - crossed the border? 〆stereotypical portrait of Greek waiters 〆British condescending approach ✓ collective tolerance towards witty, established comedians? ✓ British laughing at themselves = self-deprecating sense of humour (...) self-deprecating = done in a way that makes your own achievements or abilities seem unimportant; ~ humour can be used as a way to make complaints, express modesty, invoke optimal reactions. It may also be used as a way for individuals to appear more likeable and agreeable follicle = one of the very small holes in the skin which hair grows from euphemism = word or phrase that replaces part of a sentence which is considered offensive or taboo – i.e. that cannot be talked about in “polite” conversation, e.g. 'to spend a penny' means 'to go to the toilet' gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/ = instrument for measuring the amount or level of sth to mock = to laugh at sb/sth in an unkind way, especially by copying what they say or do to ridicule = to make sb/sth look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way to elicit = to draw forth, make evident (what is latent) LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer) - In use since the late 1980s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities 20231213 18:10-19:30 2 active Facilitating cultural changes By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 3/3 Regional sales manager in Baku (to be completed for the quarterly test) 20231206 hw20231213_n1 pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa 4/3 Regional sales manager in Baku - Feedback wip active pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png edit_ol_qa prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa visual aid → write skills & qualities expected from the ideal candidate to the panel of professors → justify your choice ]]> Striking a balance between local UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) and Russian LTO (long term orientation vs short term normative orientation) is essential, indeed (...) → example situation 〆(...) Russia has one of the best formations in the whole world. Russia ranks 23rd in the education ranking for 2022. At the same time, Azerbaijan is in the 65th position. It should be concluded that the introduction of Russian experts into the education system of Azerbaijan would be a good opportunity for Baku to succeed in the education process ✓ interesting idea... 〆but dangerous introduction because you could be suggesting a condescending attitude 〆The ideal candidate for the Faculty Council will have a number of skills and qualities that will help him/her successfully perform the duties of an academic coordinator in Baku → you haven't described these skills & qualities by recycling cultural dimension tools covered during the lesson (...) 〆while all this is true (though rather general), there is no explanation how skills should match the needs of the cultural dimensions involved 〆The ability to work in a team helps you integrate more successfully into a new environment → how can you express this ability in terms of power distance? 〆(...) and establish contacts with colleagues → how can you express this ability in terms of masculinity - femininity? 〆Flexibility and adaptability help you successfully cope with new tasks → how can you express this ability in terms of uncertainty avoidance & linear active vs multi active approaches? 〆/✓ For example, if students from Azerbaijan and Russia were offered to prepare a joint project, according to which each of the representatives of cultures has different views on it. In this case, the coordinator can resolve the problem by offering a rational solution that will suit both sides. Could you explain how you achieve a solution by taking into consideration the masculinity - femininity, or power distance cultural dimension? 〆/✓ (...) you should not forget about their right to speak their national language which is convenient for them. Neither side should adapt to the other when it comes to comfort. To this issue, we can recall the recent meetings of some heads of state, at which the President of Kazakhstan, who speaks excellent Russian, suddenly began to speak in his native language, forcing members of the congress from Russia to look for their headphones What does this (rather confusing) example suggest? power distance? self indulgence vs restraint?  〆In the realm of international collaborations, an understanding and appreciation of both Russian and Azerbaijani cultures are imperative. This cultural proficiency serves as the bedrock for effective communication, positive relationship building, and the creation of a harmonious academic exchange environment that fosters mutual understanding and respect (...) The ideal candidate should demonstrate a proven track record in project management, capable of overseeing the minutiae of scheduling, logistics, and implementation (...) This individual will serve as the linchpin, fostering educational collaboration and cultural understanding between the two nations, and steering the academic exchange program towards unprecedented success. The careful consideration of these attributes in the selection process is paramount, promising a future of enriched educational partnerships and international camaraderie 〆too emphatic, pompous → very posh (academic) language but - unfortunately - rather little recycling of cultural dimensions covered in class (Nubar Bunyatova) ✓ This ability will reduce cultural problems that may arise, such as differences in power distance, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, or uncertainty avoidance. For example, the attitude of the employer to the employee may differ depending on gender in Azerbaijan. At the workplace, the employer's requirements for a female employee may be less than for a male employee, even if the wages of both sexes are the same, while in Russia there are no such differences. ✓ tangible facts () ✓ As Azerbaijan is a country where large power distance predominates, the candidate is to be respectful, delicate and compromising. For example, talking to older colleagues one should show respect, patience and be a good listener ✓ simple (almost too simple?) example (Daria Sigaeva) ✓ (...) a similar trait between people in these two countries is high perception of uncertainty avoidance. This means that the candidate should constantly analyze possible work options or problem solutions, not make hasty decisions and be confident in the results of their actions. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is a clear example of it ✓ use of a proverb to support argumentation () ✓ One of the most important qualities to look for in them are assertiveness and leadership. This goes somewhat contrary to what I said earlier about collectivism. However, Azerbaijan is a country with a high perception of masculinity ✓ critical thinking (Nubar Bunyatova) ✓ (...) good at communication, adapting their style to accommodate Azerbaijan's multi-active culture, which emphasizes fluid and expressive communication ✓ academic terminology + plain English explanation (Olga Medvedeva) ✓ the candidate should be flexible. For example, he/she has to understand that most people and organizations in this country are short-term oriented. It means that long-term planning is not common practice for this region ✓ simple example (Olga Medvedeva) ✓ People from Russia, due to their multi-active culture, can sometimes be very emotional and open. People from Azerbaijan are more reactive. It means that they do not talk about their personal life, feelings and problems at work. It is better not to trouble them with the personal questions and not be very emotional with fellow workers ✓ simple, well-justified piece of advice You put the group's priorities higher than your own It’s important because you will be working with professors and students from Azerbaijan, which is a collectivist culture.  → Loyalty to your colleagues, trustworthiness and harmony with other staff members are among the most crucial responsibilities expected of you. You are a caring and helpful employee Azerbaijanis have feminine values, so relations between colleagues in organizations are more sincere and warm, and conflicts are solved through mutual consent. → For example, if an Azerbaijani student did something wrong (e.g., filled out a document incorrectly, didn’t bring a document), you should solve this situation in a polite and friendly manner, without aggression and direct conflict (offer help in filling out a document, give another copy of the document). You are perceptive: you understand both verbal and non-verbal communication Since Azerbaijanis belong to a high-context culture, they tend to communicate implicitly using different gestures.  → For example, you should point to an object not with one finger, but with your whole hand, otherwise it may seem rude (e.g., when showing a presentation, a document). You are patient, respectful, considerate and humble Azerbaijanis are reactive, meaning they don't interrupt you, they listen attentively, and they probably won't ask unnecessary questions in case of a misunderstanding so as not to lose face.  → For instance, they may not complete their duties on time because they may not have fully understood them, which could lead to missing deadlines. In this case, you should not only notice it and realize the reason for it, but also help them in a very indirect and polite way so that they don't think they are incompetent. You know how to behave in a hierarchical system Azerbaijan, like Russia, shows a significantly high score of power distance. You will be told what to do and you will have to report your tasks to your superiors.  It also means that older people need to be respected.  → To show respect for older people in Azerbaijan you should initiate greetings first and address them by their first name, followed by the appropriate title. You are cautious and careful when it comes to risk Since both Russia and Azerbaijan have a high uncertainty avoidance score, you must be prepared to work and behave in a rigorous manner, thinking through every innovation.  → If you, for example, want to propose something new and innovative, you need to examine every detail of this plan and only then present your idea. You respect traditions, but also prepare for the future Since Russia values long-term orientation and Azerbaijan values short-term orientation, you need to find a balance between the two. You have to be able to focus on the current moment, but also look to the future and plan ahead.  → For example, you have organized an exchange of Russian and Azerbaijani students. At the moment you have to think about their accommodation in the dormitories, as they will be arriving soon. But in the future, you will need to help them with their studies, insurance, etc., which you should think about now to avoid problems. You can interact with both Russians and Azerbaijanis, understand their cultural peculiarities, and be a "bridge" between these two cultures in order to maintain successful communication. → For example, during a meeting, Russian and Azerbaijani professors start discussing the peculiarities of their exchange studying programs, and a misunderstanding of some type occurs. Russia and Azerbaijan both communicate using the full range of communicative capabilities (gestures, body language, verbal or non-verbal messages). But these gestures and non-verbal messages can be misunderstood or misinterpreted, leading to confusion and even negative outcomes. You should help them understand each other in a very polite way so that they don't feel embarrassed.  → Also, Azeris are reactive people, while Russians are multi-active. That’s why at the end of the meeting, it is better to check whether they have understood the main ideas and explain some points that may seem questionable or complicated. ]]> https://pjms.zim.pcz.pl/resources/html/article/details?id=611272&language=en ]]> 2 McDonald’s advertisements in different countries 20231206 hw20231206 active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png McDonald’s advertisements in different countries Watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMLrVP_E-jA → answer the questions ]]> mcdonald_s_ads_different_countries_pMLrVP_E-jA.mp4 What lifestyle (in terms of joy / restraint) is depicted in the USA? ✓ multicultural environment → linear-active communication → low uncertainty avoidance → low power distance ✓ spending time with friends (rather than with family) → individualist culture ✓ active, outdoor lifestyle → short-term orientation → joy (= indulgence) What forms of power distance & uncertainty avoidance are challenged in Taiwan? ✓ almost no dialogue → reactive culture ✓ fear of sexual orientation disclosure + respect for father → high power distance → uncertainty avoidance clash between generations ✓ tolerance to homosexuality → generational shift from distrust to trust → joy (= indulgence) How does McDonald comply with the local power distance & restraint of Arabic cultures? ✓ follow modern life styles → joy (= indulgence) ✓ observe traditions of elder eating first → high power distance → uncertainty avoidance ✓ family gathering → collectivist culture What message (in terms of joy & masculinity - femininity) is conveyed in Denmark? ✓ McDrive as a convenient life style → joy (= indulgence) ✓ unisex because absence of gender related clues → inclusion ✓ broken arm, (too) short arm... → equity → femininity (i.e. no masculine dominance) How are the collectivist & indulgence cultural dimensions suggested in the Indian version? ✓ sharing feelings with family & friends → collectivist culture ✓ (very) emotional display of feelings (when eating spicy McDonald burgers) → multi active ✓ McDonalds observes spicy, Indian eating habits → joy (= indulgence) ✓ musicality → femininity (i.e. no masculine dominance) How would you market & prepare an advert for a Russian audience? ✓ birthday party → collectivist culture ✓ children & families → long-term orientation ✓ happy moment → joy (= indulgence) ← generational shift from restraint cultural habits 2 Politically correct minstrels? active wip pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa Can today's minstrels be politically correct?
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A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments. Minstrels performed songs which told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty and high society. As the courts became more sophisticated, minstrels were eventually replaced at court by the troubadours, and many became wandering minstrels, performing in the streets; a decline in their popularity began in the late 15th century. Minstrels fed into later traditions of travelling entertainers, which continued to be moderately strong into the early 20th century, and which has some continuity in the form of today's buskers or street musicians.
