DOCSLIB.ORG

The Nature of Assimilation Which Would "Break It Down" Into All the Possible Relevant Factors Or Variables Which Could Conceivably Be Included Under Its Rubric

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Nature of Assimilation Which Would TilE NATURE OF ASSIMILATION 61 Sociologists and cultural anthropologists have described the proc­ esses and results of ethnic "meetings" under such terms as "assimi­ lation" and "acculturation." Sometimes these terms have been used to mean the same thing; in other usages their meanings, rather than being identical, have overlapped. (Sociologists are more likely to use "assimilation"; anthropologists have favored "acculturation" and have given it a narrower but generally consistent meaning.) With regard to the term "assimilation," particularly, there is a cer­ 3 tain amount of confusion, and there is, further, a compelling need for a rigorous and systematic analysis of the concept of assimilation The Nature of Assimilation which would "break it down" into all the possible relevant factors or variables which could conceivably be included under its rubric. Such an analysis, based in part on the discussion in the preceding chapter, will be attempted here. But first it would be helpful to examine some of the existing definitions of the concepts which What happens "when peoples meet," as the phrase goes? 1 Such social scientists have used to describe the coming together of meetings in the modem world are likely to take place under a va­ "peoples." riety of circumstances: colonial conquest, military occupation, re­ An authoritative definition of "acculturation" was provided by drawing of national boundaries to include diverse ethnic groups, a Subcommittee on Acculturation appointed by the Social Science large-scale trade and missionary activity, technical assistance to Research Council in the middle 193o's to analyze and chart the underdeveloped countries, displacement of an aboriginal popula­ dimensions of this field of study, so crucial to the field of cultural tion, and voluntary immigration which increases the ethnic diver­ anthropology. This special group, consisting of the distinguished sity of the host country. In the American continental experience, anthropologists Robert Redfield, Ralph Linton, and Melville the last two types have been the decisive ones. The displacement J. Herskovits, declared that acculturation and attempted incorporation of the American Indian on the white conqueror's terms, and the massive immigration into this land of comprehends those phenomena which result when groups of indi­ over 41 million people, largely from Europe but also from the other viduals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand con­ Americas and to a smaller extent from the Orient, from the days tact, with subsequent changes in the original cultural patterns of either or both groups. 2 of the thinly populated and, even then, ethnically varied seaboard 2 republic to the continent-spanning nation of the present, constitute Robert Redfield, Ralph Linton, and Melville J. Herskovits, "Memorandum for the Study of Acculturation," American Anthropologist, Vol. 38 , No. 1 the setting for the "meeting of peoples" in the American context. (January-March 193 6) , p. 149. For further anthropological discussion of the 1 term see Melville J. Herskovits, Acculturation: The Study of Culture Contact, A collection of articles on racial and cultural contacts bears this title. See Alain New York, J. J. Augustin, 1938; and Ralph Linton (ed. ), Acculturation in Locke and Bernhard J. Stern (eds.) , When Peoples Meet, New York, Hinds, Seven American Indian Tribes, New York, D. Appleton-Century Co., 1940. Hayden and Eldridge, revised edition, 1946. 62 ASSIMILATION IN AMERICAN LIPJ: 'I'IIE NATURE OF ASSIMILATION 63 We note here that the term is used to designate one factor or di­ that American sociology has produced, appears to confine the mension in the meeting of peoples: cultural behavior. The changes ers referents of the term to the realm of cultural behavior (with po­ may take place in the cultures of either one of the two groups or litical overtones), and, by implication, to secondary relationships. there may be a reciprocal influence whereby the cultures of both Assimilation (called here "social assimilation"), according to this groups are modified. Nothing is said about the social relationships of the two groups, the degree or nature of "structural" intermin­ definition, is gling, if any, the question of group self-identification, or any other the name given to the process or processes by which peoples of diverse possible variable in the situation. racial origins and different cultural heritages, occupying a common An early and influential definition of "assimilation" by the two territory, achieve a cultural solidarity sufficient at least to sustain a na­ sociologists Robert E. Park and Ernest W. Burgess reads as fo11ows: tional existence. Assimilation is a process of interpenetration and fusion in which per­ He goes on to add: sons and groups acquire the memories, sentiments, and attitudes of In the United States an immigrant is ordinarily considered assimilated other persons or groups, and, by sharing their experience and history, as soon as he has acquired the language and the social ritual of the are incorporated with them in a common cultural life. 3 native community and can participate, without encountering prejudice, What the Social Science Research Subcommittee referred to as in the common life, economic and political. The common sense view of the matter is that an immigrant is assimilated as soon as he has "acculturation" is certainly included in this definition, and the shown that he can "get on in the country." This implies among phrases "sharing their experience" and "incorporated with them in other things that in all the ordinary affairs of life he is able