DOCSLIB.ORG

Food As a Transcultural Metaphor

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Food As a Transcultural Metaphor MASARYK UNIVERSITY OF BRNO FACULTY OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STUDIES Food as a Transcultural Metaphor Food Imagery and Ethnocultural Identities in Contemporary Multicultural Women Writing in Canada KatarínaHinnerová Brno2007Supervisor:Mgr.Klára Kolinská,M.A.,Ph.D. Author’sStatement: Ideclare thatIhaveworkedonthis diplomathesisindependently,usingonlythe primaryandsecondarysourceslistedinWorksCited. Acknowledgements: Iwouldlike tothankMgr.KláraKolinská,M.A.,Ph.D.forherkindhelp,valuable adviceandinspiringcomments. Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………1 1. ContemporaryCanadianLiterature WithintheContextofMulticulturalismand Transculturalism 1.1. CanadianPolicyofMulticulturalism AndItsReflectioninContemporary CanadianLiterature…………………………………………………………….7 1.2. Multiculturalismvs.Transculturalism—FromCulturalGhettoizationto Cross-culturalInteraction……………………………………………………..15 1.3. Re-definingCanadianEthnocultural Identities……………………………….22 2. ContemporaryFoodDiscourses—SheddingLightonFoodImagery 2.1. FoodStudiesasaReflectionofSocialandCulturalDevelopments………….26 2.2. FoodandIdentity—ACrucialRelationship…………………………………..33 3. FoodImageryandContemporaryCanadianWomenAuthorsofMulticultural Backgrounds—ExpressionsofEthnocultural Identities 3.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………...37 3.2. FoodasanExpressionofEthnoculturalIdentityandCulturalBarriers inMaryDi Michele’s “LifeisTheatre”………………………………………42 3.3. FoodandtheConflictoftheTraditionalandthe Assimilated inUmaParameswaran’s “Tara’sMother-in-law”…………………………….45 3.4. Tastingthe PastinDionneBrand’s InAnother Place, Not Here ......................48 3.5. ExileandtheMeaningofaCakeinMarlene NourbesePhilip’s “BurnSugar”………………………………………………………………….50 3.6. SharonH.Nelson’s “The Woman’sTestimony”—CookingandGender RolesinImmigrantExperience……………………………………………….53 3.7. Food,PoliticsandHumanPsycheinKristjanaGunnars’ The Prowler ………56 3.8. SharingFoodasaTransculturalAct inBethBrant’s“FoodandSpirits”…….59 3.9. EdenRobinson’s Monkey Beach—FoodasaMeansofSwitching BetweenCulturalIdentities…………………………………………………...62 3.10. Conclusion………………………………………………………………….....64 4. FoodasaTranscultural Metaphor inHiromiGoto’s Chorus of Mushrooms ………65 4.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………...66 4.2. HiromiGotoasaTransculturalWriter……………………………………….67 4.3. TransculturalAspectsof FoodinGoto’s Chorus of Mushrooms …………….72 4.4. Transculturalism,FoodandStories…………………………………………...85 4.5. OtherFoodIssues in Chorusof Mushrooms ………………………………….89 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...........92 Resumé…………………………………………………………………………………95 WorksCited…………………………………………………………………………….97 Introduction ContemporaryCanadianliterarylandscapeis composedofthe multitudeofvoices speakingfromthediverseethnoculturalspheres andfromthespacesin-between cultures.Thesevoicesreflectchangingattitudes toCanadianidentities—theyspeak againsthomogeneity,uniformityandexclusionarystructures.Theyapprehendthefact that identitiesarefluidasaconsequenceofcross-culturalexchanges.Suchinteractions area premiseoftransculturalism,whichis consideredbymanyaconcept morefitting fortherealityofclashingculturesthantheofficial policyofmulticulturalism.The experienceof multipleculturaltraditionsandthe sociopoliticaldiscoursesurroundingit havefoundtheirwayintotheCanadianliteraryoutput,andisoftencommentedon throughfoodimagery.Foodisanimportantsocial phenomenon,anintegral partof cultureandthemeansof creating,affectingandmakingstatementsaboutone’sidentity. AccordingtoKimChernin,foodisalsoamediumthroughwhichwomen perceive, experienceandmaterializetheiridentitysearches.Therefore,Canadianwomenauthors