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Did you know that many sketches can't be found on the internet any more? The one in which Benny Hill plays Uganda dictator Idi Amin is a good example. What change(s) in cultural values does this suggest? Equity in the name of collectivism or individualism? Long-term orientation? ]]> 3 Political correctness - Blackface minstrelsy active wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Is blackface minstrelsy truly offensive? Is political correctness an indicator of joy or restraint? video Benny Hill - Hot Gossamer (1979) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXHTYsAJ91w → watch the video [01:28-5:14] → imagine what viewers may write in the comments → read sample comments → answer the questions]]> As an African American who adored Benny Hill this doesn't offend me at all this was hilarious to me i still crack up at this sketch 😂😂😂 @byronbenguche I watched Benny Hill, growing up, and nobody even remotely thought that this kind of thing was racist! It was the furthest from our minds! @Mortthemoose ]]> benny_hill_hot_gossamer_1979_zXHTYsAJ91w.mp4 ✓ racism ✓ sexism ✓ shortism = unfair treatment of people who are short (i.e. not tall) sexism = unfair treatment of people, especially women, because of their sex In his career Benny Hill poked fun at a lot of people, professions, and places, himself most of all. I think most of us enjoyed the comedy without giving the social implications people would come up with years later a thought. @donaldmaxie9742 (...) Because, back then, Britain was far less educated, and far more racist, than it became from the ’90s onwards. Racism was still institutionalised and systemic back then. People from all sorts of minority cultures had a fight on their hands just to get recognition. And the face of that racism was the media’s popular entertainment - movies, radio, print media, comics, shows. You would not believe how racist, sexist, ableist and queerphobic the media was, back in the day. And where the media led, the public followed. Benny Hill was not the monster. He was just following the curve. The monster was the TV station which didn’t think twice about blackfacing, or making jokes about gay people, or mothers-in-law or women drivers Alex Greene https://www.quora.com/How-come-Benny-Hill-got-a-pass-for-wearing-blackface-He-possibly-played-all-the-minority-characters-on-his-show]]> ✓ people who grew up with Benny Hill are like fish that don't see water → a caricature depends on its high context environment ✓ today, most viewers will just see people of colour dancing In the 60's, Afro Americans were often considered the best disco dancers & musicians → could be interpreted as paying tribute to their talent Fish can't see water... Do you think this performance could still be broadcast on national Tv nowadays? Why / why not? 〆probably not because politically incorrect blackface minstrelsy = indigenous American theatrical form that constituted a subgenre of the minstrel show. Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (travelling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. The form reached the pinnacle of its popularity between 1850 and 1870, when it enjoyed sizeable audiences in both the United States and Britain. (src: https://www.britannica.com/art/blackface-minstrelsy) What cultural dimension(s) may have changed since this show was recorded? ✓ shift from restraint to joy / indulgence, or the opposite? ✓ shift from masculinity to femininity (...) 4 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Cultural heaven and hell wip active deck_shuffled_lines_halign prep_deck_shuffled_lines_halign
In the European heaven cooks policemen lovers everything
In the European hell cooks policemen lovers everything
]]> masculinity ✓ low level of uncertainty avoidance = more tolerant → lovers are Italian ✓ indulgence ✓ multi-active → everything is organized by Germans ✓ high level of uncertainty avoidance ✓ linear-active approach however, in the European hell: → cooks are English ✓ individualism > collectivism → policemen are French ✓ high level of uncertainty avoidance = bureaucratic → lovers are German ✓ restraint → everything is organized by Italians ✓ multi-active ]]> 5 Politically correct language 1/2 pix/icons8-dictionary-100_white.png 20231213 hw20231220 active wip xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd_row xml_multi_dd In the European heaven... ✓ policemen are English Why is this politically incorrect? → should be 'police officers are British' Some expressions introduced for political correctness have become part of standard English now. Which do you think is the more politically correct expression? → match the expressions with the categories → look at the key: which expressions do you think sound unnatural or far-fetched? ]]> 40 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9 10;11;12;13;14;15;16;17;18 unmarried mother blacklisted housewife Third World countries bald fireman Black American blackboard deaf single parent banned home-maker developing countries follically challenged firefighter African-American chalkboard hearing-impaired https://purlandtraining.com/2020/08/01/politically-correct-euphemisms/
able-bodied > non-disabled actress > actor Australian Aborigine > Native Australian bald > follically challenged barman > bar attendant bin man > cleanliness technician black bag > bin bag black person > Person of Colour black sheep > pariah blackboard > chalk board blacklisted > banned blind > sight impaired blind drunk > very drunk boring > differently interesting broken home > dysfunctional family brother / sister > sibling chairman > chair Christian name > first name Christmas > Winter Festival / Winterval cleaner > facility manager clumsy > uniquely coordinated confined to a wheelchair > wheelchair user dead > passed away / terminally unavailable deaf > hearing impaired deforestation > forest management diabetic > person with diabetes dinner lady > mealtime supervisor disease > disorder drug addict > person with a chemical dependency drug habit > substance use disorder English > British / UK citizen Eskimo > Inuit fat > overweight / big-boned fireman > firefighter forefathers > ancestors / forebears Frenchman > French person get the sack > be part of a restructuring guys > folks hairdresser > stylist headmaster / headmistress > director homeless > residentially flexible homosexual > same-sex housewife > homemaker / stay-at-home mum husband / wife > spouse / significant other idiot / class clown > behaviourally challenged illegal alien / illegal > undocumented worker Indians > Native Americans job losses > restructuring junkie > person with a drug dependency
juvenile delinquents > children at risk ladies and gentlemen > everybody lost > geographically disorientated male nurse > nurse man in the street > average person man up > be brave manhole > maintenance hole mankind > humankind man-made > synthetic manpower > workforce men / women > people Merry Christmas > Happy Holidays midget / dwarf > little person minority group > numerically challenged group Miss / Mrs > Ms nut > person with a mental health condition Oriental > Asian plastic surgery > cosmetic surgery policeman > police officer poor > marginalised postman / mailman > postal worker / mail carrier prison cell > custody suite problem > opportunity / challenge promiscuous > sexually liberated prostitute > sex worker salesman > salesperson secretary > administrative assistant sex change > sex reassignment surgery (SRS) short > vertically challenged single > flying solo skinny / thin > (very) slim slum > economically deprived area spokesman > spokesperson sportsmanship > fairness steward / stewardess > flight attendant suffers from / victim of… > has… [condition] tax man > tax officer the disabled > disabled people the elderly / old people > senior citizens Third World > Developing Nations to lie > to misspeak / be economical with the truth to man sth > to operate / crew / run sth ugly > unconventional-looking unemployed > involuntarily leisured used (goods) > pre-owned / pre-loved waiter / waitress > server / waiting staff warehouse worker > warehouse operative white European > Caucasian woman priest > priest workman > worker wrong > differently logical
]]> slapstick = type of humour that is based on simple actions, for example people hitting each other, falling down, etc double entendre = word or phrase that can be understood in two different ways, one of which usually refers to sex political correctness = (sometimes disapproving) the principle of avoiding language and behaviour that may offend particular groups of people politically correct = term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offence or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. Since the late 1980s, the term has been used to describe a preference for inclusive language and avoidance of language or behaviour that can be seen as excluding, marginalizing, or insulting to groups of people disadvantaged or discriminated against, particularly groups defined by ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. In public discourse and the media, the term is generally used as a pejorative with an implication that these policies are excessive or unwarranted person of colour = primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the United States; however, since the 2010s, it has been adopted elsewhere in the Anglosphere (often as person of colour), including relatively limited usage in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and Singapore (src: Wikipedia) blackface = practice of non-Black performers using burnt cork or theatrical make-up to portray a caricature of Black people on stage or in entertainment minstrel = entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who sang songs and played musical instruments blackface minstrelsy = indigenous American theatrical form that constituted a subgenre of the minstrel show. Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (travelling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. The form reached the pinnacle of its popularity between 1850 and 1870, when it enjoyed sizeable audiences in both the United States and Britain. Although blackface minstrelsy gradually disappeared from the professional theatres and became purely a vehicle for amateurs, its influence endured in later entertainment genres and media, including vaudeville theatre, radio and television programs, and the world-music and motion-picture industries of the 20th and 21st centuries (src: https://www.britannica.com/art/blackface-minstrelsy) gossamer = something super fine and delicate — like a spider web or the material of a wedding veil. The original gossamer, from which these meanings come from, is the fine, filmy substance spiders excrete to weave their webs. A dress can be gossamer-like, if its fabric is so sheer as to be see-through, or almost sexism = unfair treatment of people, especially women, because of their sex shortism = unfair treatment of people who are short (i.e. not tall) 20231206 18:10-19:30 2 active Case study - Practice with Hofstede cultural dimensions By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 1 Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart's utility ladder of freedoms (1 / 2) 20231129 hw20231206n1 Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart by Christian Welzel, published online October 2, 2018 in Sage Journals → are the statements true or false? ]]> 3 Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart's utility ladder of freedoms (2 / 2) 20231129 hw20231206n2 The “revised theory of modernization” predicts that national cultures change, but that relative country rankings do not... Read the excerpt from Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart by Christian Welzel, published online October 2, 2018 in Sage Journals → answer the questions ]]> 2 Blessed with Masculinity, Dasa Hink active move_html5_video dasa_hink_blessed_with_masculinity_pWWuwllhBL4.mp4 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Women in culture across centuries active wip deck_shuffled_lines_halign deck_shuffled_lines_valign How has the role of women changed over the centuries? How representative is it of a country's culture? → watch the video → use the following cultural characteristics to describe the pictures → answer the following questions 1) How do you think these women feel? To what extent are they emancipated in their cultural environment? 2) What is the relationship between the woman posing and the painter / viewer? 3) How has this relationship changed over the centuries (in terms of cultural dimensions)? 4) Whose role would you like to play if you were an actress? Why? ]]>
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Mona Lisa, 1503 half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, [and] the most parodied work of art in the world."
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Grande Odalisque, aka Une Odalisque or La Grande Odalisque, 1814 oil painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres depicting an odalisque, or concubine. Ingres' contemporaries considered the work to signify Ingres' break from Neoclassicism, indicating a shift toward exotic Romanticism
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Blessed with Masculinity, Dasa Hink It tells stories from the last couple of years, of failing in life and love and of falling in love. This song was written just before I actually got pregnant. It was the first step towards admitting to myself that this is what I want, which was a hard thing to do. A kind of love song to my partner, and a kind of spiritual hymn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWWuwllhBL4&t=11s https://www.thetemporaldimension.com/dasahink
]]> 1/3 Regional sales manager in Baku active wip role_play visual aid You are a consultant of Russian ethnicity born in Baku in the Soviet Union with local experience in sales & marketing. → brain-storm possible hurdles you may face with the local sales force e.g. power-distance, masculinity-femininity... ]]> Consultant of Russian ethnicity born in Baku You believe one female director of sales has more potential than others for succeeding in this position although you are aware they have never had a female manager before. Haven't you heard of the country's recent efforts to rejuvenate its traditional image? e.g. Baku hosted the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, the 2015 European Games, 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, the European Grand Prix in 2016, the final of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League I really don't think choosing a female director of sales would be a bad choice if she's competent! Business consultant → disagree with the other consultant → brain-storm possible hurdles a female director of sales may face with the local force I'm afraid power-distance is just too omnipresent in this country! Think about Hofstede's masculinity-femininity... 2/3 Regional sales manager in Baku active wip pix/icons8-lecturer-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa visual aid → prepare a 5min presentation to the shareholders to explain your choice → make sure you answer at least the questions below ]]> Introduction
• • •
Why may a person-oriented approach be a better choice?
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How can high-context awareness help a female regional sales manager in this position between Moscow and Baku?
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What steps should the regional sales manager take to counterbalance uncertainty avoidance?
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Conclusion
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]]> supremacist = person who believes that their own race is better than others and should be in power • • •
• being person-oriented rather than task-oriented (femininity rather than masculinity) may be risky given high uncertainty avoidance... • but could prove more diplomatic when only starting out in new markets with new partners • you don't want to impose your views (and be perceived as a supremacist!...)
• be attentive to what is expected before launching any new strategy • learn 'to read the air' • = high-context skill
• ask a senior person from Baku to introduce him/her to the local team • use senior endorsement to satisfy local power distance & uncertainty avoidance • (...)