to find a a common cultural life" seem to suggest the additional criterion of place in the community on the basis of his individual merits without social structural relationships. This is further suggested and speci­ invidious or qualifying reference to his racial origin or to his cultural fied in the later remarks: inheritance.s As social contact initiates interaction, assimilation is its final perfect Here another variable-actually two, if a rightful distinction is product. The nature of the social contacts is decisive in the process. made between prejudice and discrimination-is suggested. Assimila­ Assimilation naturally takes place most rapidly where contacts are tion has not taken place, it is asserted, until the immigrant is able primary, that is, where they are the most intimate and intense, as in to function in the host community without encountering preju­ the area of touch relationship, in the family circle and in intimate congenial groups. Secondary contacts facilitate accommodations, but diced attitudes or discriminatory behavior. Another process, "amalgamation," is distinguished by Park and dotoo notremote. greatly4 promote assimilation. The contacts here are external and Burgess. This is In a later definition of assimilation, solus, for the Encyclopedia a biological process, the fusion of races by interbreeding and intermar­ of the Social Sciences, Park, one of the most prolific germinal think- riage. Assimilation, on the other hand, is limited to the fusion of cul­ 3 tures. [What has happened to "social structure" here?] Robert E. Park and Ernest W. Burgess, Introduction to the Science of Sociol­ ogy,4 Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1921, p. 735· 5 Robert E. Park, "Assimilation, Social," in Encyclopedid of the Social Sciences, Ibid., pp. 736-7. Edwin R. A. Seligman and Alvin Johnson, (eds.) , New York, The Macmillan Co., 1930, Vol. 2, p. 281. 64 ASSIMILATION IN AMERICAN LIFE However, it is pointed out that there is a relationship between the THE NATURE OF ASSIMILATION two processes: 65 This definition contains a number of ambiguities. What does Amalgamation, while it is limited to the crossing of racial traits through "merged into a homogeneous unit" mean? Is cultural behavior only intermarriage, naturally promotes assimilation or the cross-fertilization being referred to here, or are social interrelationships envisaged of social heritages.6 also? And if the latter, what kind? What is the nature of the "new cultural unit"? The later summary sentence, we note, which refers Two essays at a "dictionary" of sociological terms were made in the early 194o's. In one, "social assimilation" is defined as to "substitution of one nationality pattern for another," appears to center the definition on changes in cultural patterns alone. the process by which persons who are unlike in their social heritages In recent writings, a number of sociologists have simply equated come to share the same body of sentiments, traditions, and loyalties. 7 "assimilation" with "acculturation," or defined it as an extreme Here the emphasis is on changes in cultural values and behavior. form of acculturation. Thus Brewton Berry declares that The use of the term "loyalties" suggests, also, a psychological vari­ By assimilation we mean the process whereby groups with different cul­ able of some sort, but in the absence of further comment, it is not tures come to have a common culture. This means, of course, not possible to describe precisely the nature of the author's conception merely such items of the culture as dress, knives and forks, language, food, sports, and automobiles, which are relatively easy to appreciate toof bethis variable. In the other "dictionary," social assimilation is said and acquire, but also those less tangible items such as values, memories, sentiments, ideas, and attitudes. Assimilation refers thus to the fusion the process by which different cultures,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Defining Ethnomusicology
    10 1. THE HARMLESS DRUDGE : DEFINING ETHNOMUSICOLOGY DEFINITIONS. For years, people have been asking me the question: "You're an ethnomusicologist?" Shortly after 1950 it was likely to be accompanied by expressions of wonder and of the belief that I was somehow involved with "folk" music, with "primitive music," and particularly with "ancient music," and also that I must have a great deal of companionship with a tape recorder. By 1960 the questioner would likely bring up participation in an Indonesian gamelan, or perhaps an ability to "play" many of the world's odd instruments. In the 1970s, the conversation might well include the term "ethnic" music or even the etymologically outrageous "ethnomusic," and in the eighties and nineties, free association might lead to “diversity” and “world music.” I have always found it difficult to come to a precise, concise, and readily intelligible definition. Dictionaries differ considerably but espouse limited views. In the 120 years in which modern ethnomusicology can be said to have existed, since pioneer works such as those of Ellis (1885), Baker (1882), and Stumpf (1886), attitudes and orientations have changed greatly, and so has the name, from something very briefly called “Musikologie” (in the 1880s), to “comparative musicology” (through about 1950), then to “ethno- musicology” (1950–ca. 1956), quickly to “ethnomusicology” (removing the hyphen actually was an ideological move trying to signal disciplinary independence), with suggestions such as “cultural musicology” (Kerman 1985) and “socio-musicology” (Feld 1984) occasionally thrown in. The changes in name paralleled changes in intellectual orientation and emphasis. It is difficult to find a single, simple definition, to which most people in this field would subscribe, and thus ethnomusicologists have been perhaps excessively concerned with defining themselves.
