05 b cultural awareness

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES / Mil Div / DPKO TES / Mil Div / DPKO

SGTM 5 BSGTM 5 B

Attitudes & BehaviourAttitudes & Behaviour

““Cultural Awareness”Cultural Awareness”


Structure of PresentationStructure of Presentation

What is Culture?What is Culture? Understanding Cultural differencesUnderstanding Cultural differences Dealing with Cultural differencesDealing with Cultural differences Case studiesCase studies


CultureCulture

A shared system of A shared system of meanings, meanings,

beliefs, beliefs, values values

behaviours behaviours

through which experience is through which experience is interpreted and carried outinterpreted and carried out


Culture Is ..Culture Is ..

RelativeRelative LearnedLearned CollectiveCollective Changes over timeChanges over time Complex responsive processComplex responsive process


Forces Shaping Individual Forces Shaping Individual CultureCulture

Personal Culture

Values

World-views

Beliefs

Behaviours

Urbanization

Migration

Minority Experience

Cross-cultural

Adjustments

Profession

Gender Language

Education

Industrialization

Social background

Ethnic background

Religion

Nationalism Colonisation


Dangers!Dangers!

StereotypesStereotypes

PrejudicePrejudice

Ethno-centric perspectivesEthno-centric perspectives


Culture – In Peace OperationsCulture – In Peace Operations

Civilians – Civilians – Civilians Civilians (International)(International)

International International actors Local actors Local communitiescommunities

CULTURECULTURE

Military – Military Military – Military (International)(International)

Military – Civilians Military – Civilians (Organizational)(Organizational)

Local Local CommunitiesCommunities


Understanding Cultural Understanding Cultural differencesdifferencesEating habitsEating habits

Asia - chop sticksAsia - chop sticks Europe - knife and forkEurope - knife and fork Clean right hand in some Clean right hand in some

countriescountries Common plateCommon plate



BeefBeef PorkPork HorseHorse ““Everything that moves”Everything that moves”



Pork not eaten by Muslims for Pork not eaten by Muslims for religious reasonsreligious reasons

Christians keep horses, dogs Christians keep horses, dogs and cats as petsand cats as pets

Fish is neutralFish is neutral


Understanding Cultural Understanding Cultural differencesdifferences

ReligionReligion

Religion – an important place in Religion – an important place in many societiesmany societies

Knowledge of religion of host Knowledge of religion of host nation very importantnation very important

Respect religious beliefsRespect religious beliefs



Family and GenderFamily and Gender

Elders are highly respected in Elders are highly respected in some culturessome cultures

Understand family tiesUnderstand family ties Different gender beliefs and Different gender beliefs and

viewsviews



CommunicationCommunication

Language is culture specificLanguage is culture specific Avoid use of idiomatic Avoid use of idiomatic

expressionsexpressions HumourHumour



Body LanguageBody Language

Gesture/body language have Gesture/body language have different meaningsdifferent meanings

Smile will never be misunderstoodSmile will never be misunderstood Polite handshake is accepted in most Polite handshake is accepted in most

culturescultures


Understanding Cultural Understanding Cultural differencesdifferencesDress CodeDress Code

Depends on culture, customs, Depends on culture, customs, traditions and climatetraditions and climate

Adapt to local customsAdapt to local customs



TrafficTraffic

Peacekeeper die in traffic Peacekeeper die in traffic accidentsaccidents

Different traffic conditionsDifferent traffic conditions Respect local traffic lawsRespect local traffic laws Adapt to local conditionsAdapt to local conditions



TimeTime

People have different concept of People have different concept of timetime

Need to understandNeed to understand ““You have the clock, we have the You have the clock, we have the

time”time”


Building Cultural AwarenessBuilding Cultural Awareness

Understand your own cultureUnderstand your own culture Understand and accept logic of Understand and accept logic of

other cultural frameworksother cultural frameworks Cultural differences as unique Cultural differences as unique

and creative problem-solving and creative problem-solving opportunityopportunity


Host Country’s CultureHost Country’s Culture

Knowledge of history, culture, Knowledge of history, culture, customs and traditionscustoms and traditions

Background for the conflictBackground for the conflict Expectations from “Blue Berets”Expectations from “Blue Berets”


Cultural ShockCultural Shock

Unfamiliar:Unfamiliar:– LanguageLanguage– ClimateClimate– CurrencyCurrency– Road signsRoad signs– ColleaguesColleagues

Adaptation processAdaptation process


The Adaptation StagesThe Adaptation Stages

HoneymoonHoneymoon Initial confrontationInitial confrontation Adjustment crisisAdjustment crisis RecoveryRecovery



STAGESTAGE SITUATIONSITUATION APPROACHAPPROACH REACTIONREACTION

HoneymoonHoneymoonFirst exciting First exciting contact with contact with new culturenew culture

ObserveObserve

Excitement;Excitement;Curiosity;Curiosity;

Slight Slight concernconcern

Initial Initial confrontationconfrontation

First intensive First intensive feeling with feeling with new culturenew culture

Solve Solve problems in problems in

familiar waysfamiliar ways

Confusion;Confusion;Mystified Mystified

about;about;Others Others

behaviourbehaviour



STAGESTAGE SITUATIONSITUATION APPROACHAPPROACH REACTIONREACTION

Adjustment Adjustment crisiscrisis

Problems Problems intensifyintensify

ExperimentationExperimentation with new with new

behavioursbehaviours

Frustration;Frustration;Anger;Anger;

Confusion Confusion aboutabout

RecoveryRecovery

Sense of Sense of belonging to belonging to

culture culture emergesemerges

New New strategies to strategies to

help one help one function function

effectivelyeffectively

New culture is New culture is understandableunderstandable

;;Enjoying many Enjoying many

aspect of itaspect of it


Maintaining Good RelationsMaintaining Good Relations

Between military and civilianBetween military and civilian With other military contingentsWith other military contingents Team workTeam work


Cultural AwarenessCultural Awareness

““If you areIf you are

HumbleHumble RespectfulRespectful

FriendlyFriendly

you will always be fine”you will always be fine”


Case StudiesCase Studies

The market placeThe market place The toilet experienceThe toilet experience To walk hand in handTo walk hand in hand Movement control at the airportMovement control at the airport The giftThe gift


SummarySummary

Cultural awareness is increased by Cultural awareness is increased by giving you the most common giving you the most common examplesexamples

This is the first step to handle This is the first step to handle cultural differences positively, avoid cultural differences positively, avoid conflicts due to misperception and to conflicts due to misperception and to make you interact positively with make you interact positively with host cultureshost cultures


SummarySummary

Closely related to “Code of Closely related to “Code of Conduct”, where you get written Conduct”, where you get written rules. rules.

In culture you may find few written In culture you may find few written rules, but make sure, you know and rules, but make sure, you know and obey themobey them


Questions ?Questions ?Questions ?Questions ?

05 b cultural awareness

Documents

movestes mil div dpko

cultural differencesreligion

cultural differencestimepeople

cultural differencesfamily

gift sgtm

local customs sgtm

blue berets sgtm

familiar ways sgtm