1. Intercultural Communication
Levan Tsagareli

2. Aims
The aim of the workshop is to provide space for reflection on variety of cultural identities and
to develop understanding for behavior, customs and values valid in a social environment other than one’s own.
The participants will become aware of cultural relativity and
learn how to handle the culture shock in an intercultural encounter.
Within the workshop discussions they will have opportunity to reflect critically on their own perception and beliefs from the perspective of an outsider, thus
getting able to interpret the divergent cultural practices without bias.

3. Topics What Is Culture? Why Are Cultures So Different?
But Are We Really So Different?
Where Do the Cultural Differences Actually Emerge?
Othering and Stereotyping
What Is Intercultural Competence?
Critical Incidents
Comparing Cultures

4. What Is Culture?
Colere  cultivation / domestication, cult, transformation of nature (forest  garden, animal  human…)
Holistic notion of culture:
“Georgian culture”, “Ancient culture”, “Oriental culture”…
Culture = civilization
cultural / civilized nations vs. non-civilized nations (colonization)
Exclusive notion of culture:
“Cultural events”, “Cultural programme”, “Department of Culture”…
Certain segment of the social life: arts, literature, music, theater…
“high” culture vs. “low” culture (elitism)
Universal notion of culture:
“political culture”, “food culture”, “wine culture”, culture of dialogue”…
Everything constructed by men: a totality of beliefs, ideas, perceptions, values and meanings which is materialized in practices, techniques, traditions and artefacts and serves as means of interpreting and understanding the reality.
Determines our world view and behaviour (time and place bound!)

5. Culture as a totality of practices
Culture as a whole
Culture as a totality of practices
Culture as a segment of social life

6. Why Are Cultures So Different?
Causes
Results
Different traditions and memories
Different ways of socialisation
Different ways of communicating
Differences in social organization
Different characters
Different worldviews
Different ways of thinking
Different perceptions of time and space
Different values
Different clothes
Different eating habits
Different gestures and facial expressions
Different manners
Different behaviours
Different attitudes (to work etc.)

7. But Are We Really So Different?
Individual traits of a person
Features of a social group
Universal Human Nature

8. Where Do the Cultural Differences Actually Emerge?
Identity, Self-Image
Alterity, Hetero-Image

9. Othering Consciousness Language Light Visual perception (rationality)
Occident
Orient
Consciousness
Language
Light
Visual perception (rationality)
Clearness
Masculinity
The unconscious
Dumbness
Darkness
Tactile and olfactory perception (body)
Ambiguity
Femininity

10. Stereotyping

11. What Is Intercultural Competence?
Acknowledgment of equality of all humans
Appreciation of cultural diversity
Curiosity
Openness
Ability to review ones own beliefs, values and behaviour
Comparing
Explaining
Associating
How does the individual and social interaction work in the foreign culture?
How is the self-image in the foreign culture?
knowledge
skills
values
attitudes

12. Critical Incidents: Gestures

13. Critical Incidents: Cleanliness

14. Critical Incidents: Nakedness and Shame

15. Intercultural Incidents: Behavior

16. Critical Incidents: Eating Habits

17. Intercultural Incidents: Gender Roles

18. Intercultural Incidents: Time Perception

19. Critical Incidents: Symbols

20. Critical Incidents: Traditions

21. Critical Incidents: Conversation

22. Comparing Cultures

23. centered on individual / centered on group
Independence
Competitiveness
Sincerity
Pride
Ambitions, Carrier
Inequality is OK
Loyalty
Cooperation
Harmony in Relationships with group members
Shame, Unity
Modesty, Equality

24. horizontal / vertikal Criticizing each other is OK No questioning
Obedience to common rules
Equal opportunities for all
Changes are welcome
One should establish his status oneself
No questioning
Elderly people are valorized
There are different rules for different people
Breaking the rules is welcome
Others decide on one’s status

25. convergent / divergent
Adaptation
Compassion for the weak
Compromising
Negotiation
Consensus
Blames the others
Separation
Strength fascinates
Eager to meet challenges
Success
Originality is valorized
Blames oneself

26. associating / dissociating
Private ≈ Public
Relationships > actions
Express one’s emotions
Different = dangerous
Stress  aggression
Indirect communication
Private vs. Public
Actions > Relationships
Refuse to express one’s emotions
Different = attractive
Patience
Direct communication

27. And do not forget!