Culture Specifics Photo by European Commission

Agenda Learning goals Defining knowledge needs Dealing with structures of knowledge Sharing knowledge: a “jungle book” of our target region Market place Developing strategies Photo by Jarmoluk licensed CC0

1. Learning goals At the end of this unit you will: …be aware of the kind of knowledge that you need for you stay abroad. …be able to critically reflect on the limits of such knowledge. …know main categories and structures of knowledge (e.g. stereotypes, prejudices, common-places). …have acquired new knowledge about your target regions and universities. …be able to strategically use resources for keep on obtaining further specific knowledge Picture by Deedster licensed CC0

2. Defining knowledge needs

3. Dealing with structures of knowledge The United States of America Please find some examples: What do we know about the USA? What do we think about the USA? What do we suppose about the USA? What do we feel about the USA? Graphic by GDJ licensed CC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ - What kind of Asian are you? Please describe first what you see in the picture and then watch the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ -

Do you think these statements are right or wrong? Stereotypes are necessary for perception. Stereotypes are always wrong. Stereotypes are subjective. Stereotypes are based on experience. Stereotypes are based on wrong perceptions. Stereotypes are important to reduce complexity and to aid orientation in the world. Stereotypes are social phenomena, not individual. Are important for social coherence. Without stereotypes we would not be able to act in social contexts.

Categories of perception Prejudice Stereo-type Cliché Prototype Common-place

Prejudice Stereotype Prototype Commonplace Is a general statement yes no Yes Regards social groups or cultures Is always a negative attribution Is a kind of “self fulfilling prophecy” Has a certain linguistic form Is always a discrimination of minorities Gives orientation in a complex world

Some characteristics of stereotypes they are ideas widely shared in a society they represent prefabricated ideas they can refer to one’s own group (auto-stereotypes) or others (hetero-stereotypes) they have an important role in the constitution of social groups (in-group and out-group) they are important categories for perception they are filters for perception

Othering (Holliday/Hyde/Kullman 2010) Othering as a consequence of combining stereotyping and prejudiced thinking with cultural essentialism Stereotyping Ideal characterisation of the foreign other B. Prejudice Judgement made on the basis of interest rather than emergent evidence C. Othering Reducing the foreign Other to less than what they are E. Culturism Reducing the members of a group to the pre-defined characteristics of a cultural label D. Essentialism

How to deal with stereotypes Be aware of your stereotypes. Try to falsify them/ Don’t always look for confirmation. Speak about your stereotypes/ Discuss them with others and compare them to stereotypes of others. Don’t try to understand everything in a foreign culture. Normally we don’t even understand everything in our own culture! Try to figure out the stereotypes about your own culture. Try to understand but accept that you will never understand everything! The ability to get along with situations in which you are not competent is one aspect of intercultural competence.

4. Sharing knowledge: a “jungle book” of our target region Divide into mixed teams according to target regions (outgoings + incomings and returnees). In an open round go through your list / mind-map and try to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Discuss which kind of knowledge cannot be acquired without a too-rough level of stereotyping. Exchange about useless stereotypes, prejudices and commonplace assumptions. Exchange about typical, locally specific situations of uncertainty. http://wallpaper.free-photograph.net/img/de/2560x1600/jpeg/yun_582.jpg Picture by thommas68 / licensed CC0

Prepare your “jungle book” Prepare a “jungle book” (insider guide) of your target region using the information shared. Visualise it on a chart using for example infographic technics (combination of images/pictures and text) Pin it up at a board in the classroom. You have 30 minutes for the whole task. Picture by thommas68 / licensed CC0

5. Market place Position the boards with your charts in a circular form around the classroom. Ensure that one or two team members stay always close to your chart for exchange and conversation. Walk in pairs around the market place, observe other teams’ “jungle books” , and chat with them about the content. Write your comments in cards (questions, surprising aspects, own observations, similarities to other regions, etc.) and pin them up at the margins of the chart. You have 30 minutes to enhance your cultural horizons! Image source: http://karlshochschule.de/de/hochschule/die-hochschule/atmosphaere/

6. Developing strategies That was only the beginning! Back to the regional teams (international students get together in an own team) Brainstorm a list of strategies to carry on obtaining knowledge on your target region and university. Some guiding questions: Graphic by GDJ licensed CC0 What are reliable textual sources? What are reliable visual sources (e.g. videos)? Where can I resort back to when looking for a quick overview on a certain topic? Who can I ask about what? How can I compile and use new knowledge? How can I challenge my stereotypes?

Post your strategies After the training: Complete your list of strategies with short comments on every item. Post the text in the respective forum on the eLearning platform. Graphic by GDJ licensed CC0