• • •
]]> 3/3 Regional sales manager in Baku 20231206 hw20231213_n1 active wip pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png prep_2columns_2qa prep_ol_qa visual aid → write skills & qualities expected from the ideal candidate to the shareholders → justify your choice (recycle cultural dimensions terminology) ]]> Striking a balance between local UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) and Russian LTO (long term orientation vs short term normative orientation) is essential, indeed (...) → example situation frugality = prudence in avoiding waste perseverance = quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim in spite of difficulties indulgence = (usually disapproving) the state or act of having or doing whatever you want; the state of allowing sb to have or do whatever they want; something that you allow yourself to have even though it is not essential to shortlist (sb/sth for sth) = to put sb/sth on a shortlist for a job, prize, etc to rejuvenate = to make sb/sth look or feel younger or more lively hurdle = obstacle omnipresent = present everywhere power distance = strength of social hierarchy; has been defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society. All societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 8) masculinity-femininity = task-orientation versus person-orientation IDV (individualism-collectivism) = measures the extent to which people look out for each other as a team or look out for themselves as an individual UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) = indicates to what extent nations avoid the unknown; is not the same as risk avoidance: it deals with a society's tolerance for ambiguity. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict behavioural codes, laws and rules, disapproval of deviant opinions, and a belief in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one Truth and we have it' (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 10) LTO (long-term orientation) = expresses how societies either prioritize traditions or seek for the modern in their dealings with the present and the future IVR (indulgence vs restraint) = comparison between a country's willingness to wait for long-term benefits by holding off on instant gratification, or preferences to no restraints on enjoying life at the present gender gap = difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including political candidates, parties, or programmes supremacist = person who believes that their own race is better than others and should be in power will work works very efficiently, she will need to ... ]]> 20231129 18:10-19:30 2 active Hofstede cultural models, Inglehart, Welzel utility ladder of freedoms By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 1 Recent discoveries about cultural differences 20231122 hw20231129 pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png There are millions of people in each and every culture. Aren't there cultural differences between individuals? How do the Hofstede cultural dimensions cope with disparities? Watch the video [13:12-18:37]. → answer the questions video Geert Hofstede - Recent Discoveries about Cultural Differences https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=LBv1wLuY3Ko ]]> 1 Recent discoveries about cultural differences 20231122 hw20231129 active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png There are millions of people in each and every culture. Aren't there cultural differences between individuals? How do the Hofstede cultural dimensions cope with disparities? Watch the video [13:12-18:37]. → answer the questions video Geert Hofstede - Recent Discoveries about Cultural Differences https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=LBv1wLuY3Ko ]]> geert_hofstede_recent_discoveries_about_cultural_differences_LBv1wLuY3Ko.mp4 Why did McCrae (author of the Big Five - Ocean) contact G.Hofstede? What did he discover? [13:40-14:15] ✓ McCrae had data on personality ✓ discovered that Big Five differences between countries were correlated with Hofstede's national cultural dimensions [13:38] ✓ found a link between national culture dimensions personality dimensions [13:50] What are the Big Five (Ocean) or Big Six? [14:16-15:28] 1. Openness to experience 2. Conscientiousness 3. Extraversion 4. Agreeableness 5. Neuroticism 6. Dependence on others Openness to experience ↔ intelligence → uncertainty avoidance Conscientiousness ↔ precise or sloppy → linear active or multi-active → long-term orientation → masculinity (task-oriented) vs femininity (person-oriented) Extraversion ↔ intro or extra directed (introvert vs extrovert) → low-context vs high-context → masculinity (task-oriented) vs femininity (person-oriented) → indulgence / restraint Agreeableness ↔ nice or nasty → power distance → masculinity (task-oriented) vs femininity (person-oriented) Neuroticism ↔ stable or unstable → linear active / reactive vs multi-active → indulgence / restraint Dependence on others ↔ collectivist or individualistic → individualism-collectivism Does the Hofstede national dimension take into account cultural variations among regions? [15:38-16:17] ✓ yes, you acquire values of the region you are born in [16:17] What is evidenced by the survey of Brazil [16:32-18:37]? ✓ Brazil consists of 27 states southern population immigrated from European countries north western population features African origins northern people are of native Indian origin → all are always closer to each other than to their neighbours 2 WFS - World Values Survey active wip edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png Is national culture more powerful than regions? Watch the video [18:46-21:25]. → answer the questions video Geert Hofstede - Recent Discoveries about Cultural Differences https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=LBv1wLuY3Ko ]]> geert_hofstede_recent_discoveries_about_cultural_differences_LBv1wLuY3Ko.mp4 What has WVS (World Values Survey) demonstrated [18:46]? ✓ despite differences among regions, regions always tended to look for other regions from the same country [20:32] How do Indonesia & Malaysia confirm the reliability of the cultural model? [20:53-21:25] ✓ same language ✓ similar histories (of colonisation) → Indonesian regions cluster with other Indonesian ones → national culture is more powerful textbook active tmp_pdf/F00010763-WVS__Results_By_Country_2017-2022_v5.0.0.pdf tmp_pdf/F00010738-WVS-7_Master_Questionnaire_2017-2020_English.pdf F00010738-WVS-7_Master_Questionnaire_2017-2020_English.pdf











]]> 3 Research active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Are your personal values representative of your national ones? 2017 -2021 WORLD VALUES SURVEY WAVE 7 MASTER SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE Similar to the previous waves, WVS-7 questionnaire is an extensive research tool comprising 290 questions and measuring cultural values, attitudes and beliefs towards gender, family, and religion, attitudes and experience of poverty, education, health, and security, social tolerance and trust, attitudes towards multilateral institutions, cultural differences and similarities between regions and societies. In addition, the WVS-7 questionnaire has been elaborated with the inclusion of such new topics as the issues of justice, moral principles, corruption, accountability and risk, migration, national security and global governance https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSContents.jsp → answer a (brief) selection of questions from the WVS → check average sample answers from Russian surveys → compare dominant & less frequent answers with your own → discuss how representative they are of Russian culture in comparison with 2-3 other countries of your choice]]> Q2- For each of the following aspects, indicate how important it is in your life. Would you say it is very important, rather important, not very important or not important at all pg 151 Friends pg 153 Leisure time pg 155 politics pg 157 work pg 159 religion Q7- Here is a list of qualities that children can be encouraged to learn at home. Which, if any, do you consider to be especially important? Please choose up to five. pg 161 Good manners pg 163 independence pg 165 hard work pg 167 feeling of responsibility pg 169 imagination pg 171 tolerance and respect for other people pg 173 thrift saving money and things pg 175 determination, perseverance pg 177 religious faith pg 179 not being selfish (unselfishness) pg 181 obedience Q18- On this list are various groups of people. Could you please mention any that you would not like to have as neighbours? Q22- On this list are various groups of people. Could you please mention any that you would not like to have as neighbors? pg 191 Homosexuals pg 197 Unmarried couples living together Q36- Do you agree, disagree or neither agree nor disagree with the following statements?: pg 225 Homosexual couples are as good parents as other couples Q107- Now I'd like you to tell me your views on various issues. How would you place your views on this scale? 1 means you agree completely with the statement on the left; 10 means you agree completely with the statement on the right; and if your views fall somewhere in between, you can choose any number in between. pg 377 Private vs state ownership of business pg 379 Government responsibility Q142- To what degree are you worried about the following situations? pg 446 Losing my job or not finding a job Q147- To what degree are you worried about the following situations? pg 456 A terrorist attack Q149- Most people consider both freedom and equality to be important, but if you had to choose between them, which one would you consider more important? pg 460 Russia Q150- Most people consider both freedom and security to be important, but if you had to choose between them, which one would you consider more important? pg 462 Russia Q152- People sometimes talk about what the aims of this country should be for the next ten years. On this card are listed some of the goals which different people would give top priority. Would you please say which one of these you consider the most important? pg 466 Russia Q184- Please tell me for each of the following statements whether you think it can always be justified, never be justified, or something in between, using this card. pg 530 Abortion pg 538 euthanasia Q250- How important is it for you to live in a country that is governed democratically? On this scale where 1 means it is “not at all important” and 10 means “absolutely important” what position would you choose? pg 681 1 Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart's utility ladder of freedoms (1 / 2) active 20231129 hw20231206n1 Synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart edit_short_reading_floating prep_short_reading_floating monochronic, polychronic by Edward T.Hall linear-active, multi-active, reactive by R.Lewis OCEAN by McCrae 6 cultural dimensions by Hofstede How can they take into consideration changes due to globalisation?
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Every day, another 45 publications worldwide cite the cross-cultural work of Geert Hofstede (1980, 2001) and Ronald Inglehart (1971, 1990, 1997). Together, Hofstede and Inglehart have received over 200,000 citations, making them two of the world’s most frequently quoted social scientists (Google Scholar). While Hofstede is known for identifying several dimensions of cross-cultural variation, Inglehart’s key contribution consists in a dynamic theory of cultural change. (...) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 Acknowledgements The authors thank Costas Katsikeas, Neil Morgan, Robbert Maseland, Loek Halman, the reviewers, and the editor for their useful suggestions and comments Christian Welzel ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1562-3580 Read the excerpt from Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart by Christian Welzel, published online October 2, 2018 in Sage Journals → are the statements true or false? ]]> [ T / F] Older generations have become more individualistic and more joyous [ F ] younger generations [ T / F ]Variation in national cultural orientations is the same in each country, due to lasting intercept differences in developmental trajectories that trace back to remote historic drivers [ F ] Variation in national cultural orientations is unique to each country [ T / F ] There was a massive generational shift in cultural orientations among the public of affluent Western democracies, from a priority on existential security (i.e., “materialist” values) toward a priority on expressive freedom (i.e., “postmaterialist” values) [ T ] [ T / F ] When people feel safe, they begin to prioritize freedom because it allows creativity and recreational pleasure [ T ] [ T / F ] Socio-economic transformations that turn the nature of life from a source of opportunities into a source of threats nurture a generational shift in priorities from “survival” to “emancipative” values [ F ] Socio-economic transformations that turn the nature of life from a source of threats into a source of opportunities nurture a generational shift in priorities from “survival” to “emancipative” values [ T / F ] Welzel's evolutionary theory of emancipation suggests emancipatory value change is a self-driven automatism, it is not culture-specific [ T ] [ T / F ] The utility-value link helps adjust our subjective values to life’s objective utilities, to keep our goals in touch with reality but it doesn't makes moral progress possible [ F ] The utility-value link helps making moral progress possible too [ T / F ] According to the utility ladder of freedoms, we climb the ladder as soon as opportunity allows for this ascension [ T ] We are evolutionary hard-wired to stay on the lower rungs only to prioritize security [ T / F ] Adaptive value changes happen mostly within generations [ F ] Changes usually proceed much more profoundly between generations because people tend to stick more strongly to their once-adopted values as they get older Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart Christian Welzel 20181002 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505
utility ladder of freedoms = demonstrates a universal principle in the functioning of the human mind: when both security and freedom are in short supply, people prioritize security because security is a necessity to survive. But as soon as people feel safe, they begin to prioritize freedom because freedom is essential to thrive, in allowing ingenuity, creativity, and recreational pleasure rung = one of the bars that forms a step in a ladder
3 Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart's utility ladder of freedoms (2 / 2) active 20231129 hw20231206n2 Synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart with 3 dimensions edit_short_reading_floating prep_short_reading_floating The “revised theory of modernization” predicts that national cultures change, but that relative country rankings do not... (...) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 Acknowledgements The authors thank Costas Katsikeas, Neil Morgan, Robbert Maseland, Loek Halman, the reviewers, and the editor for their useful suggestions and comments Christian Welzel ORCID iD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1562-3580 Read the excerpt from Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart by Christian Welzel, published online October 2, 2018 in Sage Journals → answer the questions ]]> What are the three dimensions collapsed by Welzel from the initial Hofstede cultural dimensions? Collectivism–Individualism Duty–Joy Distrust–Trust What happens when socio-economic development improves objective living conditions? ✓ orientations are shifting over the generations (a) from Collectivism toward Individualism (b) from Duty toward Joy Does socio-economic development affect a culture's trust or distrust indexes? 〆no clear shift from Distrust toward Trust or vice versa What values are required in an industrial society? ✓ industrial structures require rational, hierarchical forms of organization and deferential attitudes toward authority What values does a post-industrial economy need? ✓ in a service-dominated, post-industrial economy, information processing and communication become more important. → values such as self-expression and autonomy begin to replace self-restraint and obedience Why do moral reasoning capacity and empathy expand in a post-industrial society? ✓ people are used to handle complex situations ✓ deal with abstract constructs ✓ cope with social diversity → emphasis on individual self-determination → emphasis on equal opportunities → gives rise to emancipative values → supports universal freedoms Although national cultures change, why do countries seem to remain at a rather stable cultural distance from each other? ✓ similar socio-economic transformations change values in the same direction ✓ (but) countries continue to move along separate trajectories → reflects the lasting impact of remote, country-specific historic drivers Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart Dimensions and Dynamics of National Culture: Synthesizing Hofstede With Inglehart Christian Welzel 20181002 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505
