Facilitating Across Cultures RCCI Institute April, 2006 Mary Laeger-Hagemeister Barb Radke

A Development Model Of Intercultural Sensitivity Milton J. Bennett

Ethnocentric Stages

 Denial of Difference A person is comfortable with the familiar and not anxious to complicate life with “cultural Difference.” You may not notice much difference around you. 1. Isolation: Homogenous groups fail to generate opportunity or motivation for noticing and interpreting cultural difference. 2. Separation: Intentional separation from cultural difference protects world view from having to change.

 Defense Against Difference A strong commitment to own worldview and some distrust of cultural behavior or ideas that are different from own. Aware of other cultures but relatively incomplete understanding. 3. Denigration: - Evaluate other cultures negatively. 4. Superiority: - Existing cultural world view is protected by exaggerating its positive aspects 5. Reversal: - Tendency to see another culture as superior while maligning one’s own.

 Minimization Do not view other cultures as a threat. Your experience is that under the surface people are all pretty much the same. You seek to avoid stereotyping and treat others as you would like to be treated. 6. Physical Universalism; Emphasis on commonality of human beings in terms of physiological similarity 7. Transcendent Universalism: Emphasis on commonality of human beings as subordinate to a particular supernatural being, religion, or social philosophy.

Ethnorelative Stages

 Acceptance You acknowledge and accept cultural differences and are aware that your culture is just one of many ways of experiencing the world. Work toward understanding of other worldviews. 8. Behavioral Relativism: All behavior exists in cultural context. Ability to analyze complex interaction in culture-contrast terms. 9. Value Relativism: Beliefs, values, and other general patterns of assigning “goodness” and “badness” to ways of being in the world all exist in cultural context.

 Integration You have a strong sense of self-awareness and constantly see yourself as “in process” of developing a multicultural identity. You are most comfortable when serving as a bridge between and a connection among cultures. 12. Contextual evaluation: Ability to use multiple cultural frames of reference in evaluation phenomena. 13. Constructive Marginality: Acceptance of an identity that is not primarily based in any one culture. Ability to facilitate constructive contact between cultures – for one’s self and others.

 Adaptation You recognize the value of having more than one cultural perspective and are able to “take the perspective” of others. You are also intentionally able to change your culturally based behavior. 10. Empathy: Ability to consciously shift perspective into alternative cultural world view elements and act in culturally appropriate ways. 11. Pluralism: Internalization of more than one complete world view. Behavior shifts completely into different frames without much conscious effort.

Success stories  Educational Access –Hmong Population –American Indian  Migrant population in rural community  Health care

Recapping Considerations  Knowing your audience – understanding cultural differences.  Interpreter – allowing extra time and understanding.  Use of written recording.  Developing trust – taking time to get to know the group(s) with whom you will be working.  Being open to take a risk – being willing to make mistakes.  Working with a co-facilitator.

Thank you!