usefoodimagerywhentheywantto makestatementsaboutethnicity,cultureand identity/expresstheirethnocultural identities. Themainobjectiveofmythesis is to provethatfoodimageryisanefficientmeans ofconveyingcontemporarydiscourseonethnoculturalidentitieswhichis tending towardstranscultural perspectives,andtohighlightfood’s potentialtoestablishthe awarenessofdiversity,challengeexclusionaryattitudes andstimulatecross-cultural interaction.Myobservationsandconclusions are basedontheanalysisofHiromi Goto’s Chorusof Mushrooms .ThenovelfeaturesthreegenerationsoftheTonkatsu familyandtheirattitudestowardstheirJapanese heritage,whicharerepresentedbytheir foodhabits.Theanalysisofthenovelis putintocontextof Canada’sdiscourseon multiculturalismandtransculturalism,aswellasintothecontextofseveralother 1 examplesof multiculturalwomen’swritinginCanadawhichemploysfoodimageryto commentonissuesofculture,ethnicity,identity,genderandpolitics. Thefirst partof mythesis provides a descriptionofCanada’sspecificsocial, politicalandculturalmilieuwhichis producedbyitsuniquetreatmentof multicultural reality.Knowledgeoftheforceswhichhavecreated,andwhicharestillcreatingthis situation,as wellas theresultsoftheiroperation,isnecessarytounderstandtheliterary worksanalyzedinthisthesis.Thesewritingsshouldnot be disconnectedfromthe Canadiansociopolitical discoursesinceit is partlyresponsibleformakingtheirauthors heard—the official policyof multiculturalismhasnotonlytriggeredthe publicdebate, buthasalsobroughtaboutfundingofliteratureofotherthantheEnglishandFrench background.Ontheotherhand,the inadequaciesoftheofficial policy,namelythe consequent compartmentalizationofthesociety,haveinspiredtheseauthorstopropose differentattitudestothe clashingofcultureswithinmulticulturalenvironments,oneof them beingtheconceptoftransculturalism.Onthewhole,thesociopoliticaldiscourse hasacrucialeffectonCanadianidentities,since ithas broughtthediversityofCanada’s ethnic andculturalcompositionintotheforeof publicdebate.Canadians havecometo perceivethemselvesasmulticultural.Andthis inturnaffectshowCanadianwriteabout themselves. Inthis thesis,thecontemporarydiscoursesonculture,identityandethnicityare analyzedthroughfoodimagery.Foodasaliterarydeviceis usedforvarious purposes, andthediversitycanbe illustratedandapprehendedthroughconsideringthescopeof foodstudies.Therefore,thesecondpartofthe thesisisdevotedtothe issuesdiscussed inpresent-dayfoodstudies.Asubstantial portionoffoodresearchisdevotedtothe relationbetweenfoodandcultural identity,foodandethnicityandother issues surroundingit,suchasimmigration,globalization,consumerismandtransculturalismas 2 well.However,foodstudiesalsoengageinanalyzinglinks betweenfoodandgender,or foodandpowerandpolitics.Onecanfindalltheseissuesdebatedinliteraryworksof theauthorschosenforthisthesis.Awarenessofthetreatmentoftheabove mentioned questionswithinfoodstudiescaninformtheanalysisoftheliteraryworks inavaluable way. Eventhoughthemaininterestofthis thesis liesinconsideringthetranscultural potentialof foodimagery,thisusageoffoodincontemporaryCanadianliteratureisnot theonlyoneandshouldnot beanalyzedinisolation.Toemploytransculturalapproach inthis thesis,Ihavedecidedtocross the boundariesofavariouscultures makingupthe Canadianliterarylandscape,andtohavealookathowfoodimageryisusedtoillustrate andcommentondevelopmentsinissuesofculture,identityandethnicity.Thisthesis cannot,ofcourse,containall thewritingreferringtofoodincontemporaryCanadian literature.Therefore,inspiredbyKimChernin’sclaimthatfoodis“the principalway the problemsoffemale beingcometoexpressioninwomen’slives”(qtd.inBlodgett),I havedecidedtofocusonwomenauthorsandtochoosewritersfromvarious ethnocultural backgrounds.Inthis way,Icanprovideatleasta partial illustrationof thevarietyoffemalevoicescomprisingCanadianliterature,aswellas thediversityof foodimageryemployment.Whenreadingthissection,one cannotice thatall the authorsacknowledgetheirethnic identityintheirwriting,whichis the prerequisiteof adoptingtranscultural attitudes.Theworksofthelasttwoauthorsofthis sectionmove towardstranscultural ideals,whichparallelsthedevelopmentinthe present-day socioculturaldiscourse wheretheconceptoftransculturalismisgraduallyreplacing officialmulticulturalism.Theseauthorsandtheirtransculturaluseoffoodimageryalso providea linkwiththefollowingsectionofthethesis. 