utility ladder of freedoms = demonstrates a universal principle in the functioning of the human mind: when both security and freedom are in short supply, people prioritize security because security is a necessity to survive. But as soon as people feel safe, they begin to prioritize freedom because freedom is essential to thrive, in allowing ingenuity, creativity, and recreational pleasure revised theory of modernization = evolutionary theory of emancipation =
4 Evolutionary theory of emancipation active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png visual aid
source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> visual aid
source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> visual aid
source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505]]> https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> What conclusions can you draw? (...) Our analysis collapses Hofstede’s six-dimensional framework to a three-dimensional framework. The (first) Collectivism–Individualism dimension mimics Hofstede’s Individualism dimension. It also correlates with Power Distance, which is not surprising because just as in Hofstede’s original case Individualism and Power Distance form one factor. The second dimension, Duty–Joy, captures Hofstede’s Restraint-Indulgence. The third dimension, Distrust–Trust, is statistically closely related to Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance dimension (...) 1.Cultural change is substantial. Societies have become more individualistic and more joyous. We also observe a change in the direction of less trust and more distrust, but these changes are relatively small compared with the cultural change observed for Individualism and Joy. 2. Cultural differences can be explained by three factors: (a) economic development, (b) generational effects, and (c) a country’s unique geographic location and (political) history. Economic development and generational shifts account for approximately half of the variation in cultural change. As the level of economic development increases, and people experience higher levels of existential security and lives filled with more opportunities, both Individualism and Joy increase. Our analysis suggests that approximately the other half of national cultural differences can be related to each country’s unique geography and history. 3. Collectively, our findings imply that national cultural differences are quite persistent over time. Cultural change seems of absolute nature, and relative country rankings tend to be rather stable. source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022118798505 ]]> 6 Human Empowerment Framework wip active edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Inglehart and Welzel (2005) find that people in countries in which existential hardship prevails cling to protective orientations that support authoritarian institutions. By contrast, in countries with thriving existential conditions people adopt emancipatory orientations that support liberal institutions. pg 6 "Evolution, Empowerment and Emancipation: How Societies Ascend the Utility Ladder of Freedoms", Series: Sociology, WP BRP 29/SOC/2013 Look at the chart → answer the questions]]> visual aid
Christian Welzel Centre for the Study of Democracy, Leuphana University Lueneburg, Germany Ronald Inglehart University of Michigan and Higher School of Economics https://www.academia.edu/28721883/Christian_Welzel_Ronald_Inglehart_Evolution_Empowerment_and_Emancipation_How_Societies_Ascend_the_Utility_Ladder_of_Freedoms_Series_Sociology_WP_BRP_29_SOC_2013 ]]> What existential conditions were lacking in the Soviet Union? 〆material resources What emancipative values can learning foreign languages bring? How could power distance and uncertainty avoidance slow down the development of political participation rights? utility ladder of freedoms = demonstrates a universal principle in the functioning of the human mind: when both security and freedom are in short supply, people prioritize security because security is a necessity to survive. But as soon as people feel safe, they begin to prioritize freedom because freedom is essential to thrive, in allowing ingenuity, creativity, and recreational pleasure; term coined by Welzel, inspired by Maslow’s (1954) “hierarchy of human needs,” the findings of Inglehart and his co-authors (Inglehart & Norris, 2003; Inglehart & Welzel, 2005) 20231122 18:10-19:30 2 active Hofstede cultural dimensions - How to use power distance, individualism & long term orientation By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 3 Power distance - Follow-up 20231115 hw20231122 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png 3 Power distance - Follow-up 20231115 hw20231122 active edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png How can power distance be interpreted in different situations? visual aid
]]> A young employee (e.g. an intern) gives his/her mentor some lip. If you want to be part of the club, you have to behave! ]]> to lip someone | to give someone some lip = to give someone some lip means to speak to someone in a way which is rude and doesn't show respect A young recruit remains silent although he/she is expected to participate in a meeting. 〆if a recruit is expected to participate it probably isn't in a high power distance meeting ✓ in low power distance situations senior staff would offer mentoring & coaching which could make the recruit feel embarrassed → agree in advance on a protocol / format for brainstorming, reporting, etc e.g. senior members should give their opinion last so as to encourage junior staff to share their ideas A coaching course is designed by an outsourced training start-up before conducting auditing of staff needs. Listen, challenge, commit Andy Grove, Intel CEO → teams of trainers should strive to be more open to uncertainty avoidance without contradicting their (need for) power distance ]]> Listen, challenge, commit Andy Grove, Intel CEO ]]> A new female mentee employee refuses to be mentored by a 50-year old male manager. ! if a new female mentee employee refuses to be mentored that means she's probably from a low power distance culture... 〆possibly a younger employee from a low power distance background who doesn't fit into a team of higher power distance professionals (perhaps in some more traditional, industrial sector - e.g. steel industry, coal mining...) 〆perhaps more collectivist corporate culture → adhere to a mentoring agreement that addresses possible uncertainty avoidance & short term vs long term orientation e.g. ensure both parties are interested in the objectives set mentoring = mutual self-development based on sharing of personal experiences mentee = person who is given help and advice by a more experienced and often older person to adhere = to behave according to a particular law, rule, set of instructions, etc The nephew of the director has been given a job without a skills interview. ✓ common in high power distance cultures 〆might not even be perceived as nepotism, but just the accepted norm in certain collectivist countries (e.g. India) → insist that there are no bad cultures → focus on building long term oriented relationships (in so-called 'corporate tribes') e.g. make sure every employee feels like a member of the 'family' under the auspices of a high power distance manager e.g. outsourced HR officer could conduct (both job & exit) interviews to ensure an optimal match with the corporate culture nepotism = (disapproving) giving unfair advantages to your own family if you are in a position of power, especially by giving them jobs 4 Power distance vs individualism vs long term orientation active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png visual aid
]]> Where would you enjoy greater freedom in planning your career? ✓ Switzerland ✓ Denmark In which country are your decisions more difficult to change (because they have a longer term impact)? 〆China 〆Russia 〆Switzerland Where will you be struggling more to get help and climb the professional ladder? 〆Russia 〆Serbia What country would you like to relocate to if you wanted to start your own business? ✓ Denmark ✓ Sweden → more in control of your own success & lesser dependence on others → fewer obstacles to hierarchical progress → more flexibility with planning objectives & perhaps changing jobs 1 Recent discoveries about cultural differences 20231122 hw20231129 active prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png There are millions of people in each and every culture. Aren't there cultural differences between individuals? How do the Hofstede cultural dimensions cope with disparities? Watch the video [13:12-18:37]. → answer the questions video Geert Hofstede - Recent Discoveries about Cultural Differences https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=LBv1wLuY3Ko ]]> geert_hofstede_recent_discoveries_about_cultural_differences_LBv1wLuY3Ko.mp4 Why did McCrae (author of the Big Five - Ocean) contact G.Hofstede? What did he discover? [13:40-14:15] ✓ McCrae had data on personality ✓ discovered that Big Five differences between countries were correlated with Hofstede's national cultural dimensions [13:38] ✓ found a link between national culture dimensions personality dimensions [13:50] What are the Big Five (Ocean) or Big Six? [14:16-15:28] 1. Openness to experience 2. Conscientiousness 3. Extraversion 4. Agreeableness 5. Neuroticism 6. Dependence on others Openness to experience ↔ intelligence → uncertainty avoidance Conscientiousness precise or sloppy → linear active or multi-active Extraversion intro or extra directed (introvert vs extrovert) → low-context vs high-context Agreeableness nice or nasty → power distance Neuroticism stable or unstable → reactive vs multi-active / linear active Dependence on others collectivist or individualistic → power distance, individualism-collectivism Does the Hofstede national dimension take into account cultural variations among regions? [15:38-16:17] ✓ yes, you acquire values of the region you are born in [16:17] What is evidenced by the survey of Brazil [16:32-18:37]? ✓ Brazil consists of 27 states southern population immigrated from European countries north western population features African origins northern people are of native Indian origin → all are always closer to each other than to their neighbours 20231115 18:10-19:30 2 active Hofstede cultural dimensions - How to use power distance, restraint & indulgence By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 5 Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture 20231108 hw20231115_n1 pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=yKKruTRQ_2A ]]> 5 Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture 20231108 hw20231115_n1 active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png How can you distinguish one culture from another? What criteria could you use? Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=yKKruTRQ_2A Watch the video again. → answer the questions ]]> hofstede_s_six_dimensions_of_organizational_culture_yKKruTRQ_2A.mp4 What is power distance? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Named generations in the Western world (Wikipedia) Who takes decisions: the boss or the team?]]> Millennials = aka Generation Y, described as the first global generation and the first generation that grew up in the Internet age. The generation is generally marked by elevated usage of and familiarity with the Internet, mobile devices, and social media, which is why they are sometimes termed digital natives What is meant by individualism-collectivism? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Are there individual incentives or bonuses for the whole team? Is your success also your company's success? How do you contribute to the development of your town, ecology, country?]]> incentive = something that encourages you to do sth What is meant by masculinity-femininity? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension What is the percentage of women in managerial positions? Are your products & services the same for both men and women?]]> gender gap = difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including political candidates, parties, or programmes Explain uncertainty avoidance → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Are you ready to take out a loan? Is management open to new technologies & telework?]]> telework = work from home, remotely What is meant by short vs long-term orientation? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? Do you choose a product rather because it is fashionable or of durable quality?]]> frugality = prudence in avoiding waste perseverance = quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim in spite of difficulties How do you explain indulgence vs restraint? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Do you believe in 'Carpe Diem'? How do you retain talents? How do you achieve happiness? Can you discipline yourself?]]> indulgence = (usually disapproving) the state or act of having or doing whatever you want; the state of allowing sb to have or do whatever they want; something that you allow yourself to have even though it is not essential gratification = state of feeling pleasure when sth goes well for you or when your desires are satisfied; sth that gives you pleasure Carpe diem = Latin aphorism, usually translated "seize the day", "pluck the day [as it is ripe]", that is 'Enjoy the moment' 2 pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png Power distance active xml_multi_dd_column How do politicians use power distance to communicate with the masses? visual aid]]> 100 40 22 bottom 1;2;3;4;5;6;7;8;9;10 11;12;13;14;15;16;17;18;19 3 Power distance - Follow-up 20231115 hw20231122 active prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png How can power distance be interpreted in different situations? visual aid
]]> A teenager gives his/her teacher some lip. 〆unacceptable in cultures with high power distance & restraint 〆reprimanded in multi-active cultures 〆even in low power distance teachers wouldn't treat as equals ✓ in more indulgent cultures a teacher would perhaps seek some psychological reason(s) for such behaviour → teacher reaction will vary perhaps only very little regardless of the culture e.g. some form of punishment (perhaps a formal warning) seems inevitable to lip someone | to give someone some lip = to give someone some lip means to speak to someone in a way which is rude and doesn't show respect A young recruit remains silent although he/she is expected to participate in a meeting. 〆if a recruit is expected to participate it probably isn't in a high power distance meeting ✓ in low power distance situations senior staff would offer mentoring & coaching which could make the recruit feel embarrassed → agree in advance on a protocol / format for brainstorming, reporting, etc e.g. senior members should give their opinion last so as to encourage junior staff to share their ideas A training course is designed by a faculty before admitting students. ✓ common practice in long term orientation cultures & higher power distance = teacher centred ✓ in Western universities, students may choose what courses they want to attend = student centred → faculty of professors should strive to be more open to uncertainty avoidance without contradicting their (need for) power distance e.g. be more flexible when demanding which units/credits to be completed A new female mentee employee refuses to be mentored by a 50-year old male manager. 〆possibly a younger employee from a low power distance background who doesn't fit into a team of higher power distance professionals (perhaps in some more traditional, industrial sector - e.g. steel industry, coal mining...) 