    [Show full text]
  • The Representation of Roma in Major European Museum Collections
    The Council of Europe is a key player in the fight to respect THE REPRESENTATION OF ROMA the rights and equal treatment of Roma and Travellers. As such, it implements various actions aimed at combating IN MAJOR EUROPEAN discrimination: facilitating the access of Roma and Travellers to public services and justice; giving visibility to their history, MUSEUM COLLECTIONS culture and languages; and ensuring their participation in the different levels of decision making. Another aspect of the Council of Europe’s work is to improve the wider public’s understanding of the Roma and their place in Europe. Knowing and understanding Roma and Travellers, their customs, their professions, their history, their migration and the laws affecting them are indispensable elements for interpreting the situation of Roma and Travellers today and understanding the discrimination they face. This publication focuses on what the works exhibited at the Louvre Museum tell us about the place and perception of Roma in Europe from the15th to the 19th centuries. Students aged 12 to 18, teachers, and any other visitor to the Louvre interested in this theme, will find detailed worksheets on 15 paintings representing Roma and Travellers and a booklet to foster reflection on the works and their context, while creating links with our contemporary perception of Roma and Travellers in today’s society. 05320 0 PREMS ENG The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation. It comprises 47 member Volume I – The Louvre states, including all members of the European Union. Sarah Carmona All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
    [Show full text]
  • Negotiating Roma Identity in Contemporary Urban Romania: an Ethnographic Study
    NEGOTIATING ROMA IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY URBAN ROMANIA: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY Anca N. Birzescu A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2013 Committee: Radhika Gajjala, Advisor Karen M. Kakas Graduate Faculty Representative Lara Martin Lengel Lynda Dixon © 2013 Anca Birzescu All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Radhika Gajjala, Advisor This dissertation is a critical ethnography of the Roma ethnic minority in post- communist Romania within the socio-economic and political context of the country’s post-accession to the European Union. The focus broadly is on the identity negotiation of the Roma minority in Romanian urban space. To this end, I explore Roma communicative practices in capital city of Bucharest. I examine the urban intercultural contact zones that represent Roma-non Roma relations and interactions. I draw on the productive “travelling” postcolonial theories and translate them into an examination of the Roma minority in Romanian physical space. My ethnography is informed by postcolonial theoretical frameworks that challenge the seemingly dichotomous colonizer/colonized relation. I look at discursive practices among Roma individuals suggesting alternative epistemes to allow for a nuanced understanding of the Roma-non Roma encounter. My methods include in-depth interviews, participant observation, and direct observation. The personal narratives of the 35 participants involved in this study emphasize a range of identity negotiation patterns. These reveal in turn complex, interrelated configurations of internalized oppression, passing, and hybridity that make possible both resistance and conformity to the dominant cultural production of the Gypsy Other.