3 The previous parthasrenderedanoutlineoffoodimageryusedinwritings by diverse ethnoculturalfemalevoices,andseveral worksanalyzedtherehaveintroduced transculturalattitudes tothe positionsinbetweencultures.Nevertheless,I havechosen onespecific worktoshowhowtranscultural perspectivesare bettersuitedforcoping withdual/multipleculturalheritages,andhowthismessagecanbecommunicated throughfoodimagery.HiromiGoto’s Chorus of Mushrooms isa primeexampleof transculturalfictionandalsoofamultifarioususeoffoodimagery.Foodreferencesare present insituationswheretransculturalactsaredepicted,but theyalsooccurin situationswhereissuessuchasgender,colonialismorethnicstereotypes areaddressed. Transculturalactsinthe novelentwinecommunicationthroughfoodwith communicationthroughstories,thus hintingatthedangerof superficialattitudetoother culturesandcreationofstereotypes ifonesticksonlytotemporaryexperienceof “tasting” theother through“exotic” food.Goto’s Chorusof Mushrooms dealswitha varietyofcurrentquestionsconcerningculture,identity,andethnicityandintroducesthe transculturalstance tothesequestions.Andwhat’smore,HiromiGotoeffectivelyuses foodimagerytohandle them. Whilewritingmydiplomathesis,Ihadtocometotermswithterminology consideringculture,ethnicityandidentityinrelationtoliterature,thatis innowayclear andfixed.Themostdifficult taskwasfindinga waytoaddressthegroupofauthors chosenforthethematic analysis.Canadianliterature isacollageofvoicesfromvarious ethnoculturalgroups.Insomeliteraryinterpretations,the terms“ethnic”and“minority’ areusedtodescribeauthorsofvariedethnicorigins.InmythesisIwouldlike toavoid these labels,since theysometimestendtoproducestereotypical
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Transculturalism in Chicano Literature, Visual Art, and Film Master's
    Transculturalism in Chicano Literature, Visual Art, and Film Master’s Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Department of Global Studies Jerónimo Arellano, Advisor In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Global Studies by Sarah Mabry August 2018 Transculturalism in Chicano Literature, Visual Art, and Film Copyright by Sarah Mabry © 2018 Dedication Here I acknowledge those individuals by name and those remaining anonymous that have encouraged and inspired me on this journey. First, I would like to dedicate this to my great grandfather, Jerome Head, a surgeon, published author, and painter. Although we never had the opportunity to meet on this earth, you passed along your works of literature and art. Gleaned from your manuscript entitled A Search for Solomon, ¨As is so often the way with quests, whether they be for fish or buried cities or mountain peaks or even for money or any other goal that one sets himself in life, the rewards are usually incidental to the journeying rather than in the end itself…I have come to enjoy the journeying.” I consider this project as a quest of discovery, rediscovery, and delightful unexpected turns. I would like mention one of Jerome’s six sons, my grandfather, Charles Rollin Head, a farmer by trade and an intellectual at heart. I remember your Chevy pickup truck filled with farm supplies rattling under the backseat and a tape cassette playing Mozart’s piano sonata No. 16. This old vehicle metaphorically carried a hard work ethic together with an artistic sensibility.