〆perhaps more collectivist corporate culture → adhere to a mentoring agreement that addresses possible uncertainty avoidance & short term vs long term orientation e.g. ensure both parties are interested in the objectives set mentoring = mutual self-development based on sharing of personal experiences mentee = person who is given help and advice by a more experienced and often older person to adhere = to behave according to a particular law, rule, set of instructions, etc The nephew of the director has been given a job without a skills interview. ✓ common in high power distance cultures 〆might not even be perceived as nepotism, but just the accepted norm in certain collectivist countries (e.g. India) → insist that there are no bad cultures → focus on building long term oriented relationships (in so-called 'corporate tribes') e.g. make sure every employee feels like a member of the 'family' under the auspices of a high power distance manager e.g. outsourced HR officer could conduct (both job & exit) interviews to ensure an optimal match with the corporate culture nepotism = (disapproving) giving unfair advantages to your own family if you are in a position of power, especially by giving them jobs Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory = created in 1980 by Dutch management researcher Geert Hofstede who carried out an extensive survey during the 1960s and 1970s, investigating variations in values within different sectors of IBM, a global computer manufacturing company power distance = strength of social hierarchy; has been defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society. All societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 8) masculinity-femininity = task-orientation versus person-orientation IDV (individualism-collectivism) = measures the extent to which people look out for each other as a team or look out for themselves as an individual UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) = indicates to what extent nations avoid the unknown; is not the same as risk avoidance: it deals with a society's tolerance for ambiguity. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, and different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict behavioural codes, laws and rules, disapproval of deviant opinions, and a belief in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one Truth and we have it' (https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=orpc pg 10) LTO (long-term orientation) = expresses how societies either prioritize traditions or seek for the modern in their dealings with the present and the future IVR (indulgence vs restraint) = comparison between a country's willingness to wait for long-term benefits by holding off on instant gratification, or preferences to no restraints on enjoying life at the present Millennials = also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years, with the generation typically being defined as people born from 1981 to 1996. Most millennials are the children of baby boomers and early Gen Xers; millennials are often the parents of Generation Alpha; described as the first global generation and the first generation that grew up in the Internet age. The generation is generally marked by elevated usage of and familiarity with the Internet, mobile devices, and social media, which is why they are sometimes termed digital natives incentive = something that encourages you to do sth gender gap = difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including political candidates, parties, or programmes telework = work from home, remotely frugality = prudence in avoiding waste perseverance = quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim in spite of difficulties indulgence = (usually disapproving) the state or act of having or doing whatever you want; the state of allowing sb to have or do whatever they want; something that you allow yourself to have even though it is not essential gratification = state of feeling pleasure when sth goes well for you or when your desires are satisfied; sth that gives you pleasure Carpe diem = Latin aphorism, usually translated "seize the day", "pluck the day [as it is ripe]", that is 'Enjoy the moment' legitimate = lawful, proper, regular, conforming to the standard type; logically admissible 20231108 18:10-19:30 2 active Hofstede cultural dimensions By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 2 German vs Japanese horizons 20231101 hw20231108 pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png 2 German vs Japanese horizons 20231101 hw20231108 active pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa visual aid
]]> Explain what could go wrong on both sides. ✓ use of many adjectives will help low-culture, implicit Germans to describe the big picture that high context, reactive Japanese are more responsive to ✓ use past tense rather than reported speech to communicate on results Suggest how they could avoid misunderstandings. 3 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Russian vs German horizons active 20231108 hw20231113_n2 deck_shuffled_lines_halign visual aid ]]> shared knowledge & values engineering WW2 football bureaucratic old-fashioned Soviet Union values Russian water ice hockey romantic, nostalgic literature & music autocracy hospitality German water lack of sense of humour Ordnung must sein beer ]]> 4 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Russian vs Chinese horizons active 20231108 hw20231113_n3 deck_shuffled_lines_halign visual aid ]]> shared knowledge & values non verbal clues centralised administration Russian water ice hockey romantic, nostalgic literature & music WW2 Chinese water non verbal clues importance of traditions decision making via consensus ]]> 1 Hofstede's definition of culture: collective programming active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png Culture is the collective programming of the mind - G.Hostede video Geert Hofstede on Culture Watch the video [00:44-03:12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=wdh40kgyYOY (optional homework) video 10 minutes with Geert Hofstede Listen to Geert explain his work and provide context. In 2015, together with Marcel Siegmund and Iekje Smit, and adopted by the Geert Hofstede consortium, Geert created a serious of tutorial 10-minute videos with PowerPoint slides. You can find the videos below and the slides on the right-hand side or further down. There is an introduction video plus one of each per dimension of national culture. https://geerthofstede.com/training-consulting/online-lectures/ ]]> geert_hofstede_on_culture_wdh40kgyYOY.mp4 What is Geert Hofstede's definition of culture? ✓ collective programming of the mind (culture can also be seen as a set of shared meanings) What does his approach to culture consist in? ✓ focus on how culture is acquired e.g. people are born into this world with a given operating system then, they acquire some behaviour (in the same way as software is installed) What does he mean by 'collective'? ✓ growing in the same forest How can you measure culture? ✓ focus on collective phenomena → examine how people behave in particular situation → take an average = what is the dominant behaviour? 2 Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png How many questions would you need to ask to understand someone's cultural values? 3-5 questions, more? What would you ask? Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=yKKruTRQ_2A Watch the video. → answer the questions.]]> hofstede_s_six_dimensions_of_organizational_culture_yKKruTRQ_2A.mp4 What are the 6 dimensions mentioned? 1 power distance 2 individualism-collectivism 3 masculinity-femininity 4 uncertainty avoidance 5 short vs long-term orientation 6 indulgence vs restraint 3 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png citKey dimensions of Hofstede’s theory How to understand & use key dimensions of Hofstede’s theory active xml_multi_dd_row deck_shuffled_lines_valign deck_shuffled_lines_halign prep_deck_shuffled_lines_halign 70 3 left 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png citKey dimensions of Hofstede’s theory How to understand & use key dimensions of Hofstede’s theory active xml_multi_dd_row deck_shuffled_lines_valign deck_shuffled_lines_halign prep_deck_shuffled_lines_halign 30 3 left 1;2;3;4 5;6 7;8;9 5 Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture 20231108 hw20231115_n1 active prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Hofstede's Six Dimensions of Organizational Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=yKKruTRQ_2A ]]> hofstede_s_six_dimensions_of_organizational_culture_yKKruTRQ_2A.mp4 What is power distance? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Named generations in the Western world (Wikipedia) Who takes decisions: the boss or the team?]]> Millennials = aka Generation Y, described as the first global generation and the first generation that grew up in the Internet age. The generation is generally marked by elevated usage of and familiarity with the Internet, mobile devices, and social media, which is why they are sometimes termed digital natives What is meant by individualism-collectivism? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Are there individual incentives or bonuses for the whole team? Is your success also your company's success? How do you contribute to the development of your town, ecology, country?]]> incentive = something that encourages you to do sth What is meant by masculinity-femininity? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension What is the percentage of women in managerial positions? Are your products & services the same for both men and women?]]> gender gap = difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including political candidates, parties, or programmes Explain uncertainty avoidance → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Are you ready to take out a loan? Is management open to new technologies & telework?]]> telework = work from home, remotely What is meant by short vs long-term orientation? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? Do you choose a product rather because it is fashionable or of durable quality?]]> frugality = prudence in avoiding waste perseverance = quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim in spite of difficulties How do you explain indulgence vs restraint? → give an example → ask a question to assess the dominant cultural dimension Do you believe in 'Carpe Diem'? How do you retain talents? How do you achieve happiness? Can you discipline yourself?]]> indulgence = (usually disapproving) the state or act of having or doing whatever you want; the state of allowing sb to have or do whatever they want; something that you allow yourself to have even though it is not essential gratification = state of feeling pleasure when sth goes well for you or when your desires are satisfied; sth that gives you pleasure Carpe diem = Latin aphorism, usually translated "seize the day", "pluck the day [as it is ripe]", that is 'Enjoy the moment' Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory = created in 1980 by Dutch management researcher Geert Hofstede who carried out an extensive survey during the 1960s and 1970s, investigating variations in values within different sectors of IBM, a global computer manufacturing company power distance = strength of social hierarchy masculinity-femininity = task-orientation versus person-orientation IDV (individualism-collectivism) = measures the extent to which people look out for each other as a team or look out for themselves as an individual UAI (uncertainty avoidance index) = indicates to what extent nations avoid the unknown LTO (long-term orientation) = expresses how societies either prioritize traditions or seek for the modern in their dealings with the present and the future IVR (indulgence vs restraint) = comparison between a country's willingness to wait for long-term benefits by holding off on instant gratification, or preferences to no restraints on enjoying life at the present 20231101 18:10-19:30 2 active When cultures collide - Lewis model Lewis model horizons By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 1 Fish can't see water 20231025 hw20231101 pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Management and the board are often, if not always, blind to their own culture – fish can’t see water – and may not realise derailing cultural dynamics, in time leading to under-performance or, in the worst case, financial disaster. The message of this book is simple: national culture, through its influence on corporate culture, has a powerful but often invisible impact on the success of global companies. Fish Can't See Water: How National Culture can Make or Break Your Corporate Strategy, by Richard D.Lewis & Kai Hammerich - 2013 Watch the video to find out more about the Lewis model. video The Lewis Model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T98wFx73V0 Answer the questions.]]> 1 Fish can't see water 20231025 hw20231101 active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Management and the board are often, if not always, blind to their own culture – fish can’t see water – and may not realise derailing cultural dynamics, in time leading to under-performance or, in the worst case, financial disaster. The message of this book is simple: national culture, through its influence on corporate culture, has a powerful but often invisible impact on the success of global companies. Fish Can't See Water: How National Culture can Make or Break Your Corporate Strategy, by Richard D.Lewis & Kai Hammerich - 2013 Watch the video to find out more about the Lewis model. video The Lewis Model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T98wFx73V0 Answer the questions.]]> visual aid
]]> Fish can't see water in the same way as you can't see your own culture. It is your natural environment that's why we don’t know we are in water, and as a consequence we don’t understand our surroundings. ]]> the_lewis_model_fish_cant_see_water.mp4 the looser model differs from older models in that most cross-cultural misfortune oh the monochromic people who did one thing at a time the pollak like people who tried to do many things at a time and that was about it I felt that one category had been forgotten and that's the Asians who are neither monotonic are polychronic the Lewis model shows three different types of human being we call them linear active multi active and reactive linear active people are Germans and Americans they do one thing at a time they're quite definite they go forward they plan well ahead the job oriented you know multi active people they're people oriented emotional try to do many things at once get excited where he see me it's aliens are a good example and then of course the reactive people are the Asians Chinese Japanese Koreans Vietnamese what do they do they try to make you speak first to establish what your aims and intentions are and that enables them to modify the reply so they don't sound you know too worried about it they accept certain things and and that way and they can create a slightly harmonious response and a harmonious attitude from the beginning when we're doing business with different countries we should ascertain to which cultural category the country belongs you have to study the the category and then respond to that category by adapting to it so your own behavior will have to correspond in a suitable manner to the people you're doing business with What nationalities are typically linear active? What are their characteristics? Germans, Americans(...) Linear-Actives are task-oriented, highly-organized planners, who complete action chains by doing one thing at a time, preferably in accordance with a linear agenda. loquacious = talkative What nationalities are typically multi active? What are their characteristics? Italians Multi-Actives are emotional, loquacious and impulsive people who attach great importance to family, feelings, relationships, people in general. They like to do many things at the same time and are poor followers of agendas. What nationalities are typically reactive? What are their characteristics? Chinese, Japanese, Koreans(...) Reactives are good listeners, who rarely initiate action or discussion, preferring first to listen to and establish the other’s position, then react to it and form their own opinion. 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Traits of the 3 Lewis typologies (linear-active, multi-active, reactive) active xml_multi_dd_row 25 20 left visual aid visual aid ]]> 1 2 3 3 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Adapting your communication style according to the Lewis model active xml_multi_dd_row Molecules in grease and water naturally don't bind, that's why you need soap. To connect 2 cultures successfully, you should find the soap which combines molecules of both. Ivan Zimin, 20250122 ]]> visual aid