    [Show full text]
  • The Culture Concept
    PERSPECTIVES: AN OPEN INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY Nina Brown, Thomas McIlwraith, Laura Tubelle de González The American Anthropological Association Arlington, VA Perspectives: An Open Introduction to Cultural Anthropology by Nina Brown, Thomas McIlwraith, Laura Tubelle de González is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. Under this CC BY-NC 4.0 copyright license you are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material Under the following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. 22 THE CULTURE CONCEPT Priscilla Medeiros, Women’s College Hospital [email protected] Emily Cowall, McMaster University [email protected] Learning Objectives • Compare and contrast the ideas of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. • Describe the role that early anthropologists Sir James Frazer and Sir E. B. Tylor played in defining the concept of culture in anthropology. • Identify the differences between armchair anthropology and participant-observer fieldwork and explain how Bronislaw Malinowski con- tributed to the development of anthropological fieldwork techniques. • Identify the contributions Franz Boas and his students made to the development of new theories about culture. • Assess some of the ethical issues that can arise from anthropological research. THOUGHTS ON CULTURE OVER A CUP OF COFFEE Do you think culture can be studied in a coffee shop? Have you ever gone to a coffee shop, sat down with a book or laptop, and listened to conversations around you? If you just answered yes, in a way, you were acting as an anthropologist.
    [Show full text]
  • An Investigation of Ethnocentrism, Its Elements, Factors Affecting Its Intensity, and Implications for Cross-Cultural Activities
    AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Loreen Olufson for the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in the co-departments of Anthropology, Economics, and Statistics presented on May 27, 1988. Title: An Investigation of Ethnocentrism, Its Elements, Factors Affecting Its Intensity, and Implications for Cross-Cultural Activities. Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved: John A. Young Ethnocentrism is a term for an attitude which causes individuals to place their culture at the center of the universe as they see it. Other cultures are evaluated in terms of the culture of the individual and are often valued less. Ethnocentrism and the behaviors associated with it have frequently been credited with contributing to many unfortunate and, sometimes, unanticipated outcomes from cross-cultural activities. This study attempted to answer questions about the nature of ethnocentrism, the association of levels of ethnocentrism with particular personal characteristics, the impact of training on this attitude, and the opinions of internationally experienced individuals on the significance of attitude to cross-cultural workand their recommendations for cultural education and training. A scale was developed to measure ethnocentrism. It was used to assess the change in attitude experienced by one hundred eighteen students enrolled in an introductory anthropology course. It was also used to measure the ethnocentrism of eighty cross-culturally experienced faculty members. The investigation utilized a questionnaire to obtain additional information from the faculty respondents. Factor analysis of the scale responses indicated the existence of two distinct factors for the students in the study, one reflecting individuals' attitudes toward their own culture and another reflecting attitudes toward other cultures.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnocentric Speech: Its Nature and Implications
    DocumentResume ED 140 378 CS 501 755 Author Lukens, Janet G. Ethnocentric Speech: Its Nature and Implications. Pub Date Apr 76 Note 29p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Communication Association (Portland, Oregon, April 13`17, 1976); Background of document is dark EDRS Price MF-$0.83 HC-$2.06 Plus Postage. Descriptors Distance; *Ethnocentrism; *Intergroup Relations; Interpersonal Relationship; *Language Research; *LanguageVariation; Literature Reviews; *Social Relations; *Sociolinguistics Abstract Many linguists and sociolinguists are interested in the relationship between ethnocentrism and language and in how the desire of ethnic groups to maintain their cultural distinctiveness influences linguistic variation. This paper suggests diverse ways in which ethnocentrism and the desire to increase social distance may be realized on several linguistic levels. Specifically, it is suggested that different intensities of ethnocentrism and the extent to which one desires to increase social distance are realized by different types of variation in phonology, syntax semantics, discourse structure, and idiomatic expression. The various types of linguistic diversity, as influenced by different degrees of ethoncentrism, are discussed in relation to three communicative distances: indifference, avoidance, and disparagement. (Author/AA) Ethnocentricc Speech: ITS Nature AND Implications Janet G. Lukena Departnent of Speech Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois 62901 Running Head: ETHNOCENTRIC SPEECH Ethnocentric Speech: ITS Nature AND IMPLICATIONS Janet G. Lukens Department of Speech Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois 62901 ABSTRACT Recently, there has been decreasing interest in studies and theories concerning the Impact of social and psychological variables on language behavior. Currently, many linguists and soclollngulsts are interested in the relationship between ethnocentrlsm and language and in how the desire of ethnic groups to maintain their cultural dis- tinctiveness influences linguistic variation.