    [Show full text]
  • From African to African American: the Creolization of African Culture
    From African to African American: The Creolization of African Culture Melvin A. Obey Community Services So long So far away Is Africa Not even memories alive Save those that songs Beat back into the blood... Beat out of blood with words sad-sung In strange un-Negro tongue So long So far away Is Africa -Langston Hughes, Free in a White Society INTRODUCTION When I started working in HISD’s Community Services my first assignment was working with inner city students that came to us straight from TYC (Texas Youth Commission). Many of these young secondary students had committed serious crimes, but at that time they were not treated as adults in the courts. Teaching these young students was a rewarding and enriching experience. You really had to be up close and personal with these students when dealing with emotional problems that would arise each day. Problems of anguish, sadness, low self-esteem, disappointment, loneliness, and of not being wanted or loved, were always present. The teacher had to administer to all of these needs, and in so doing got to know and understand the students. Each personality had to be addressed individually. Many of these students came from one parent homes, where the parent had to work and the student went unsupervised most of the time. In many instances, students were the victims of circumstances beyond their control, the problems of their homes and communities spilled over into academics. The teachers have to do all they can to advise and console, without getting involved to the extent that they lose their effectiveness.
    [Show full text]
  • BTS' A.R.M.Y. Web 2.0 Composing: Fangirl Translinguality As Parasocial, Motile Literacy Praxis Judy-Gail Baker a Dissertation
    BTS’ A.R.M.Y. Web 2.0 Composing: Fangirl Translinguality As Parasocial, Motile Literacy Praxis Judy-Gail Baker A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2019 Reading Committee: Anis Bawarshi, Chair Nancy Bou Ayash Juan C. Guerra Program Authorized to Offer Degree: English ©Copyright 2019 Judy-Gail Baker University of Washington Abstract BTS’ A.R.M.Y. Web 2.0 Composing: Fangirl Translinguality As Parasocial, Motile Literacy Praxis Judy-Gail Baker Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Anis Bawarshi English As a transcultural K-Pop fandom, 아미 [A.R.M.Y.] perform out-of-school, Web 2.0 English[es] composing to cooperatively translate, exchange and broker content for parasocially relating to/with members of the supergroup 방탄소년단 [BTS] and to/with each other. Using critical linguistic ethnography, this study traces how 아미 microbloggers’ digital conversations embody Jenkins’ principles of participatory fandom and Wenger’s characteristics of communities of learning practice. By creating Wei’s multilingual translanguaging spaces, 아미 assemble interest-based collectives Pérez González calls translation adhocracies, who collaboratively access resources, produce content and distribute fan compositions within and beyond fandom members. In-school K-12 and secondary learning writing Composition and Literacy Studies’ theory, research and pedagogy imagine learners as underdeveloped novices undergoing socialization to existing “native” discourses and genres and acquiring through “expert” instruction competencies for formal academic and professional “lived” composing. Critical discourse analysis of 아미 texts documents diverse learners’ initiating, mediating, translating and remixing transmodal, plurilingual compositions with agency, scope and sophistication that challenge the fields’ structural assumptions and deficit framing of students.
    [Show full text]
  • Change, Including Border and Boundary Crossing Experienced by Students from Non-Dominant Communities