]]> 30 20 left 1;2;3 4;5;6 7;8;9 be concise, precise, and factual avoid interruptions and distractions follow a clear agenda and timeline be friendly, enthusiastic, and empathetic allow for some flexibility and improvisation use stories and examples to illustrate your points be polite, respectful, and humble listen attentively and patiently use indirect and subtle cues to convey your messages 4 Pros and cons of the Lewis model (Richard D.Lewis) 20231021-8ach hw20231028-14ach-n1 wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png What are the pros of this model? The Lewis Model, born in an era of rampant globalisation of business, is particularly appropriate for assessing an individual’s likely performance in a commercial role. The design of the questionnaire is based on business situations. The nomenclature of the typologies is succinct: Linear-active, Multi-active, Reactive. While the three types are distinctive, each possesses behavioural elements from the other two categories. It is a question of which one is dominant. Many individuals deviate from the national type in a work situation e.g. engineers and accountants tend to be Linear, sales people Multi-active, lawyers and doctors Reactive. A Training Officer, on being told that “Candidate A is basically monochronic and low-context but high on uncertainty avoidance, has a tendency towards collectivism and femininity and is past-oriented,” may well ask, “What shall I do with him?” If the description is Linear-active, Multi-active or Reactive, the answer is clear and succinct: The location of each individual shows how close he or she is in behaviour or affinity to different cultures. How does this information help training officers, headhunters or others engaged in the placement of new recruits in the company structure? After assessment, the individual’s cultural profile is pinpointed inside the triangle, showing how close or how far it is to the world’s major cultural groups. It indicates not only how much affinity their behaviour has to that of other countries but also shows their similarity to or deviation from their own national norm, as well as their compatibility with other people tested. This is particularly useful if members of a proposed team are tested simultaneously. What are the cons of this model? The Lewis model has its limitations and criticisms, such as oversimplifying or stereotyping cultures, disregarding individual differences and personal preferences, not reflecting the dynamic and evolving nature of cultures and communication, and not accounting for other factors such as power, gender, age, education, religion, etc. It is important to use the Lewis model as a starting point for cross-cultural communication but not as an end point. You should always be open-minded, curious, and respectful of other perspectives and experiences; furthermore, you should seek feedback and clarification when in doubt. 1 USA vs French horizons active pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa prep_2columns_2qa edit_2columns_2qa edit_1qa visual aid
]]> Explain what could go wrong on both sides. 〆egghead attitude of Americans could put off French academia who traditionally focus more on theoretical knowledge 〆streetwise approach of Americans with real world case studies may contradict rational studying progress & patterns Suggest how they could avoid misunderstandings. ✓ come up with common goals to resolve conflicts ✓ agree on strategies (i.e. norming before performing) to create mutual profit 2 German vs Japanese horizons 20231101 hw20231108 active pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa prep_2columns_2qa edit_2columns_2qa edit_1qa visual aid
]]> Explain what could go wrong on both sides. ✓ use of many adjectives will help low-culture, implicit Germans to describe the big picture that high context, reactive Japanese are more responsive to ✓ use past tense rather than reported speech to communicate on results Suggest how they could avoid misunderstandings. 3 Avoiding communication breakdown wip prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png visual aid ]]> I hear what you say. ✓ I'm afraid I can't agree & would rather not continue this discussion. With the greatest respect. ✓ It doesn't seem to be a very reasonable | sensible idea. That's not bad. ✓ Thumbs up! That is a very brave proposal. ✓ It doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Quite good. ✓ (Perhaps) you should try harder. I would suggest ✓ Please do so, unless you can provide a better solution. Oh, incidentally / By the way ✓ What is important is that... (cleft sentence) I was a bit disappointed that ✓ I'm sorry to say I'm annoyed with... Very interesting. ✓ I don't think it makes sense. ✓ I think you've lost me. I'll bear it in mind. ✓ We probably needn't spend too much time on that. I'm sure it's my fault. ✓ A mistake has been made. ✓ There's a mistake in your solution. ✓ It seems you have omitted some important facts. You must come for dinner. ✓ It's been a pleasure to meet you. I almost agree. ✓ Let's agree to disagree (on that one). I only have a few minor comments. ✓ You'll probably need to rewrite after reading my comments. Could we consider some other options? ✓ I don't think we should stop at that - we must do better. ✓ We should find some alternatives. monochronic = culture which schedules one event at a time in an orderly fashion polychronic = culture where employees can work on several tasks simultaneously. Individuals thrive on carrying out more than one task at the same time as long as they can be executed together with a natural rhythm Lewis model = born in an era of rampant globalisation of business, is particularly appropriate for assessing an individual’s likely performance in a commercial role. The design of the questionnaire is based on business situations. The nomenclature of the typologies is succinct: Linear-active, Multi-active, Reactive. While the three types are distinctive, each possesses behavioural elements from the other two categories. It is a question of which one is dominant. Many individuals deviate from the national type in a work situation e.g. engineers and accountants tend to be Linear, sales people Multi-active, lawyers and doctors Reactive linear-active culture = culture where you may want to be concise, precise, and factual, avoid interruptions and distractions, and follow a clear agenda and timeline multi-active culture = culture where you may want to be friendly, enthusiastic, and empathetic, allow for some flexibility and improvisation, and use stories and examples to illustrate your points reactive culture = culture where you may want to be polite, respectful, and humble, listen attentively and patiently, and use indirect and subtle cues to convey your messages savoir faire /ˌsæv.wɑːˈfeər/ = ability to do and say the right thing in any social situation roundabout (~ discourse) = not in a simple, direct, or quick way (~ speech) egghead = (informal, disapproving or humorous) a person who is very intelligent and is only interested in studying streetwise = (informal) having the knowledge and experience that is needed to deal with the difficulties and dangers of life in a big city hunch = feeling that sth is true even though you do not have any evidence to prove it haute cuisine /ˌəʊt kwɪˈziːn/ = high-quality cooking following the style of traditional French cuisine mañana (~ mentality, attitude) /mæˈnjɑːnə/ = meaning 'tomorrow' in Spanish, used to talk about someone who seems too relaxed and always delays doing things loquacious = talkative officialdom = people who are in positions of authority in large organizations when they seem to be more interested in following rules than in being helpful 20231025 18:10-19:30 2 active High and low context cultures By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Traits of high context and low context cultures 20231018 hw20231025 3 Beyond Culture - Summary and Review 20231018 hw20231025_n2 Why is culture still a divider? Read a summary of the best seller 'Beyond Culture' by Edward T.Hall. Answer the questions. 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Traits of high context and low context cultures 20231018 hw20231025 active xml_multi_dd_row What are the characteristics of people from low and high context cultures? How do they interact with each other? harmony and the well-being of the group are preferred over individual achievement is more typical of a high context culture. → For example, when a person has succeeded in a project, they tend to remain modest. → Therefore, they may not feel comfortable with direct, verbal praise from a low context person (i.e. how they interact) because it would distinguish them from others.]]> 45 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6;7 8;9;10;11;12;13;14 relies heavily on explicit verbal skills members' communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or backgrounds communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers meaning of messages is more dependent on the words being spoken than on the interpretation of more subtle or unspoken cues individualism prefer the uncompromising and dominating communication style often exhibit less-direct verbal and non-verbal communication utilize small communication gestures read more meaning into less-direct messages harmony and the well-being of the group are preferred over individual achievement relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative close-knit community prefer the avoiding and obliging conflict styles 3 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png High context and low context countries active xml_multi_dd_row Are the following countries more high context or low context? 20 16 left 1;2;3;4;5 6;7;8;9 10;11;12;13;14;15;16 17;18;19;20;21;22;23 USA Canada Australia Netherlands Germany Poland Finland Denmark UK Argentina Brazil Spain Italy France Russia Singapore Kenya India Iran Saudi Arabia China Korea Japan visual aid ]]> 4 Communication breakdown How to avoid and/or mitigate communication breakdowns using the low context and high context culture approaches active pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png edit_2columns_2qa prep_2columns_2qa edit_1qa How can you use the high context vs low context approach to cultures to avoid a communication breakdown? Explain what went wrong on both sides. Díaz was quite certain Mr Chen had said he was coming. Mr Chen was quite certain he had communicated that he absolutely could not come because he was going to be celebrating his daughter’s birthday with his family. Suggest how the manager could have avoided this misunderstanding. 1 Pros and cons of high context and low context culture model (Edward T.Hall) 20231014-6ach hw20231021-8ach-n2 active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-hand-with-pen-100_white.png pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png What are the advantages and possible limitations or disadvantages of the high context and low context culture model by Edward T.Hall? . → find examples → search the internet if relevant]]> What are the pros of this model? ✓ popular framework in intercultural-communication studies ✓ help inform and educate individuals on how to better facilitate communication between individuals of different cultural backgrounds ✓ anticipate if a given group is likely to be inclusive enough for outsiders or additional team building is required → more inclusive in low-context ✓ predict how long the decision making process may last & when you still have time to change something → faster in low-context ✓ schedule negotiations with informal meetings before negotiating rather than after (to celebrate) → priority is given to building strong, long-term relationships in high context culture inclusive = including a wide range of people, things, ideas, etc What are the cons of this model? 〆lacks (or has been criticised for lacking) empirical validation 〆cultural context can also shift and evolve e.g. a study has argued that both Japan and Finland (high-context cultures) are becoming lower-context with the increased influence of Western Europe and United States culture 〆might oversimplify cultural differences and ignore other factors that contribute to communication styles, such as individual characteristics and personal experiences of team members 〆could run the risk of prioritizing task-oriented communication or under-estimating the value of relationship-building when dealing with partners from a low-context culture 〆can lead to ethnocentric views that place one communication style above another. Some people may perceive the communication style in their own culture as superior or more effective (ethnocentrism) 〆may emphasise the role of traditions and consequently hinder innovation 〆could underestimate a group's abilities to adapt to change = risk of stereotyping or making assumptions 〆According to Zaidman, Edward T.Halls' model doesn’t explain variations within a culture or variations among cultures. e.g. it fails to distinguish between the high-context communication of a Japanese businessman and the high-context communication of an Indian → see also Stephen B. Ryan criticism for the creation of harmful stereotypes leading to an increase in misunderstandings and miscommunication Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen. Albert Einstein 3 Beyond Culture - Summary and Review active 20231018 hw20231025_n2 edit_short_reading_floating prep_short_reading_floating edit_reading_floating Why is culture still a divider? → read a summary of the best seller 'Beyond Culture' by Edward T.Hall → answer the questions What are the advantages & disadvantages of using implicit communication? ✓ less attention can be paid to spoken words, which speeds up communication considerably 〆is faster in the moment but much slower to change overall What are the advantages & disadvantages of using explicit communication? ✓ meanings can be changed quickly 〆is slower, requiring more spoken information and longer messages Why is being late to an appointment is much more tolerated in Latin America than it is in the United States? ✓ in Latin America you might need to prioritize an issue. Changing plans last minute, however, is seen as rude in the US and Northern Europe, as people from these cultures expect you to plan your schedule in advance According to the text, how is space perceived in Europe as opposed to Japan? ✓ people from Western cultures tend to associate space with private ownership and personal status. A stranger moving your stuff is just wrong. What example(s) of a country's former social organisation do you know of? ✓ bowing practice in Japan stems from its feudal history What can questioning your own beliefs help you understand? ✓ may help better understand foreign cultures Beyond Culture - summary Beyond Culture - summary Edward T.Hall https://lifeclub.org/books/beyond-culture-edward-hall-review-summary
Beyond Culture Key Idea #1: Your actions and thoughts are shaped by the culture in which you grow up. Human beings are cultural by nature. Regardless of where a person is born and raised, her culture – the ideas, customs and social mores of her community – will inevitably have an effect on the way she acts and thinks throughout her life. ]]> From birth, we begin to learn from the people around us. In this way, a person’s actions are changeable, as they suit the cultural context in which the person exists. Over time, learned actions develop into ingrained habits. Eventually, these habits become second nature, almost automatic. By the time we’ve reached adulthood, these learned actions have become internalized, unconscious behaviours, specific to the culture in which we were raised. A good example of this can be found in the way people greet each other. While the Japanese bow, Inuits rub noses. Such behaviours are taken for granted within each culture and are performed automatically. Both actions, however different, convey respect or gratitude, yet only when performed in the context of each respective culture. Beyond Culture Key Idea #2: You perform learned cultural rituals on a daily basis – often without even realizing it. The sequence of actions that people perform together differs from culture to culture. Settling disputes is one particular practice that is often culturally determined. A person from England or America, for example, might first offer subtle verbal hints that something is wrong. He might then send a message through an emissary, before directly confronting the other party. If none of these actions resolve the dispute, he might resort to legal action.]]