    [Show full text]
  • And 'Father': Overcoming the Eurocentrism of Kinship
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by The Australian National University 408 Current Anthropology Volume 57, Number 4, August 2016 Back to ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ Overcoming the Eurocentrism of Kinship Studies through Eight Lexical Universals by Anna Wierzbicka CA1 Online-Only Material: Supplement A This paper addresses one of the most controversial issues in cultural anthropology: the conceptual foundations of kinship and the apparent inevitability of ethnocentrism in kinship studies. The field of kinship studies has been in turmoil over the past few decades, repeatedly pronounced dead and then again rising from the ashes and being declared central to human affairs. As this paper argues, the conceptual confusion surrounding ‘kinship’ is to a large extent due to the lack of a clear and rigorous methodology for discovering how speakers of the world’s different languages actually navigate their kinship systems. Building on the author’s earlier work on kinship but taking the analysis much further, this paper seeks to demonstrate that such a methodology can be found in natural semantic metalanguage theory (developed by the author and colleagues), which relies on 65 universal semantic primes and on a small number of universal “semantic molecules,” including ‘mother’ and ‘father’. The paper offers a new model for the interpretation of kinship terminologies and opens new perspectives for the investigation of kinship systems across languages and cultures. Introduction: ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ as a Conceptual born in the great majority of cases, and their first words are Basis for Kinship Studies often kinship terms.
    [Show full text]
  • Communicating Across Cultures in Cyberspace. a Bibliographical
    Leah P. Macfadyen, Jörg Roche, Sabine Doff in collaboration with Kenneth Reeder and Mackie Chase Communicating across Cultures in Cyberspace A Bibliographical Review of Intercultural Communication Online Edited by Jörg Roche and Leah P. Macfadyen LIT Table of Contents Introduction 8 Acknowledgments 9 Survey Methodology 10 Thematic Summary of the Literature 13 1 The Culture(s) of the Internet 13 Utopia or Dystopia? 13 Modern or Postmodern? 14 Cybercultural Values 15 Subcultures of/in Cyberspace 16 In Search of Utopia: Cultural Impact and Technology Design 17 Towards a Unifying Theory of Cyberculture? 18 2 The Language of Cyberspace 19 Studying Cyberlanguage 19 Cyberlanguage as Digital Text 20 Cyberlanguage as Semiotic System 21 Cyberlanguage as Discourse 21 New Literacies? 22 Context and Community: Cyberlanguage as a Communicative Tool 24 Internet Language and Culture 25 3 Intercultural Communication on the Internet 27 Current Research on Online Intercultural Communication 28 Intercultural Communication Theory, Old and New 29 Culture and Technology Design: Practical Recommendations 32 4 Identity and Community in Cyberspace 33 Virtual Identity, Virtual Ethnicity and Disembodiment...34 Virtual Community, Virtual Culture and 5 Deterr itorialization 35 The Promises of Cybertechnology for Identity and Community: Hopes and Fears 37 5 Culture and Education in Cyberspace 39 Internet Technology and the Culture(s) of Education 39 Intercultural Challenges for Online Educators 40 Intercultural Challenges and Opportunities for Online Learners 41 Designing
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction Objectives Agenda
    IMSA Leadership Education and Development “Bacteria: The only culture some people have.” - Steven Wright Introduction This module will be an exploration in cultural theory, practical issues in culture, and many of their implications in leadership. We first give students the necessary vernacular to engage in intelligent discourse on the subject, then move to the higher level content. The module then looks at multiculturalism, pluralism, and assimilation through real world examples. This is followed with a simulation that will make students question their core beliefs through the introduction of cultural relativism. The module will then make explicit leadership connections through empirical evidence with GLOBE studies, and finish with conversation on the highly relevant topic of IMSA culture. Objectives 1. Students will examine the impact of culture and location on leadership practices. 2. Students will come to realize the effect of culture on their values. 3. Students will discuss the difference between assimilation, pluralism, and multiculturalism and their respective consequences. 4. Students will be able to evaluate a situation and make decisions based on that assessment Agenda 1. Situational Awareness and Culture 2. Vernacular/Elements of Culture 3. Situational Analysis and Awareness 4. Multiculturalism vs. Pluralism vs. Assimilation 5. Cultural Relativism 6. GLOBE Studies 7. Cultural Appropriation (Supplemental) 8. IMSA Culture (Supplemental) Revised July 2018 IMSA Leadership Education and Development Leadership Connections 1. Situational Leadership. In many interactions with other cultures, situational leadership is used to evaluate new purposes, Skills Situational Analysis Resources: 1. “What is Situational Leadership? How Flexibility Leads to Success” a. What is Situational Leadership? How Flexibility Leads to Success.