    */(5., PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES FOR TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS Re-mediating Literacy: Culture, Difference, and Learning for Students from Non-dominant Communities (\[OVYZ!2YPZ.\[PtYYLa7AP[SHSP4VYHSLZHUK+HUU`*4HY[PULa +H[L! :LYPLZ5\TILY!77)7? ;OPZWHWLY^HZVYPNPUHSS`W\ISPZOLKPU9L]PL^VM9LZLHYJOPU,K\JH[PVU;OL THU\ZJYPW[]LYZPVUPZYLWYPU[LKOLYL^P[O[OLWLYTPZZPVUVM[OLH\[OVYZ;OLVYPNPUHSW\ISPJH [PVUPZH]HPSHISLH[O[[W!^^^HLYHUL[ .\[PtYYLa2+4VYHSLZ7A 4HY[PULa+* 9LTLKPH[PUNSP[LYHJ`!J\S[\YL KPMMLYLUJLHUKSLHYUPUNMVYZ[\KLU[ZMYVTUVUKVTPUHU[JVTT\UP[PLZ9L]PL^VM9LZLHYJOPU ,K\JH[PVU ;OL*,5;,9?*/(5.,PZHYLWVZP[VY`VMKVJ\TLU[ZWYVK\JLKI`HUKHIV\[<*3(Z[\KLU[ZHS\TUP HUKMHJ\S[`VU[OL^VYRVM[YHUZMVYTPUNW\ISPJZJOVVSZ;OL*,5;,9?*/(5.,PZTHUHNLKI`HU LKP[VYPHSIVHYK[OH[TLL[ZTVU[OS`[VYL]PL^Z\ITPZZPVUZHUKKL]LSVWUL^JVU[LU[(JJLZZ[V[OLZL YLZV\YJLZ]HY`^P[OJVW`YPNO[YLZ[YPJ[PVUZOV^L]LY*LU[LY?Z[YP]LZ[VWYV]PKLVWLUHUKMYLLHJJLZZ ^OLUL]LYWVZZPISL *VU[LU[VM[OL(Y[PJSLZHYLHJJLZZI`]HYPV\ZJVW`YPNO[Z" ;OL?*OHUNL(YJOP]LPZ<*9LNLU[Z *LU[LY?PZHWHY[VM[OL.YHK\H[L:JOVVS VM,K\JH[PVUHUK0UMVYTH[PVU:[\KPLZH[<*3( 4VVYL/HSS)V_ 3VZ(UNLSLZ*( ^^^JLU[LY_NZLPZ\JSHLK\ Abstract In this chapter, we examine notions of educational risk in the context of literacy theories and research. Deficit notions about the cognitive potential of individuals from nondominant1 communities have persisted in social science inquiry, particu- larly where literacy is concerned. The intellectual trails of current conflicting ideas about literacy can be traced in part to theories about the role of literacy in society. For example, the great divide theories of literacy, sustained by a view of culture as social evolution and progress (Cole, 2005), attributed significant differences to the cognitive and cultural development of literate and nonliterate people and their communities (Goody, 1977, 1986, 1987; Goody and Watt, 1963; Havelock, 1963; Ong, 1982).2 This literacy thesis held that there were “categorical differences in cognition and language as consequences of literacy” (Reder and Davila, 2005, p.
    [Show full text]
  • The Discourse of Transculturality and Mohsin Hamid's the Reluctant
    Southeast Asian Review of English, Vol. 53, no.1, 2016, pp:1-11. Multiculturalism, Interculturalism, Transculturalism and The Reluctant Fundamentalist1 JOSÉ MANUEL ESTÉVEZ-SAÁ University of A Coruña, Spain Abstract The most influential theorists of multiculturalism and interculturalism have attempted a rigorous re-examination of their proposals, as demonstrated by recent publications such as “Interculturalism versus multiculturalism –The Cantle-Modood debate” (2015) and Multiculturalism and Interculturalism: Debating the Dividing Lines (2016). Both Ted Cantle and Tariq Modood have acknowledged the need to revise the concepts of interculturalism and multiculturalism as a response to the rapidly changing circumstances of contemporary societies. This paper seeks to: briefly review recent assessments of interculturalism and multiculturalism; attempt to establish a dialogue between the interculturalism-multiculturalism debate and the precept of transculturalism (Dagnino 2012, McLeod 2011); and exemplify the usefulness of the transcultural approach in the exegesis of literary fictions such as Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007), a novel that because it operates at the level of both multicultural and intercultural encounters is able to richly contribute to these debates and discourses. The paper argues for the salience of critical terms such as “transnational writer”, “transnational literature”, “transculturality” and “transculturalism” as they offer a critical vocabulary particularly appropriate for the study of the movements and migrations of people that are depicted with increasing regularity in twenty-first century literature in English. Keywords: Multiculturalism, interculturalism, transculturalism, contemporary literature in English, Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist Many changes and inevitable readjustments have taken place in Western societies (specifically the UK and the USA) since they began to be considered exponents of multiculturalism in the 1960s.