> People from Latin America or Mediterranean cultures, on the other hand, see handling disputes much differently. In general, people from these cultures try to avoid confrontation with co-workers or family members unless they feel that they must engage directly. Beyond Culture Key Idea #3: Different cultures have different ways of communicating, and each has its pros and cons. Have you ever struggled to plan an event with people from different cultural backgrounds? This situation isn’t uncommon and results from cultural differences in communication. In short, different cultures have different ways of communicating. Some communicate explicitly while others communicate implicitly. ]]> Cultures that communicate explicitly include those in Germany, Switzerland, the countries of Scandinavia and (although to a lesser extent) the United States. In the context of these cultures, plans are typically set clearly and plainly, using words. The downside of such communication is that a message must contain all the necessary information so there can be communication at all. This can slow things down, as messages are long and complex. Other cultures, however, rely more on implicit communication. This means that a lot of communicated information is embedded in context and the body language of the people involved. In Asian cultures, for example, people are on the lookout for verbal symbols or physical gestures as part of a conversation, and such gestures are easily understood by the group. Using implicit communication means that less attention can be paid to spoken words, which speeds up communication considerably. There are pros and cons, of course, to both styles. Explicit communication is slower, requiring more spoken information and longer messages. But the upside is that meanings can be changed quickly. Implicit communication, in contrast, is faster in the moment but much slower to change overall. Physical gestures, in particular, rely on historical tradition for meaning. Gestures can’t take on new meanings quickly, but spoken language can. If a culture is stable for a long time, people become more able to efficiently communicate, often through developing implicit signs to speed things up. But if a culture is changing rapidly, communication remains explicit, as it allows for more flexible communication. Beyond Culture Key Idea #4: Cultural differences shape the way you walk, and the way you perceive time. In Northern Europe and America, people view time as a straight line, moving forward into the future. Such a view leads people to schedule work hours strictly, setting deadlines for specific tasks. People from cultures in the Middle East and Latin America, in contrast, tend to focus on the present moment. They often prioritize tasks on the fly, based on what is most pressing at that moment. For people in these cultures, time is flexible, and deadlines are seldom hard or fast. Differences in the perception of time can certainly explain many cultural differences. For instance, being late to an appointment is much more tolerated in Latin America than it is in the United States. In Latin America, it is understood that you might need to prioritize an issue that you feel is more pressing than your appointment. Changing plans last minute, however, is seen as rude in the US and Northern Europe, as people from these cultures expect you to plan your schedule in advance. Beyond Culture Key Idea #5: You see the world through the lens of your culture, which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding. Actions deemed “appropriate” are in particular a sensitive area between cultures. You may be startled or even offended by the actions of a person from another culture, especially when the gesture clashes or conflicts with what you see as correct or acceptable. ]]> Japanese hotels offer a useful example. Here it’s common practice for hotel staff to move your luggage to a new room without asking your permission. Staff will do this if your room is needed urgently by another party (for example, a large family). For the Japanese, this is a completely normal practice, and even connotes familiarity and a sense of inclusion for the guest who is being moved. Yet American and European guests, when faced with such a situation, are often shocked and insulted. Why? People from Western cultures tend to associate space with private ownership and personal status. A stranger moving your stuff is just wrong. In Western cultures, children are trained to get ready for the job market, thus schooling is competitive and task-driven. Regular exams measure student achievement and awards are given to those who excel. In contrast, children of Pueblo Indian descent are educated by peers and role models, spending time with them and absorbing their knowledge. This system is informal, and children play more than study before their working lives begin. Pueblo Indians prefer this method, feeling that the Western system is unfair to children and therefore damaging to society. Beyond Culture Key Idea #6: It takes a lot of work to understand another culture, but it’s worth it. Understanding other cultures is difficult, often because it requires knowledge of a culture’s particular historical and social context.]]> In Japan, for example, people are expected to use an appropriate degree of politeness depending on their relationship to a person – whether the person is a superior, a teacher, a friend or family. This practice stems from Japan’s feudal history. Until recently, social standing was determined by a person’s status and wealth. People from lower ranks were required to show respect to people from higher ranks. Today’s degrees of politeness is just one consequence of the country’s former social organization. https://lifeclub.org/books/beyond-culture-edward-hall-review-summary)]]> implicit = suggested without being directly expressed; forming part of sth (although perhaps not directly expressed) explicit = (of a statement or piece of writing) clear and easy to understand mores = traditional customs and codes of behaviour that are typically followed in a place or in a group, but are not codified by law. In other words, mores are the unwritten rules of social behavior, backed by morality (Ritzer, 2007) ingrained = (of a habit, an attitude, etc.) that has existed for a long time and is therefore difficult to change emissary = /ˈemɪsərɪ/ person who is sent to deliver an official message, especially from one country to another, or to perform a special task resort = to make use of sth, especially sth bad, as a means of achieving sth, often because there is no other possible solution embedded = (of feelings) felt very strongly and difficult to change lookout = to watch carefully for sb/sth in order to avoid danger, etc. or in order to find sth you want pressing = needing to be dealt with immediately; urgent startled = excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement connote = to suggest a feeling, an idea, etc. as well as the main meaning role model = person that you admire and try to copy stem = to come from, to originate feudal = connected to the social system in medieval Europe whereby a vassal held land from a superior in exchange for allegiance and service
1 Fish can't see water 20231025 hw20231101 active prep_ol_qa edit_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png What do you understand by the expression 'Fish can't see water'? Management and the board are often, if not always, blind to their own culture – fish can’t see water – and may not realise derailing cultural dynamics, in time leading to under-performance or, in the worst case, financial disaster. The message of this book is simple: national culture, through its influence on corporate culture, has a powerful but often invisible impact on the success of global companies. Fish Can't See Water: How National Culture can Make or Break Your Corporate Strategy, by Richard D.Lewis & Kai Hammerich - 2013 Watch the video to find out more about the Lewis model. video The Lewis Model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T98wFx73V0 Answer the questions.]]> visual aid
]]> Fish can't see water in the same way as you can't see your own culture. It is your natural environment that's why we don’t know we are in water, and as a consequence we don’t understand our surroundings. ]]> the_lewis_model_fish_cant_see_water.mp4 the looser model differs from older models in that most cross-cultural misfortune oh the monochromic people who did one thing at a time the pollak like people who tried to do many things at a time and that was about it I felt that one category had been forgotten and that's the Asians who are neither monotonic are polychronic the Lewis model shows three different types of human being we call them linear active multi active and reactive linear active people are Germans and Americans they do one thing at a time they're quite definite they go forward they plan well ahead the job oriented you know multi active people they're people oriented emotional try to do many things at once get excited where he see me it's aliens are a good example and then of course the reactive people are the Asians Chinese Japanese Koreans Vietnamese what do they do they try to make you speak first to establish what your aims and intentions are and that enables them to modify the reply so they don't sound you know too worried about it they accept certain things and and that way and they can create a slightly harmonious response and a harmonious attitude from the beginning when we're doing business with different countries we should ascertain to which cultural category the country belongs you have to study the the category and then respond to that category by adapting to it so your own behavior will have to correspond in a suitable manner to the people you're doing business with How does the Lewis model differ from most cross-cultural models? 〆older models focus mostly on the distinction between monotonic & polychronic cultures 〆omit people from Asian cultures who are neither monotonic, nor polychronic Lewis considered that previous cross-culturalists, in accumulating the multiplicity of dimensions listed in the preceding paragraph, ran the risk of creating confusion for those who sought clarity and succinctness. Moreover, he pointed out that the experts’ preoccupation with north/south, mono-chronic/poly-chronic dichotomies, had caused them to overlook or ignore the powerful Asian mindset (comprising, in fact, half of humanity). He named this behavioural category Reactive, thereby creating a model that is essentially tripartite and cites the following characteristics: What nationalities are typically linear active? What are their characteristics? Germans, Americans(...) Linear-Actives are task-oriented, highly-organized planners, who complete action chains by doing one thing at a time, preferably in accordance with a linear agenda. loquacious = talkative What nationalities are typically multi active? What are their characteristics? Italians Multi-Actives are emotional, loquacious and impulsive people who attach great importance to family, feelings, relationships, people in general. They like to do many things at the same time and are poor followers of agendas. What nationalities are typically reactive? What are their characteristics? Chinese, Japanese, Koreans(...) Reactives are good listeners, who rarely initiate action or discussion, preferring first to listen to and establish the other’s position, then react to it and form their own opinion. close-knit = (of a group of people) having strong relationships with each other and taking a close, friendly interest in each other's activities and problems to oblige = to force sb to do sth, by law, because it is a duty, etc high-context culture and low-context culture = ends of a continuum of how explicit the messages exchanged in a culture are and how important the context is in communication. The continuum pictures how people communicate with others through their range of communication abilities: utilizing gestures, relations, body language, verbal messages, or non-verbal messages. Typically refer to language groups, nationalities, or regional communities. However, the concept may also apply to corporations, professions, and other cultural groups, as well as to settings such as online and offline communication. autocracy = system of government in which absolute power is held by the ruler, known as an autocrat. It includes most forms of monarchy and dictatorship, while it is contrasted with democracy and feudalism. Various definitions of autocracy exist. They may restrict autocracy to a single individual, or they may also apply autocracy to a group of rulers who wield absolute power. The autocrat has total control over the exercise of civil liberties within the autocracy, choosing under what circumstances they may be exercised, if at all. Governments may also blend elements of autocracy and democracy, forming an anocracy subtle = (often approving) not very noticeable or obvious, using indirect methods, in order to achieve sth contemplative /kən'templətiv/ = thinking quietly and seriously about sth; meditative, reflective 20231018 18:10-19:30 2 active Breaking the cultural iceberg By the end of this session you will have studied Zoom meeting details ]]> Lead in 20231011 hw20231018 pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Bill Gates talks toilets (sanitation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82pmo53FQIY&t=1s Answer the questions.]]> 1 Lead in active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png Look at this photo of Bill Gates, one of the richest people on earth. Why is he sitting on a toilet? Bill Gates talks toilets (sanitation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82pmo53FQIY&t=1s → watch the video → answer the questions]]> visual aid
]]> bill_gates_talks_toilets_82pmo53FQIY.mp4 Why could this communication strategy fail with some audiences? ✓ unexpected, arguably uncomfortable sight → in some cultures, may show little respect to Bill Gates 〆possibly vulgar, obscene or morbid associations 〆poor taste → in some cultures, could prove to be offending for the viewer morbid = having or expressing a strong interest in sad or unpleasant things, especially disease or death Why might this visual be effective? ✓ catches attention ✓ memorable → creative & inspirational? memorable = special, good or unusual and therefore worth remembering or easy to remember Is provoking people with celebrities in unusual settings and/or positions an effective way to communicate in your culture? Has the communicative goal been achieved? ✓ | 〆questionably effective 〆unimaginable with political leaders of many countries → perhaps the same idea could be delivered in a more subtle way What would you recommend if you wanted to communicate on a subject like sanitation? ✓ show intercultural awareness ✓ don't play with taboos → focus more on the technology or communities (people in different regions of the world) → adapt message & the way it is conveyed to different audiences to convey = to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to sb; to communicate sanitation = equipment and systems that keep places clean, especially by removing human waste 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png The cultural iceberg active xml_multi_dd_column deck_shuffled_lines_valign deck_shuffled_lines_halign prep_deck_shuffled_lines_halign → match the descriptions with the categories ]]> 40 -0.4 16 bottom visual aid ]]> 1;2;3;4;5 6;7;8;9;10;11;12;13;14 visual aid]]> 3 The cultural iceberg - Follow-up active prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-microscope-100_white.png pix/icons8-metronome-filled-100_white.png pix/icons8-treadmill-100_white.png How will expectations & the way they are expressed vary from one country to the other? Give examples. Where will attitudes towards age differ greatly, or on the contrary be quite obvious between 2 nations? to differ = to be different In what social occasion(s) could (the use of) space prove to be an obstacle to a casual conversation? Why could a culture's relation to time be a source of irritation to another one? Give examples. How can a particular leadership style be misinterpreted by people from different continents? Give examples. 1 Lead in Understanding the differences between low context and high context cultures active edit_ol_qa prep_ol_qa pix/icons8-cafe-100_white.png visual aid
Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, where she directs the executive education programme Leading Across Borders and Cultures. She is also the co-author (with Reed Hastings) of No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention (Penguin, 2020). Watch the video to find out why. video Leadership Speaker Erin Meyer: Low Context vs. High Context Societies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oYfhTC9lIQ Are the statements below true or false?]]> erin_meyer_low_context_vs_high_context_societies_9oYfhTC9lIQ.mp4 Audio transcript in a low context society while we are communicating we assume that we have a low level of shared context what does that mean it means that we don't have the same reference points or the same body of knowledge or relationships that we have a low level of shared context so in a low context society we believe that good effective professional communication is a communication that's very explicit it's very simple and very clear in a low conduct society we're trained that if I want you to understand blue then I have to say blue literally we're trained in a low context culture that if I give a presentation I should tell you what I'm going to tell you and then I should tell you and then I should tell you what I've told you why do I tell you the same thing three times because we're focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly in a high context society while we're communicating we assume or consider that we have a larger body of shared context that we have the same reference points body of knowledge information and because we assume all of this shared context in a high context society we believe good effective communication is a communication that's more implicit or layered or nuanced I had a German individual who said to me you know Aaron in Germany at the end of a meeting we almost always do a recap first we do a verbal recap and then we do a written recap that's low context right clarification clarification clarification he said now that I've been working frequently with the French I often find that at the end of a meeting I'll get ready to do a recap and my French colleagues will just stand up and someone will say eh voila there it is and I'll think to myself but voila what and then I'll be very surprised to see that it just seems that people know what's been sited that they know what's supposed to happen next without going through all of those levels of clarification that I'm so used to in my own culture I had a second example I was doing some work a while ago in Istanbul and I had a Turkish client who was telling me about all of these issues that he was having with his new American boss and I said when your boss was here did you tell him what you're telling me now and he said well you know Aaron I made it known so that he could see it if he wanted to see it and I thought to myself he probably didn't see it right I'll give you a third example from China I was giving a presentation at a conference in China last year and all the people in the room worked for the same multinational American company before I worked within the Chairman who was this American from New York City gave a presentation that went very well and then he left afterwards when I was working with the group we were talking about this and I had the Chinese human resource director raise his hand and he said you know Aaron this concept is very interesting to me because the whole time the chairman was talking I was trying to make sure that I was listening with all of my senses that I was picking up all of the levels of meaning that he might be trying to pass now that I look at this I'm asking myself the question is it possible that there was no meaning beyond that you know first those simple words that he was saying and I thought to myself that that chairman would have been really surprised to note think that anyone was trying to understand his message beyond the first degree When you give a presentation in a low context culture you should tell people what you're going to tell them, then you should tell them, and then you should tell them what you've told them. ✓ true → you tell the same thing three times because you are focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly In a low context culture you are focused overall on making sure that the message was passed simply and clearly because while you are communicating you assume you have a large body of shared context. 〆false → you assume you haven't got a large body of shared context In a high context society people believe good effective communication is more explicit. 〆false → it is more implicit Germany has low context culture because (for example) at the end of a meeting they almost always do a recap first, then do a verbal recap, and then do a written recap . ✓ true → low context clarification In Istanbul, a Turkish client had problems with his new American boss, so he made it known so that his boss could see it if he wanted to see it. His American boss probably got the message. 〆false → the American boss is probably not used to reading implicit, high context clues 2 pix/icons8-collaboration-100_white.png Traits of high context and low context cultures 20231018 hw20231025 active xml_multi_dd_row What are the characteristics of people from low and high context cultures? How do they interact with each other? harmony and the well-being of the group are preferred over individual achievement is more typical of a high context culture. → For example, when a person has succeeded in a project, they tend to remain modest. → Therefore, they may not feel comfortable with direct, verbal praise from a low context person (i.e. how they interact) because it would distinguish them from others.]]>45 20 left 1;2;3;4;5;6;7 8;9;10;11;12;13;14 relies heavily on explicit verbal skills members' communication must be more explicit, direct, and elaborate individuals are not expected to have knowledge of each other's histories or backgrounds communication is not necessarily shaped by long-standing relationships between speakers meaning of messages is more dependent on the words being spoken than on the interpretation of more subtle or unspoken cues individualism prefer the uncompromising and dominating communication style often exhibit less-direct verbal and non-verbal communication utilize small communication gestures read more meaning into less-direct messages harmony and the well-being of the group are preferred over individual achievement relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative close-knit community prefer the avoiding and obliging conflict styles 3 Beyond Culture - Summary and Review active 20231018 hw20231025_n2 prep_short_reading_floating edit_short_reading_floating edit_reading_floating Why is culture still a divider? → read a summary of the best seller 'Beyond Culture' by Edward T.Hall → answer the questions What are the advantages & disadvantages of using implicit communication? ✓ less attention can be paid to spoken words, which speeds up communication considerably 〆is faster in the moment but much slower to change overall What are the advantages & disadvantages of using explicit communication? ✓ meanings can be changed quickly 〆is slower, requiring more spoken information and longer messages Why is being late to an appointment is much more tolerated in Latin America than it is in the United States? ✓ in Latin America you might need to prioritize an issue. Changing plans last minute, however, is seen as rude in the US and Northern Europe, as people from these cultures expect you to plan your schedule in advance According to the text, how is space perceived in Europe as opposed to Japan? ✓ people from Western cultures tend to associate space with private ownership and personal status. A stranger moving your stuff is just wrong. What example(s) of a country's former social organisation do you know of? ✓ bowing practice in Japan stems from its feudal history What can questioning your own beliefs help you understand? ✓ may help better understand foreign cultures Beyond Culture - summary Beyond Culture - summary Edward T.Hall https://lifeclub.org/books/beyond-culture-edward-hall-review-summary
Beyond Culture Key Idea #1: Your actions and thoughts are shaped by the culture in which you grow up. Human beings are cultural by nature. Regardless of where a person is born and raised, her culture – the ideas, customs and social mores of her community – will inevitably have an effect on the way she acts and thinks throughout her life. ]]> From birth, we begin to learn from the people around us. In this way, a person’s actions are changeable, as they suit the cultural context in which the person exists. Over time, learned actions develop into ingrained habits. Eventually, these habits become second nature, almost automatic. By the time we’ve reached adulthood, these learned actions have become internalized, unconscious behaviours, specific to the culture in which we were raised. A good example of this can be found in the way people greet each other. While the Japanese bow, Inuits rub noses. Such behaviours are taken for granted within each culture and are performed automatically. Both actions, however different, convey respect or gratitude, yet only when performed in the context of each respective culture. Beyond Culture Key Idea #2: You perform learned cultural rituals on a daily basis – often without even realizing it. The sequence of actions that people perform together differs from culture to culture. Settling disputes is one particular practice that is often culturally determined. A person from England or America, for example, might first offer subtle verbal hints that something is wrong. He might then send a message through an emissary, before directly confronting the other party. If none of these actions resolve the dispute, he might resort to legal action.]]> People from Latin America or Mediterranean cultures, on the other hand, see handling disputes much differently. In general, people from these cultures try to avoid confrontation with co-workers or family members unless they feel that they must engage directly. Beyond Culture Key Idea #3: Different cultures have different ways of communicating, and each has its pros and cons. Have you ever struggled to plan an event with people from different cultural backgrounds? This situation isn’t uncommon and results from cultural differences in communication. In short, different cultures have different ways of communicating. Some communicate explicitly while others communicate implicitly. ]]> Cultures that communicate explicitly include those in Germany, Switzerland, the countries of Scandinavia and (although to a lesser extent) the United States. In the context of these cultures, plans are typically set clearly and plainly, using words. The downside of such communication is that a message must contain all the necessary information so there can be communication at all. This can slow things down, as messages are long and complex. Other cultures, however, rely more on implicit communication. This means that a lot of communicated information is embedded in context and the body language of the people involved. In Asian cultures, for example, people are on the lookout for verbal symbols or physical gestures as part of a conversation, and such gestures are easily understood by the group. Using implicit communication means that less attention can be paid to spoken words, which speeds up communication considerably. There are pros and cons, of course, to both styles. Explicit communication is slower, requiring more spoken information and longer messages. But the upside is that meanings can be changed quickly. Implicit communication, in contrast, is faster in the moment but much slower to change overall. Physical gestures, in particular, rely on historical tradition for meaning. Gestures can’t take on new meanings quickly, but spoken language can. If a culture is stable for a long time, people become more able to efficiently communicate, often through developing implicit signs to speed things up. But if a culture is changing rapidly, communication remains explicit, as it allows for more flexible communication. Beyond Culture Key Idea #4: Cultural differences shape the way you walk, and the way you perceive time. In Northern Europe and America, people view time as a straight line, moving forward into the future. Such a view leads people to schedule work hours strictly, setting deadlines for specific tasks. People from cultures in the Middle East and Latin America, in contrast, tend to focus on the present moment. They often prioritize tasks on the fly, based on what is most pressing at that moment. For people in these cultures, time is flexible, and deadlines are seldom hard or fast. Differences in the perception of time can certainly explain many cultural differences. For instance, being late to an appointment is much more tolerated in Latin America than it is in the United States. In Latin America, it is understood that you might need to prioritize an issue that you feel is more pressing than your appointment. Changing plans last minute, however, is seen as rude in the US and Northern Europe, as people from these cultures expect you to plan your schedule in advance. Beyond Culture Key Idea #5: You see the world through the lens of your culture, which can lead to a lot of misunderstanding. Actions deemed “appropriate” are in particular a sensitive area between cultures. You may be startled or even offended by the actions of a person from another culture, especially when the gesture clashes or conflicts with what you see as correct or acceptable. ]]> Japanese hotels offer a useful example. Here it’s common practice for hotel staff to move your luggage to a new room without asking your permission. Staff will do this if your room is needed urgently by another party (for example, a large family). For the Japanese, this is a completely normal practice, and even connotes familiarity and a sense of inclusion for the guest who is being moved. Yet American and European guests, when faced with such a situation, are often shocked and insulted. Why? People from Western cultures tend to associate space with private ownership and personal status. A stranger moving your stuff is just wrong. In Western cultures, children are trained to get ready for the job market, thus schooling is competitive and task-driven. Regular exams measure student achievement and awards are given to those who excel. In contrast, children of Pueblo Indian descent are educated by peers and role models, spending time with them and absorbing their knowledge. This system is informal, and children play more than study before their working lives begin. Pueblo Indians prefer this method, feeling that the Western system is unfair to children and therefore damaging to society. Beyond Culture Key Idea #6: It takes a lot of work to understand another culture, but it’s worth it. Understanding other cultures is difficult, often because it requires knowledge of a culture’s particular historical and social context.]]> In Japan, for example, people are expected to use an appropriate degree of politeness depending on their relationship to a person – whether the person is a superior, a teacher, a friend or family. This practice stems from Japan’s feudal history. Until recently, social standing was determined by a person’s status and wealth. People from lower ranks were required to show respect to people from higher ranks. Today’s degrees of politeness is just one consequence of the country’s former social organization. https://lifeclub.org/books/beyond-culture-edward-hall-review-summary)]]> implicit = suggested without being directly expressed; forming part of sth (although perhaps not directly expressed) explicit = (of a statement or piece of writing) clear and easy to understand ingrained = (of a habit, an attitude, etc.) that has existed for a long time and is therefore difficult to change emissary = /ˈemɪsərɪ/ person who is sent to deliver an official message, especially from one country to another, or to perform a special task resort = to make use of sth, especially sth bad, as a means of achieving sth, often because there is no other possible solution embedded = (of feelings) felt very strongly and difficult to change lookout = to watch carefully for sb/sth in order to avoid danger, etc. or in order to find sth you want pressing = needing to be dealt with immediately; urgent startled = excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement connote = to suggest a feeling, an idea, etc. as well as the main meaning role model = person that you admire and try to copy stem = to come from, to originate feudal = connected to the social system in medieval Europe whereby a vassal held land from a superior in exchange for allegiance and service
morbid = having or expressing a strong interest in sad or unpleasant things, especially disease or death memorable = special, good or unusual and therefore worth remembering or easy to remember to convey = to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to sb; to communicate sanitation = equipment and systems that keep places clean, especially by removing human waste to differ = to be different to empower = to give sb the power or authority to do sth implicit = suggested without being directly expressed; forming part of sth (although perhaps not directly expressed) explicit = (of a statement or piece of writing) clear and easy to understand ingrained = (of a habit, an attitude, etc.) that has existed for a long time and is therefore difficult to change emissary = /ˈemɪsərɪ/ person who is sent to deliver an official message, especially from one country to another, or to perform a special task resort = to make use of sth, especially sth bad, as a means of achieving sth, often because there is no other possible solution embedded = (of feelings) felt very strongly and difficult to change lookout = to watch carefully for sb/sth in order to avoid danger, etc. or in order to find sth you want pressing = needing to be dealt with immediately; urgent startled = excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement connote = to suggest a feeling, an idea, etc. as well as the main meaning role model = person that you admire and try to copy stem = to come from, to originate feudal = connected to the social system in medieval Europe whereby a vassal held land from a superior in exchange for allegiance and service wait expect from acquaintances that... ]]> 18:10-19:30 2 future By the end of this session you will have studied print Download onto your tablet or print the following pdf for our next lesson. ]]> active textbook active textbook