    [Show full text]
  • Brett Lancaster, Understanding Genocidal Tendencies Within
    Understanding Genocidal Tendencies Within Different Cultures Brett Lancaster [email protected] (401) 829-8239 What makes a person kill another? This question has been around since the beginning of man-kind. Not much is known today, but the majority of people who kill, do it for a purpose and believe that they are doing the right thing. Killing another human being is difficult to do when looking at it within the Western cultural and ethical view. When people start seeing others as below them or just simply different, it becomes easier for them to kill in order to wipe away certain “problems”. This has been seen time and time again throughout history, including today. When studying different atrocities and genocides, scholars use a wide variety of different types of information to make conclusions on why certain types of destruction happen. There are many different angles taken to read genocide such as government type, economic standing, etc. These categories are helpful, but ignore the underlying factor that connects them all, the creation of culture and beliefs. These two factors are often overlooked, but should be the top priority of research in order to prevent future genocides. This paper focuses on the importance of the culture and ethical decisions made from the perpetrators for prior genocides, such as the Holocaust and the Cambodian Genocide, and areas at a high risk of genocide today, such as Burundi and Syria. Decisions of killing are made involving, in part, a person’s personal morals and beliefs. Culture is one of the most influential factors that help determine how we think and how we act, even subconsciously.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding Race
    RACE: A Teacher’s Guide for High School Prepared By Joseph Jones, Mary Margaret Overbey, Alan Goodman, Carol Mukhopadhyay, Yolanda Moses and Amy Beckrich A Project of American Anthropological Association Funded by Ford Foundation and National Science Foundation © 2007 American Anthropological Association. All rights reserved. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE................................................................................................................ 3 National Science Education Standards.............................................................................................. 4 Selected State Science Content Standards......................................................................................... 4 National Social Studies Curriculum Standards ................................................................................. 7 Selected State Social Studies Content Standards .............................................................................. 7 EXPLORING HUMAN BIOLOGICAL VARIATION .................................................................... 10 Continuous Trait Variation ............................................................................................................. 13 Graphing Independence .................................................................................................................. 17 Apportioning Phenotypic
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnocentrism and Ethnolinguistic Vitality
    JoLIE 2:1 (2009) DIMINISHING INTERGROUP DISCORDANCE THROUGH CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION COURSES Anastassia Zabrodskaja Tallinn University, Estonia Abstract Multilingual and multicultural societies are very often conflict-driven, and can be characterized by ethnolinguistic and cultural differentiations, social inequality etc. Discordance factor (D-factor) indicates dissonance, a lack of confidence, perceived inequity and animosity between two ethnic groups living together on one territory. The D-factor consists of four components: 1) the extent of legitimacy of the interethnic situation, 2) the extent of mutual lack of confidence, 3) the extent of mutual cooperativeness and 4) the extent of outgroup dehumanization. To measure these indicators, a questionnaire comprising 17 claims was created. In this paper I will discuss the findings of a pilot study carried out among Estonian and Russian-speaking students of Tallinn University. The purpose of the pilot study was to test whether statements adequately measure the factors that play a role in intergroup discordance such as legitimacy, confidence, cooperativeness and dehumanization. I will discuss how the D-factor is related to cross-cultural communication and how it could be reduced via majority and minority educational processes. I will argue that: 1) an understanding of multilingualism and multiculturalism ought to be developed that addresses the collective and individual needs of majority and minority students; 2) special courses in psychology and ethnosociology should be arranged to help majority and minority students to understand linguistic and cultural diversity.1 Key words: Majority; Minority; Discordance; Education; Estonians, Russian-speakers. Editors’ note: This article is an improved version of the author’s contribution to the Proceedings of the Exploratory Workshop Linguistic and Intercultural Education in the Process of Europeanisation of Higher Education CLIE-2009, Popescu, T & Pioariu R (Eds.).
    [Show full text]