    [Show full text]
  • Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Genocide in South Texas: Some
    Journal of Modern Education Review, ISSN 2155-7993, USA February 2016, Volume 6, No. 2, pp. 79–91 Doi: 10.15341/jmer(2155-7993)/02.06.2016/001 © Academic Star Publishing Company, 2016 http://www.academicstar.us Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Genocide in South Texas: Some Advice for Parents Julien Ekiaka-Oblazamengo1, Mónica Rosalina Medina-Jiménez1, Valentin Ekiaka Nzai2 (1. Department of Teacher and Bilingual Education, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, USA; 2. Mexican American Catholic College, San Antonio, USA) Abstract: As the hegemonic trend toward a unique and uniform culture and language grows, some ethnic groups in South Texas are not ready to give up their cultural and linguistic rights. In opposition to Anglo American leading institutions, many students drop out of schools (Beykont, 1997, 2002). Historically, schools and teachers — consciously or unconsciously — have been the medium to institutionalize a policing of one language (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2000) and to deculturalize and/or Americanize Mexican American students. Since Guadalupe Hidalgo’s bill, the most common methods which were incorporated into educational policies included segregation and isolation, forced change of language, curriculum and textbooks reflecting the dominant group, denial of cultural and religious expression of dominated groups, and the exclusive use of teachers from dominant groups (Spring, 2007). Using a critical pedagogical approach, the authors discuss Texas’ public school districts as an oppressive cultural system by Anglo Americans standards or policies, and some practical advice to Mexican-American/Latino Parents on how to stop the ongoing deculturation of future generations of their children, including the intensive use of technologies. Key words: linguistic genocide, cultural genocide, linguistic/cultural assimilation, bilingualism 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Traditional and Emerging Patterns in the Social Organization of a Large Estate in the Cauca Valley, Colombia, South America
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1979 Traditional and Emerging Patterns in the Social Organization of a Large Estate in the Cauca Valley, Colombia, South America. J. Jairo Gomez-angel Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Gomez-angel, J. Jairo, "Traditional and Emerging Patterns in the Social Organization of a Large Estate in the Cauca Valley, Colombia, South America." (1979). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 3394. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/3394 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This was produced from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand marking? or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or “target** for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)’*. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure you of complete continuity.
    [Show full text]
  • Marco Möhrer Marcel Pillath Fabian Simmank Michaël Suurendonk
    Marco Möhrer Marcel Pillath Fabian Simmank Michaël Suurendonk TRANSCULTURALISM AND LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE EVALUATION OF THE TRANSCULTURAL PROFILER Reports from the Field 2 Doctoral Program “Ethics and Responsible Leadership in Business” Disclaimer These papers are published as a means of encouraging discourse and learning. The publishers do not necessarily share the views expressed in the papers. The authors themselves are responsible for the content of their papers. URN urn:nbn:de:gbv:3:2-53013 Published by The Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics, in cooperation with the Leadership Excel- lence Institute Zeppelin of the Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen. The authors and the institutions involved are grateful to Saurabh Mittal from Tata Interactive Systems, Richard Lowe from WorldWork and the various HR and Executive Managers from BASF for the valuable insights they contributed to this report. The authors also thank the Transcultural Caravan (http://www.transcultural-caravan.org/) for hosting this project. The study was supported by the Karl Schlecht Stiftung. Correspondence contact details Dr. Anja Staemmler Academic Coordinator Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics PhD Program Ethics and Responsible Leadership in Business Schlossstrasse 10 D-06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg Germany Fon: +49 3491 5079 117 Fax: +49 3491 5079 150 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.wcge.org 1 Marco Möhrer Marcel Pillath Fabian Simmank Michaël Suurendonk Supervised by Prof. Dr. habil. Josef Wieland Dr. Angelica Marte TRANSCULTURALISM AND LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE EVALUATION OF THE TRANSCULTURAL PROFILER 2 Management Summary This study evaluates a values-based leadership development tool named the “Trans- cultural Profiler”. The instrument has been developed to measure and strengthen the transcultural competences needed for managing and leading global teams with cul- turally heterogeneous members.
    [Show full text]
  • Multiculturalism Or Transculturalism? Views on Cultural Diversity
    102 Multiculturalism or transculturalism? Views on cultural diversity MULTICULTURALISM OR TRANSCULTURALISM? VIEWS ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY Lucia-Mihaela GROSU1 Abstract The present article is a critique of multiculturalism and transculturalism in an attempt to gather different opinions about conceptualizing cultural diversity in multi-ethnic states. Multiculturalism represents the foundation on which an entire national policy was built after 1970 in Canada. The article presents the many interpretations of multiculturalism (or cultural pluralism as it has been called) which range from sociology to culture and politics. Some of the most famous debates on multiculturalism are analyzed. Can transculturalism (also known as cosmopolitanism) be the solution for harmonious cultural interaction? The article explores this possibility and discusses different theoretical standpoints. Keywords: multiculturalism, Canada, segregation, integration, transculturalism Motto: I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. Mahatma Gandhi2 Introduction An icon of non-violent civil disobedience, Mahatma Gandhi, the famous Father of the Indian nation uttered the words I mentioned as a motto in the context of a colonized India. He remains to this day one of the most outstanding proponents of national freedom in the world. His viewpoint on cultural diversity and intercultural communication is an appropriate starting point for my present paper. The aim of this article is to offer a critique of the different approaches to multiculturalism with a focus on the Canadian context.
    [Show full text]
  • Blumenfeld.Pdf
    Warren J. Blumenfeld Associate Professor Department of Curriculum & Instruction Iowa State University [email protected] Assumptions The notion of “race” is discursively or socially constructed. The concept of “race” arose concurrently with the advent of European exploration as a justification and rationale for conquest and domination of the globe beginning in the 15th century of the Common Era. “Race” is an historical, “scientific,” and biological myth. It is an idea. Geneticists tell us that there is often more variability within a given so-called “race” than between “races,” and that there are no essential genetic markers linked specifically to “race.” 2010, Arizona: SB 1070 Mandates police officers stop and question people about immigration status if they suspect they may be in this country illegally Criminalizes undocumented workers who do not possess an “alien registration document” Allows U.S. citizens to file suits against government agencies that do not enforce the law Criminalizes employers who transport or hire undocumented workers Janet Murguia President CEO of civil rights organization, National Council of La Raza, “By signing it, this bill, Governor Brewer has thrown the door wide open for racial profiling.” “Racial Profiling” “Racial profiling occurs when race is used by law enforcement or private security officials, to any degree, as a basis for criminal suspicion in non-suspect specific investigations.” Racial profiling constitutes a form of discrimination, based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, and other identities “undermines the basic human rights and freedoms to which every person is entitled.” Amnesty International SB 1070 “law enforcement official or agency…may not consider race, color or national origin in implementing the requirements of this subsection except to the extent permitted by the United States or Arizona constitution.” But…how can this NOT be a major consideration? Federal Government & Racial Profiling 1975, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Multiculturalism Or Transculturalism: Towards a Cosmopolitan Citizenship. Donald Cuccioletta Ph.D
    LONDON JOURNAL OF CANADIAN STUDIES 2001/2002 VOLUME 17 Multiculturalism or Transculturalism: Towards a Cosmopolitan Citizenship. Donald Cuccioletta Ph.D. Plattsburgh State University of New York Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Research Group on the Americas Abstract The public policy of multiculturalism, passed by the Trudeau Government in 1972, was according to the theory behind it, to establish an eventual cosmopolitan identity of Canadian citizenship. More political than social, this policy, has led to many discussions vis -a-vis the Ghetto nature that has evolved from it. The Mosaic has remained divided. The pluralistic idea of transculturalism (seeing oneself in the other), basically relying on the forces of society (not politicians), has a more interactive (for citizens) and egalitarian approach. With the break down of numerous borders (both physical and psychological), which position is the more harmonious with a true citizenship for the world? Introduction The difficulty of being in contact and understanding the culture of otherness “alterité” is not new. Human history and recent events in Bosnia, Rwanda, Oldham, to name just a few, are outstanding examples that human understanding and respect of the other, based on a religious, racial and cultural perspective, despite numerous legislation, still remains to this day very elusive. The persistent barriers of racism, fear, ignorance and imaginative stereotypes remain constant obstacles to fruitful human relations and need to be addressed and destroyed in order for the human experience to progress. We have all had the experience of reading historical travel accounts that on the surface present exciting detail descriptions of exotic civilizations and cultures which inhabited our world.
    [Show full text]
  • Multicultural Education from Theory to Practice
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284446148 Multicultural Education From Theory to Practice Book · November 2015 CITATIONS READS 6 17,621 1 author: Georgeta Raţă Banat University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine 18 PUBLICATIONS 13 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Georgeta Raţă on 23 November 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Multicultural Education Multicultural Education: From Theory to Practice Edited by Hasan Arslan and Georgeta Raţă Multicultural Education: From Theory to Practice, Edited by Hasan Arslan and Georgeta Raţă This book first published 2013 Cambridge Scholars Publishing 12 Back Chapman Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2XX, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2013 by Hasan Arslan and Georgeta Raţă and contributors All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-4438-4740-2, ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-4740-7 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables .............................................................................................. ix List of Illustrations ..................................................................................... xi Foreword
    [Show full text]